Do-it-yourself publishing has become the
new route to success for struggling authors.
by Danuta Kean, Sunday Telegraph 12 Sept 2004
Several
have recently won lucrative contracts from the biggest publishers after
proving the worth of their books by first printing them themselves and
selling them in local bookshops.
The falling cost of self-publishing means that authors whose work has
been turned down by literary agents or publishers are now able to prove
that their books will sell.
Among the success stories is Peter J Murray, a former assistant headmaster
from Cheam, Berkshire, who will see two of his children's books published
on Thursday by Hodder Children's Books.
Murray's debut, Mokee Joe is Coming, which was inspired by stories he
told to his own children, was self-published last autumn and sold 12,000
copies after he promoted it in local bookshops and schools.
He said: "People said to me that if I wanted to get published I should
expect 40 rejection letters and that it would take two years before the
book appeared.
"I didn't want to wait. I wanted to get the book out there for readers,
so I decided to do it myself."
Murray took his book to Pen Press, an agency that publishes authors unable
to find a commercial publisher. It produced 2,000 copies at a cost to
Murray of £2,000.
He then persuaded a branch of Waterstone's in Newbury to sell the book
after meeting Odette Bride, the shop's senior bookseller, in a pub.
Mrs Bride said: "I was so impressed when I saw the book that I asked
my manager if we could hold the launch here. Children came from Cheam
School, where Peter had taught, and were absolutely mesmerised. We sold
out."
The book's success was noticed by Waterstone's head office, which included
it in Christmas promotions throughout its 200 branches.
Hodder Children's Books acquired the rights to Mokee Joe early this year
for a "healthy five-figure sum" - thought to be £25,000
- following an auction that included two publishers that initially turned
the books down. It will also publish a sequel, Mokee Joe Recharged, this
week.
Curtis Brown, the literary agency representing Murray, is now seeking
a film deal.
Murray, who has returned to his home town of Rotherham to concentrate
on writing, said: "I keep thinking I am going to wake from a dream
and find myself back at school marking books."
Anne McNeil, the publishing director at Hodder Children's Books, said
that the success of such books had made her look again at self-published
works. "We are keeping our radar open for these books. If they are
loved by a small, local audience as a self-published title, then clearly
there is a possibility that a wider audience will like them."