Tuesday, February 3, 2009

What if you could hire a dream team to help you get published?

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Imagine a dream team of professionals that would help you get your book published. Lets say this team consisted of: a couple editors and agents, an award winning author, copy editor, art director and a Senior VP of a publishing company (among other skill sets and experiences). What if they worked with you as you prepared your book for submission and used their connections to get your manuscript in the best possible hands?

Our quick-sand economy, along with the Amazon monster is swallowing bookstores, publishers and editorial jobs whole. (Go ahead and click here if you'd like to read and get more depressed about it.) That means less books, less money and less of a chance that hopeful writers will become published authors. This bleak moment in time gives us little hope for future publishing. It has always been difficult to get your foot in the publishing door and now it's only going to get harder. Having a dream team on your side, like the one mentioned above, would be a good group to have on your side. I would think it would certainly improve your chances of climbing out of the slush pile and getting noticed.

Here's the good news. The dream team, that I mentioned above, is real and has responded to the changing times. They recently banded together to form a company called Namelos. I think they are worth checking out. Their credentials are impressive. Once I get a few more pennies in my piggy bank, I may even consider it myself. I had the pleasure of meeting one of their members, Joy Neaves, at an SCBWI conference a couple years ago. She's a fabulous and talented editor.


I just thought I'd pass the good word around. Despite the downturn, it looks like hopeful options have begun to sprout!

15 comments:

PJ Hoover said...

Very interesting concept!
I love the idea of a dream team. It's like the Olympics!

Christina Farley said...

What a concept. I'll have to check out the Namelos.

Unknown said...

What a great post. I'd been considering doing one on Namelos since the news came out on the listserv, but yours it much better than what I would have done!

Bish Denham said...

Sounds veeerrry interesting!

C.R. Evers said...

Thanks for stopping in guys!

Adrienne said...

Interesting idea...sounds like it could get costly, though.

C.R. Evers said...

Adrienne, I think it could be too, but I wonder if it might be comparable to what one might pay for a writing retreat or a conference (including travel etc) I might be inclined to give up one of my conferences or retreats to get personal help from a team. It's worth thinking over anyway.

Samantha said...

Hmmm. Interesting. If I don't get bites on Goddess...

C.R. Evers said...

Good luck with Goddess! I like this concept because I'd love that one on one honest feedback as well as the direction. It would be good to hear the feedback from people who KNOW the business.

sruble said...

I'd like a dream team! I'm not sure about Namelos though. It will be interesting to hear from people that have used them and see what they say.

Kelly Polark said...

I'd like a dream team to help me! But yeah, not sure I could pay for it now! Thanks for the interesting link, Christy!

Rena Jones said...

Thanks for the links, Christy!

Marcia said...

Wow, I just posted on this same topic yesterday! I don't know that I'd jump into something like this, but it's cheaper than some conferences and they look at more than ten pages and there's ALL of them . . .

Brenda said...

Sounds interesting...I mean who wouldn't want a Dream Team...I will have to start digging deep and searching for loose change in my car and sofa cushions...grin...

Anonymous said...

I read about Namelos recently and I'm still trying to form an opinion on it. The initial fee doesn't sound too hefty, I've paid that to attend conferences. But I don't know how much deeper into my pockets I'd have to reach, and although my dream is to be published, I'd also like to make some money, not spend it all. I'd like to hear from someone who has hired them and had success...but since they're a start-up, that may take a while...