Comments on: To Publish Or Not To Publish (A marriage proposal) http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/ from the staff of BookSwim.com Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:01:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kirstin http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Kirstin Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:14:55 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-275 I think you should publish. Obviously, you are innovative (look at Bookswim) and you sound very intelligent. If you dont mind people knowing that intimate side of your relationship and you feel that it would make a great book, I say Go For It! What do you really have to lose? I can tell you, as an avid reader myself, that I personally love romance novels. Also, if Melissa is OK with it, too. Good luck and I wish you best! I think you should publish. Obviously, you are innovative (look at Bookswim) and you sound very intelligent. If you dont mind people knowing that intimate side of your relationship and you feel that it would make a great book, I say Go For It! What do you really have to lose? I can tell you, as an avid reader myself, that I personally love romance novels. Also, if Melissa is OK with it, too. Good luck and I wish you best!

]]> By: Brian http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-262 Brian Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:50:47 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-262 Hey Nick, Like others have mentioned, just be absolutely sure you and Melissa are fine knowing that intimate details of your personal life are out in the open for the world to read about. If you are, are you don't fancy the thought (as others have mentioned) of a publisher possibly toying around and changing your story into what they consider a more marketable product, there's always self-publishing, though it's probably a bit more expensive to do. In any case, be 100% sure that you and Melissa are fine with every detail in the book winding up on the internet for everyone in the world to know. Everything always does it seems. :) Hey Nick,

Like others have mentioned, just be absolutely sure you and Melissa are fine knowing that intimate details of your personal life are out in the open for the world to read about. If you are, are you don’t fancy the thought (as others have mentioned) of a publisher possibly toying around and changing your story into what they consider a more marketable product, there’s always self-publishing, though it’s probably a bit more expensive to do.

In any case, be 100% sure that you and Melissa are fine with every detail in the book winding up on the internet for everyone in the world to know. Everything always does it seems. :)

]]> By: Just a Few Things « So Many Books http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-261 Just a Few Things « So Many Books Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:06:54 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-261 [...] Nick, who also happens to be the proprietor of BookSwim, the book rental company, is asking for people’s thoughts and opinions on whether or not he should try to publish a rather personal book that he wrote to his [...] [...] Nick, who also happens to be the proprietor of BookSwim, the book rental company, is asking for people’s thoughts and opinions on whether or not he should try to publish a rather personal book that he wrote to his [...]

]]> By: karen http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-260 karen Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:37:13 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-260 on the one hand, people love this kind of memoir/novel/truelove thing. it would probably do very well within a particular market. but then it becomes a product. it gets sent out in a box and shelved, and people take it to the cafe and spill coffee on it and it falls off the shelf and gets stepped on and its just a book. will it hurt you if you see it on the shelf at the salvation army someday? for me it would. writers have to have supertough skin, and with a story like this that is deeply personal, i would personally hesitate. but at the end of the day, it is up to your wife, naturally. on the one hand, people love this kind of memoir/novel/truelove thing. it would probably do very well within a particular market. but then it becomes a product. it gets sent out in a box and shelved, and people take it to the cafe and spill coffee on it and it falls off the shelf and gets stepped on and its just a book. will it hurt you if you see it on the shelf at the salvation army someday? for me it would. writers have to have supertough skin, and with a story like this that is deeply personal, i would personally hesitate. but at the end of the day, it is up to your wife, naturally.

]]> By: Heather http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-259 Heather Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:22:52 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-259 Everybody loves a beautiful love story which is what it sounds like you have written & for that matter lived. It would probably be quiet inspiring to many people and as someone else pointed out look at Nicholas Sparks book about his Grandparents. But I'd also say have some people read it who you know will be completely honest with you & know about writing/publishing & take their feedback to heart, if you decide you want to publish it. If it gets published it will be an amazing, wonderful & sometimes heart-wrenching ride just like your courtship was - so keep that in mind as you make your decision. Everybody loves a beautiful love story which is what it sounds like you have written & for that matter lived. It would probably be quiet inspiring to many people and as someone else pointed out look at Nicholas Sparks book about his Grandparents. But I’d also say have some people read it who you know will be completely honest with you & know about writing/publishing & take their feedback to heart, if you decide you want to publish it. If it gets published it will be an amazing, wonderful & sometimes heart-wrenching ride just like your courtship was – so keep that in mind as you make your decision.

]]> By: Cookie http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-258 Cookie Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:45:03 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-258 Are you ready to have an agent and editor scrutinize it in every possible way? Are you prepared to make changes, possibly substantial changes, to make it into something saleable? The problem/caveat with publishing something this personal is that it will not be your "baby" anymore. It won't be published in the exact same shape and form it had when you wooed your lady with it. It will inevitably be a slightly different book. Can you live with that? If the book as-it-is is dear to you (and I'm sure it must be), I would be wary of letting go of it and let someone pick around in it. As much as it sounds like a wonderfully romantic story, you have to decide how personal it is, not just its contents (personal feelings, happenings, individuals) but also the book itself from first page to last. Do you want to keep it intact like a shrine of your love – or are you ready to let it go and transform into a novel that others can enjoy as well? Are you ready to have an agent and editor scrutinize it in every possible way? Are you prepared to make changes, possibly substantial changes, to make it into something saleable?

The problem/caveat with publishing something this personal is that it will not be your “baby” anymore. It won’t be published in the exact same shape and form it had when you wooed your lady with it. It will inevitably be a slightly different book. Can you live with that?

If the book as-it-is is dear to you (and I’m sure it must be), I would be wary of letting go of it and let someone pick around in it. As much as it sounds like a wonderfully romantic story, you have to decide how personal it is, not just its contents (personal feelings, happenings, individuals) but also the book itself from first page to last. Do you want to keep it intact like a shrine of your love – or are you ready to let it go and transform into a novel that others can enjoy as well?

]]> By: Katie http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Katie Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:05:32 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-257 Hey Nick, I think you should publish it so long as both you and Mel are ok with it. Just remember that by publishing it, the privacy about that part of your life is no longer in your control. But if you don't mind that fact, I'd say go for it and send me a copy! :) Hey Nick,

I think you should publish it so long as both you and Mel are ok with it. Just remember that by publishing it, the privacy about that part of your life is no longer in your control. But if you don’t mind that fact, I’d say go for it and send me a copy! :)

]]> By: Michael L http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-256 Michael L Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:58:07 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-256 The privacy decision should be yours, not the internet's! You can get advice by putting an excerpt and asking about quality, but as another person said, you might want a more qualified opinion. By the way, congratulations on the marriage!!! The privacy decision should be yours, not the internet’s! You can get advice by putting an excerpt and asking about quality, but as another person said, you might want a more qualified opinion.
By the way, congratulations on the marriage!!!

]]> By: Michelle http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-255 Michelle Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:52:38 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-255 Publish! Publish!

]]> By: Dave G http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-254 Dave G Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:45:18 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-254 I'm all for publishing in one sense as it's going to serve as a sweet reminder and may inspire poignant thought in others. I also feel that I PERSONALLY wouldn't, because I am a bit more guarded about those types of feelings then I know you to be. If you and Mel are okay with it then I say do what you feel. I’m all for publishing in one sense as it’s going to serve as a sweet reminder and may inspire poignant thought in others. I also feel that I PERSONALLY wouldn’t, because I am a bit more guarded about those types of feelings then I know you to be. If you and Mel are okay with it then I say do what you feel.

]]> By: Paul http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Paul Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:37:39 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-253 To be honest? I think you should send it out to agents. Novels like this sell pretty well. Just look at Nicholas Sparks- he wrote his The Notebook based on his grandparents love for each other. To be honest? I think you should send it out to agents. Novels like this sell pretty well. Just look at Nicholas Sparks- he wrote his The Notebook based on his grandparents love for each other.

]]> By: Catharine http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-252 Catharine Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:28:05 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-252 As an avid reader myself, I can honestly tell you that we love romance - even moreso when it's realistic. We want to believe that it could happen to us. The fact that your novel is a true story it makes it that much more appealing. If some of the details are too personal, then you can either decide to change them, keep them out altogether, or maybe not publish the book at all (though I fear it would be a loss to the romance literary community if you didn't). Ultimately, it is a choice for you and your wife to make, but (as someone who is writing a book based on her own real life love story), my vote is yes. As an avid reader myself, I can honestly tell you that we love romance – even moreso when it’s realistic. We want to believe that it could happen to us. The fact that your novel is a true story it makes it that much more appealing. If some of the details are too personal, then you can either decide to change them, keep them out altogether, or maybe not publish the book at all (though I fear it would be a loss to the romance literary community if you didn’t). Ultimately, it is a choice for you and your wife to make, but (as someone who is writing a book based on her own real life love story), my vote is yes.

]]> By: Gina Holmes http://www.bookswim.com/blog/to-publish-or-not-to-publish/2009/10/19/comment-page-1/#comment-251 Gina Holmes Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:57:59 +0000 http://www.bookswim.com/blog/?p=903#comment-251 Well, I think it depends on how well it's written. I'd give it to a half dozen people who know good writing and books, and have the time to read it, (not your family and bff's) and see what they say. You could pray about it and talk to your wife about it and if it's not clear, then I'd say try to sell it and if you do, there's your answer, and if you don't, then maybe that wasn't meant to be and start on your next book, this time with the hope of publication in mind. Well, I think it depends on how well it’s written. I’d give it to a half dozen people who know good writing and books, and have the time to read it, (not your family and bff’s) and see what they say. You could pray about it and talk to your wife about it and if it’s not clear, then I’d say try to sell it and if you do, there’s your answer, and if you don’t, then maybe that wasn’t meant to be and start on your next book, this time with the hope of publication in mind.

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