Ben, I’m glad to have finally had a quiet moment to watch this. I love what you’re up to. Yes to all of it!
Have you looked into Unbound? It’s a crowdfunding publishing company that I know a number of people have published books through, including the marvelous Tom Cox. It could be a good fit for you.
I’m going to email you about the video salon idea. Cheers!
I love how you keep us abreast to your process… and what a treat to see/hear my own name pop up in there too.:) Yes to all your poll questions (even trying my own hand at fiction!) And huge props to you for submitting to that contest, I can’t wait to read what your brilliant mind conjured up.
"I’m considering starting a monthly video that’s a salon-style chat with interesting writers and artists on the Substack platform I’ve come to know and love. I’m curious if this is something you’d be interested in watching." This is a completely brilliant idea and one I've been looking for, the chance to meet and hear each other. Yes please.
I love your In The Works updates, Ben. I really hope you do end up publishing what you submitted to the contest, because that sounded really interesting and I would love to read it. I find it hard to form an even vaguely positive vision around that stuff, so it sounds needed! I'd love to watch a salon of you speaking with interesting folks, and while I love the idea of the Same Walk challenge, I will literally be up to my eyeballs in baby & juvenile birds at that time, so I think I'd be setting myself up to fail!
And, I would love to buy your book. I so hope you do the same with Harmony House one day, too. I'd kill to have that in hard copy...
Amazing that you've got the finale and plan all set for Harmony House. This has been such a great thing to be part of and see unfold each week. I'd love it--if you'd be willing to do so--for you to do a post-script on it to describe the process, e.g. where you felt the story arc would or wouldn't go, where it ended up going etc. I'd find that really fascinating.
Appreciate these thoughts you put together and the posts you share. Keep it up, Ben. Keep that flow going.
I watched/listened to this over my morning coffee. Twas a lovely way to spend 15 minutes and I still have a few sips of coffee left to enjoy while I absorb everything you've shared. Yes to SWDS2! Yes to a physical copy of The Memory of My Shadow, or any book you decide to publish. I've determined I'm a real snob about novels. I gotta have em in my hands.
I just took the leap and recorded my first real Lab Notes segment that I plan to post on Leap Day. We're heading down some of the same paths. Anytime you want to talk shop about what's working and what isn't, I'm around.
And I feel you on the music front. I haven't touched music in so long it's become a stranger to me. Thankfully, my son is becoming quite proficient at the cello and my daughter might be the first third grader in history to play a recorder and have it sound like a musical instrument instead of a torture device.😊 So I still have music in my world, even if I'm not currently making it.
I’ve just hit post on an update to my own publication and then the first that pops up in notes, thank you dear Kimberly, is yours Ben. I read/listened and now I’m cringing at my own rather paltry efforts… anyway, my problem… yours is really well assembled and yes to all your poll questions!
Ben, you really provide a lot of motivation for your fellow authors (and readers), so I appreciate your extra effort to share it with us. Good luck with your efforts to publish a book in the traditional way. I have been involved in traditional publishing in a young age, translating literary books (and publishing them), working on the editorial board of a journal about translation. I have friends who are traditional publishers and I know how difficult it is, both for authors and for publishers.
I have added your fiction to my substack queue and will go through it at the earliest opportunity. I've been somewhat busy with my five newsletters on Substack.
As for video talks, I think it is a great idea to go multi-modal, since it will boost the reading.
I am more than ready for a second Same Walk... project, presumably with a different structure.
I'd be interested in hearing about anyone's experience with 'real' book publishing. I have to say, I think it's a discouraging path to take. I can't remember specifics, but HUGE numbers of books are published every day, and finding your way up from the very bottom seems like a daunting task.
I have a brother-in-law who has been a professional writer (mostly a journalist) for decades. He has gone the publisher route for his two novels, and I have to say I think it's been more trouble for him than it's worth.
Print on demand publishing, such as Amazon, seems more realistic for those of us who don't have name recognition that will draw readers. There is no upfront expense, and you can be your own agent. I am retired. I can afford to treat this like a (nearly) full time hobby. Trying to earn a living from it seems daunting.
I have in fact written two novels and a play. I have done nothing with them, but we'll see. You may see them serialized on my own Substack.
For what it's worth, I have 'published' on Amazon. I have sold exactly zero copies, either hard copy or Kindle. It's rough out there!
Ben, I’m glad to have finally had a quiet moment to watch this. I love what you’re up to. Yes to all of it!
Have you looked into Unbound? It’s a crowdfunding publishing company that I know a number of people have published books through, including the marvelous Tom Cox. It could be a good fit for you.
I’m going to email you about the video salon idea. Cheers!
I love how you keep us abreast to your process… and what a treat to see/hear my own name pop up in there too.:) Yes to all your poll questions (even trying my own hand at fiction!) And huge props to you for submitting to that contest, I can’t wait to read what your brilliant mind conjured up.
"I’m considering starting a monthly video that’s a salon-style chat with interesting writers and artists on the Substack platform I’ve come to know and love. I’m curious if this is something you’d be interested in watching." This is a completely brilliant idea and one I've been looking for, the chance to meet and hear each other. Yes please.
I love your In The Works updates, Ben. I really hope you do end up publishing what you submitted to the contest, because that sounded really interesting and I would love to read it. I find it hard to form an even vaguely positive vision around that stuff, so it sounds needed! I'd love to watch a salon of you speaking with interesting folks, and while I love the idea of the Same Walk challenge, I will literally be up to my eyeballs in baby & juvenile birds at that time, so I think I'd be setting myself up to fail!
And, I would love to buy your book. I so hope you do the same with Harmony House one day, too. I'd kill to have that in hard copy...
Amazing that you've got the finale and plan all set for Harmony House. This has been such a great thing to be part of and see unfold each week. I'd love it--if you'd be willing to do so--for you to do a post-script on it to describe the process, e.g. where you felt the story arc would or wouldn't go, where it ended up going etc. I'd find that really fascinating.
Appreciate these thoughts you put together and the posts you share. Keep it up, Ben. Keep that flow going.
I watched/listened to this over my morning coffee. Twas a lovely way to spend 15 minutes and I still have a few sips of coffee left to enjoy while I absorb everything you've shared. Yes to SWDS2! Yes to a physical copy of The Memory of My Shadow, or any book you decide to publish. I've determined I'm a real snob about novels. I gotta have em in my hands.
I just took the leap and recorded my first real Lab Notes segment that I plan to post on Leap Day. We're heading down some of the same paths. Anytime you want to talk shop about what's working and what isn't, I'm around.
And I feel you on the music front. I haven't touched music in so long it's become a stranger to me. Thankfully, my son is becoming quite proficient at the cello and my daughter might be the first third grader in history to play a recorder and have it sound like a musical instrument instead of a torture device.😊 So I still have music in my world, even if I'm not currently making it.
And some new music on the horizon too? We'll go where you lead, Ben! 💜
I’ve just hit post on an update to my own publication and then the first that pops up in notes, thank you dear Kimberly, is yours Ben. I read/listened and now I’m cringing at my own rather paltry efforts… anyway, my problem… yours is really well assembled and yes to all your poll questions!
I'm NOT looking forward to Harmony House ending!!
Ben, you really provide a lot of motivation for your fellow authors (and readers), so I appreciate your extra effort to share it with us. Good luck with your efforts to publish a book in the traditional way. I have been involved in traditional publishing in a young age, translating literary books (and publishing them), working on the editorial board of a journal about translation. I have friends who are traditional publishers and I know how difficult it is, both for authors and for publishers.
I have added your fiction to my substack queue and will go through it at the earliest opportunity. I've been somewhat busy with my five newsletters on Substack.
As for video talks, I think it is a great idea to go multi-modal, since it will boost the reading.
I am more than ready for a second Same Walk... project, presumably with a different structure.
I'd be interested in hearing about anyone's experience with 'real' book publishing. I have to say, I think it's a discouraging path to take. I can't remember specifics, but HUGE numbers of books are published every day, and finding your way up from the very bottom seems like a daunting task.
I have a brother-in-law who has been a professional writer (mostly a journalist) for decades. He has gone the publisher route for his two novels, and I have to say I think it's been more trouble for him than it's worth.
Print on demand publishing, such as Amazon, seems more realistic for those of us who don't have name recognition that will draw readers. There is no upfront expense, and you can be your own agent. I am retired. I can afford to treat this like a (nearly) full time hobby. Trying to earn a living from it seems daunting.
I have in fact written two novels and a play. I have done nothing with them, but we'll see. You may see them serialized on my own Substack.
For what it's worth, I have 'published' on Amazon. I have sold exactly zero copies, either hard copy or Kindle. It's rough out there!
https://www.amazon.com/Elysian-Place-Family-Renovation-Kussmaul/dp/B0BW2RY6GS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FQXLMV35HWHX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8CZvoJqb-qtCk4rfFeNdWw.CrZMO_qtY5k9zm5dOj0N4ci4Txn_VK06D0jYIWHE2f8&dib_tag=se&keywords=elysian+place+a+family+renovation&qid=1708696532&s=books&sprefix=elysian+place+a+family+renovation%2Cstripbooks%2C421&sr=1-1