HELPFUL
LINKS FOR WRITERS
SLANTED
TO CRIME/MYSTERY/THRILLER
There are many more than I have listed
here. But you go to this link and it sends you to that link and soon you have a
good base. If you’re savvy about the writing racket you already know about
necessary social networks like Facebook and Twitter and Google and LinkedIn and
Goodbooks and Goodreads (just bought out by Amazon), so I’ll start with a great
source of links:
101
Best Web Sites for Writers.
This
is put out by Writer’s Digest, a monthly mag that these days appear to be
pushing the high-priced self-publish printers like Outskirts and I-Universe. If
you want to go self-publish, there are many better paths. But make sure you
have exhausted the small publishers first. Be careful about subscribing to the
WD newsletter, you’ll be bombarded with ads and general junk. But I guess
that’s what all newsletters do.
Joe
Konrath has his ‘A Newbie Guide to Publishing’ listed with New Year’s
Resolutions. This guy is probably the richest self-publisher going. Good
reading.
Unless
you live under a truck tire, you already know these people. The giants of book
distribution. If your book is listed you reach 85% of all readers out there.
Reaching and impressing are not the same, though. They have publishing schemes
that I hear can be lucrative. And there is Kindle. I have one and do read books
on it but I still like turning pages. Check them out.
One
of my publishers. The best contract in the business. Sorry, newbie, they no
longer accept new writers, concentrating on their regulars, like me.
They
recently published one of my books, and even wangled a movie option on it, but as
agent took a 25% cut on a take-it-or-leave-it contract. They may become the
source for my Baylor Rumble crime series new revised editions. A so-so
contract. At another time I’m going to devote a blog to publisher contracts and
what is ‘standard’ then and now.
Kevin
Burton Smith runs this from Lake Havasu. Much great stuff if you’re into crime
or thrillers or mysteries. His main focus is on the private eye series
character, and he has an extensive list. He does reviews and was even kind
enough to review one of my Baylor Rumble novels. He also writes articles for
Mystery Scene Magazine, which caters to the well known and famous, writers and
publishers. You won’t likely see anything from BooksForABuck or Solstice or
Moonshine Cove Publishing there. Speaking of which…
Relatively
new (about three years) they read the query on my first Logan Sand tough,
hardboiled series and asked to see the full manuscript. A couple weeks later,
they wrote that ‘The Calcutta Dragon’ worked for them and they wanted to send
me a contract. Oh-boy-oh-boy. After receiving the contract and seeing many
changes needed, I sent them back a modified version. We’ll see what happens. What
I like about Moonshine Cove is lots of reviews all over the books. Sure they’re
from other writers, but to me reviews sell books. And that’s why we’re here,
right?
Run
by David Ball out of Alabama, he’ll list your book if you let him know at: update@booksnbytes.com
Run
by James Cox, a site filled with keen stuff, not the least being many reviews.
They’ll review your book and post it on their site. Send them a book of postage
stamps with your masterpiece.
Predators
and Editors with info and listings of every agent and publisher you need to
know. Not all of them but enough to keep you busy. Really, if you haven’t heard
of these guys, you’re so new in the racket you need to study a lot more about
sources. Begin here.
That’s
all I have time and space for here. There are many more and maybe I’ll make
another list later. These should keep you out of dumpsters clawing for aluminum
cans for a spell.
George
Snyder
