Mole Hunt - a Book's Journey

by

Paul Collins

Once upon a time authors just wrote and the publishers published. But times have changed, of course. It seems that marketing/promoting a book is now as time-consuming as it is to write.

Mole Hunt – Book #1 in The Maximus Black Files, started off as a very rough draft. Rather than polishing it, I wrote books two and three in rough draft, too. I did this because I knew important material in book one might need to be changed to accommodate the other two books as they evolved. I see no point in slogging over a manuscript that might need severe editing or changing due to new ideas materialising further down the track.

Once I had all three books at first draft stage, I started in on polishing Mole Hunt. A year down the track I had the final product – well, as final as the author can get it before an editor wants massive changes!

Mole Hunt’s road to publication was long and arduous. But I’m used to that. Just about every Australian publisher also knocked Dragonlinks and The Glasshouse back before they finally found a home. Both books are my best-sellers. Either publishers “get it wrong”, or maybe they’re full to capacity and can’t fit more titles into their schedule. Regardless, I find persistence is the best piece of advice I can ever give to writers starting out.

So about four years after its first submission, Mole Hunt came out on June 1. Time to resume the publicity trail. I say resume because review copies go out to magazines and newspapers two months before the release date. Some magazines require a longer lead-time. Bookseller + Publisher, for example, works about three months ahead. If you leave sending them a review book with less time than that, you’re likely to end up in the also rans.

Ford Street Publishing

Paul Collins is the author of over 100 books for children from picture books through to young adults. He's probably best known for The Jelindel Chronicles and The Quentaris Chronicles.

He's both publisher and author.  He's been self-published, turned his hand to POD, and is now an indie publisher with his own company Ford Street Publishing: http://www.fordstreetpublishing.com/ 

Ford Street is a successful small independent Australian publisher of children’s books. They aim to publish picture books through to young adult fiction. Ford has a strong presence in the market place through INT Books and Macmillan. Authors and illustrators submitting their work are strongly advised to study the types of books Ford publishes.

http://www.paulcollins.com.au/
http://www.quentaris.com/

What is your role within Ford Street?
Everything rolled into one! Commissioning editor, publisher, proofreader, publicist, warehouseman, printer liaison, administrative/reception person. You name it. I do freelance out some editing and all the design work, though!

What is your typical day like?
I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time promoting Ford Street's books. Mostly via social media, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, contacting online booksellers, etc. In order, though, take the dogs out for a run, shower, read the paper, breakfast, by which time's it's 9:30am and then it's on the computer and the day really starts as per the "most job" description.

Do you get many unsolicited enquires?
I get one or two a day. Everyone gets replied to. Some of our best titles came through the unsolicited pile.

Would you consider a children's book from further afield such as America?
I only publish Australian authors. The reason for this is that they're here to promote their books. Authors and illustrators can go on tour here and promote their books in municipal and school libraries, and this is where a lot of our sales come from. Take this market away and it really is a struggle to make ends meet. 

Are you a self-publisher? Do you charge any fees?