I’m currently in a kind of contest, where you write 1,667 words each day for the month of November, and by the end of the month, you’ll have 50,000 words (novel size).
Anyway, I’m planning on going and getting the book published once I’m all completed. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on getting a book published while still adhering to libertarian values. From what I can see, the advice seems to be to get your manuscript copyrighted early on so you can ensure that it doesn’t get stolen when you’re shopping it around.
To be honest, I see nothing wrong with playing the game and copyrighting your material, just so long as you never actually sue or threaten to sue anyone over it. As long as there is copyright, there is always the danger that someone else will take your work and copyright it instead, therefore making it so that they could sue you. This is probably more of a danger with patents and trademarks than with copyright (I think it’s harder to pull that BS with something like music or a book), but why take the risk of someone else using the government to screw you out of your work?
If there is a more libertarian way to go about this for the book publishing industry, then I would suggest that. But as it is, I consider it libertarian to use copyright as a preventative measure against other people copyrighting your work. Just don’t threaten to sue or actually sue anyone if they do take it.
There are libertarians who consider copyright to be legitimate (I am not one of them), but considering your question, I’m assuming that you consider it to be illegitimate.
EDIT: Fixed a silly typo where I misrepresented OP’s beliefs.
Copyright, for me, is indeed one of the hardest parts of the state to let go of. I’ve gotten to the point now where I hold IP through the state to be bad, but IP through alternative methods to be good. However this is how the business is set up right now, and I feel like the only way to protect this work is to play the state copyright game.
(personally, I think Rothbard’s suggestion of contracts are much more preferable, but that’s not how these publishers operate)
I think you can play the game so long as you don’t use the state as a proxy for aggression. Rothbard wrote an essay, Living in a State-Run World, and while it doesn’t directly address your question, I think your situation is similar enough to what he talks about, that and it’s a great essay anyway. The way I see it, it’s not wrong to live in rent controlled housing, but it’s wrong to use rent control laws to threaten your landlord or actually use them at all! I see copyright the same way, that it is not wrong to have your work copyrighted, but it is wrong to use copyright laws to threaten others regarding your work (or to sic the state on them).
If there is a better alternative, I would suggest that, but I don’t know enough about it. If no one else here can point you in the right direction, then I would say that you could have a clear conscience if you were to copyright your work (again, so long as you don’t actually use the copyright against anyone).
NaNoWriMo eh? I’m a writer too Not participating this year, even though I’ve got a few novels in me waiting to be written.
You might look at self-publishing instead; more in line with libertarian values and you get to keep the rights.
Or, even more in line libertarian values, give away the digital version and sell the hardcopy version. That’s what the Mises bookstore does too.
You can use Calibre to make PDFs or MOBIs (I love mobis, read them with the Kindle reader).
Good luck
If you do actually want to go the traditional publishing route, it’s a bear. You need to learn how to write a query-letter. I suggest following agent blogs that public query letters they receive from readers and critique them. You’ll have to master the query letter if you ever expect to get an agent and thereby get published (that is the route).
Ha! I was wondering if anyone on here would have heard of NaNo.
Anyway, I don’t know if I have the dough for self-publishing. At one point I was considering vanity publishers, but I’ve since ruled those guys out (or put them aside as a last resort).
Right now, I’m looking into the major publishers that DON’T require an agent, like these guys.
Digital self-publishing through Amazon is free. Well, they take a cut of sales, but at least people can access your work.
There’s also lulu.com where ppl can get an on-demand hardcopy of your book.
All the benefits of going the traditional publishing route are basically tied to getting an agent and landing a big contract. If you’re not gonna go for the home-run, it’s probably not worth it. The middle has really dropped out of the market and the big pubs are only investing in what they perceive to be hits.
I wrote my first novel at 19, came out 102k words, from before I had even decided to take writing seriousl Never tried to publish it tho. Maybe one day, I’d need to re-edit it pretty massively I think.
Shoot for at least 70k, that’s minimum publishable in paper-form.
As for royalties, Amazon does pay you royalties under their structure and there’s various terms, read up on their offer
I’ve got a short novella up on Amazon now, check your PMs.
I see. Right now, I’m at over 10,000 words. I took a good look at the Amazon offer, looks pretty sweet.
Also, I checked my PMs. I accepted your friend request, but by your post it sounds like you sent me something, but I can’t find anything. What is the name of your novella?
Ah. I actually just created an account on CreateSpace. And I just got an e-mail…saying that they are required to report my royalty earnings to the IRS.
I was writing a book once, made it to about 26k words, and then realized that I have a problem making my prose flow properly. It just kind of alternates between “matter of fact description of events” and “infodump”.
Not participating this year, even though I’ve got a few novels in me waiting to be written.
Never tried to publish it tho. Maybe one day, I’d need to re-edit it pretty massively I think.