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Question: As a new author never having published a book before is it difficult to get a CD attached on the back cover!?
I believe I have basically one question in several questions!.
Except for and agent or publisher not wanting to bother with it or to promote it; !.!.!.is a CD/ e-book generally a good idea for a first timer!?
My YA book is a present day family action-adventure fiction work!.
The ways and means of getting it completed so that I could give a CD to a publisher to attach with in the book, when the time comes, has already been addressed by me!. Getting it done is not the problem!.
My being some publishers new and first time author might be!?
My story line includes several original music scores!.
I want the CD to have two versions of my story as options!. One, with the narrated story only!. One, with the narrated story plus the back ground music and sound effects!.
My question is not about can it be done!.
Its about should it be attempted by a new author!?
What are my chances of getting a CD placed within my first book by a publisher!? Thank you for any serious thoughts!.
EdWww@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Have you actually even written the book yet!?
Ifg not, you're wasting your time deliberating this CD issue - just get on with writing it, redrafting it and trying to find a publisher!.
Submit a proposal for your CD strategy with your manuscript - if they like the idea amongst the thousands they receive every day, you may get a deal, which you can thrash out a VERY long way down the line!.
But no book, no deal - stop sweating the small stuff and get on with the most significant part! Be aware that getting your first novel accepted by any publisher is no mean feat in itself, never mind putting a CD inside it!.!.!.
And at the risk of stating the obvious, check your manuscript for errors far more thoroughly than you've chescked this posting!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Several of my books from around 2000 had CDs!. One of them from 1994 had 4 diskettes in the back in a pouch!. CDs are expensive--they add maybe $1!.25 to $1!.50 each to the cost of the book, which is a ~lot~ of money to a publisher--and it's really hard to sell them these days because you can safely assume that your audience will have cable internet access, so downloading everything from a website is much easier!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
It better be a very strong script, concept, and sales pitch!. Even then it will probably be difficult!.
Of this I am certain, make your sales pitch to the publisher clearer than your question!
I say the following as a bookseller, in relation to the above answer!.
It' need not be hardcover!. We sell through thousands of soft cover textbooks of all sizes containing CD's without issue!.
Although, I admit, a CD with a work of fiction is incredibly rare!
Audiobooks are also very uncommon, and would not enter a publisher’s decision to print based on further revenue down this route!. Celebrity readers are usually reserved for the classics!. Most are voiced either by the author, or by a professional voiceover artist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Ed, packaging the CD with your book could well be a deal breaker, if you were to insist!. The reasons are multiple!.
It would require the book to be hardcover, a more expensive process putting the publisher at more financial risk if it doesn't sell, to protect the CD during shipping and in stores!.
It would completely eliminate any revenue from a future audio version of the book, if it sells well enough to warrant that!.
Usually audio versions of a book are narrated by professionals--often actors who do good voice work--rather than the author!.
If I were in your position, I'd attempt to sell the book to publishers entirely on its own merit, with or without an agent depending on whether the publisher will deal directly with authors!.
Let your agent, if you use one, know about the audio possibilities, and let him or her determine when or if it should be mentioned to the publisher!. If you're doing your own dealings, don't bring it up until you have a signed contract for the book alone!.Www@QuestionHome@Com