I need your help to get published!

[bwakeling]

Hi all,

I've become so disheartened with rejection letters from agents and publishers regarding my book, that I've decided to respond to the latest one rejecting their rejection letter.

My plan is to send a petition with the letter, holding the name of everyone I can find who wants to see my book in print!

Please can you read my blog and, if you like it, sign the petition? My blog is here, and the petition is here.

Thanks so much!

Ben

 

[Piglet10]

i'm signing good luck... blog looks ace! xx

 

[Piglet10]

can u get a list of orders or something to go with your 'rejection of the rejection letter'... i know not actual orders but sorta like when a new xbox games come out and people put their name down for it and pay deposit?? x

 

[bwakeling]

Not a bad idea at all! I might do that - or perhaps entice people to sign by giving away free copies once it's published!

 

[LouiseB]

Do they give constructive comments with the rejection letter or is it just a no?

I hate the title and i'd hate my husband if he bought a book by that title haha

 

[Sam's Mum]

I love the way you write, but I don't like the title either (I like the idea of it, but I'd prefer it to be the end of something else a dad is missing out on as a result of a pregnancy, rather than his wife's breasts - makes it sound as if that's your main concern!) I think it would put a lot of women off picking it up, and possibly men to as they wouldn't want to have to deal with the reactions of a hormonal wife who didn't read past the title

 

[kiki]

I'm with the others, I wouldn't want my partner to buy a book with that tittle.

 

[Tasha89]

Hehe! I like the title actually

Signed on the dotted line! Hope they publish it - there's not many good books for Dad's out there. I wanted to buy one as a present for OH but couldn't find anything I liked the look of. He's read a few of your posts and finds them hilarious though!

 

[munchkin1982]

If you are having alot of trouble with agents and publishers etc check out the following website...

http://www.lulu.com/

My sister-in-law got herself published on that site and her book is now on sale on amazon, play.com etc etc etc.

Could be worth a look???

Also means you could be published alot quicker than you thought?!

Hope that helps... xx

 

[MrsR]

I like the title for the blog BUT don't see it working as a title for a book. Have signed petition as I truly believe there is a gaping gap in the Market x good luck

 

[kellylou]

good luck x

 

[bwakeling]

Hi guys, and thanks! However, I dumped the petition idea after advice from folk in the writing business. Probably a bad idea in the long-run.

I've gone down the Lulu route (thanks munchkin1982!), and am waiting for my book to get onto Amazon - it's on Lulu at the moment to buy. Here is the contents of the book - please note that it's ONLY the diary that will be published online - nothing else will and is exclusive only to the book!

A taster of what’s in the book:

• The Diary: Obviously. Longer chapters than those posted online!
• The Week After the Night Before: My experiences as a new father, including how using cabbage to cure my wife’s mastitis led to very embarrassing consequences…
• Fatherhood and…: A number of chapters on how being a father affects your social life, your career, your relationship, and more.
• Decisions: Helpful advice on making those all-important baby-related decisions, such as whether to give birth at home or in hospital, and the whole breast/bottle feeding thing.
• How To…: Quick-fire chapters designed to make sure you’re ready for the big day and beyond. And yes, there’s the placenta milkshake recipe!
• A Letter to my Foetus: I know he can’t read yet, but I wrote one anyway.
• Why Nursery Rhymes are Evil: The reasons why I think most ‘sweet’ nursery rhymes are actually more brutal than a Quentin Tarantino movie…
• 40 Titbits of Advice: Witty one-liners of recommendations and observations that, in my wisdom, I’ve amassed throughout the whole nine months.
• Ancient Chinese Gender Chart: Don’t fork out loads of cash on a sexing scan – use this ancient chart instead to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl!
• Glossary: A quick reference guide that makes sense of all those confusing pregnancy terms, so you can sound knowledgeable.
• The End: You wish, dads – this is just the beginning…

Also keep an eye out for the awesome two-page cartoon spread that I had commissioned especially for the book!

If you like, you can buy it here: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/goodbye-pert-breasts-the-diary-of-a-newborn-dad/12481705

Sorry for linking to my book, it's probably against forum rules - I'm such a rebel!

Ben xx

PS. I appreciate that some may not like the title, and I really don't mean any offence - sorry! It's a cheeky title to a cheeky book - and my wife came up with the title so blame her!

 

[JJ Mum]

Well done Ben- I love the title actually , it would appeal to men, I could never get mine OH to read anything from a baby book, so this would have been handy when he was learning the ropes!