The Eden Cycle Trilogy

[jon_chaisson]

The Eden Cycle Trilogy
(this section x-posted to jonchaisson--sorry if anyone's seeing this twice)

First off, after reading a certain passage in John Scalzi's You're Not Fooling Anyone You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop about his posting Old Man's War on his website before it got published, it's kind of made me think about possibly doing that myself. And yesterday bonniers mentioned the same thing on her LJ. Out of all the writing I have, I believe the Eden Cycle Trilogy is prime for this same thing.

Of course, it's a double-edged sword: there are those who are going to say that this will nix any possibility of it being professionally published (read: it's free on the internet, why should we lose money publishing it?), but at the same time there's the possibility (like Old Man's War, actually) where it does eventually get picked up and published.

I'm going to be blunt and honest here--as much as I love the trilogy and think it's one of my favorite projects I've ever written, it's far from being my best work, and I doubt I'll ever be able to find the time to completely rewrite it to the point of it being picked up by a major publisher. I've come to the conclusion that if I do end up publishing this online, then it will have found a good home and others will be able to read it. Many of my writing friends out there have already read at least the first book, and while it still needs work, they did enjoy it, so I know at least someone out there would check it out.

I also want to bring up the fact that the trilogy has a considerable amount of backstory, worldbuilding, maps, notes, reference and outtakes (its original idea, The Phoenix Effect, included). Utilizing these things as multimedia "extras" would be a lot of fun to work with. I could even keep an ongoing separate blog tied in with it, explaining how the scene was written or thoughts and memories about writing it. If you haven't guessed already, I could easily see the whole trilogy project as the online version of a Special Edition DVD--a director's cut with commentary, outtakes, pictures and other fun easter eggs. I mean, why not?

Am I annoyed that I possibly wouldn't make one thin dime out of it? I was for awhile, and to an extent it still feels like I'd be giving up in a way, but I've been over it for awhile now. Am I shooting myself in the foot, effectively throwing this ginormous project away, all this work for nothing? Maybe, but that's looking at it from the point of view of novel-as-potential-paycheck. I don't think I'm throwing it away; in fact, this is more along the lines of giving it the outlet it desperately needs. It's not doing anything, its paper versions gathering dust on our bedroom bookshelf and closet, and the digital version sitting around doing nothing on my hard drive (don't worry, kids--I have it saved elsewhere too).

I would love to hear what people think about this idea...

Comments

[sleeping-dragon.livejournal.com]

There's always the publish a teaser chapter (or two) version of the first commenter's suggestion. Also, you live in SF, right? So funky coffee shops and independent bookstores around every corner? There are all sorts of personal publishing houses out there these days. Have one of them print up a couple dozen or a couple hundred of the first book, and ask the local shops to carry them. Offer to do a signing at the store. Send a copies to agents or publishing houses. I bet if you asked nicely, dasmarzipan would do up some cover art. If the books lends itself to cover photography, I'll be happy to do it myself.

[joncwriter.livejournal.com]

That's definitely an idea too, but I'm not sure if I want to have a surplus of books that may or may not sell...that's why I was thinking lulu.com wouldn't be a bad idea, since it's a Print on Demand site. If I did print it for consignment purposes, it's a good idea, but it's risky. I'll keep it in mind, though. :)

However, even if I use the PoD route, I could probably still hit you and dasmarzipan up for the artwork/pix if need be. :p

[sleeping-dragon.livejournal.com]

Ah. Did not know lulu.com was a PoD site. If you start with a small number (~25?), you could probably get them sold just among your friends if the consignment thing didn't work out. I mean, ask emmalyon how many people my cousin got to come to her self-produced modern dance/yoga performance way back when. (It was good, but a little avant-garde for my tastes; still I went, and brought a grad school friend that I knew liked dance, Emma and her aunt, or maybe we just met aunt for dinner. It's been awhile) Anyway, cousin filled the hall she and her partner had rented, mostly with family and friends. That's my point. (I knew I had one)