In The Skin Of A Writer: Work It

"It's the worst time to be a new fiction writer," says Terry Fallis. Although he admits to have set "very low expectations" on getting The Best Laid Plans published, he hadn't expected silence: "There was little response." ("Sometimes publishers aren't always able to gauge a hit," sympathizes Judy Fong Bates.) Self-publishing was an option, but Fallis knew of the stigma surrounding it. He tried for more than a year to get his book published through the traditional route, but no one bit: everywhere he looked, "agents had on their websites 'not accepting submissions.'"

Fallis decided to self-publish. He figured it would be easier to break through, in spite of the stigma, than to keep submitting to publishers. Normally, an author relies on the resources of the publisher for publicity. No such resources exist for a self-published author. However, Fallis was a top public relations executive: he felt he should know how to promote his work.

He crafted a grassroots campaign anchored by the internet, and in particular by social media. Fallis knew the key was making his campaign targeted. First, he asked himself, who might want to read a comedic novel about Canadian politics? Then, how would he reach them? He started by writing Canadian political bloggers—for example, liberal blogger Jason Cherniak—about the book, because they would "get" the subject matter. After creating some awareness, Fallis wanted to make potential readers feel more involved. He turned to podcasting, so he could speak to them directly. From his home in Toronto, he read chapters of Plans and put them up free for download on his website, iTunes, and Podiobooks. The internet is a crowded market, so Fallis says: "I made sure to tag it properly, so my audience could find it." At one point, the book was the third hit for Google searches on "Canadian political novel." Slowly, listeners from different continents started to tune in to—and enjoy—the book no publisher wanted.

Judy Fong Bates finds the podcasting idea interesting, especially the chapter-by-chapter release of a book. It was a throwback to old times: "Dickens used to sell his books in serials, didn't he?" she asks. "I'm still in the electronic dark ages. I've never even thought of a podcast. And I'm not on Facebook!"

Bates became a published author in a more traditional way. She started by applying for a grant from the Ontario Arts Council and was accepted by the Writers' Reserve program. Drained from juggling between writing at night and working during the day as an elementary school teacher, the money allowed her to take some time off to dedicate herself to writing. One precondition for the grant was to submit her work to publishers, so she sent her short stories out hoping for the best. She struck gold when Sister Vision, a small independent press, liked her work and asked for more. It led to her first book, China Dog, being published in 1997.

Technology has changed quickly since China Dog, and Bates believes it will prove advantageous for new writers. Her top advice for aspiring writers is to get a website. "I have put off making my own for years and my agents keep bugging me," she admits. "You can reach different audiences with the new technology." Terry Fallis says it's a reaction to the marketplace. "Selling 5,000 copies in Canada makes a book a bestseller," he notes. By comparison, he had 2,500 podcast listeners. Some writers have used self-publishing to demonstrate a desire for the book and drum up interest among publishers. (For example, American fantasy writer Christopher Paolini self-published Eragon before it was picked up and subsequently became wildly popular.)

The efforts of Fallis attracted the attention of McClelland & Stewart, which picked up the rights to The Best Laid Plans. In addition to the grassroots campaign, says Fallis, a large component was winning the Leacock Medal for Humour. Fallis had submitted himself for the award and sent ten copies of his books hoping for the best but without real expectations. When he was short-listed, he felt like he already won: "I was in the company of some top-notch writers" for the medal, says Fallis. To actually win was then that much bigger. "It brought me into the mainstream and I got exposure. It's why the deal (with McClelland & Stewart) happened," he believes. "That's the power of awards."

Fallis doesn't fault publishers for not picking up his book the first time he submitted it: "We're a small population and it's hard to make money. It helps if you can show tangible evidence that there's an audience. In the end, the publisher is taking a chance."

On Monday, we conclude the series with the authors' views on the future of reading.