[Archived] Writing a book

[glen9mullan]

For the last few weeks I have been discussing with Mark Fish the possibility of the pair of us writing a book regarding the last 2 years.

There is so much happened in the last 2 years, where various things have been produced, many conversations had, whilst eye witness to many key developments at Rovers.

Please dont have a go at us on this thread as I have opened it really to get some advice of the DO'S N DON'TS

Would you write one?

How we would go by doing it?

How much would it cost?

Does anyone have any contacts regarding Books who you feel maybe able to help us?

Will lifting the lid on things, damage the clubs long term future or will it perhaps steer it to having one?

Please honest thoughts

Thanks

[Mike E]

Only thing I would say is this. Ask yourself: Will it be as good as Michael Blackburn's book? If not, then no get his advice on the matter, I'm sure he'd be willing to help out.

[Tom]

One thing I will say and it's not an insult but get a ghostwriter (is that what they are called?)

If you are doing it it would have to be fully professional in order to be taken seriously

[forumquizmaster]

Only thing I would say is this. Ask yourself: Will it be as good as Michael Blackburn's book? If not, then no get his advice on the matter, I'm sure he'd be willing to help out.

This. And another question I would ask is, should the book turn out to be successful and make a profit, where would that profit go? It could bring your motives for getting involved into question...

[davulsukur]

With all of the legal threats that will get slapped upon you, will there even be a book to write?

[Rover_Shaun]

I think BRAG need to release a statement relaying the fans alarm at the prospect of a book

[Andy]

If you're in it to make money for yourselves, try to make the book as openly appealing to as many people as possible.

A book by Rovers fans for Rovers fans has a limited sales potential, however good/bad it may be.

Other than that, as above, use a ghostwriter and/or proofreader.

A publisher wouldn't touch you with a bargepole if your spelling, grammar and use of the English language isn't bob-on (not a dig, applied to anyone wanting to write a book).

[Stuart]

Are you sure anything you write would ever be published - what with all the likely legal threats you will have to endure?

Some suggestions:

- Get a nom de plume - avoid negative PR

- Be very careful about your sources. Even if you change their names, you could implicate people who may lose their jobs

- Get yourself a proof reader who can correct spelling and particularly grammatical errors

- Get yourself a solicitor who can advise on the legal costs

- Work out all of your costs - you don't want to be financially ruined, even if "the truth must get out there"

Good luck.

[Ricky]

Neither of you are capable of writing a grammatically correct forum post so I'd probably give the idea of a book a very wide berth.

[Rovermatt]

The most obvious do's:

- Engage a ghostwriter if possible or a really good editor if not.

- Engage a good solicitor.

[DE.]

Michael Blackburn has already written a pretty extensive book on what's happened at the club that probably goes as deep as possible without overstepping the line legally.

I'd suggest continuing to concentrate your efforts on ridding the club of Venky's, rather than get into writing books that will only appeal to a small niché anyway.

[Ricky]

The most obvious do's:

- Engage a ghostwriter if possible or a really good editor if not.

- Engage a good solicitor.

I'm pretty certain Glen has that second point sorted

[EgyptianPete]

Neither of you are capable of writing a grammatically correct forum post so I'd probably give the idea of a book a very wide berth.

Uncalled for, GM asked for suggestions , if thats your input i feel sorry for you, how pathetic,

Glen, i would start every chapter with Allegedly

[Ricky]

I'd argue that GM has done a few things behind the scenes that are also very uncalled for!!

[booth]

I would consider the possibility of people (not me by the way) saying you are exploiting the situation in order to try and sell books.

Michael Blackburn can get away with this as he's not in your position with BRAG or any other group.

Perhaps a way around this would be to give a percentage of the profits to charity? I'm sure people appreciate that the time taken on such a task would warrant some financial gain though.

By the way check out http://www.lulu.com/gb/ anyone can publish a book these days, you don't necessarily need a publishing house to do it for you.

[Exiled in Toronto]

99% of book submissions get rejected, 90% of 1% that get published don't make any money.

Writing a book, getting it published (or self-published), and promoting it are each pretty much full time jobs if you want to make a go of it.

And there is more to writing than spelling/grammar; structure, flow, story-telling are more important and harder for someone else to fix. You have to love the process of planning/writing to sit at a screen month after month knocking out 100,000 words.

[Roost]

Surely you have a book already called The Dossier?

[cn174]

Think you can also self-publish on Amazon now too. But like others said your book is of quite limited appeal to anyone not a Rovers fan, so think if your time/effort is going to be worth it.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Think you can also self-publish on Amazon now too. But like others said your book is of quite limited appeal to anyone not a Rovers fan, so think if your time/effort is going to be worth it.

You can, but it is very time consuming as you still have to do all the stages normally done by the publisher.

The average sale of a self-published book is 48 copies

[jim mk2]

I'm sure there is a good story to be told but your target audience is small and I doubt if any mainstream publisher would be interested. Writing a book is hard work, requires alot of planning and thought, and is time-consuming. You've already intimated BRAG activities have affected your family life and I can assure you the time and effort writing a book would impinge on your famiily further. You also have the problem in that the Venky's story is far from over - they have been in charge for 2 years but the story is still unfolding as events this week have shown. There will eventually be a book worth writing about Venky's and their destruction of BRFC but I would suggest the saga has a long way to run yet.

[TBTF]

For the last few weeks I have been discussing with Mark Fish the possibility of the pair of us writing a book regarding the last 2 years.

There is so much happened in the last 2 years, where various things have been produced, many conversations had, whilst eye witness to many key developments at Rovers.

Please dont have a go at us on this thread as I have opened it really to get some advice of the DO'S N DON'TS

Would you write one?

How we would go by doing it?

How much would it cost?

Does anyone have any contacts regarding Books who you feel maybe able to help us?

Will lifting the lid on things, damage the clubs long term future or will it perhaps steer it to having one?

Please honest thoughts

Thanks

presumably its Shebbys suggestion that you canonise him in a book and tell the world how wronged he has been.

[AggyBlue]

I'd argue that GM has done a few things behind the scenes that are also very uncalled for!!

What?

[ABBEY]

I want a chapter called ...The Day Abbey Stood Outside Brockhall In January And Nearly Died Of Hypothermia On His Ride Home.

[EgyptianPete]

I want a chapter called ...The Day Abbey Stood Outside Brockhall In January And Nearly Died Of Hypothermia On His Ride Home.

well done sir

[Stuart]

You have to love the process of planning/writing to sit at a screen month after month knocking out 100,000 words.

Glenn's a blogger. I'd say he's ticked that box.