WRITER LOOKING FOR 50/50 CO-AUTHOR
I have a problem. I do make some money as a research/analyst and author of a monthly market letter called 'Chipping from the rough!' My book 'Making money is simple - Just boring!' was published and is sold by Investing Systems of Florida. Writing the letter of approx. 10-15 pages consumes only two to three-day each month.
HOWEVER, as a semi-retired person I would prefer to write fiction, and have been writing it for years, self-publishing for friends and family. I have tested my latest book with ten persons that do not know me, sent it to Arizona to a friend and had him distribute it and ask questions after it was read. I find that my book was extremely well received, several said it was so interesting they stayed up and completed it in one sitting of upwards to four hours. I felt this was necessary because the expressions of those that are friends and family cannot be trusted. Naturally they say everything a friend of family member writes is wonderful. Not so!
So you may ask, what is your problem? My problem is that I am a rotten writer technically. It is interesting and a fun read by an individual unschooled in proper fiction writing and would likely sell, HOWEVER, the gatekeepers to publishers are the agents. I have had several long letters from agents advising me of that. At my age, I am far to old to return to a university and take journalism courses. I have fooled around with this situation and have come to the conclusion I need help if I am to continue writing fiction, my passion. If a co-author wishes to co-author under a pseudonym that would be fine with me as long as that same pseudonym is used in all manuscripts we cooperate on.
I do not want a 'wanta' be fiction writer please understand that this is a request for a University educated person in writing, a person that can clean up a manuscript so that it is professional ready to publish or be reviewed by a top agent. A person that knows the difference between 'passive' writing, third person writing, sentence structure, proper placement of comma's, ideal paragraph structure, etc. All of which I need cooperation on and books and material reviewed.
The current book I have written, 'Innocent indiscretions' needs to be cleaned up by a professional. That is what agents tell me. At my age as I former CEO, I hope I have enough brains to realize when there is a problem and I do not have the ability to fix it, that I go to someone that can.
If one of you reading this letter does not want to commit to discussing this further without reading a sample of my work I will be happy to send you via an insert the book we are discussing for review.
I live in Bellingham, Washington. While we could be partners via the computers ideally it would be best if we were in the same state or somewhere near if a conference should have to take place.
Please do not contact me if you are interested in a one-time deal. I am a prolific writer, in the last six months I have been fooling with trying to correct 'Innocent indiscretions' I could have written the sequel. I would like to submit short stories, both fiction and real life however do not want to do so unless they are cleaned up and ship shape. So if you cannot commit to a solid long-term arrangement please do not contact me. The process of getting agents, publishers, etc, is frustrating enough. I would not be looking for a co-author if I did not think that we have the possibility of winning. I am trying to eliminate the frustration of not being able to clean up and present a story or article so it will be acceptable to agents, the gatekeepers of the publishing houses or magazines.
I should state that I have no intention of effecting a co-author's career. If you write under your real name and write as my partner under a pseudonym that would be super. Please understand that this is only for fiction, etc, the partnership would not extend to my monthly stock letter or the financial book presently published. I propose a straight 50/50 deal, we share equally in any proceeds derived from books, articles, short stories, etc. that are co-authored.
Also, while I would submit finished material, at least what I consider finished material, for review and work my co-author, I am not a hardhead. A co-author certainly should have the right to eliminate, add to a story. Getting a first book published seems to be the key to fiction. 'Innocent indiscretions' was well over 225,000 words when I did it originally, then, I was advised that publishers are extremely reluctant to take work from a new 'wanta' be fiction writer unless it was under 100,000 words. Somewhere between 80 and 100,000 words, you can only imagine the tears I shed cutting paragraphs and whole chapters from the book.
For initial correspondence related to this matter, my e-mail address is: uncle-fred@comcast.net
Fred A. Nielsen
4756 Corona Court
Bellingham, Washington 98226