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moontique · 30-01-2008, 11:24 AM

Finding the right editor:
http://writersdigest.com/articles/pe...rfectmatch.asp

sarahcoldheart · 30-01-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrathie

ISIT..
Hmm..
I wan to meet them too ^^

It's the guys who did the Super Scenic artbook plus OST thingy aka Collateral Damage Studios or... are you part of them??

wrathie · 30-01-2008, 01:25 PM

oha.. collateral damage.. yea.. ^^"

sarahcoldheart · 30-01-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrathie

oha.. collateral damage.. yea.. ^^"

Ahahahaha okay then! That means it's just our two groups for nooooooooow.

Meanwhile, right onwards to my tips/bla.

Finding an Agent (for Novels).

Technically you can go online and submit nowadays, mind you real agents do NOT charge any money to be consulted.

If you need to pay for anything, it might be a scam. Agents only get money when you finally sell your book to a publisher and everything is happy and done with. THEN they only get a small percentage from the book you sell since they help with marketing and everything else.

In Singapore... um we have a lack of agents for now anyway but if you guys are ambitious, can always find an appropriate agent and submit according to their requirements and wait.

moontique · 30-01-2008, 02:17 PM

Yay! Thanks Sarah...mind if I call you just that? Hehehe...lazy to type out the entire name...you can just call me moon..=)

You're right, there is really a lack of agents here in Singapore. And the stories that have been published so far...hmmm...not to discount their credibility but I feel there's just not enough rowling-type authors being published in Singapore. And when I say rowling-type, I meant the ones who write fantasy novels and whatnots..XD

moontique · 30-01-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Publishing in Singapore
The island-state aims to become aglobal media destination
by Teri Tan -- Publishers Weekly, 9/24/2007

The Little Red Dot, as the 692-square-kilometer island-state is affectionately known, has been busy courting authors and illustrators in recent months. But the process actually started back in 2003 with the establishment of the Media Development Authority (MDA), heralding a new page in Singapore's Media 21 vision of a global media city.

For this natural gateway between the East and the West that is armed with political and financial stability and infrastructural efficiency, no vision is too great. After all, its government has turned a place of zero natural resources into the world's largest oil refining center and seaport. Its people are its best resources—and MDA's focus. However, given the emphasis on academic and industry excellence in this rather straitlaced society, plenty needs to be—and has been—done to unleash its citizens' creativity and hidden talents.

The First-Time Writers & Illustrators Publishing Initiative (FTWIPI), kick-started in September 2005, is one of the many launching pads. A collaboration between MDA and the National Book Development Council of Singapore, its main objective is to help local creators publish their maiden works. The inaugural initiative saw 14 selected children's books showcased at the Singapore Pavilion in Frankfurt last year. This March, at the second initiative, a new batch of nine children's titles was shortlisted for publication. The addition of a new category—comics and graphic novels—has attracted 58 submissions from aspiring artists vying for a one-time publishing grant.

Seto Lok Yin, assistant CEO (Industry) at MDA, says, “The popularity of comics and graphics novels is undeniable: in the U.S. alone, 2006 sales of this category hit $640 million, a fourfold jump over 2001. Furthermore, its crossover potential—print, online, merchandise, game, movie—makes it a most attractive segment to publishers and creators.” That said, MDA has invited industry leaders to show aspiring artists and publishers the way: Tokyopop (America's most prolific manga publisher) and Diamond Books (biggest global distributor of English-language comic books) were among those gracing this June's Comics Publishing Forum. “We hope this forum will spark off our very own Singapore-made titles with international appeal,” adds Seto.

V-p of sales and marketing Kuo-yu Liang of Diamond Books comments, “It's exciting to see the interest in developing talents in Southeast Asia, in an industry that has traditionally been commercially successful in Japan and South Korea. We're definitely looking forward to continuing collaboration with the Singapore government in developing this area and, ultimately, reaching more readers.”

The 10 second-FTWIPI finalists have been featured in Mugen, the first of a six-issue anthology series by top local comics publisher Chuang Yi (chuangyi.com.sg). This company has been responsible for spreading the manga craze among Singaporeans, targeting specifically the English-speaking population. It jump-started with (what else) Dragonball and Slam Dunk. Following the success of Pokémon, it ventured abroad to Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines and India. Two years ago, it launched its own publishing program with comic magazines Winx Club and Disney's Princess for the domestic and Malaysian markets. Now, with FTWIPI, Chuang Yi is set for more original content and a bigger market share.

Its counterpart Asiapac Books (asiapacbooks.com) is also a prominent regional comics and graphic novels player, but it tackles the more serious topics of culture, history, philosophy and literature. Its mind-body-spirit publications (such as Basic Science of Feng Shui, Essential Chinese Medicine: Health Tonics and Inspiration from Confucius) are popular with European publishers. In fact, with more than 650 titles in its catalogue, it's not surprising that it has been busy licensing to more than 30 publishers in 20 countries. Asiapac sources illustrators mostly from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, but has in recent years searched its backyard for talent: Inspiration from Confucius, for instance, is illustrated by local cartoonist Jeffrey Seow.

But Singapore's publishing industry isn't driven by children's books, comics and graphic novels only. The island-state plays host to most (if not all) multinational publishers and those plying their trade in the region. And among these players are, naturally, Singapore-born-and-bred publishers in various market segments. In the SSTM (scholarly, scientific, technical and medical) segment, for instance, there are three internationally recognized names: World Scientific Publishing Co. (WSPC), Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) and National University of Singapore (NUS) Press.

WSPC (wspc.com.sg), founded in 1981 with a tiny five-person office, is now a 200-strong company with its own building and overseas offices. This largest international scientific publisher in the region produces 400 titles and 100 journals a year, many adopted by Ivy League universities and reputable institutions the world over. Its authors (sporting a string of letters after their names) hail from all corners of the globe. WSPC's crowning achievement is the publication of the full series of Nobel lectures in English spanning 1901 to 2000.

ISEAS (iseas.edu.sg), on the other hand, focuses on Southeast Asian social science issues, but recently expanded to include Northeast and South Asia. An active player, it publishes close to 60 new titles annually in both print and digital formats. It has digitized 30 years of articles and selected series of books, with recent publications available from both Amazon and GoogleBooks. Two ISEAS titles, Durga's Mosque and Voices of Islam, won the Outstanding Academic Title awards from Choice (U.S.A.). Head of publishing Triena Noeline Ong says, “We began promoting and distributing books from Netherlands-based KITLV in 2005. Since then, we have offered the same service to the East-West Center Washington, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Press and, recently, Monash Asia Institute Press. For the East-West Center, our original deal has been broadened to include copublishing as well.”

In the design and architecture segment, no publisher is more prolific than Page One (pageonegroup.com). This brainchild of Mark Tan started as a small avant-garde bookshop (complete with slanting shelves) in 1983. Now his stores have sprung up around the region; the latest addition in Singapore's entertainment hub VivoCity is a 28,000-square-foot megastore offering more than 180,000 titles. Tan and his team began acquiring rights and developing local content in 1993. Thus far, Page One titles have been translated into 11 languages, while its distribution network has spread far and wide to the U.S., the Middle East and even Russia. Two new segments, arts and lifestyle, have boosted its portfolio, and these titles have been selling like hotcakes, locally and abroad. For Tan, his big picture is encapsulated in a very simple slogan: Every book begins with Page One.

Fiction is perhaps the hardest segment for local publishers to shine in, being dominated by American and British imports. But Monsoon Books (monsoonbooks.com.sg) seems to be on the right track with the right tales, so to speak. Established in 2003 by Philip Tatham (a transplanted Briton), it boasts bestselling authors Stephen Leather, Nigel Barley, Stu Lloyd, Andrew Grant and Moammar Emka, and a score of other international names, as well as some Singaporeans. A glance at its catalogue reveals an eclectic mix of the (half) serious, sexy and suspenseful, such as Escape (a true prison breakout story), Invisible Trade (an exposé of Singapore's escort industry) and Leather's Private Dancer (an action thriller). “We have 30 titles in print, 17 of which are 2007 releases. We have lined up 30 new titles for next year,” says Tatham, whose publications have been reviewed by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal and the British press.

At the upcoming Frankfurt, visitors to the Singapore Pavilion will be able to preview FTWIPI-selected works in the form of animated short takes produced by local animation studio Peach Blossom Media. Some of the companies featured in this article will also be attending the fair. Make sure you pay them a visit!

source: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6480724.html

moontique · 30-01-2008, 02:43 PM

There's a manga cafe in Singapore which'll showcase your portfolio if it's good.

details here:
http://www.mangaoasiscafe.com/

moontique · 30-01-2008, 02:47 PM

I find this rather useful...coz they talk about almost everything that has to do with manga including publishing. Have a good read.

http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/manga/

moontique · 30-01-2008, 02:49 PM

Okies...so far, I've been posting links and articles...just to get some feedback...are these useful? or would you guys prefer to just hold discussions instead. =)

moontique · 30-01-2008, 03:25 PM

Check this out if you're interested in writing / illustrating for children's books.

sarahcoldheart · 30-01-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moontique

Yay! Thanks Sarah...mind if I call you just that? Hehehe...lazy to type out the entire name...you can just call me moon..=)

You're right, there is really a lack of agents here in Singapore. And the stories that have been published so far...hmmm...not to discount their credibility but I feel there's just not enough rowling-type authors being published in Singapore. And when I say rowling-type, I meant the ones who write fantasy novels and whatnots..XD

Hahaha sure!! People usually just call me Sarah anyway.

And oh... there are actually fantasy books!!! I mean people here writing good fantasy and stuff but the sad thing is, they're not publiiiiiiiished!!! I was like, "OMG? How come so nice? WHY IS THIS NOT PUBLISHED!!?" and mostly it was because of the whole difficulty in getting properly published here.

(Not to be uhhh biased cause we know how the shelves under the Singapore section can be very... well, I don't need to describe but you should know what I mean.)

Oh I get to know that there's good fantasy here and other genres cause I'm one of the two municipal liaisons for the Singapore part of http://www.nanowrimo.org . There's a lot of us in Singapore who write during November (but of course we write when it's not November too) but I tend to at least read a few of them since all of us are friends and stuff.

I'm just waiting for them to publish their books soon after they edit or something since they don't have time now and are being stubborn and all but yeah, it's surprising but we have good stories... The good ones just don't seem to have time to publish it properly.

Otherwise, you have more luck in finding these books at the earshot Cafe at The Arts House though since it has all the Singapore published books and I think they might also have the independent published ones that are hard to find. The good ones are not easy to get.

wrathie · 30-01-2008, 07:47 PM

mangaoasis the boss will put up anything ^^"
i prefer discussions on improvement then gettin publishers for now.. not up to it yet.

moontique · 30-01-2008, 08:45 PM

Wrathie: yeah...I understand but hopefully the articles I find will be useful to you. I'm not rushing you guys or anything...=)

Take it slow & easy, ne?

Sarah: Nanowrimo? I signed up for that...then...I...(too ashamed to say)...sort of...didn't complete my story...arrrgh!!! I did start my story but I was soooooo busy that by the time I realised, it was already the end of November. Haiz.

Yesh, i know what you mean about local books. they're good, granted...but they're seriously not for light reading lo. i mean...i'm already sianz of my real life and here you're writing about real life. haiz...haha...maybe i'm just biased...hehehe

so what do you do for nanowrimo? if you don't mind revealing to us...=)

wrathie · 30-01-2008, 08:58 PM

@sarahcoldheart: just between you and me ^^ i like ur grp and what their doing.
THe content is not what i'm acheiving but yea, smth like tt ^^

I wld like to collaborate with you in other projects if you wish..
when i'm done with a trail ver. of mine, i'm sure one of them will end up with ur team ^^

sarahcoldheart · 30-01-2008, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrathie

@sarahcoldheart: just between you and me ^^ i like ur grp and what their doing.
THe content is not what i'm acheiving but yea, smth like tt ^^

I wld like to collaborate with you in other projects if you wish..
when i'm done with a trail ver. of mine, i'm sure one of them will end up with ur team ^^

Technically... in Nanowrimo the content isn't up to par to our usual standards, heck... Most of us go "Nooooooo!" if you guys wanna read our stuff during November since you'll get the thing non-editted with grammar mistakes and typoes.

But ahaha it's the point of at least making us do the first draft. That's why I support Nanowrimo or else we procrastinate a lot. It's good to have something to edit first.

Collabs are cool! It'll be nice. Our Rojak group is trying to gain more "EXP ++" first so we can learn more too and be more professional in it.

And ah, Moon! Ahaha, last year I did some internet web mystery story, no way in heck is that to be posted anywhere because it's utter crap. Actually, for every Nano I do, it's more of an experiment for me to see which format I write best and after doing for a few years, I've learnt what I'm better at.

I did a story in 06, I think that I really liked and now I know the style I did in that year IS the style of my stories since most who read the parts of it liked it too. And okay, that story will definitely be published but not any time soon because it's... um kinda fun.

I want to publish a pure fantasy book first before I wanna publish fun books as a principle since I read fantasy books first and... well it's kinda like acknowledging my fantasy side first.

30-01-2008, 11:24 AM	#151 (permalink)
moontique Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Check //amwc.wordpress.com for the latest news on AMWC! =3 Posts: 4,650 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	Finding the right editor: http://writersdigest.com/articles/pe...rfectmatch.asp __________________ ♥ Portfolio ♥ Anis the Unchosen Novel ♥ AMWC ♥ Rainy Skies Novel ♥ Manga for sale ♥

30-01-2008, 01:25 PM	#153 (permalink)
wrathie Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: In a Book Posts: 2,662 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	oha.. collateral damage.. yea.. ^^" __________________

30-01-2008, 02:17 PM	#155 (permalink)
moontique Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Check //amwc.wordpress.com for the latest news on AMWC! =3 Posts: 4,650 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	Yay! Thanks Sarah...mind if I call you just that? Hehehe...lazy to type out the entire name...you can just call me moon..=) You're right, there is really a lack of agents here in Singapore. And the stories that have been published so far...hmmm...not to discount their credibility but I feel there's just not enough rowling-type authors being published in Singapore. And when I say rowling-type, I meant the ones who write fantasy novels and whatnots..XD __________________ ♥ Portfolio ♥ Anis the Unchosen Novel ♥ AMWC ♥ Rainy Skies Novel ♥ Manga for sale ♥

30-01-2008, 02:43 PM	#157 (permalink)
moontique Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Check //amwc.wordpress.com for the latest news on AMWC! =3 Posts: 4,650 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	There's a manga cafe in Singapore which'll showcase your portfolio if it's good. details here: http://www.mangaoasiscafe.com/ __________________ ♥ Portfolio ♥ Anis the Unchosen Novel ♥ AMWC ♥ Rainy Skies Novel ♥ Manga for sale ♥

30-01-2008, 02:47 PM	#158 (permalink)
moontique Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Check //amwc.wordpress.com for the latest news on AMWC! =3 Posts: 4,650 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	I find this rather useful...coz they talk about almost everything that has to do with manga including publishing. Have a good read. http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/manga/ __________________ ♥ Portfolio ♥ Anis the Unchosen Novel ♥ AMWC ♥ Rainy Skies Novel ♥ Manga for sale ♥

30-01-2008, 02:49 PM	#159 (permalink)
moontique Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Check //amwc.wordpress.com for the latest news on AMWC! =3 Posts: 4,650 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	Okies...so far, I've been posting links and articles...just to get some feedback...are these useful? or would you guys prefer to just hold discussions instead. =) __________________ ♥ Portfolio ♥ Anis the Unchosen Novel ♥ AMWC ♥ Rainy Skies Novel ♥ Manga for sale ♥

30-01-2008, 07:47 PM	#162 (permalink)
wrathie Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: In a Book Posts: 2,662 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	mangaoasis the boss will put up anything ^^" i prefer discussions on improvement then gettin publishers for now.. not up to it yet. __________________

30-01-2008, 08:45 PM	#163 (permalink)
moontique Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Check //amwc.wordpress.com for the latest news on AMWC! =3 Posts: 4,650 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	Wrathie: yeah...I understand but hopefully the articles I find will be useful to you. I'm not rushing you guys or anything...=) Take it slow & easy, ne? Sarah: Nanowrimo? I signed up for that...then...I...(too ashamed to say)...sort of...didn't complete my story...arrrgh!!! I did start my story but I was soooooo busy that by the time I realised, it was already the end of November. Haiz. Yesh, i know what you mean about local books. they're good, granted...but they're seriously not for light reading lo. i mean...i'm already sianz of my real life and here you're writing about real life. haiz...haha...maybe i'm just biased...hehehe so what do you do for nanowrimo? if you don't mind revealing to us...=) __________________ ♥ Portfolio ♥ Anis the Unchosen Novel ♥ AMWC ♥ Rainy Skies Novel ♥ Manga for sale ♥

30-01-2008, 08:58 PM	#164 (permalink)
wrathie Post-Crazy Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: In a Book Posts: 2,662 Trade rep: 0 (0%)	@sarahcoldheart: just between you and me ^^ i like ur grp and what their doing. THe content is not what i'm acheiving but yea, smth like tt ^^ I wld like to collaborate with you in other projects if you wish.. when i'm done with a trail ver. of mine, i'm sure one of them will end up with ur team ^^ __________________

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