Hello, friends! I’ve finally made a decision and The Body Shop will be serialized on this very site, one chapter per week, beginning in January, 2023. I’m not exactly sure of how many weeks/chapters’ are involved but the entire book should take a few months to lay out weekly. Access will, as I said, be through danschellauthor.com and available to all comers on a “pay-what-you-want” basis. Pay what you want, or nothing at all, but everyone likes to receive fruits for their labor. Payments will be accepted through Paypal but my focus is on getting the story out to the world. I’m not a “starving artist” but it wouldn’t take much for me to write full time.
As for the story itself, it is nearing completion and the first month or so of serialization is ready to go right now. I just need to make some changes in the latter 60% or so, a couple major changes but many more minor. But never fear. The Body Shop is essentially complete. I could also use a cover but I might be able to whip something up in a short amount of time like my previous two covers. But first, I’d like to see if I can commission on from a local Detroit graphic designer and see what the options are there. If anyone knows of an artist who could use some work, send them my way.
Why have I chosen the serialization route? While researching traditional publishing, I learned the disheartening news of how little the vast majority of contracts are worth…and how the few that sell well pay for the millions that sell less than 1,000 copies. Seeking agents and contracts takes a ridiculous amount of energy and time and I’d rather focus on writing and keep the mechanizations of the process to a minimum. On the internet, there’s a good chance few will find and actually read the story but all it takes is one social media post by the right fan to blow things up quickly. Why wait for the gatekeepers to decide if my story is worthy when I can push it off the branch and see what it does myself? And, of course, the key for me is getting the story to the people and not to the inboxes of publishing assistants and agents, where stories languish like driftwood. The traditional process would take the next couple of years and then a couple more after that, if a contract was involved. Through serialization, your very eyes will be able to start the story right after the holidays, a story that is available any interested parties around the world. How about that.
Anyway, I will have more details in the coming weeks leading into the New Year but I wanted to check in and keep you posted. This should be a fun ride and the excitement is mounting. Or maybe I just need to put on some pants.