I began Astrofantasy Publishing as a self-publishing venture in 1997 to create the products of my overactive imagination. Since publishing Celestial Renaissance: A Revolution of Astrology and Brazenwood: Book One of the Star Elf Dodecagy, I received submissions from others authors asking if I would publish their material. At the time I had no interest or funds to undertake such projects but I did begin to visualize a communal publishing venture. In this age of computers and laser printers publishing has become accessible to individuals. However, most people don’t understand the process. I thought it would be exciting to help people get their work out to the world in a self-publishing joint venture. In this unique system an author would submit material to Astrofantasy in one of the following categories:
. If you already have a completed work and it falls in one of the categories above, then you can pitch the idea through Email. As funding comes in you may be the first project on the list!Fantasy/Science Fiction
Poetry
Astrology
Spirituality
If accepted, then Astrofantasy would pay the creation cost of getting the author’s work in print. The work would be designed and printed with a beautiful cover, copyrighted with an official ISBN number and Library of Congress number. The first printing would be 1000 copies. The publishing costs would be covered by artistic grants made by people, including myself, who support poets and writers. A call for publishing grants is being sent out to the universe to help jumpstart new authors who have not been successful at breaking into the big companies. Authors would decide upon their level of involvement: Minimal, Split, or Major. Normally, when a big publishing house publishes a new author, they require the author to travel all over promoting the book but they only pay you a small percentage of the profits.
In this new concept of publishing, the author basically chooses how involved he or she wants to be. Astrofantasy has the right to reject any submission. Once a submission is accepted and the book is created, then the author goes on tour and does lectures, signings, and presentations to promote the book while Astrofantasy helps organize a marketing plan, stores the books, and ships them to distributors and customers.
Levels of Involvement
If the author chooses minimal involvement then Astrofantasy holds the most responsibility for distributing the books and arranging for the author to make presentations to promote the book. In this traditional scheme the author simply shows up to get people excited about purchasing his or her work of art. Astrofantasy faces the challenge of making it all happen. In this arrangement the author gets a minimal percentage, usually higher than 10%. This is the least preferred method of visionary communal publishing because it mimics the established pattern already at work in the world. The only way Astrofantasy will agree to this kind of arrangement is if Kelly Lee Phipps is impassioned by the literary work to the point where he can’t sleep at night and during the day can’t open his mouth without raving about it and praising the author’s genius.
If the author chooses to split the responsibility and work of getting the book out to the world, then we work together to formulate a marketing strategy setting up radio interviews, lectures, workshops, book-signings, press releases, etc. Since both Astrofantasy and the author each do half the work, all profits are split evenly. This level of involvement still falls short of the pure vision of communal publishing. I have my own writing to attend to and my time is precious. I am a writer, not a publisher. I know how to publish books, but it’s not my passion. I want to help other writers to create their visions and make a living following their bliss.
If the author chooses major involvement in promoting his or her creative work then Astrofantasy takes 30% while the author receives 70%. Although Astrofantasy gets the short end of the stick, this is the preferred model for publishing in a joint venture. I want to see authors getting their work out there and receiving great rewards for their efforts! With some submissions, this is the only arrangement that Astrofantasy will allow. The reason for this is because I am busy promoting my own materials and I want to help others get started, but I don’t have the time or energy to make it happen. The author does all the field work while Astrofantasy creates, stocks, and ships the books.
Astrofantasy Publishing is a communal venture. It is for those authors who want to see their work published but have not been able to break through into the large publishing houses. Astrofantasy funds the project while authors assist in launching and promoting it. The object is to create a work of literary art and get it out into public circulation. If we make money in the process, that’s grand. If we don’t, that’s okay too. There’s no pressure! At least we’re all living the mystery and participating actively in creating our dreams!
Currently Astrofantasy is seeking donations and grants so we can get this vision off the ground and flying. If you have any ideas to add to this vision Email Kelly
Once a project gets off the ground and becomes successful it may attract the attention of big publishers. There have been best sellers that started off this way like Celestine Prophecy. If an offer comes from a big publisher, then we simply split the money at our current percentage, and hopefully the publisher will send you a big signing bonus and an advance!