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Just some rambling thoughts. Frist, Gene is right on about words/page, etc.
etc. Sherry is also right on about negotiations. However, this is a
different case, as you explain. He sounds a lot like some of the small
business owners I've worked for, though they could write.
Alas, even people who can write are almost always terrified about whether
they are actually any good. People who can't write are even more terrified
of the very thing almost every single one of us here finds fairly easy to
do. (I'm tempted to hedge here considering Diotima's musings on her writing
process some months back.) If he's illiterate, then this is even more of an
issue.
So, what's he's probably really looking for is someone who is experienced,
but down-to-earth. A good writer without a pedantic ego. Why, that may just
be Dick Margulis. YOu probably come off as mature, knowledgeable, no b.s.,
and you don't condescend to him. Given your frequent reminders that you are
NOT what you do, and it doesn't matter what you do for a living (prob. poor
paraphrase), what you've probably managed to do is not come off as a snobby
writer who thinks businessmen are philistines.
What he's buying is not four wheels, an engine, and a chassis. He's buying
someone to shore up his confidence. None of us here are illiterate, so you
don't know what it's like to be so. I once interviewed a lot of downsized
managers, a few of whom had "made it" without the college degree. Boy, wre
they insecure about that. This guy has been in the same world, likely,
probably feeling as if he doesn't quite rate.
There's your hook. Like car salesman, you won't sell the car by describing
it as four wheels to get you where you need to go. The car salesman sells
an image. Alas, the car salesman has an entire marketing industry--nay,
culture--that sells the car for him before you even hit the lot. You don't
have that. And, you'll never win by making manifest any of this stuff --
IFFFFF I'm on target. It has to be subtle. (Am I making sense?)
Anyway, what he's buying is someone to do the mechanics. He's also buying
someone who is akin to how I selected dissertation advisors. Aside from the
traditional reasons to choose them, I also thought about having a
"cheerleader". Aside from the
nitty-gritty-let's- kill-this-thin-advisor, I also selected someone who had
an investment in me and my professional development: a mentor who was
willing to see me flourish, who didn't blow smoke up my, uh, you know what,
but who criticized and pushed me forward.
He's looking for emotional support and wisdom, though he doesn't know it.
You may be able to feel him out some more, but I suspect the talk of "this
is just a personal thing" is just that: talk. He wants you to convince him.
That may not, therefore, mean he'll have your you know what in a mason jar
if you make an effort to convince him this book might go somewhere. After
all, if he really wants to write the book, he's not going to get it done
for a lot less. And, he's already invested time with you. So, go ahead and
pitch him on the possibility of, not just making money, but on his image
among his peers. This is probably a source of deep concern to him. He has
probably wanted to appear more booksmart all his life. This will do it.
(But, he doesn't sound tragic about, from your description, so you can't
press this one too much. His defense mechanism has likely been to pooh-pooh
booksmart, yes?)
As Sherry pointed out: talk numbers. You might also want to show him that
what he might likely get on return is far more than any typical author of
his stature makes, even after he pays you. It all depends on the niche, of
course. Self-publishing will mean most of the money accrues to him. If you
go the joint investor route, then (as you know) you'll want to be sure that
you market this properly. You need to start shopping it around at least 18
months in advance. The jobbers decide on what they'll put in the racks
about a year in advance. IF he's looking for that kind of assistance, you
could point out that your investment will pay doubly.
As an author friend of mine said not too longer "A good publisher will
edit material, package it attractively, and promote it with enthusiasm and
skill."
Who better to be midwife to that project than you. Promote it with
enthusiasm and skill. You have an investment. You can negotiate the
publishing world. But most importantly, he needs your enthusiasm. That's
what you are selling. That's your value-add. It's not writing. It's not
editing. It's not mechanics. It's values, trust, and all manner of squishy
stuff because this is a terrifying, emotional process -- for the typical
author who probably has a clue. Even more so for the guy who probably knows
others think he's illiterate but how is successful and also thinks he has
something to say to the world.
Kelley (who is willing to bet you got an e-mail at 3:00 a.m. about this
project)
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