I Had a Brilliant Idea Which Turned Out Not to be Quite So Brilliant :D

Such value density. Idk there was a Patreon, Idk about Baen or Sharon Lee... thank you.

Full Name

If you are anything like me, you increase your word count as you edit. I added something like 27k to my last book while editing? Can't remember precisely, but it was a lot. Also, if you decide that you want to just publish and get books available for print without a publisher, Amazon does print books, including hardcovers, although those won't have the dust sleeves. You would have to get a cover made for you, but that might be for the best, as you can then choose what you want rather than what the publisher tells you will sell. You already have a warm market and are publishing for those people specifically. Oh! and there is no upfront cost with Amazon printing. They print on demand and build in the print costs when you are setting your price. It is actually super easy, barely an inconvenience! But, the choice is up to you and there really isn't going to be a wrong one. If you ever want to talk about the process from a small indie author's perspective, you can let me know, although I'm sure you have plenty of input from better sources.

SR Nulton

After reading the draft I think this has the potential to be a really successful series and self publishing would be selling yourself short. There is definitely tons of room to expand. I personally would like a full chapter on the date with Henry and generally more from Caroline's perspective in her IRL, like the interaction with the Baron Mabry irl client and more about what Carrie Does and what she is like as a person. The fantasy side and in universe draft structure is really tight but maybe a chapter from Robin's Perspective riding with Leo after the ball THERE WAS Only one Horse!!! I know Robin is happily married but I for one could read at lease 20k more word of their bromance sprinkled in.

Carl Petersen

I agree - Tor might do it as a novella or such

Jesse Klein

The author who my wife does cover art for suggests TOR, or Amazon self-publishing as a fallback. I told her you didn't have 100,000 words, but she thought that TOR might handle it anyhow.

Allan West

Is plan B more book? Because it could be more book

Diesel Frog

I think it would be perfectly reasonable to allow people to read the drafts as you go, and then if people want a Full Real Book at the end, another option might be Magcloud (https://www.magcloud.com/sell). You would have to charge *something*, because of their overhead and whatnot, but if you don't care about making anything you could just charge enough to cover the costs of production (someone to get the draft into a format Magcloud can work with, and preferably an editor, at least a copyeditor, because really, they're *so* worth it). Probably a little more expensive than Amazon, but also not as dicey in terms of rights and DRM and access. But also, talking so a Rabidly Enthusiastic Reader who is in publishing (preferably small-run jobs, or high-quality self-publishing) and has bandwidth to talk you through this might be an option, too!

RRM

Both Amazon KDP and Barnes & Noble Booksellers have the ability for you to upload files and they print the books as they are ordered. One at a time, if necessary. Also, maybe check in with Daniel Green. He's a YouTuber who does fantasy news and has also published two books of his own. Ask him how he did it.

Dan Mackison

This rule explains so many books I've read with WAY too much padding on the story! That said, yessss give us moooooree

Miriam D

I don't think it would be terribly hard to get the word count up. It is only your first finished draft, and the story as it is goes by at quite a clip. Letting your characters take moments to slow down and sit in the setting will fill up the word count and add atmosphere and a stronger sense of place. It doesn't even have to be standard fantasy world building description dumps. Like you can describe the ballroom scene as Leo or Rosy scans for exits, comments on how the romantically dim lighting makes it easier for assassins to slip in and out, speculate exactly what size weapon could fit into a musicians case. Have Rosy walk through the grounds after the arson, describing the memories that were burned. A tree generations old that Rosy had to rescue Edmund out of when he was six because he climbed too high, burnt down to a stump. You can do it! What you have is the strong bones of a story, just needs some a little more meat on those bones :)

I've a good friend who has self-published 4 novels and 1 short story collection. You're a little on your own for things like cover art, editing, etc, but then I think it's fairly straightforward to make it available on the amazons, etc, of the world. If you'd like, I can point you to his youtube channel to make a connection.

Elizabeth Claassen

My only gripe with Baen is that every PC Hodgell book that comes out I have to get my local bookshop to order direct from America. My apartment is jammed with books as is so I'm probably better with just a e-book but would get a physical because... You can feel and smell and gaze at a physical book. (Kudos to all getting the Giles reference).

Fenrir Wolfganger