TALES FROM THE SFR BRIGADE is a free anthology of
science fiction romance short stories. It was produced by a team of authors,
bloggers, and editors from the SFR Brigade, a consortium devoted to
raising the visibility of SFR. (I participated in the cover committee, but that
was the extent of my involvement).
Having since read the
anthology, I'm impressed with not only how professionally it turned out, but
also how much work went into its creation. No one was paid as far as I
know--TALES FROM THE SFR BRIGADE was truly a labor of love.
Additionally, the team
behind this anthology had pretty much zero privilege. They didn't
use Kickstarter to raise funds. They didn't have the backing of a publisher. They
didn't have any kind of mainstream platform, or the platform a successful mainstream
print author might have (e.g., Courtney Milan or Meljean Brook) before going
indie. In essence, TALES FROM THE SFR BRIGADE started from scratch.
I mean, wow. I was the
recipient of eight free science fiction romances simply because a group of
highly dedicated people were motivated enough to deliver them to readers. I
generally expect to pay for my entertainment and feel good about compensating
authors for their work, but it sure is great to receive a generous book gift
like that now and then.
(The closest comparison I
can think of is like a free, county-funded children's fair/festival (as opposed
to a paid amusement park, class, or camp). I've taken my daughter to a fair
number of free events and most of them were really fun for her. I really
appreciate that kind of resource, especially since it's helpful for families on
a budget.)
Of course, I'm a hardcore
SFR fan so it's a given I'd read the anthology. I read as much sci-fi romance
as I can, as often as I can. But the anthology is also meant for readers
outside the core SFR fandom. Do they have any idea this passion project even
exists?
In The
Hunt for the Elusive Reviewer, Pippa Jay, one of the anthology authors, described
her efforts to not just find active reviewers, but also ones who accept
digital-first, indie sci-fi romances. Seems like it's been a real uphill battle:
So, out of the remaining 269 reviewers, I've currently made 100 requests to those who accept digital-only, self-published science fiction romance. Out of those, I've had 7 say yes. Two others said no but offered me a book spotlight, with a third saying they may not review it (depending on time) but still offering me a promotional spot. One said no full stop.
In
the comment section, Donna S. Frelick pointed out that in addition to the vast
number of free/inexpensive books, "…reviewers
are reluctant to take on review projects without a clear pedigree."
I agree with her
conclusion, at least regarding reviewers whose tastes run toward mainstream
fare. Reviewers who focus on niche stories are more concerned about content
than pedigree, but those folks are in the minority and probably even harder to
find.
On the other hand, the pedigree issue has always existed.
Despite that barrier, plenty of niche stories have broken out into the
mainstream.* So I'm not entirely convinced pedigree is the only factor making reviewers hesitant to give TALES FROM THE SFR
BRIGADE (or other SFRs) a try. Strong word-of-mouth can trump pedigree *if* the
story delivers a clever reinvention of a popular trope or is so cracktastic
readers can't look away.
It's too soon to tell if
this anthology has the power to generate a word-of-mouth tidal wave. So in the
meantime, I'm going to pose a question for the SFR Brigade members: "What's
next?"
Via
SF
Signal, I came across a post at Comics Worth Reading about author Peter
David. He had announced a recent publishing deal with Amazon: Peter
David Writes Next Book For Amazon, Not Self-Publishing, Due to Low Sales.
The
post provides some interesting insights into the challenges of self-publishing,
but what really struck me was the comment by Robert Greeneberger:
"There’s
no magic bullet except accepting this is a marathon not a sprint."
I
found his comment very astute. While I understand the frustration of Pippa Jay
and other folks on the TALES team regarding the difficulty in finding receptive
reviewers, I can't help but wonder if a goal realignment is in order.
It'd
certainly be wonderful if TALES FROM THE SFR BRIGADE reached a statistically
significant number of reviews. It's no less deserving than any other ebook. But
despite everyone's best efforts, few may be forthcoming. In light of that
possibility, should reviews be the only goal?
For one thing, the anthology's
shelf life will, presumably, be indefinite. It can be reintroduced at various
future points, especially for readers for whom the free price point is a major
consideration. Or for those who want to give SFR a try without the risk of
investing in a full-length novel. At appropriate times and in the appropriate
forums, SFR fans can use it to help hand sell the genre. I have a feeling the
anthology's real work, and that of its creators, has only just begun
("…marathon not a sprint").
The anthology stands as a
symbol of just how much can be accomplished by determined authors/editors. But
it can also serve as a lesson about how to improve the process in the future.
TALES FROM THE SFR BRIGADE doesn't seem to be available at Amazon. Surely there
are some takeaway lessons here?
The anthology could be a
building block. In other words, what about another anthology? What about a series of anthologies generated by the
SFR Brigade? Each installment could feature (and should feature) a different
set of authors. Brigade members could take turns providing editorial services,
cover services, etc.
Future editions could
offer unique themes, such as an all near-future or cyberpunk edition. Have one
anthology be a collection of erotic sci-fi romances. Then hard SF settings. Heck,
I'd love to read one about stories mixing weird SF and romance. The weirder,
the better! Crack open the cracktastic seal and see what happens!
Most importantly, one
volunteer (preferably someone other than the participating authors) should be
in charge of sending out review copies and implementing a multi-faceted
marketing campaign.
All of the above is easy
for me to say, I know. And I would totally understand if TALES FROM THE SFR
BRIGADE was the first--and last--ever to be made by the current Brigade
members. Marathons require lots of training and hard work. And one can't run
very far without sustenance.
Perhaps it's time for an
energy drink break before the next strategy session begins. :)
Joyfully yours,
Heather
*We all remember when THE
WALKING DEAD comic book series didn't have a pedigree, right? Illustrator and
co-creator Tony Moore hand-sold me an
autographed copy of the first issue at San Diego Comic-Con circa 2004. Let me tell you,
I'll never forget the earnest expression on his face. He really wanted my investment in the concept.
I and other attendees at
his booth didn't need any kind of pedigree to convince us of the worth of the
story. So why did it take--oops! I'll save my rant about pedigree bias for another day.