Weird Map: Information for Authors
A little bit of background history:
I started this map as a way of advertising my books, with each marker noting the location of a story I had written about, giving a link promoting the relevant book. Originally I only intended to record my own stories in this way but the map has proved so popular that I have decided to start including tales from other authors' published collections, thereby expanding the map’s coverage and advertising those books too.
FAQs
How does the map benefit authors?
The map benefits authors by advertising their books. Expanding the map is a gradual, ongoing process and each time I add a new story I announce it on Twitter, Facebook, etc.
As strategies go this is long-term. The intention is not to propel a book onto the top of the bestsellers listing but rather to keep awareness of it bubbling away. As other authors become involved in this project I hope they will help share map updates with their own audiences, and as more stories from more authors are added a widening circle of people will hear about the map, explore it and perhaps discover books they hadn’t known about before.
How can I add my stories to the map?
If you are an author who has published a collection of weird London tales and would like to have some or all of those tales added to my map you are most welcome to get in touch.
You would need to supply me with the following details:
- A short title for each story you would like to see added
- A very short summary (just one or two sentences) of that story. This may be longer if there are multiple stories from the same location. (See the stories already on the map to get a sense of the style to use.)
- The location address or other details that will enable me to place the story marker in the correct position on the map. (It would be really helpful if you could include the postcode.)
- The title and other details of your publication, and ideally its Amazon URL.
- Finally, a short description of your book. This can simply be the publisher’s blurb from the back cover or you could supply your own description if you prefer.
What if some of my stories are not linked to a specific place?
It is possible that not every story in your publication can be attached to a simple geographic location. In such a case, you may choose not to include that story on the map or else state where you believe to be the best place to position the marker on the map.
Can non-authors add stories?
No, or at least not yet. The main idea behind the map is to help promote authors’ published collections of weird local tales. Those stories need to have been published so that readers can see where they should look to find out more.
What about tales from outside London?
The map features tales from London because that is where I live and the map started as a record of local stories I had written about. There is no reason why the map shouldn’t grow, however. If you have written a book covering the weird local tales of a different geographical area and would like those tales added to this map then that might be okay so please feel free to get in touch to ask.
Do I need to pay to add my stories?
No. There shall be no payment made either by the author or to the author for including a story on the map. The only stipulation is that the author agrees to help tell people that their story has been added (for example, by tweeting, mentioning on Facebook, etc.) and, if possible, that they help share news about other authors’ updates as well as their own. The more people get to hear about the map, the more potential readers will discover the books being promoted and hopefully this will result in more books being sold. Promoting and selling books is of course the ultimate point of all this and any sales would benefit me also because Amazon pays me a small commission for each sale made as a result of people following my links to their website. (This commission is not deducted from your sales income but is from Amazon itself.)
Terms and Conditions:
Descriptions submitted by an author may be altered slightly at the editor’s discretion; for example, to fit the style of other stories on the map.
Once a story has been added to the map it may only be removed at the editor’s discretion.
There shall be no payment made either by the author or to the author for including a story on the map.
The first version of the map uses Google Maps (a facility that presumably will not exist forever). Future versions of the map may be published in different formats, including but not restricted to other electronic maps and in print.
By submitting a summary the author is giving the editor permission to reproduce that summary as often as deemed appropriate without the need to seek additional permission.
The map is updated as frequently as the editor is able to do so but no guarantee can be made as to how long it will be between the author providing details and the editor loading them onto the map.
The map is intended as a guide to stories contained in authors’ publications. Inclusion on the map of a story and/or the publication in which a story appears does not imply endorsement of that story/publication, full responsibility for which remains with the relevant author(s).
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