Ficly

The Ficly Book - Now Available!

It’s now available for you to get your grubby little mitts on!

Many thanks to everyone for making this happen. I think it’s great, and would love to see more Ficly books come out in the future (whether they’re used as a fundraiser for the site or not).

The soft cover version is only $7.50… so what are you waiting for?

Comments

  • HSAR

    Is there a list of ficlets and authors?

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    yes. http://ficly.com/blog/the-book-of-ficly-let-voting-commence
    All the stories in blue, here.

  • THX 0477

    Elsha is awesome. That’s all I have to say before scurrying off to buy my copy!

  • H.S. Wift

    Is there a hardback copy?

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    Raymond Finn is doing a hardback copy.

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    pictures, via flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25317171@N05/4863334035/

  • Silven

    Elsha, you are a goddess.

  • Le Héros Tragique

    ORDERED!

  • Ana Cristina

    Yay, I just ordered mine! Thank you so much, Elsha! You are truly awesome.

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    Wow, if my own personal works sold this quickly.. let’s just say the ficly love is making me cry! You guys rock!

  • Eloquent Mess {(LoA)}

    I’ll be buying this as soon as I get my next paycheck!

    Also, I’ve written a script that downloads ALL of the ficlies ever published on ficly.com (unfortunately, this doesn’t count the old site). It organizes them by author and the order in which they were published.

    Currently I have downloaded and mirrored nearly 18 thousand stories by 1,378 authors.

    When I heard ElshaHawk was planning a book, it got me thinking… Our work here is all creative-commons, so I could go through, find a couple excellent ficlets from some of the well-established authors here, and a couple excellent ficlets from some of the newest members here, assemble about 200 stories and poems (plus author information) and compile it into a 300-or-so page mass-market paperback to be sold in stores alongside other books.

    It would be SO cool to see a book of our work alongside well-known collections like “The Years Best Science Fiction.” I’d love to actually buy a Ficly book at B&N.

    As always, proceeds would go to benefit Ficly.

  • Silven

    Mess- I’d be willing to throw some money behind that, if you’re actually able to do such a thing. I’m sure that a lot of people would actually help in making not just a fun little book for ourselves, but an actual BOOK that can be sold in stores or something to that effect. I don’t suppose you could work up an estimate or something? I know nothing about how that would be done.

  • blusparrow (LoA)

    super excited to buy this book!!! =D

  • blusparrow (LoA)

    and mess, i love that idea =)

  • Tad Winslow

    A ficly book in every Christmas stocking!

  • Eloquent Mess {(LoA)}

    I’ll see what I can find out, then come back as soon as I have more specifics.

  • Robert Quick

    Bought and excited (3 weeks for delivery though). I’m not cheap- I’m poor!

  • code dreamboat

    Mess, that’s an awesome idea. I’ve kicked around a similar idea, but it was organized by sequels / prequels since those can transcend authors. Good luck with it, sounds like it will be cool regradless

  • Eloquent Mess {(LoA)}

    My backup script actually keeps track of prequels and sequels, so I can keep threads consistent. I might feature a few collaborative ficlys as well as the solo ones, and possibly a few series ficlys as well.

  • {DARCH}Loa

    I like what eloquent mess is thinking about a giant ficly book…now id buy that

  • H.S. Wift

    I have something I need to buy first, but should be able to buy with the change. @ Mess, the idea is great! I’d definitely buy it!

  • Tad Winslow

    I support E.M.’s idea. Sounds epic!

  • Anonymuncule

    I fully intend to buy a copy or two. Hopefully, I’ll convince folks this is a cool website and that I’m The Dark Hillbilly.

  • H.S. Wift

    If it makes anyone want to buy the book, this post is Cory Doctorow-esque. Not sure how it would help, but it might…

  • Wednesday [PJ] ((LoA))

    I’m sad cos I can’t afford the book yet. I’m probably going to have to wait until September. Also I love Mess’s idea. What would be cool as well is if our more established authors elongated stories or wrote longer ones for a one-time book which would actually be more commercially viable. Not that I don’t love 1024 character stories but it’s probably not as easy to sell.

  • H.S. Wift

    Au contrare, Zazuster. There are many bestselling short story compilation books out there.

  • H.S. Wift

    Can I just say, that while the funds attained from the book sales will go towards site upkeep, can you try to put some money toward making the inspiration button work. It just irritates me is all.

  • Le Héros Tragique

    My copy came today!

  • kaellinn18

    I’ve ordered mine!

  • Raymond Finn

    A quick update on the status of the hardback version, for those who might be interested. The review copy is in my hands right now. I’ll be uploading video/pics for people to take a look at. It’s only slightly different to the paperback version. (ie. no dustjacket)

    I have to say I’m impressed with the print quality, the binding, and all of that. It looks like a proper book alright. Well done lulu.com

    The cover image came out better than I could have hoped. It’s only when you look in close detail that you can see the pixelation.

  • Raymond Finn

    There’s a few things I’m not perfectly happy with on the hardback version though. Some of the things I’m going to change before releasing the hardback copy for sale, are :

    1) I included the icon of competition winners with their entries. It prints fine, but the picture is not very clear. If I change it to a proper black and white version, it should look better.
    2) The rear cover is sparse. I think I will copy the content from the paperback version, because that looks good.
    3) Some people wanted their real names associated with their pieces, and provided them to ElshaHawk. I will get that list from her, so that the content of both versions remains the same.
    4) Oh, and the ISBN/barcode on the back. Nice touch. I want to get that. :)

    So for anyone who was interested in the hardback version, keep an eye out later. I’ll post a link of vid/pics to examine. Then the link to actually buy the sucker should go up in a few days.

  • Silven

    Thanks for the update, Raymond. I’m holding out for the hardcover because I prefer books that way.

  • H.S. Wift

    I look forward to having both. The softcover to show teachers and the such, and the hard copy to keep for myself.

  • Raymond Finn

    Okay, for anyone interested, the hardback can be seen in these videos….
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQwIG0mV0Lk
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByKYtggPpRw
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBbVsEPcvFg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnQCX5S26iQ

    I expect to have the changes (I talked about above) made this weekend, so it should be available to buy some time this weekend.

  • August Rode

    @Raymond That looks really good, and I look forward to purchasing a copy. Elshahawk and you have done a wonderful job with this and you are both to be highly commended and lauded.

    As a result of your efforts, thoughts have been rambling around in this otherwise vacuous cranial cavity of mine. What surprisingly emerged had to do with my imminent purchase of an eBook reader. It occurred to me that an eBook of the Ficly book would be handy. Then I thought that that might open up a way for me (or anyone with an eBook reader) to actually read much more of the Ficly stories than the web interface facilitates. Annual, semi-annual collections of everything that currently exists, monthly digests for all of the new material, sort of thing. No selection, no curation, no ‘best of’… everything. I’d like that.

    Since I foresee the need, obviously I volunteer to look into doing this. Elshahawk, Raymond, you’re the experts. How do I start?

  • Robert Quick

    Great work Raymond! I’ve supported Elsha efforts and I look forward to supporting yours as well!

  • H.S. Wift

    Umm, August, there’s already an e-book. That was the first one released.

  • Wednesday [PJ] ((LoA))

    Wiftster, what I meant was that 1024 character stories (reams of them, that is) are quite repetitive after a while, I’m afraid. I meant extending them to about 5000 words or so.

    Also, I am so excited to get the book soon. I just have to find the money.

  • H.S. Wift

    Sorry, PJ, I guess I misunderstood. Also, I’ve been thinking, what if next year, we did several books entailing the best of each genre? Because a lot of the stories here are deep, or tragic or romantic, but there are few crime, sci-fi or comedies in there. I think there are some great stories of other genres which should be represented.

  • August Rode

    @H.S. Thank you! I’m now aware of the eBook for the current effort. I had either forgotten about it or more likely missed that announcement. That’s that part solved. I still want eBooks of everything that Ficly has to offer.

  • Raymond Finn

    @August – I personally think an ebook of all the ficlets would be redundant. That’s what the website is, basically.
    @HS Wift – I don’t think splitting by genre is a good idea for one simple reason. Even amongst the samples selected here, there were many of the same themes repeated and it gets monotonous reading them. The key is surely to make sure that themes vary a lot within each volume.

  • August Rode

    @Raymond The website requires one to be connected to the internet in order to access it. An eBook allows one to disconnect, to recline and relax, to sit in one’s favourite chair, to share a space with someone else without always having one’s back to them, to travel. It’s an alternate way of being able to enjoy Ficly.

    And of course an eBook is redundant. Do you not think that a hardcover version of a softcover book is redundant? Why should one have value and not the other?

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    @August, I’ve got an ebook of my own favorite pieces of my own that aren’t poetry, series, or categorized elsewhere for sale as an ebook now. The proof copy came to me and I am editing the file because there’s something about having the paper copy that opens my eyes to writing flaws. I’ll fix my e copy and if you want it, send you a link via note. :P
    To everyone: you are not limited in anything you do with your works. Go make your own ebooks!

  • H.S. Wift

    I… kinda… don’t… know… how… to…

  • Raymond Finn

    @H.S.Wift – Would it be of interest to you (and other people) if I put together some basic instructions on how to prep your own ebook?

  • Raymond Finn

    Hardback update :
    Okay, I’ve changed the authors pseudonyms for their real names, where it has been requested. The following people will have their real names used:
    lastsyllable
    Mostly Harmless
    Le Héros Tragique
    Mighty-Joe Young
    kaellinn18
    PJ
    ElshaHawk
    Silven
    DredZed
    Ana Cristina
    Alro613
    Not You
    THX0477
    bluefish
    Tad Winslow

    Now, before I make any last minute changes, was there anyone else who wanted their real name used? If so, please send me a note.

  • August Rode

    @Raymond I for one would certainly appreciate instructions on eBook preparation. I have almost all of the bits and pieces worked out myself, but I always like to know how other people have done it. My experience with computers tells me that there are at least 4 ways of doing anything. Doing this as a separate blog entry would be nice.

  • Raymond Finn

    Well, I don’t know about doing it as a separate blog entry (that functionality eludes me) but for the moment, here’s the basic steps in sparse detail. Let me know which ones might be of most interest, and I’ll write something up.

    Work out what type of word processing software do you have available to you.
    Examples would be Microsoft Word (which comes as part of Microsoft Office)

    There are several free tools, such as Open Office, Star Office, or even at it’s most
    basic and primitive, WORDPAD which comes free with most versions of Windows.

    Then get familiar with your word processing software, which ever one it is.
    You will need to know how to :
    Insert page numbers automatically,
    Change font and font size,
    Insert images
    Justify the text
    Insert Page Breaks and Section Breaks
    Save the document in a variety of formats.
    for example.

  • Raymond Finn

    Then create an account at your publishing site (e.g. Lulu.com) and decide what size book you’re going for. Make sure you set the PAGE SIZE of your book correctly in the word processing software.

    Get all the text for your book in place.
    Some word processing software programs will allow you to do things like
    create a table of contents automatically.

    Don’t forget to :
    Run spell checks and grammar checks.

    Format all the pages correctly.

    Save the document in an appropriate format.

    Review it after a day or so, with fresh eyes. Or get a friend to review it.

    Upload it to your publishing site.

    Design the cover, and the back. Each publishing site has its own methods of designing them.

    Finally, publish. Each publishing site has its own methods of publishing.

    Those would be the major milestones that I could think of, off the top of my head. Do you think I should elaborate on all of them, or just some specific ones?

  • August Rode

    I’d like to expand on “Save the document in an appropriate format.”

    As is true with almost anything, how you intend your published product to be used dictates some of the decisions that you make about the publishing process. I’ve purchased the eBook version of the Ficly book, which is in PDF format. It looks wonderful on my eReader at the smallest font size, but it messes up in unfortunate ways at larger font sizes. The Ficly eBook is essentially an electronic copy of the physical book.

    The EPUB format, which is what I’m going to use for my eBook efforts, allows text to flow properly, given the font size and dimensions of the viewing surface. It does this because it is essentially an HTML extension. I purchased a novel done in EPUB, and there are absolutely no text flow issues with it.

    So, all this just to say that the format that you choose depends on how you intend your final product to be used.

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    What program does a table of contents? I had to type mine in..
    Also, when designing your ebook cover, it has to be the right size as well. Thanks for the info, August, about how PDF changes on your ereader, that’s good to know. Not owning one, I can’t check these things.

  • Raymond Finn

    Most Word processing software can handle the Table of Contents automatically. I personally use Word 2003 but it’s been common in Word since Office 95.

  • Raymond Finn

    @August – “Save the document in an appropriate format.”
    I think you answered your own question there. Each processing tool will be able to save the file/ebook in a variety of different file formats. Examples : RTF, DOC, HTM, DOCX, PDF, LIT, etc…
    You should know what your own software is capable of. Also, the publishing site will have a list of formats that it can take as an input. Most will convert it to something standard like PDF once it’s uploaded.

  • Kihd

    Just came across this! How awesome, a Ficly Book. Is there going to be one made again in the future? I’d love to have even just one of my stories in it. Thanks to anyone that can get back to me on this.