Thread replies: 15
Thread images: 1
Thread images: 1
Hey /lit/
Anybody here have experience of non-fiction book commissioning?
I would like to write the biography of Ted Kaczynski (and Michel Houellebecq), does anyone have any idea how to go about pitching this idea to agents / publishers?
I would self-fund travel expenses, do my own research, find individuals to interview and so on and I know I would make a great job but I'd only do all that if I knew someone would publish the work.
>>
Are you the OP from the other day who posted the god-tier thread on Teddy? If not, don't fucking bother.
>>
>>8432151
>Unabomber once was Pynchon's real ID funniest bet
good times
>>
>>8432161
Yes that was me, but why would that matter?
Ted's brother David recently released a short book (~150 pages) about their life but there is so much to Ted's story which interests me but which isn't available. From the age of 27 until his mid-50s he lived such a tumultuous life, not only concentrating on his manifesto and socio-political theories but also attempting to find a romantic partner, making attempts to re-immerse himself in society, and a lot more that is barely mentioned in the articles which simply state he was a hermit for over two decades. I think there's a human story in there (I don't support what he did nor do I really support his thesis in whole) which would be interesting to tell. In the court documents for his legal case there is mention of an autobiography he himself wrote that was something like 250 pages in length. I'd love to find out what happened to this, why he felt compelled to write it, how early in life his feelings of alienation and so on began, and a lot more besides.
If he hadn't quit Berkeley there is strong evidence he would now be someone much respected in the world of Mathematics, and would have his own wikipedia, books and all the rest of it. His life not only went "off track" in a mundane sense (e.g. burnt out and taught math in highschool) he lived a life completely out of sorts with the late 20th century culture in which he lived. It's a fascinating story in my eyes, and I wish I could tell it in whole.
>>
>>8432179
Because that OP, (you!), I would urge to write that book, as opposed to someone else.
Please do so OP! You are clearly a) motivated b) knowledgeable and c) dedicated to researching and exploring his life. Additionally, while he is an inherently interesting man, you tackle him from angles that are fascinating and you address aspects of his life that the general public finds fascinating as evidenced from that previous thread. If you told me your name/title of the book, I, and I'm sure many other anons here, would purchase it.
>>
>>8432271
Thanks, that's encouraging. I really do think there is a gap in the market (the biography of Timothy McVeigh was a best-seller published by Harper Collins) and the only competition here is his brother's short book and a non-fiction account of Ted's personality written by a resident of Lincoln, Montana where Ted lived. Ted himself was an intensely private individual by all accounts and so the prospect of interviewing him and gaining his trust in a sincere manner sounds great. Plus I could practically drive to where he's at.
>>
>>8432296
Then apparently there's a hole you can fill!
You know what you need to do (what information you're looking for/what is missing from accounts), you know how to do it (interviews, securing his autobiography, gaining his confidence to speak with you, etc.)--all that is missing is that you begin.
And please, I'm not trying to flatter you or push you in a direction I don't believe you wouldn't succeed in (I can only say to this extent that a stranger would), but I truly think you would find success. You saw how many people were interested in your thread and how many people were bumping in the hopes that you would post more. There is interest in what you have! Follow through with it!
>>
Is the previous ted thread archived somewhere?
>>
>>8432161
Got link to that thread?
>>
>>8432367
Try hosting it to some website?
upload.ee
>>
>>8432373
http://www.mediafire.com/download/a2d1iy25bw9nrww/ted_kaczynski.pdf
>>
>>8432401
Thanks, that will do.
>>
>>
>>8432179
This would be fascinating as hell. That thread was great the other day BTW. The other anon is spot on here, the intricacies of his life would make for a great addition to his story. Hard to call him any kind of hero, but he definitely inspires one to think. I hope you can make this happen. Godspeed.
Thread posts: 15
Thread images: 1
Thread images: 1