'Selling' myself and my family

[solidgoldbrass]

Over the years, in the past, I have done stuff for money which involved talking about aspects of my life/experiences. At one point I met a bloke who tried to interest me in 'selling my story' (he wanted to broker the deal and get his commission) - I told him to sod off, though politely.

Recently I have been thinking about it a bit (because we are so skint and because it annoys the crap out of me whenever The Mainstream starts banging on about how marriage and couplehood is the only way to raise healthy children) - I could sell a blog/book/regular column etc on the basis that DS dad and I are happily raising a happy, healthy child despite not being in a couple-relationship and not wanting one.

AIBU: to think it's a vile idea and none of us would ever recover, and DS would be bullied at school for being publicised against his will? Or AIBU and being a wuss when actually speaking out about how it's perfectly possible to be amicable co-parents might actually help other people (and make us a few quid)?

I keep hearing that it's boom time for erotic fiction. Could you cobble together a trilogy about a troubled billionaire etc.? Big advances were on the table a couple of months back.

Agree with others, there is nothing that unique really in having a non traditional family set up anymore.

I suppose I could write about how unusual and great our family is, as dc loves her step father to bits, and vice versa, he is a million times better than her biological father etc

Except whats so unique about that? Nothing!

I would actually find a blog about a traditonal, utterly genuinley happy family that are still together many years on more unique in this day and age Im afraid.

SGB, you write brilliantly - articulate, eloquent and succinct. Go for it! Sell your non-existent soul to the Devil you don't believe in! And make ££££.

And your rude filth 'erotic fiction' stuff is great too!

I don't ALWAYS subscribe to your relationship ethos, but you have always argued a very convincing and plausible case for err... non-monagamous, safe, happy and respectful non-procreative shagging without strings.

And you talk serious good shit about gender-dynamics.

Wearingpurple: Ah, now that'swhat I do have an offer on the table for. Well not the billionaire and the fuckwit, but some erotic fiction...

Thanks everyone. I didn't want to do it really, just get generally irritated by all the bucketheads who do.

Lapsed: Oo, are you a happy customer?

I wouldn't do anything to bring my children into the limelight, particularly when it's to show they're not similar to other children. Having said that, I don't think yours is a really extraordinary story - I know several people who are doing this.

You do have a lot of experience of sex, though, and you like writing - can't you do a 50 Shades of Shite thing but about swinging or S&M or something?

Most of the bucket heads are doing it for their ego though, don't you think? And aren't actually making any cold hard cash.

I think you've got a lot to say, and well. I think it would be interesting, especially if you shared your wider views on monogamy and healthy sexual encounters. BUT, and this is a big but, I do think then that you would need to write it under some kind of pseudonym, just to protect your son's privacy among his peer group.

MOI??

We are happy and mundane Vanilla and Vintage-style pair-bonded-type persons.

But we have Had Interesting Past Lives......... .

Freely admit I have only read the OP and not the whole thread, and this is just my opinion and worth what you pay me for it but no, it's not fair on your DS. Why should his private life be spread all over who knows where for everyone at school, and thier families, to read, and judge, and comment on. It's like handing them ammunition and painting a target on his back. At least wait until he is old enough to a) understand why you're doing it and b) distance himself from the story and/or refute any of it his disagrees with, or put his own side of things if he wants to. Even then he probably won't thank you for putting him in the way of press intrusion into interest in his life. How would you like it if his father sold your story without even asking you?

In that case, I really hope it comes off (oo-er etc) and pays out big time. You've been writing the good stuff since well before Mr (yawn) Grey came on the scene and you should reap some of the rewards.

Isn't there some journo type already cornered the market in this? Her and 'egg' had a ds in the same circs and she has managed to get massive coverage of the situation?

In all honesty I can't see how you would make money out of it. The space is so competitive that I just don't think there is money to be made.

Now surfing the erotic fiction wave might bring you a few quid if you could knock outa book and already have an established route to market. Have never read your books but if that dreadful pile if shite 50 shades can make money then there is massive opportunity there if you have the right contacts.

You have so much of interest to say about other subjects sgb, I think writing about this would be selling yourself short.

An atheist manifesto? More sex stuff? Not happy co-parenting.

Erotic fiction is really taking off because of Kindles - people can buy it when they're in the mood and they can read it whilst declaring they're reading War and Peace.

I would focus on that, tbh.

Did you know that Black Lace are relaunching? I would be looking at writing something for them.

Thanks again everyone. I will concentrate on the erotic fiction . Have nice idea already for a story about a mature woman (not a vacant fucking virgin) who gets to play with two very luscious younger men...

There is plenty of erotica available free for kindle and thousands of books overall in the erotica kindle section.
I cant see how you are going to make any real money as with the market is pretty saturated with everyone trying to cash in on the back of fifty shades.
There is just about everything imaginable already out there.

Katy regan does exactly that already

The blog /column re co-parenting

Oops, I should read the whole thread

I could sell a blog/book/regular column etc on the basis that DS dad and I are happily raising a happy, healthy child despite not being in a couple-relationship and not wanting one.

That sentance is my life - all except for the bit before the word 'that'.
It has never occurred to me to imagine that my circs would be sufficiently interesting for folk to want to read about - there surely must be more to it than that!
That statement alone is not enough to make a book/blog worthy of printing and I dont think your circs are particularly unusual.

I see that the thread has moved on and you have already given up on the idea (wisely) so Ill shut up!

I was just reading about self publishing on kindle and then blogging about it to raise interest, Would this be an option?

I would have thoughtthat your views/experience of non-monogomy would be more interesting tbh.

The Guardian Family section on Saturdays has had a variety of weekly columns of people writing about their family lives of various set ups for years. The column about life with three teenagers ran for several years and was stopped immediately once the teenagers realised it was them, and they didn't like their lives being accounted in a national newspaperi. How old us your son? What does he think? What will he think in years to come? The current (I think, it's been a while since i've bought the paper) Guardian family column is about a gay male couple and a girl co parenting a baby, so there may be interest in your column, or the market may be saturated.