Spotlight: Las Vegas author Brian Rouff's indie journey

BRIAN ROUFF AT BOOK SIGNING

Many of us have dreams that are never realized—not because they were impossible, but because nothing was ever done to make the dream come true. Brian Rouff, the Las Vegas author in today’s spotlight, is not one of those people.

In 1999, he decided to fulfill his lifelong dream by becoming a novelist. His first book, “Dice Angel,” was a quirky mystery that gives readers a behind-the-scenes peek at the Las Vegas that exists beyond the Strip.

Was this your first attempt at writing or did you have some background?

Although I’ve written advertising and marketing materials my entire professional life, I didn’t start writing fiction until my mid-forties. I joked that it was how I handled my midlife crisis: safer than a Harley and cheaper than a divorce. I found it much more personally satisfying than creating a brochure or radio commercial.

That’s really funny, Brian. It looks like we have something in common. After writing many magazine articles, I also first tried my hand at fiction around that time in life, but I didn’t progress as fast as you did. Was there a particular story that you felt you really wanted to tell?

As a long-time Las Vegas local, I wanted to write books that accurately depicted an insider’s view of our town in all its quirkiness, told with a dash of humor. 

Where did you get the nucleus of a story line for Dice Angel? I’m always interested in what triggers the first inspiration for a book—personal experience, newspaper stories, a friends story—what inspired your first book?

The idea for my first novel, Dice Angel, came from a classified ad in the back of one of our alternative weekly newspapers. “Call Julie,” it said. “I will bring you luck at dice.” Typical Vegas, I thought. Soon, I was off and running.

So with a background in writing for advertising and marketing, which I know from experience is much different than writing fiction, how did you set your personal goal for writing this novel?

My first goal was modest – Just see if I could finish a manuscript. I had never written anything longer than a 20-page report in college and the idea of an 80,000 word novel seemed daunting.

I can tell you’re goal oriented. Actually, it comes with the territory in your fields of expertise. What did you do to achieve this new goal? The one of writing a novel.

I carved out writing time in the early morning hours, chipping away Monday through Saturday, sometimes working up a full head of steam but just as often grinding out the words. After eight months (I’m slow) I completed my first draft.

Did you think you had a finished manuscript in hand then?

No, my next step was to rewrite and polish until I felt comfortable sending the material to an editor. (Kind of like cleaning the house before the maids drop by.) I was fortunate to find an outstanding editor who appreciated my offbeat approach and odd sensibilities. Good writing, I learned, is a collaborative affair. My editor was a stern taskmaster and forced me to step up my game.

You were smart to work with an editor. So many first time writers underestimate the importance of professional editing. In my case, I’m lucky. My sister, who is my co-author for Silver Sisters Mysteries, is also a trained editor. After you and your editor were both satisfied that you had a final version, what happened next?

With completed manuscript in hand, I embarked on an 18-month traditional publishing journey. First stop, “Writer’s Market,” to identify publishers willing to consider an “unagented” author. I sent out more than sixty packages, each one customized to suit the publisher’s individual requirements, and waited. And waited. Mostly, if I heard from the publishing houses at all, I received form rejection letters. A few acquisition editors sent hand-written notes. Some were encouraging; others told me to get out of the business.

Ah, a familiar story. But you didn’t give up. Did you get any responses that really seemed promising or were you also approached by what’s come to be known as vanity presses?

Both. Over time, I got five bites I’d consider semi-legitimate. (I also heard from a couple of vanity presses that essentially wanted me to mortgage my house for a boxcar full of hard cover books.) Three of the houses wanted me to make major changes to my story, changes that would have made it unrecognizable. I stubbornly decided to take a pass. Another offered me a deal, and then rescinded it before I could sign on tH e bottom line. Something about a merger, if memory serves. 

That must have been a bit discouraging. All that work and still at a dead end. Unfortunately, it is not an unusual story; it’s one many talented authors have experienced. You didn’t just sit back and say, “poor me.” Tell us how you made your dream happen.

At the end of the 18 months, I had nothing to show for my efforts except a wealth of new experiences. Not a bad tradeoff, but I felt time was not on my side. Fortunately, I ran into a fellow hawking his science fiction novel outside my bank one day and he told me all about self-publishing. This was back in 2001 when short-run printing and the Internet first made it economically feasible for guys like me to test the waters. He gave me the names of all his connections. Within a couple of months, I had started my own small publishing company, Hardway Press (because I’m doing it the hard way).

Well, that’s sort of what this whole interview is about. Taking the initiative to make things happen. What can you tell us about self-publishing in relation to your own experience?

I’ve been extremely pleased with my self-publishing journey. Through grass roots marketing (lots of personal appearances), the Web and special promotions with Las Vegas-related businesses, I’ve sold nearly 38,000 copies of my novels “Dice Angel” and “Money Shot.” I’ve never worked harder (book promotion is like running for office, except there’s never an election), and most of the revenues get plowed back into books and marketing. But it’s opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me. And I’ve met a bunch of nice people, readers and other authors alike.

Do you have any advice for authors considering self-publishing?

The books need to be as good as the ones coming out of traditional publishing houses. But if you can “hang,” as my kids say, it’s worth rolling up your sleeves and taking the plunge. Brian Rouff

A sampling of more Spotlight articles: Mystic Publishers-demystifying self-publishing; Linda Houle’s book, The Naked Truth About Book Publishing; Upcoming PSWA writers conference

Writers: Tricks of the trade is featured every Thursday, offering a wealth of tips, techniques and tricks for published and aspiring writers. Some previous columns: Three common mistakes new authors make; How to keep the creative spirit alive-Part I; How to keep the creative spirit alive- Part II

If you have a suggestion for Spotlight, please contact Morgan St. James. Read more information about Morgan St. James and her appearance schedule. Also visit the Silver Sisters Mysteries website for her comical crime caper series.

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