#legacy publishing

[the960writers]

A Simple Guide to Book Advances and Royalties

by Gary Smailes

JUNE 3, 2017, by Gary Smailes

When a book publisher offers a book deal to a new author, the contract will talk about ‘advances’ and ‘royalties’. These can be a little confusing to new authors, though a little bit of knowledge will go a long way to helping you fully understand what you are being offered.

In this article, you will learn about royalties and advances, you will discover what is usual for a book publisher to offer and you will find out how the publishing world is changing the way it provides advances and royalties. [...]

[the960writers]

Holly Lisle: Official Author Homepage - read with hunger, write with joy, live with passion

Holly Lisle:

There is no secret to getting an agent but persistence, sadly. I wouldn’t recommend a gimmick or a “funny” letter. Every agent and editor and publisher I know is inundated by people trying to be different, when what all of them desperately want is someone who is professional. I would recommend including a one-page single-spaced synopsis of the work you’re hoping to have the agent submit that tells the complete story, including the ending. I would keep the letter as businesslike and short as possible.

[...]

Pointers:

Be specific. [...]

Be polite. [...]

Be modest. [...]

Be reasonable. [...]

[the960writers]

I’m not even sure what to quote of this post because it’s just mind boggling. If you plan to go for traditional publishing, you should read this whole series about contracts and literary agents. Agents that are supposed to work for your best interest but they actually don’t? Yes, you should keep attention to that.

August 31, 2016, Written by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

[...] Then realize that traditional publishing is not really giving these big advances any more. The big-advance books aren’t earning out. Which is why Hachette is cutting its losses here.

So your chance of getting this kind of advance is pretty slim. And even if you do, did you notice the lovely clause about promotion?

The Publisher shall have the sole discretion to determine what, if any, promotional services the Publisher may perform for the work…

(I added the bold for emphasis here and below.)

That’s clause 8(d) (p.14) and while there are other clauses that apply to promotion, the operative phrase here is “if any.” It means all those other clauses are wasted typing. If the publisher doesn’t want to promote these books, the publisher doesn’t have to. Ever.

Those of you, like CS from the comments last week, who believe you need a traditional publisher to make a go of your writing career, need to understand that I have seen that clause in almost every single traditional publishing contract I’ve seen over the last ten years.

Unless the writer actively negotiated a marketing plan for their book with the publisher and deleted that if-any clause, the publisher doesn’t have to do anything to promote any book.

Why would a publisher do that, you ask. You got me. But publishers really don’t want to be obligated to promote the properties they’ve purchased. [...]

[the960writers]

Why I am self-published (content note for VERY strong language)

by VIVIENNE TUFFNELL

[...] Letting someone else, some other entity or organisation, hold you so firmly in the palm of their sweaty little mitt, that you cannot move, do anything, because they hold you so tightly in their thrall, is beyond BAD for the soul. It’s toxic, corrosive and suffocating. Publishers have authors exactly where they want them: bent over, subjugated and submissive. There’s always the awareness that if you, the author, don’t do what they ask, there’s hundreds if not thousands of other authors panting and eager to take your place. You, the author, are not a real living human being: you are a content provider, nothing more.

So I stepped away. I took back my dreams and my hopes and my soul, and I walked away. [...]

[the960writers]

What is the one piece of advice you would give to anyone who is at the beginning of that road, looking up at that sign-post and thinking about publishing a book?

Loads of good advice in the comments of this post. Every writer is different and every writer will publish differently but some advice applies to everyone.

[the960writers]

I will never not give blog space to Kameron Hurley, because Kameron Hurley is a whip-crack crotch-kick of a writer. She is amazing, and she is welcome here forever.

[...]

It took me sixteen years between my first short story sale and first novel sale, and twenty years and six published novels before I had a single year’s income that looked anything like a living wage. I still don’t write full time. The day job pays all.

Don’t I get discouraged? Don’t I look at the six and seven figure deals that some debut novelists get and cry into my cornflakes?

Sure.

But I know something many new writers, and debut novelists, don’t know: you are probably going to quit. You probably aren’t going to have a publishing contract in ten years. Those are the cold equations. Do some people get lucky right out the gate? Sure. Million dollar contracts for books that actually earn out. Six figure contracts for books that go on to be hits and give you royalties enough every year to live on. It happens. It’s not impossible.

But for the 99.9%, it’s not realistic. It’s a dream. For the 99%, like me, you are working book check to book check, hoping that the next project is the one that takes off.

If these are the sort of truths that discourage you, yes, you should probably give up now. Because you are going to hit far more roadblocks and hurdles once you have that first novel published, and more again with the second. It does not, in truth, get any easier. Signing a three-book deal in no way guarantees you will sell another. [...]

This is a really tough post. I was debating with myself about putting the link up because I usually keep this blog positive but there are some hard truths in here that every new writer should be aware of. If you have fun writing and like to keep it as a hobby for you and your friends -- there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you want to publish or be published -- you have to be aware of the road ahead of you. 

Regardless if you're self publishing (something I would recommend to Kameron Hurley if she, you know, asked for my opinion) or publish with a traditional publisher: It is highly unlikely that you will be able to live off your writing. That's just a statistical fact and you'd be lying to yourself if you expect something else. Write. Write your heart out and dream and hope of what ever you want. Just be prepared for the rocky road ahead of you.

[the960writers]

Peaks And Valleys: The Financial Realities Of The Writer's Life

Chuck Wendig on making a living as an author.

[...]

That said, regardless of the depth (or lack of depth) the author’s guild survey possesses, I think once in a while it’s a good idea to wad up all the financial realities that surround a writer’s existence, cram them into a cannon, and then fire them top speed into your solar plexus.

I am a full-time writer.

I do pretty okay for myself. I support my family with my words, which is pretty cool — and, no doubt, pretty rare. I am aware and have been privy to the many peaks and valleys of a writer’s career, and the key to surviving as a writer is learning how to survive the valleys — either figuring out how to glide from peak to peak, or having a plan to weather the lean times when things go down. Surviving the peaks is easy — everyone enjoys good news. But some authors can’t navigate the stark elevation drop and, understandably, move on to more stable ground.

Let’s talk about the financial realities that you’ll deal with — both peaks and valleys.

[...]

[the960writers]

EDITOR'S THOUGHTS _______________________________________________________________________   QUESTIONING THE REJECTION   I wear three hats - FundsforWriters editor, freelance writer, and mystery author. With the first, I have the painful privilege of accepting and declining submissions. In my other two roles, I'm the recipient of the decision. As the writer/author, I've been politely declined, unfortunately ignored, laughed at, and derided tongue-in-cheek by editors (and their assistants) when my work wasn't accepted. Therefore, as editor of FundsforWriters, I attempt to handle rejection in a nice manner. I reply to every submission, usually with a reason if the piece was unacceptable. I'm booked through 2015, so there is no shortage of submissions. When a concept shows serious potential, the submitter receives an invitation to resubmit an edited version. Some do and some don't. Most, however, are eager to try again. Keep in mind I'm not your normal editor. Still, however, I have writers who become irate or question my logic. The ones who complain the loudest are those who resubmit and I do not accept the piece. The argument usually sounds something like this: "I did what you asked and you still reject it? I've invested all this time and effort and you still don't want it? How dare you waste my time. I'm done." [...]