Truth about Publishing
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The Truth About Publishing –12
Lesson 11: Your editor is wise and you are foolishDon’t believe the nonsense you read about books not being edited any more. I’ve worked with more than a dozen editors over the years, with many different publishers. All my editors have been experienced and diligent, and they all put many, many hours into editing each of my books. One of…
The Truth About Publishing – 11
Lesson 10. Why you don’t want a tiny advance either.A tiny advance is a vote of little confidence in your work; it means the publisher isn’t risking much on you, and therefore won’t need to spend a lot of money on marketing. The marketing budget for your book is, generally, related to the size of the advance.On the other hand,…
The Truth About Publishing – 10
Lesson 9: Why you don’t want a huge advanceWe all dream about the million dollar advance but if you’re unknown you’re probably better off with a moderate one. Huge advances create huge expectations and as an unknown author there’s a good chance your sales won’t meet the stratospheric expectations that go with the advance, in which case you’re probably doomed.…
The Truth About Publishing – 9
Lesson 8: Understanding your advanceEvery new book represents a risk to the publisher, who is gambling tens of thousands of dollars that it will sell enough copies to earn a profit. As much as a third of all books published lose money, while another third only cover their costs or earn a small profit. Books by unknown authors present the…
The Truth About Publishing – 8
Lesson 7: Wow, you’ve actually been offered a contractAs a beginning writer, if a respectable publisher offers you a book contract, sign it. The chance may not come again. As a novice, you’re not worth much to a publisher, so you have little power to negotiate. If you demand a lot of changes to a contract, or cause interminable delays,…