Ask any author of the happiest professional moment in his/her life, and the answer may be the day he/she was able to hold book in hand and proclaim to the world that he/she is published. Indeed, there is no greater feeling than to thumb through pages of prose, poetry, or non-fiction you have written, published in a book anybody can buy and enjoy. Arguably this can be rated as the happiest moment in any author's career, but there is something to be said for the moment when the author first hears he/she is going to be published.
From personal experience, I can tell you the day I received the letter from the publisher of my first novel yielded such an incredible high. Not even the finality of holding the finished product matched that initial emotion. With publication, I knew what to expect. Acceptance came as a complete, pleasant surprise.
Now, once you have finished screaming yourself hoarse and come down from scaling the walls, it is time to ground yourself. A publisher's acceptance of your work is quite a feather in your cap as a writer, but one should not instantly sign away a book while influenced by these happy emotions. A writer should think clearly about the process that lies ahead, and of any consequences that might arise upon signing a contract. More importantly, the writer needs to consider the relationship he/she is going to have with the publisher. If there is any doubt in your mind that the relationship does not have the potential to work, you may have to consider turning away the contract.
Yes, it can be a difficult thing to do. One does not want to risk saying to no a publisher if there is a chance no other publisher will offer a contract. Yet, in the grander scheme of things, it may benefit you more to turn away the opportunity to be published if you anticipate future problems, because it can be difficult to get out of a contract once you have signed it. To make certain there are no problems, you will want to thoroughly investigate every publisher you intend to contact.
I can't speak for all publishers, but depending upon the volume of mail they receive, you may find some publishers are willing to clarify various aspects of their business. If you look at some publishers' websites, you may find a sample contract for perusal, and that will give some idea of what to expect should you be accepted. However, not every question you have will be answered on-site, and it may be necessary to ask questions. When you approach a publisher, be polite and thorough. The answers you receive, if you are answered, will help determine whether or not you wish to be involved with the company.
Here are just a few suggested queries you can take to a publisher. Take note not every publisher may be forthcoming with certain questions, like sales history and initial print runs. Many are not at liberty to reveal numbers, and if they are the sales of one author may not reflect how much you stand to make if you sign on with them.
1) Will an editor be assigned to me? - This would be important to ask especially of a small publisher that might not have a large staff. Personally speaking, I was not assigned an editor for my first novel, and had to arrange that for myself at my own expense. Find out if your publisher has editors on staff to assist the production of your book.
2) Do you have a marketing budget for new authors? - Regardless of the size of the publisher, there is only so much marketing money to go around. With larger houses, you may find there is uneven distribution which favors bestsellers and strong bets. Smaller publishers often put the onus on the author to self-promote. It would behoove you to ask, if only to gauge what you can get from the publisher in terms of advertising and promotional benefits.
3) Where are your books distributed? Are the books distributed through large vendors like Ingrams and Baker and Taylor? Does the publisher have a relationship with chain and independent bookstores? Can the books be found on Amazon.com, BN.com, and the major book sites? More importantly, can one buy books directly from the publisher via its website? You may laugh, but my first publisher decided not to rebuild its site after being hit with a virus, preferring to let Amazon.com do the selling. This was a sure sign of bad things to come, and eventually they did fold.
4) What is the procedure for ordering books for a signing/conference? Will a bookstore have difficulty ordering books for a store event or related conference? Some publishers do encounter problems with stores, particularly if the publisher uses Print On Demand services, which not all stores recognize. If you are responsible for ordering your own books directly, and this is common with small publishers, find out what you would need to do and what author discount you get.
5) Do you have a presence at book festivals/conferences? Does the romance publisher you want to sign with have a presence at Romantic Times and RWA conferences? Does the sci-fi fantasy publisher you like attend regular conventions? Does the publisher attend Book Expo America? Granted, a publisher may not be able to afford every expo on the calendar, but it is good to know how much self-promotion the company does on its own in order to build its brand.
6) Will you assist me in exploiting my subsidiary rights? Check your contract to see which subsidiary rights remain yours. With smaller publishers, you may still retain film/TV, audio book, and foreign language rights to your work, while larger publishers may hold onto everything. If you do maintain some rights, ask your publisher if they assist authors in finding outlets to exploit those rights, or if they at least can point you in the right direction.
If you find a publisher is not willing to divulge answers to every question asked, do not necessarily take it as rebuff. Some publishers may not be able to reveal such information, and a reputable publisher will do his/her best to offer as much information as allowed to help you with a final decision. Be judicious when preparing to accept a contract, and know that the relationship you have with your publisher can shape the future of your writing career.
Kathryn Lively is the publisher of Phaze, romance novels in eBook and paperback. She offers book promotion advice for authors.
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
No comments:
Post a Comment