This is a re-written version of an article I posted back on August 15th, 2014. Much of the information is likely out of date. I will write a follow-up soon.
This is one of those situations in which I keep my counsel…
But not this time.
I’ll be the first to say that we should always treat publishing as a business. And it’s not a simple business. It can be exasperating. But people still strive to be published. I’m tired of the naysayers, to be honest. So now I’m going to have my say. Actually, I’m going to speak about a few subjects concerning the industry. Realize this is just my opinion.
It all started a couple of days ago.
Users on Facebook posted two articles.
The Publishers Are as Bad as Amazon by Thomas Hauser
And
Traditional publishing is ‘no longer fair or sustainable’, says Society of Authors by Alison Flood
This is not the first time I’ve seen articles like them. In fact, there seems to be a lot of ranting and raving against the publishing industry for the past few years. It started when e-books finally became a popular medium–well, at least that’s where I came into the picture.
The first article by Mr. Hauser speaks about the evil cesspool that is publishing. I read it twice to make certain I missed nothing. But it raised a lot of questions in my author’s mind. By the way, it’s not my intent to pick on anyone, and I apologize if it seems so. I’m simply using this article as one of many examples.
First is this paragraph: “Many clauses that are imposed on authors throughout the industry today bear no relationship to any economic reality other than the best interests of the publisher. Yet these clauses flourish because virtually every major publisher insists on them and the average author has no recourse.”
They do? All of them? How did you get this information? Can we see a copy of these contracts? I mean, it would help if we know who was doing such things, so at least we can attempt to avoid them.
“The author must submit his next book in completed manuscript form to the publisher before it is considered by any other publisher.”
Please correct me if I’m mistaken, but I’m certain that this falls under Right of First Refusal. I can’t say if that was what the author was referring to, but it means that if a publisher accepts your first book, they’re asking for the right to have a first look at a sequel. I don’t know why this is a problem because if a publisher wants my first book and it does well, which proves somebody is doing their job right, I’m sure as hell not going to send the second book somewhere else. But that’s just me.
And it’s only for a certain number of days. I’ve seen 90 days as the norm. Then the author can say, well, sorry it didn’t work out and go elsewhere.
“The first publisher need not consider the manuscript before publication of the work currently under contract…”
I’m not sure I understand this, so forgive me. Does this mean that even after signing the contract, the publisher is not obligated to publish it?
“In sum, just getting published is an adventure in contract law for most authors.”
It’s pretty much always been that way, at least it has been for the thirty-plus years I’ve played this game. Which is why we’re told before you sign anything, read it–and if you don’t understand it, get a literary lawyer to look at it. Better yet, get an agent if you can. They can take care of all the legalese. It’s their job after all, and any agent is going to try their damn best to get as much money as possible because that’s their bread and butter as well.
“There’s nothing improper about an author being held liable if he has violated someone’s rights. But most mainstream publishers now insist upon a warranty and indemnification clause that holds an author liable for damages and attorney’s fees regardless of fault.”
Of course not. If an author violates someone’s rights, assuming the author refers to copyright infringement (though not specified), they should be responsible for handling it themselves. Last I checked, stealing is wrong. Why should we bail out a plagiarist?
“Publishing today is characterized by powerful corporate entities acting in concert to the detriment of essentially powerless authors. Something must be done to remedy the situation because it’s driving a lot of good writers out of publishing. They simply can’t make a living writing books anymore.”
First off, it’s always been that way. The author is right that publishers are there to make money, but I don’t consider myself powerless. And as for making a living writing? Yes, it’s possible, and it happens frequently. However, no author should expect that to happen. Yes, work towards it, but believe it or not, some of us have nine-to-fives to support ourselves. Does Mr. Hauser truly know the statistics of how many writers actually make a living from their work?
The author also states something needs to be done and I agree. So, how about some suggestions? Is it possible that articles like this only convince aspiring authors they don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell and why bother? I know the writers of these articles have every right to voice their opinions, but so do I. It’s hard enough to do this without telling authors directly, “Try it and you’ll only be bitch-slapped.”
The second article talks about how authors who depend on their work are being paid less. I’ll admit it’s a damn shame, but then again, what were they doing prior to being published? Did they have a job? Did they plan for this? People have earned a living entirely by writing, but others need to have a job. I feel fortunate that I have one I like, and I’m free to write when I have time off. Authors interviewed for the article have stated that they’re only making amounts such as 18,000 extra a year (11,000 pounds sterling).
Wow!
Add that to what I make a year at my nine-to-five, and I can afford that trip to Japan and buy up all the yaoi in the country.
But I suppose I can’t comment on the situation since I don’t know what is going on in the lives of said author(s). All I know is, before you jump into that big writing pond, make certain you prepare for all eventualities.
I would suggest reading the following articles which name common misconceptions to being a published author:
Why Writers Write: Common Myths about being a Writer by Claudia Moscovici, Literature Salon
The Myths & Realities of Being a Published Author by Jodi Hedlund
Then there are the articles proclaiming that self-publishing is the solution. It is for some people. I’ve seen many instances of self-published authors becoming fairly successful. And I give major props to those that go that route. But it’s not always the case for everyone, and the authors who say, “Don’t even bother with traditional publishing, because with self-publishing, you’ll make millions of dollars.” Are painting an unrealistic picture to those who are desperate to get published.
We see authors like JA Konrath (and again no offense intended) who often comment about the millions of copies sold self-publishing e-books and I believe print books and the piles of money they have brought them, without telling people, your experience may vary. And yes, I have been to his site many times, and unless he recently put up a disclaimer, I’ve never seen it. And to be honest, we only have his word for it. Maybe he could supply some proof of his hundreds of thousands? Like a large charitable donation? Or at least telling us he paid off his mortgage?
Wait, you say, that’s nobody’s business. Actually, he made it everybody’s business by revealing that he was making all that money. If he claims to have done so, then I believe I have the right to say, “Prove it.” The rest of us have to start from scratch. He himself says in his FAQ that his contracts were “amicably terminated”, so it doesn’t appear he had a great epic battle with them.
I’ve done my research and can find no real sign of this, but if anyone has proof, please point me in the right direction.
But more on self-publishing. I’ve looked on Amazon and seen some damn nice looking self-published books. And they are good. I mean damn good. So good, in fact, I wonder why mainstream publishers or agents didn’t accept them. Or maybe they decided right out of the gate to go for self-publishing.
But self-publishing costs money.
But wait, you say again. What about self-publishing companies that are free, like Smashwords or Amazon KDP? I have stories on Smashwords myself. All you need to do is find a nice cover and advertise, or at least that was my experience. But I have had no noticeable sales, and everything else I’ve listed for free. I had one story on KDP, but very little came of it.
And recall, there’s no guarantee you’ll do well. Of course, there’s no guarantee you won’t either. Some are successful, some aren’t. If you’re willing to go that way, then bravo.
All right, so what about the big self-publishing companies? The one where they published all those books you mentioned?
OK, let’s have a look.
A few of the companies I looked up won’t give you prices unless you open an account or order a catalog.
Amazon’s CreateSpace IDP, Trade paperback:
Covers:
Custom: $399 Custom Premier: $599
Interiors:
Simple Interior: $199 Custom Interior: $349 Moderate Custom: $579
CS – Professional Services:
Editing Services:
Copy Editing: $160 Line Editing: $210
Multi-Line Editing:
Editing Package: $300 Editing Package Plus: $470
That’s just a sample. Feel free to look up the rest, but for Layout and Design, it runs from $149 to $579 for interior options and for cover editing $99 to $599. Kindle conversion, $79 to $470. Marketing Copy Essentials, $249 and Kirkus Review $425 and $575. So, say I want the basics for self-publishing:
Custom Cover: $399
Simple Interior: $199
Copy Editing: $160 (and you will NED THIS)
Interior Options: $149
Kindle Conversion: $79
Market Copy: $249
Total $1235
Wow!
I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot of money to me. And this is for the bare bones service but for me, I want the book that has my name on it to look excellent. I looked around a bit more and found similar amounts.
So for me, self-publishing with a service isn’t an option. As it isn’t for many of us. So what choice do we have? Risk everything on one of the free services, or learn to deal with the big bad publishers.
Now onto another subject, I love the fact that I’m published with many fine small presses. Where’s the love for them? Come on, show them some love. If you don’t want to do mainstream and can’t afford or don’t want to self-publish, check them out. The companies I work with are run by absolutely marvelous people that I enjoy working with.
Fantasy Faction has a great article Small Press vs. Self-Publishing by Ashley Barnard. Yes, the author acknowledges the drawbacks of small press publishing. The article makes a valid point when it states:
“Another important advantage that small presses carry over self-publishing is the free package that comes with it. By this I mean the cover design, editing, formatting, and distribution. These are incredibly important components your book needs regardless of your route. If you can’t afford a decent cover design, or know someone (including yourself) who’ll do it cheap, you might as well kiss self-publishing goodbye. No matter how many times you’ve heard, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” it’s simply not true. If you have a crappy cover, no one is going to give your book a chance.”
The last line is undeniably true. I know that for a fact. I spoke before about what it may take to self-publish. Some books I’ve seen have those great covers? Well, usually the author does the cover themselves. I wish I could draw that way! Or they have a friend who does the cover. Whether they pay them depends. I have a wonderful artist friend in Robin Brantley, but I would want to pay him for his work, and I can’t afford to. And he, like any other professional, deserves to be paid.
So again it comes back to what choice some of us have?
Well, for me…
My lifelong dream is to be published in mainstream. That’s what I’ve been shooting for all these years. Like many authors who have published e-books and are proud of them, we want to make that jump into mainstream, eventually. I want to feel that book in my hands, look at that cover, marvel at the design, and open it up and see the words I wrote. See my name on it – my real name.
What’s my point? Hopefully, I am offering a solution. Find the choice that’s right for YOU and no one else. Look at things logically. Take what you hear with a grain of salt, including what I’m saying here. Do your research. Learn how to deal with the industry. I am fully aware of how challenging it is. I have some STORIES. You are NOT helpless. There are ways to protect yourself. No one says you have to mindlessly accept things the way they are. And by all that’s good and decent, do nothing out of desperation! I have done this, and it has royally screwed me over. This business takes the patience of Gandhi and Job put together.
There are authors out there, you see them every day who aren’t making millions of dollars. Yet they continue to write and publish stand-alone and series of books and make what they believe is a decent sum at it. And they are HAPPY with it. Search for their blogs and sites. Look at their photos. They always have huge grins on their faces that would be hard to fake. Some have nine-to-five jobs, families to take care of, bills to pay and houses to keep. And they still do it.
Communicate with them. Ask them questions. Most are happy to interact with their readers. Read the interviews and the blog posts from as many people who are savvy about publishing as you can. Listen to what they have to say, but again, don’t charge recklessly into anything.
If you go in hoping to make millions of dollars, you’re likely to be disappointed. That’s the truth. And you shouldn’t be writing for those reasons, anyway. But if you’re writing for yourself first and the love of writing, then for your readers, and you’re looking to tell a damn fine story and get a good reading base to keep your career going, then you have more than a fighting chance.
So keep fighting the good fight.
Peace ~
Wendy
Author WA Simpson 
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