Case (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomsecrets2020-12-03 07:07 pm
case) wrote in fandomsecrets2020-12-03 07:07 pm
[ SECRET POST #5081 ]
⌈ Secret Post #5081 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
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Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 13 secrets from Secret Submission Post #727.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 12:36 am (UTC)(link)I understand where you are coming from OP. GRRM is EXACTLY the reason why agents are no longer picking up series. They are picking up stand alone books with series potential. Why? GRRM won't fulfill his contract. He accepted going from a 3 book to 7 book contract, now he can't finish. Jim Butcher burnt himself out on Dresden and had to take a break. He published 2 books in that series this year. I expect a huge sales dip in his numbers because of it. JKR went totally over printing costs and REFUSED to edit down. Rothfuss is... doing... something... eventually.
Publishers don't want to take risks like that when the money is already out. Are established authors still getting big series contracts? To an extent, yes. I know someone got a 13 book contract recently, Scalzi I think. PublishingPaidMe was a very enlightening tag. But that was before Covid hit.
The author though isn't WRONG. Request it from your library. It will register as a sale. Borrow through Overdrive if you can. E-Book licensing is a nightmare but favors publishers in profitability. Also registers as a sale. The worst thing you can do is steal it outright. (General You in this case. Not accusing, just saying.) Honestly, they're asking you to support them as a person/brand rather than their books in a way.
Right now. What you aren't hearing about is b/c of Covid, debut authors are being dropped. It's been very, very, quiet. Shhhhh. Pubs want to pay out established authors first, before picking up new ones. I know agents are still looking because any sales they make now won't go out until 2022 or 23. Hopefully when we're out of this mess, but debuts for 2020, and 2021 are being screwed.
Publishing and contracts and advances need major overhaul. You'd think Covid would have done it but... so far. No. They're doubling down. If Covid continues for another year, it will be interesting to see what happens with the big 5. Will they overhaul advances and make it a more level playing field for debuts/authors. Or will they fold. Also, b/c it's the big 5 and not the big 20, if a book fails and the author with it. There's no place for them to really GO anymore. As they're only as good as their last book. So yeah, don't be surprised authors are going "Buy my books first week/pre-orders!" As publishing is also straying more towards the big 2 comic book model despite how the comic book model is FAILING.
It's complicated. -gestures-
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 01:28 am (UTC)(link)Just making sure I understand - by “make a request” to a library and it will register as a sale - is that assuming the library doesn’t already have it and will purchase it? Or is it possible for publishers to take into account library borrowing numbers?
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 01:35 am (UTC)(link)Though who knows if someplace like Overdrive makes public any stats on total checkouts per title. That's above my pay grade.
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 01:55 am (UTC)(link)They don't keep track in America. Too many systems. Like I said below, I do believe they keep track in Britain and send it to the publishers and the authors get a small royalty out of it.
What happens is the library purchases the e-book on a license. They have to keep track and after so many check outs buy a re-up of the license so to speak. I'd guess it was on the library to keep track, or it might be locked by DRM after so many check outs. The licenses cost 50 to 80 bucks for an ebook license depending on publisher. The check out number was fairly low too, but I can't remember exact numbers. There was an entire thing with MacMillan Press and a librarian spoke out on twitter about why it was bad.
This was back when I was active on twitter. It was pretty interesting.
no subject
(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 01:58 am (UTC)(link)It does seem like Overdrive and other ebook borrowing systems (or maybe interlibrary loan systems, even?) would have better potential baked-in to track/share stats like that, but whether they actually would is also ??? to me.
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 01:51 am (UTC)(link)You're welcome!
It works on how many copies of a book a library purchases. For a book, they purchase the book. It has to be a new book not already on the shelves. That counts as a sale for the publisher. For an ebook, for an elevated price they purchase a license to "lend" the book so many times before they have to rebuy the license. It's just like owning a computer program.
A physical book will remain in the library as long as the library system feels it's in good of enough condition to remain in circulation. If not, then the budget will be checked to see if they can buy a new copy, assuming the book is still in print.
In Europe, or at least Britain, they DO keep track of lending and the authors get a minor like half a penny in royalties. Which, those authors really like. But we don't do that in the States. Too many systems and none of them linked together.
A lot of books "given" to libraries, actually end up in "Friends of the Library" sales. Where you can buy used books to help support your library system. Each system has their own methods of price. My home system would do books by type for a while then the last day once the books were really picked over, you could get a whole bag for 10 cents.
The only way most indie books end up in libraries is through author donation. Due to ISBN style issues. There's information from publishers most indie books don't have that need to go into library systems. Libraries will take indie books if the author is local for instance or the book is set in the area. But there is a process and talk to your local librarian.
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 05:25 am (UTC)(link)no subject
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(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 02:29 am (UTC)(link)no subject
(Anonymous) 2020-12-04 02:42 am (UTC)(link)I understand your POV here. Okay, I am putting up an updated file tomorrow (it's two super minor things) but I have something on my website for you which is going to explain ALL about querying and why I'm going to say my next piece of advice.
Make sure that FIRST book can stand alone. and DO NOT, I mean, DO NOT mention in your query it's a series or that it is finished. You'll be rejected. That's just the way it is right now. That's how wary agents are of series.
Anyways, it's called "I Finished A Book, Now What?" It explains Querying, Trad Pubbing, Self Pubbing. Tomorrow I'm putting up "16 Signs Your Book Isn't Ready to Be Self Published (And Other Things You Should Know)" all about editing, and "How To Succeed If You Don't Want to Write to Market." which is 100% for self pubbers b/c 'Zon's tomfoolery. Here's the PDF for "I Finished A Book."
https://ginny0.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/i-finished-a-book.pdf