Slow Publisher? |
Author: Cindy Little (---.dyn.grandenetworks.net)
Date: 07-03-08 10:01
Hello,
I\'m in the process of getting my first horror novella published through a small publisher. It was accepted 6 months ago. It has been through a few edits, and had a cover created for it, but I have yet to receive a contract or to get a firm date on when it will be published. The publisher keeps saying very soon. Is this a common or uncommon wait time?
And yes, I trust the publisher is legit. They are brand new and have a lot of projects in the works. I just feel like my little novella has been pushed to the bottom of the pile.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Jena Grace (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 07-03-08 10:47
If they are brand new, how do you know they're legit?
And no, this isn't common. A contract should have been signed before anything else was started.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Cindy Little (---.dyn.grandenetworks.net)
Date: 07-03-08 11:02
Good point--I guess I should say they seem legit. And while this is the first novella I've gotten accepted for publication, I'm not new to writing, editing, publishing. I'm the editor in chief of an educational magazine, served as a managing editor for an educational journal, and have articles published in professional journals in my field. We usually send contracts out at the end just before the publication goes to press, but I know this is a whole different ball of wax, thus my inquiry.
Sooo....any suggestions/advice on where to go from here?
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Jena Grace (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 07-03-08 11:29
You know a bit about the business, so you probably know that a publishing contract is more than your agreeing to allow them to publish your book. It involves the projected date of publication, the amount of your advance (if any), the amount of royalties you’ll receive on each copy sold, which rights you are keeping and which ones you are giving to the publisher, what your rights are should the company fail to publish the material, etc.–all things that should be decided before the publisher ever touches your book. (I’m assuming this is a traditional publisher, not a POD or the like).
Personally I would contact the publisher immediately and demand some firm answers to your questions. Otherwise, since you haven’t signed anything, you’re free to withdraw your work if you’re not happy with the answers. I hope this won't be the case.
Like agents, a bad publisher is worse than none at all. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Cindy Little (---.dyn.grandenetworks.net)
Date: 07-03-08 12:30
Thanks Jena,
I followed your advice and just sent a firm (but diplomatic) e-mail to my publisher asking for the contract and a firm publication date. I really enjoy working with this publisher and sincerely hope they make it (they've got some great stuff in the works), but I figure it won't do any good to work with someone who never gets around to publishing my work!
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Jena Grace (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 07-03-08 12:36
Good for you! Best of luck. I hope everything works out.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Sapphire Savvy (76.251.180.---)
Date: 07-06-08 12:12
Cindy, if you don't have an agent--get one. All agents are happy to work w/ someone who already has a publisher.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: jayce (---.mob.bellsouth.net)
Date: 07-06-08 12:48
All agents are happy to work w/ someone who already has a publisher.
I doubt if an agent would invest time on a small start-up publisher. An agent expects the prospect of landing at least a $5-$10k advance for their client. That doesn't sound like the case here, but I could be wrong.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: Greg Kosson (---.246.111.21.Dial1.SanJose1.Level3.net)
Date: 07-06-08 13:34
Cindy- You did the right thing in being clear on what you need. If you don't get it, I suggest telling them you need to move on, then do that if you don't have what you need in hand within a week.
There are people in publishing who are not scam artists and have the best of intentions, but will waste your time just as surely as people with bad intentions.
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: D.C. Eastman (---.dab.bellsouth.net)
Date: 07-23-08 11:28
Never heard of a publisher starting work on a book without a signed contract from the author. Contract first, rewrites and design come after that. However, even many large traditional publishers take a while to produce a book--as long as 18 months, especially if it's a large non-fiction book or has a lot of illustrations.
Have they sent you anything in writing--at all?
dce
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Re: Slow Publisher? |
Author: shane camus (---.no.no.cox.net)
Date: 07-28-08 21:55
I have a small press and truthfully I would never start working on any book until I had the contract signed. It protects everyone and being a small press I can't afford to waist money. To have a manuscript edited and cover art created takes a fair amount of money. Then with the cost of galleys and everything else it would be foolish for me to risk anything without a contract.
I am not sure how all presses work but I know from my sand point the timeline goes like this. I receive a great manuscript. I decide I want to publish it. It usually takes me less then a month to read and decide if I want to publish a manuscript. Next I will contact the author and tell them I would like to publish their book. I will explain the details and see if we come to an agreement on all aspects of the project. Next I send the contract to the author. Once I receive this back it takes between 6 months and 1 year for the book to be published. Sometimes it can take up to two years depending on how many projects are in front of it.
So my point in this long winded response is that it should be a big red flag that this press has not sent you a contract.
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