It's getting tempting...

[Lea Zalas]

Arden, since you're a first-time published author, I have to ask. How in the hell are you getting a [size=x-large]$400,000 dollar (four HUNDRED THOUSAND)[/size] advance? Everything I've heard and read, even from popular authors, says that most advances are rarely larger than the low five figures. Since you're the one who threw that figure out for public discussion, inquiring minds want to know.

[Arden Leighton]

Well, this is from Oct 2010 so it'll be interesting to see how the changes are in a few months but ebooks are still only a tiny percentage of the overall publishing market. The percentage didn't increase over a period of six months tho. The reports from May were the same.

http://www.publishers.org/main/Press...rBookSales.htm

[Arden Leighton]

Lea Zalas Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Arden, since you're a first-time published author,
> I have to ask. How in the hell are you getting a
> $400,000 dollar (four HUNDRED THOUSAND) advance?
> Everything I've heard and read, even from popular
> authors, says that most advances are rarely larger
> than the low five figures. Since you're the one
> who threw that figure out for public discussion,
> inquiring minds want to know.


I have a very good agent. I went into auction with five of the Big Six publishers. I've also sold rights to other countries.

My agency has also made similar deals to several other first time authors over the past year.

[Robert Wilson]

Good luck with your book Arden, what's the title?

RW

[Arden Leighton]

Robert Wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good luck with your book Arden, what's the title?
>
> RW


It's called Dark Inside

[Frank Baron]

Congrats, Arden. But please don't assume that your deal is the norm for first-time authors. It's more like in the top 3% of the pyramid. Most first-timers form the base.

And it seems some folks are conflating e-publishing with self-pubbing. You'd have to be brain dead to think e-publishing isn't the way most books will be sold within 20 or so years. But mainstream, traditional houses are all over e-pubbing and I'm certain every book contract today reflects that. I flat-out guarantee that the NY Times Bestseller E-Book list in 2030 will be dominated by familiar names like Random House, Harper Collins, Penguin etc.

Self-pubbing, whether in traditional or e-formats, still pretty much guarantees a crappy reading experience for the simple reason that writer is also most often the editor. And chances are s/he's not very good at all at one or both of those tasks. And if, by some miracle, the book is well-written and edited, s/he still needs to don a salesperson's hat and flog it to the masses. Too many noobs think "listing on Amazon" is all it takes for the world to discover their brilliance -- to their lasting chagrin.

[Arden Leighton]

Well said, Fred. I fully agree with most of that. haha But I still don't think ebooks are going to overrule paper but that's just my opinion. I do however think they'll dominate for a while.

I think there will always be a large majority of people like myself who prefer the feel, smell, etc of a paper book. Funny enough, I don't actually know a single person who wants a Kindle. Not one. But that's not to say they're not selling.

But to suggest that self-pubbed books will dominate? Nope. Yes, there will be a few, but the majority of books that sell, will still be processed through the publishers that offer editors, marketing, etc. etc.

As for my advance. I only throw it out there because I want people to know that first time authors can be successful with advances. However, the real test will be when my book comes out for sale. It can still bomb and that terrifies me.

[Jena Grace]

Congrats, Arden!!! And chances are, it won't bomb. When publishers pay out those kind of bucks, trust me, they'll do everything in their power to make sure it DOESN'T tank.

[Frank Baron]

Yeah Arden, if they've invested serious coin in you, they'll pull out the stops when it comes to promotion too. Can't have too much luck though, so I'll wish you that as well.

[Joe Zeff]

Arden, I took a look at that like you offered, and found that it doesn't support your claim. In 2009, ebook sales were 3.31% of Trade Print; January to October of 2010 they were 8.70%, more than double. Far from being a tiny, unimportant niche market, they're a rapidly-growing segment of publishing. And, except for any setup costs, marketing is the only expense. Of course, for a self-publisher, marketing is the big problem and that's one reason I haven't made the jump yet. I need to know more about how to market an ebook because most of what I've learned about marketing a book assumes a physical product to be shelved and/or autographed.