tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post4104521696614055894..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Estributors ReduxJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-18639006987472282012011-07-05T03:58:20.615-05:002011-07-05T03:58:20.615-05:00Think also boutique publishers. As an author I'...Think also boutique publishers. As an author I'm doing it for myself and other carefully selected authors at www.blackbirdebooks.com. What does this offer? The big four: added value, editorial, shaping and communication to the reader. Plus a 50/50 share of profits, representation abroad (our first international agent, based in China, is now involved) plus complete freedom for the author to progress.Stephanie Ziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009923261529219522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-70833052238369884202011-06-30T22:21:35.266-05:002011-06-30T22:21:35.266-05:00Some writers have a near-allergic aversion to allo...<i>Some writers have a near-allergic aversion to allowing anyone to profit from their book. It's a wonder they permit their readers to enjoy their book.</i><br /><br />Goddamit. Just spewed beer on my laptop.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-36899194960431960472011-06-30T22:20:35.192-05:002011-06-30T22:20:35.192-05:00Smart businesspeople realize that just because the...<i>Smart businesspeople realize that just because they can do something on their own, doesn't mean they should do it on their own.</i><br /><br />Mark Coker for the win.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60203251863330489932011-06-30T13:01:11.155-05:002011-06-30T13:01:11.155-05:00#quills
Wait a freakin' minute! You guys are ...#quills<br /><br />Wait a freakin' minute! You guys are using quills? From Geese? And ink? On parchment no doubt too!<br /><br />Dang! You mean I could'a got rid of all this clay and stylus stuff? I didn't need to be baking my tablets and all that crap?<br /><br />Man...progress. <br /><br />Next thing you're gonna tell me is that we can pull buggies without horses and men can fly.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152540665352170999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12359171798850569972011-06-30T10:26:39.577-05:002011-06-30T10:26:39.577-05:00The most successful authors are great writers who ...The most successful authors are great writers who make smart business decisions.<br /><br />A great writer without business sense will probably achieve mediocre success. A great writer with business smarts can achieve great success.<br /><br />Smart businesspeople realize that just because they can do something on their own, doesn't mean they should do it on their own. Smart businesspeople ask where they'll earn the highest return on investment for their time.<br /><br />If you're a great writer, your time is probably best spent writing, because that's the product only you can create.<br /><br />I'm surprised by the number of writers so quick to pass up opportunity in favor of jealously guarding that 15%. Some writers have a near-allergic aversion to allowing anyone to profit from their book. It's a wonder they permit their readers to enjoy their book. These folks risk undermining their own success by slamming the door in the face of opportunity.<br /><br />There's a simple equation any author can apply when deciding whether or not to give up that XX% to an agent, a distributor, a retailer, a publisher or whomever.<br /><br />Paul Graham, the brilliant venture capitalist, developed an elegantly simple formula that entrepreneurs can use to determine the benefit they must receive to justify giving XX% of their company to an investor. The formula works equally well for authors. When Joe gives DGLM 15%, it's easy to determine the minimum amount of value-add DGLM must provide for Joe's decision to be a smart one. Here are the details: <a href="http://www.paulgraham.com/equity.html" rel="nofollow">The Equity Equation"</a><br /><br />Using the formula of 1/(1-n) where n = .15, we see that if DGLM's involvement can increase Joe's results 17.5% above what he'd otherwise accomplish on his own, then Joe's ahead in this partnership. Good agents can earn their entire keep with a single phone call, and great agents work that magic over and over again.<br /><br />The reason top tier agencies like DGLM are so successful is that they're expert at delivering multiples of that 17.5% for their clients.<br /><br />Joe gains not only from DGLM's investment of time, money, smarts, connections and enthusiasm, but he also gains time to produce more writing, or time to do more marketing.<br /><br />I'm reminded of a pearl of wisdom from my mom. She said if you plant a $15 tree in a $5 hole, you get a $5 tree.<br /><br />The writer's book (or the writer's career) is the tree, and the hole is the environment in which you establish roots and acquire the life-sustaining nourishment of readers and sales.<br /><br />If a quality agent is willing to invest alongside an author to make their property more successful, the author is penny-wise and pound foolish not to consider it.<br /><br />Disclosure: I'm a former DGLM client. It was actually our agent at DGLM who suggested my wife and I self-publish our novel Boob Tube. One thing led to another and I created Smashwords. Thanks DGLM!Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-34179463847537227622011-06-30T09:35:46.703-05:002011-06-30T09:35:46.703-05:00Very interesting. I'm also interested to see ...Very interesting. I'm also interested to see how many others now jump on board.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-88159603614009546102011-06-30T09:18:58.573-05:002011-06-30T09:18:58.573-05:00I just wanna say that real self-published authors ...<i>I just wanna say that real self-published authors write their books longhand using quills they've made and inks they've concocted from materials culled from the forest floor, on parchment they've pounded out with their own fists from trees they've felled with their own neolithic tools, and sell these books by hand in the public square, which they reach shoeless and on foot, eating roots and berries they gather along the way. Anything else is corruption, sabotage, and hypocrisy! Fight the man, people!</i><br /><br />Don't be stupid, Barry. That's not even close to what makes a real self-published author.<br /><br />Real self-published authors only get their quills from geese they've raised after hatching the egg themsevles after sitting on it all season.<br /><br />Only posers and wannabes do otherwise.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37445617660169943612011-06-30T06:07:41.655-05:002011-06-30T06:07:41.655-05:00If the deal extends to the length of the copyright...If the deal extends to the length of the copyright, it is a very bad deal.Jason Blockhttp://www.mondopkhan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-70918062127418460302011-06-30T06:04:51.388-05:002011-06-30T06:04:51.388-05:00How long is the contract? 'The life of the boo...How long is the contract? 'The life of the book' is potentially a very long time to be giving someone fifteen percent.Jason Blockhttp://www.mondopkhan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-46644818479328935132011-06-30T04:02:28.803-05:002011-06-30T04:02:28.803-05:00"... but of course I'm not paying for cov..."... but of course I'm not paying for cover art or formatting or anything else in this arrangement. My agent is taking care of everything."<br /><br />Well, that will teach me to read more carefully! Never mind!Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-65741709142696878602011-06-29T22:53:37.471-05:002011-06-29T22:53:37.471-05:00Here you go James...Joe's very first comment f...Here you go James...Joe's very first comment for this post contained this:<br /><br />"I'll reply in more detail soon, but of course I'm not paying for cover art or formatting or anything else in this arrangement. My agent is taking care of everything.<br /><br />11:35 PM"William J. Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03363006166880987871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-35409809488892528532011-06-29T22:08:05.864-05:002011-06-29T22:08:05.864-05:00The real question here is: "What do you get ...The real question here is: "What do you get for the 15%?"<br /><br />Who pays for the cover art, editing, etc.? A lot of the value of this deal lies in that, for most authors. It would be nice if someone would answer this.<br /><br />Joe's situation may be different, given the amount of sales he makes, but most authors are going to want to know exactly what they will get before committing to this sort of thing.Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-584035656172207222011-06-29T15:41:17.604-05:002011-06-29T15:41:17.604-05:00He would have to track sales of multiple ebooks on...<i>He would have to track sales of multiple ebooks on multiple platforms, not to mention foreign language sales, audio rights, film options...</i><br /><br />Nope, in my mind they do. That's on them. They show him the totals, he pays them. <br /><br />Show me how much money you have made both of us and I will cut you a check! Reporting is a key ingredient in this relationship anyway, so it's not as though they are going to really being doing anything extra.<br /><br />It's like an employee turning in a time card. <br /><br /><i>That's not the way the agent/author relationship typically works, </i><br /><br />Well, here's a perfect chance to change that! He who gets the 85% pays out the 15%. <br /><br />To do it the other way just seems bizarre to me. <br /><br />They are the employee, they get paid by the employer. Or if you prefer, they are the contracted, they get paid by the contractor.<br /><br />Veronica<br /><a href="http://www.eloheim.com/dlg/cart/index.php?c=9" rel="nofollow"> The Choice for Consciousness: Tools for Conscious Living, Vol. 1 </a><br><br /><a href="http://www.eloheim.com/dlg/cart/index.php?c=10" rel="nofollow">The Homo Spiritus Sessions, Vol. 1-7 </a>Eloheim and Veronicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13516061229820200875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-41562794538688183932011-06-29T15:19:10.420-05:002011-06-29T15:19:10.420-05:00If all Joe has to do is write one check for 15% ea...<i>If all Joe has to do is write one check for 15% each month, then I don't see how that affects anything else.</i><br /><br />He would have to track sales of multiple ebooks on multiple platforms, not to mention foreign language sales, audio rights, film options...<br /><br /><i>Joe hired them and Joe pays them. Not the other way around.</i><br /><br />That's not the way the agent/author relationship typically works, and I seriously doubt that's the way it's going to work with this.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-30673719430521640272011-06-29T15:16:12.513-05:002011-06-29T15:16:12.513-05:00Ah, the defining feature of the amateur writer per...Ah, the defining feature of the amateur writer perfectly distilled:<br /><br />β(2) edit it (friends, authors, self)β<br /><br />And you probably wonder why the number one complaint in reviews of indie books is βall the typos and bad grammar are very distracting.βW. Deannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-18845673106148733402011-06-29T14:57:33.796-05:002011-06-29T14:57:33.796-05:00Hi Jude, you said:
That would pretty much defeat t...Hi Jude, you said:<br /><i>That would pretty much defeat the purpose.</i><br /><br />If all Joe has to do is write one check for 15% each month, then I don't see how that affects anything else.<br /><br />They do all the contracted work, they provide the evidence of sales, and Joe writes a check. <br /><br />Doesn't make sense to me to have it any other way. <br /><br />Joe hired them and Joe pays them. Not the other way around.<br /><br /><br /><br />Veronica<br /><a href="http://www.eloheim.com/dlg/cart/index.php?c=9" rel="nofollow"> The Choice for Consciousness: Tools for Conscious Living, Vol. 1 </a><br><br /><a href="http://www.eloheim.com/dlg/cart/index.php?c=10" rel="nofollow">The Homo Spiritus Sessions, Vol. 1-7 </a>Eloheim and Veronicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13516061229820200875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-21662632891976534142011-06-29T14:51:30.114-05:002011-06-29T14:51:30.114-05:00All an author has to do is (1) write a book; (2) e...<i>All an author has to do is (1) write a book; (2) edit it (friends, authors, self); (3) make a product description; (4) get a cover; (5) upload it.</i><br /><br />(6) market; (7) manage accounts (multiple titles on multiple platforms); (8) negotiate sub rights...<br /><br />When you get down to it, I'm only interested in #1. That, and cashing checks.<br /><br /><i>I would NEVER give a 3d party 15% of revenues forever for doing a short term, finite job.</i><br /><br />I would, and I would hope the third party got rich selling my stuff. If they're rich getting 15%, just think how rich I am getting 85.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-9066711167454531262011-06-29T14:49:55.503-05:002011-06-29T14:49:55.503-05:00"I would NEVER give a 3d party 15% of revenue...<i>"I would NEVER give a 3d party 15% of revenues forever for doing a short term, finite job."</i><br /><br />I'm pretty sure that the whole point of this is that Joe gets the "finite" stuff AND lots of support beyond that as well.<br /><br />As Joe said in the comments:<br /><i>If I want to make a change, I no longer have to stop writing and take the time to do it myself. I just shoot my agent an email, and they make the change for me. D&G has hired some new staff for this sole purpose.<br /><br />This means I don't have to waste time tweaking covers, fixing typos, adding excerpts from my latest novel in the back of my previous novels, updating my clickable bibliography, uploading to the latest etailer (such as OverDrive or Vook), etc.<br /><br />Total control plus time saver = big win.</i><br /><br />That "stuff" is a huge time sink even for me and I'm just getting started on this publishing journey. I can't imagine how much of it Joe must do. <br /><br />Sure he could hire someone for this, but then he is an employer. Ever been an employer??? I have. You want to really feel like your publishing business is a BUSINESS, hire salaried help! :)<br /><br />Joe pays 15% and gets an experienced, skilled team who also has extensive personal contacts in the industry. <br /><br />He doesn't have to interview, train, provide benefits, etc. He just pays. Maybe you think he is going to pay too much. <br /><br />Apparently he doesn't.<br /><br /><br /> Veronica<br /><a href="http://www.eloheim.com/dlg/cart/index.php?c=9" rel="nofollow"> The Choice for Consciousness: Tools for Conscious Living, Vol. 1 </a><br><br /><a href="http://www.eloheim.com/dlg/cart/index.php?c=10" rel="nofollow">The Homo Spiritus Sessions, Vol. 1-7 </a>Eloheim and Veronicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13516061229820200875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-90214037890088319742011-06-29T14:29:37.813-05:002011-06-29T14:29:37.813-05:00letting someone else control the purse strings is ...<i>letting someone else control the purse strings is the reason why so many authors get ripped off.</i><br /><br />That's why you find a reputable agent you can trust.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67072547695511762052011-06-29T14:26:19.963-05:002011-06-29T14:26:19.963-05:00@Anon 4:58
Very observant. You can see through al...@Anon 4:58<br /><br />Very observant. You can see through all the bull.<br /><br />What happened to all the "Way to go Joe's?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71887745051377695912011-06-29T14:20:56.179-05:002011-06-29T14:20:56.179-05:00All an author has to do is (1) write a book; (2) e...All an author has to do is (1) write a book; (2) edit it (friends, authors, self); (3) make a product description; (4) get a cover; (5) upload it.<br /><br />These are all simple steps, with "write a book" being 99% of the ultimate success. If the author can't do these, there are experts to hire on a one time basis. I would NEVER give a 3d party 15% of revenues forever for doing a short term, finite job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-64177658821360841602011-06-29T14:11:52.293-05:002011-06-29T14:11:52.293-05:00First, whether you hire an accountant or an agency...<i>First, whether you hire an accountant or an agency, you must still trust a third party with your finances. </i><br /><br />I still maintain the only signature authority over all my accounts, and I have access to my DTP platform, where I check sales reports daily. An accountant/bookkeeper or an admin don't need account access to answer phones, copyedit, reconcile Quickbooks, and answer e-mails. <br /><br />I understand wanting to relieve some of the administrative burden, but letting someone else control the purse strings is the reason why so many authors get ripped off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-41587594552413349422011-06-29T14:11:45.480-05:002011-06-29T14:11:45.480-05:00I just figured they would have access to Joe's...<i>I just figured they would have access to Joe's accounts at KDP, etc and load his book under that account name....revenues will still flow directly to Joe and then he would pay them the 15%.</i><br /><br />That would pretty much defeat the purpose. Here's the way it's going to work, at least how I understand it:<br /><br />Author sends book #1 to agent; while author is working on book #2, agent does EVERTHING necessary to get book #1 published and selling and exploited for subsidiary rights; agent sends author royalty checks minus 15%; author sends book #2 to agent...<br /><br />In other words, all the author has to do is write books and cash checks. Sounds like a sweet deal to me.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38040842318725273422011-06-29T14:03:22.110-05:002011-06-29T14:03:22.110-05:00"for many people, publishing is an ideology. ...<i>"for many people, publishing is an ideology. For others, it's a business. It's difficult for two such different world views to comprehend each other"</i><br /><br />Agreed.<br /><br />But even if your approach is strictly business, common sense dictates a simple cost-benefit analysis of any potential "estributor" arrangement.<br /><br />It seems for Joe, and others in his situation, this type of deal makes a lot of sense. For the average indie or newbie starting out, it doesn't seem so clear.<br /><br />I think a lot of the push back here stems from this <i>appearing</i> to be a form of business as usual, albeit at a lower commission. <br /><br />Still, 15% could prove to be a substantial payment for services more economically "project managed" by the author himself.<br /><br />The nice thing is we can count on Joe to keep us informed as to how this all shakes out.jtplayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231456054855215404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-42988559862350413962011-06-29T13:53:39.757-05:002011-06-29T13:53:39.757-05:00Joe, I think the point is - it was bad before too,...Joe, I think the point is - it was bad before too, but you didn't have a choice. Now you do, so why stick with the old (and unfair, in many people's opinion) ways?Marcelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13951354231483245521noreply@blogger.com