Crossing Paths: Published Author Goes Self-Published, As Self-Published Author Considers Big Publishing Deal
from the which-way-do-you-go? dept
So we just wrote about best-selling author Barry Eisler's decision to turn down a half-a-million dollar book deal, in order to self-publish. In the conversation, some people pointed out that he could do this, since he'd already built up an audience. Of course, just a few weeks ago, we wrote about Amanda Hocking, an entirely self-published author who was making a ton of money, having built up her own audience with incredibly cheap ebooks.Yet, as many people noted, the very same day that Eisler announced that he was passing on that big contract, lots of folks in publishing were buzzing about the fact that Hocking appears ready to sign a million-dollar-plus publishing contract, heading in the other direction. Some will suggest that this shows that self-publishing doesn't work. After all, if it did work, why would she sign such a deal? I'm not convinced that's actually true. There are plenty of reasons why she might be interested in this kind of deal, though, not all of them may be good reasons.
I think plenty of authors still think they need a big publishing deal to consider themselves to have "made it." Even if they're collecting tons of money elsewhere. On top of that, someone handing you a million dollars (or more) upfront sure must be difficult to ignore -- even if it comes with strings and may be less lucrative in the long run. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Honestly, though, if I were in Hocking's shoes, I'd realize that I have the leverage here, and that means a lot more than just getting the top dollar. She easily could be in a position to negotiate the key things she really wants/needs from a publisher, without giving in to the terms and strings that typically come with a publishing deal. The marketing support (if it works) could obviously help, even with the giant fanbase she's built up. But she could do a deal for just marketing, where she doesn't necessarily have to give up so much on the other side. Either way, this will be an interesting case study to follow over the next few years.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: amanda hocking, authors, barry eisler, business models, publishing, self-publishing
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Luckily, regardless of what happens, I think this will still increase the push towards self-publishing. For those authors who do still believe they need a big-house deal to "make it", this will show them that self publishing some work doesn't actually close that door, and in fact may be the best way to get a foot in it. I think there are a lot of authors out there sitting on manuscripts that they want to sell and worried about self-publishing lest it destroy their value in the traditional ecosystem - and this might be the nudge they need. Whether or not they too will leverage self-pubbing into a deal, or decide that they can make it better on their own, remains to be seen (I suspect quite a few will discover the latter)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
I don't think we should be afraid to acknowledge that big publishing in books, movies, and music might still be the best way for a select group of people. I have no problem with labeled musicians, or authors publishing with houses, or script-writers getting the big movie deal. That's awesome for them and a million dollar publishing deal is still a million dollar publishing deal.
What's cool is that the barriers for everyone else are lowering or gone. The rest of the non-select few that big deals aren't an option for can still get their art out there, and that's awesome. Pointing at Hocking and saying, "She was self-published and now she's doing a publishing deal, so that means self-publishing doesn't work" is focusing on the wrong thing. The real truth is that Hocking is known because self-publishing is an option and how many other authors are more known now than they would have been if that wasn't an option....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Agreed - but I do have a problem with them being required to sign away most of the rights to their creation in order to do so. Even the existence of self-publishing as a legitimate option is going to change the entire landscape of contracts and negotiations in publishing: the big houses won't be able to say "hand over everything to us, or nobody will ever read your work" anymore. So I think (and hope) that the balance of power is going to shift considerably, and even those traditional big-money deals are going to start looking a lot different.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
There are some sneaky publishing contracts, but for the most part, contracts are pretty standard now. In any case, Hocking likely has an agent, and for someone with her kind of money, a lawyer, so it's extremely unlikely there's going to be some sort of sneaky fine print that screws her over.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Which is why, when you're right smack in the middle of a massive industry revolution brought on by a breakout new format that completely changes the distribution model, those "standard" contracts deserve renewed scrutiny.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
However, most genre associations maintain something like the SFWA model contract, so you can vet it for yourself.
They also maintain a list of things to watch out for.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Always greener on the other side.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Always greener on the other side.
...
"When you watch your dogs just starving
Don't get mad when they start barkin'
Here's a suggestion man
Why don't we just wash our hands
'Cause I'm peepin' other pastures
I think it's time I'm my own master."
-Nathaniel D. Hale
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Its not always about the money
Obviously there is no "one size fits all" arrangement for these matters. Everyone has different aims and different things they enjoy doing. Those who have made a large amount of money doing something don't necessarily have to keep doing the same thing, they can try something else and play around.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Its not always about the money
Agreed - but the problem with traditional publishing deals is that they aren't really about "outsourcing" but about trading your rights for the services. That's what I think Mike was referring to when he wrote "she could do a deal for just marketing, where she doesn't necessarily have to give up so much on the other side."
Publishers, like record labels, have traditionally been modeled in such a way that they are essentially hiring the artists. Now that the artists themselves are wielding more power, I think we will start seeing more deals where the artists are setting the terms and hiring the publishers/labels to provide marketing services.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Simple explaination
Besides, she can always do something different on the next book.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Catch-22
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Really, what many people, TechDirt included, fail to realize is that one doesn't preclude the other, in most cases. You can publish some things with a traditional contract, and simultaneously put other things out into the eBook world. It's not mutually exclusive. I think the most successful authors are going to recognize that, and have a foot in both worlds.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Quite simply, Hocking likely seems a new arena to push into. A publishing deal will include wide distribution, visibility, maybe book tours and the like. It could also give easy access to library placements all over the US (and wherever else the contract includes), and raise Hocking's profile outside of her current fan babe. She is expanding into a new marketplace.
For Eisler, he probably feels that he has already gotten all of the benefit of these things over his last works, and wants to try addressing a different marketplace. The online buyer, the ebook reader, and so on are all different marketplaces, and he is looking to expand into a new one.
The "dead tree" business is still significant, and the shift to ebooks doesn't take away from much of what the publishers do that is good: Getting access, wide distribution, and markets. As a marketing service (and as a filter for buyers of books) they serve a useful market function.
The economics of each are different, the risk assumed different, and the rewards are different. Why is it hard to imagine that there is more than one type of market for books?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Really? From the Eisler post:
I'm still not convinced this move is right for everyone yet, but if you can handle the key functions that a publisher provides (things like editing, marketing, etc.) it can work out quite well.
From this post:
After all, if it did work, why would she sign such a deal? I'm not convinced that's actually true. There are plenty of reasons why she might be interested in this kind of deal, though, not all of them may be good reasons.
Techdirt is the first to acknowledge that the "old model" still has plenty to offer. The point is that those incumbents need to put more focus on the things they offer that are still relevant, and less focus on the ONE thing that has undoubtedly gone away: their gatekeeper status.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
"There are plenty of reasons why she might be interested in this kind of deal, though, not all of them may be good reasons."
In simple terms, some of the reasons she thinks this is good are bad. That is a really ofdhanded dismissal, no? Sort of like "you aren't as ugly as you use to be". It would be miles from any sort of admission that the system has true benefits.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
The fact is that this is an industry in flux. Expressing one's views and theories while also being open to other ideas is the right thing to do. Why is taking a moderate position, where you are leaning one way but also acknowledging other aspects and keeping your options open, a bad thing in your books? To me that's smart analysis.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Mike, you, me... we are all entitled to an opinion. That is never an issue.
However, what Mike has done here is sort of like the basic concepts of marketing: the role model. You see it in ads every day (if you don't filter them out): The person with the horrible problem, the mop that won't mop, the mess, the stress, it's terrible. Then the positive model, the person with the "All New Moppette" who cleans everything, has time to relax with their family, and smiles while cleaning.
This post is the "negative model, positive model" in perfect harmony. Eisler is the positive model going the new way with the all new, improved internet online sales direct marketing super job, turning down piles of money and sticking it to the man, while Hocking is put in the position of the fool falling for the baubles and false promises, all for a dump truck full of money, kneeling in front of her oppressors.
It isn't quite as dramatic as that, but I would challenge you to re-read the piece (without your normal bias to agree with your publisher / friend) and see where it really lands.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100110/1613597692.shtml
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
In old times, companies would completely change what they do. These days, it is cheaper, more efficient, and creates less liablity to just let the old companies go and start anew.
Times change, but not all companies or industries can (or need to).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
You can insist Mike is saying something he's not, and back it up with five-year-old examples, if you like. I will continue actually reading and understanding what's being said now, instead of being willfully ignorant.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
I really love this new style of commenting.
(1) Ignore what I actually say.
(2) Claim I say exactly the opposite of what I actually say.
(3) When called on this, claim that I really *meant* the opposite of what I actually say.
Most people recognize that as lying and smearing. Of course, competent liars and smearers aren't proved wrong so easily. Incompetent ones, well, you're a wonderful example out in the wild. If only we could tag you and track you.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
So the claims are often the opposite of what you wish they were, because you are using weasel words and faint praise to damn the things you don't like.
Thus, (3) is correct, only that it is what you meant to say, you just try to say it in a way you cannot be called out on.
Example: Why are the reasons for self publishing all goo,d but for signing a publishing contract reasons are slagged as "not all of them may be good reasons"? Why point out the problems of the side you don't support, while being blissfully ignorant about the poor reasons to self-publish?
What you are doing is painting a bad picture of the site you don't like, while ignoring or downplaying any flaws in your approved choice. It's not hard to see. I suspect you don't even realize it yourself.
I am not lying or smearing. Obviously, you can deny it (you always do), but it is there in almost every post.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Of the SITE he doesn't like? Uh-oh, I think AC just made a Freudian slip. We aren't talking about a site. You, on the other hand, do indeed seem to be obsessed with painting a bad picture of this site while ignoring any flaws in your view.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Nice catch. Pretty funny though.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Hmm. I said exactly that in both this post and the last one. You're agreeing with me while pretending you don't. So odd.
It helps to read posts before responding.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
I read your post carefully. Perhaps you want to re-read your own posts and see how it might be read with someone who doesn't buy into your business models?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Maybe they will put her in an endless loop of editing and rewrites until the contract is up and they've paid her the minimum. Then finally release an ebook for $10.99 that none of her fans will ever buy because they are used to buying her books for 99 cents each.
She's no longer in demand because her fans moved on to the next ebook author that didn't sign with a publisher.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Also Eisler turned to self publishing because the numbers came out better then half a million up front. What if he was offered one million? Would the equation have leaned the other way?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
They're Both Right
In the case of Hocking, what she doesn't have right now is access to the foreign rights markets (translations). There are a lot of authors who make as much or more from their work in translation than they do with the English language version.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]