Amazon Publishing / AmazonEncore / Montlake Romance

[justinai]

Hi all!

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience working with Amazon Encore. I searched through and the only thing I can really find out is they were supposed to be a second chance clearing house for pre-pubbed (esp self pubbed) works. Got a call last night about pubbing my entry from the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest through them, just wondering if anyone else has had any dealings with them.

Thanks.

[CaoPaux]

Adding link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000373401

[jennontheisland]

JA Konrath was passed over by his NY house (http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/05/shaken-by-ja-konrath-press-release.html) and went to Amazon to "self publish" instead.

I'm seeing writers on other boards think this is the fabulous new direction that will revolutionize the industry and bring the Big Change that people think is needed.

Me, I'm not seeing anything different. It's self publishing along the lines of Lulu. No vetting process that I can find, I'm not sure how much editing they offer, and your book will be available on AMAZON!

Um. Yeah. Everyone's is. Except this time, it's only on Amazon. At least most other self and indie pubs have your book on their own site as well.

I'm not convinced this is anything different than what we've already seen. I'm not sure of the ethics of a retailer (since Amazon's a retailer not a distributor) getting into publishing. Seems like a set up for an author mill to me.

And this
Amazon will use information such as customer reviews on Amazon.com to identify exceptional, overlooked books and authors with more potential than their sales may indicate. Amazon will then partner with the authors to re-introduce their books to readers through marketing support and distribution into multiple channels and formats, such as the Amazon.com Books Store (http://www.amazon.com/books-used-books-textbooks/b/ref=amb_link_84307691_2?ie=UTF8&node=283155&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0946Y1VNV3HMDV4FBXNS&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1260160322&pf_rd_i=1000373401), Amazon Kindle Store (http://www.amazon.com/kindle-store-ebooks-newspapers-blogs/b/ref=amb_link_84307691_3?ie=UTF8&node=133141011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0946Y1VNV3HMDV4FBXNS&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1260160322&pf_rd_i=1000373401), Audible.com (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html/ref=amb_link_84307691_4?location=http://www.audible.com/&token=9C510153835443186B63A5734B33D7BA1741991C&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0946Y1VNV3HMDV4FBXNS&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1260160322&pf_rd_i=1000373401), puts me in mind of DellArte's promise that the best books will be picked up by Harlequin. Yes, I know Amazon's not charging money, instead they're offering to promote your already selling book.

I know a lot of people already have a great big hate-on for Amazon, but that aside, what are your thoughts on them as a publisher?

[hester]

Is this Amazon Encore? Because there's a thread on the ABNA page about several authors who were picked up from last year's breakthrough novel award to publish through the Encore program. A few of the authors have weighed in on the thread and seem very happy so far-then again, it's a new program, so it'll be interesting to see if it passes the test of time.

[JulieB]

Konrath has something most self-published authors on Amazon, Lulu, Author Solutions, and so on don't have: A known name. He's done very well with his backlist on Amazon, and he had the support of his agent to do this.

But otherwise, simply being on Amazon, as we've seen, is not an indicator of success. Like other self-publishing ventures it may be good for some people. Your mileage may vary.

[JA Konrath]

Me, I'm not seeing anything different. It's self publishing along the lines of Lulu. No vetting process that I can find, I'm not sure how much editing they offer, and your book will be available on AMAZON!

Does Lulu send out 40 million emails announcing your book? What is that worth to a book?

Right now, with self-published ebooks I'm selling on AMAZON, I'm earning $150 per day. In July, that will be $450 per day. All on Amazon alone.

How much exposure will my self-pubbed books get through this deal?

How many bookstores who have sold my previous six books in this series will order my latest book to sell to fans because Amazon has a sales and marketing department pushing it?

What is it worth to have Amazon as a partner, promoting an original title that they have published?

And you really don't see the difference?

[jennontheisland]

Does Lulu send out 40 million emails announcing your book? What is that worth to a book?

Right now, with self-published ebooks I'm selling on AMAZON, I'm earning $150 per day. In July, that will be $450 per day. All on Amazon alone.

How much exposure will my self-pubbed books get through this deal?

How many bookstores who have sold my previous six books in this series will order my latest book to sell to fans because Amazon has a sales and marketing department pushing it?

What is it worth to have Amazon as a partner, promoting an original title that they have published?

And you really don't see the difference?
I suspect authors who aren't already NY published and who don't already have an established reader base may not see the same results.

And I don't believe that spam emails are effective marketing.

[Erin]

And I don't believe that spam emails are effective marketing.

Amazon's "spam" emails work for me, as I suspect they do for tons of book lovers. I get them all the time, read them, and have purchased from them.

[Sheryl Nantus]

How many bookstores who have sold my previous six books in this series will order my latest book to sell to fans because Amazon has a sales and marketing department pushing it?

Well, one bookstore owner said on the blog itself that she can't/won't be able to order it because it's coming from Amazon.

I'm somewhat doubtful that I'll be able to go into my local B&N and see it on the shelves, considering they're a direct competitor with Amazon. And sure, I can order it - like any other small publisher listed here and elsewhere. But on the shelves? I don't know.

Still, it's a case of switching one publisher for another and I'm glad it worked out for your series. Only time will tell if the Amazon print machine does what it claims to be able to do.

[jennontheisland]

Looks like Barnes & Noble wants a piece of this action too.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/43228-barnes--noble-to-offer-digital-self-publishing.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+P W+Daily&utm_campaign=4ef9e5ba8e-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email%29

I'm not sure I see this as a shift in the publishing industry so much as an attempt on the part of overburdened retailers to find new income streams.

[M.R.J. Le Blanc]

I suspect authors who aren't already NY published and who don't already have an established reader base may not see the same results.

This, exactly. That seems to be the one thing people forget when an established author uses a self-pub route and has really high success. An unknown author either has to have a REALLY great story or a heck of a lot of marketing money in order to get the same results. Like others said, only time will tell if this proves to be just another self-pub route or not.

[HistorySleuth]

So this is different from createspace?

[Mr. Anonymous]

Guys, just want to point out that from what I understand this is a legit, albeit experimental form of publication, similar to the new writing thing that MacMillan has going on. While a lot of people were skeptical of that too, initially, it has proved, for a number of writers, to be a good way of breaking in.

Going with Amazon Encore is NOT self-publishing, and both formerly self-published books and non-self published books are eligible for consideration.

Time, I'm sure, will reveal more.

[JL_Benet]

Amazon to Publish New Line of Romances

BY JEFFREY A. TRACHTENBERG
(Wall Street Journal MAY 5, 2011)

Amazon.com Inc. is expanding its fast-growing publishing business with a new line of romance books, its latest quest for original content to distinguish its print and digital bookselling services.
The imprint, Montlake Romance, will publish digital, physical and audio books and launch with an original new work, Connie Brockway's "The Other Guy's Bride," this fall.
In an interview, Jeff Belle, vice president of Amazon Publishing, said the online retailer will eventually publish books in other genres, including thrillers, mysteries and science fiction.
"Our customers are voracious readers of genre fiction, and romance is one of the biggest and fastest growing ...


Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704322804576303373887841318.html#i xzz1Lc2pjgvA



(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704322804576303373887841318.html?m od=ITP_marketplace_4)

[brainstorm77]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000677371 Another link.

[Robin Bayne]

I saw this, and that Connie's book is the launch book. I also read this was a backlist title for her, but can't find out much else.

[CaoPaux]

Other imprints of Amazon Publishing are AmazonCrossing, which translates foreign works into English, and The Domino Project (http://www.thedominoproject.com/), which is a joint venture with Seth Godwin to print "a series of manifestos by thought leaders--short books that will change things for the better."

[MarkEsq]

This is good news for writers, I assume:

According to an Amazon source, Laurence Kirshbaum, former CEO of the Time-Warner Book Group and more recently a literary agent, “has accepted the role of Publisher for Amazon’s New York publishing office, effective July 5th.”

(Story here (http://ereads.com/2011/05/larry-kirshbaum-to-run-amazon-nyc.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter).)

The fact that people are getting into the publishing business, and not just e-books, seems like a great thing for us, no?

[PortableHal]

Another publisher would seem to be a good thing for writers. But are bookstores interested in stocking Amazon product -- since Amazon has been such a strong competitor for them?

[Sheryl Nantus]

I can't see why B&N and Borders would stock Amazon print books on their shelves.

If I ran a bookstore I wouldn't toss money to the monster out to put me out of business. Amazon may sell print copies off their websites but I bet you'll be hardpressed to find them in any actual bookstores.

There might be a bit of something behind why Amazon lost the Amanda Hocking auction to SMP... at least I'm sure her books will go onto bookshelves. I can't see any of the authors going through Amazon's publishing program having their books anywhere *but* Amazon.

But I could be wrong...

[Vaguely Piratical]

I can't see why B&N and Borders would stock Amazon print books on their shelves.


So if Stephen King signed on with Amazon, and you ran a bookstore, you wouldn't carry King? If the demand is there they'll stock it. Otherwise their customers will just go somewhere that does. Like directly to amazon.

[ChaosTitan]

So if Stephen King signed on with Amazon, and you ran a bookstore, you wouldn't carry King? If the demand is there they'll stock it. Otherwise their customers will just go somewhere that does. Like directly to amazon.

King and other established bestsellers might be a different story, since they are guaranteed sales no matter where the book is coming from. However, the average midlist author is (as usual) the person who'd be most affected by this and potentially not end up in brick and mortar bookstores. Brand-new authors, too.

[Sheryl Nantus]

So if Stephen King signed on with Amazon, and you ran a bookstore, you wouldn't carry King? If the demand is there they'll stock it. Otherwise their customers will just go somewhere that does. Like directly to amazon.

King has a good commercial publisher. I somehow doubt I'd see him racing to go to Amazon.

AFAIK Amazon's not taking on the big names at this point. And considering one of the reasons they lost the Amanda Hocking auction was that they wanted Kindle exclusivity I don't think it's a far extrapolation to say that her agent was also concerned about trapping her in a spot where her print books wouldn't be any more accessible through Amazon than they were before.

If I'm running a bookstore I'm not going to stock the competition. Period. Why the hell would I give Amazon my money and my shelf space when they're the direct competition?

[Vaguely Piratical]

I agree. King isn't likely to go to Amazon, but I was just curious on the "what if".

I think it will end up going like this: a lot of bookstores will refuse to stock amazon books. Amazon won't care, they can afford to just sell through their own channels. Eventually an amazon published author will go big (or a big author will jump ship to amazon). People will start going into other bookstores asking if they have that author. With enough demand the stores will start stocking that author. Down the slippery slopes the bookstores go until, lo and behold, they stock amazon published books.

Just seems to me the most likely course of events. Amazon has more than enough money for the publishing imprints to run on low profits for a couple of years. And they have the infrastructure to run on a pretty tidy profit without bookstores.

[juniper]

JA Konrath signed with them for the mystery imprint, as a co-writer. Since he's all about self publishing these days, what does that say? Anything or nothing?

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/47246-amazon-starts-mystery-imprint-thomas--mercer.html

ETA: Here's his take on the Amazon thing:

"Amazon allowed me to get into bookstores--something self-pubbing couldn't do for me without a lot of extra work on my part."

http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/

[Momento Mori]

Not a US lawyer, but I'd be interested in monitoring this for possible anti-trust issues in the event that Amazon's publishing arm gets more favourable treatment (not saying they will, just something to keep an eye on).

Vaguely Piratical:
a lot of bookstores will refuse to stock amazon books. Amazon won't care, they can afford to just sell through their own channels. Eventually an amazon published author will go big (or a big author will jump ship to amazon). People will start going into other bookstores asking if they have that author. With enough demand the stores will start stocking that author. Down the slippery slopes the bookstores go until, lo and behold, they stock amazon published books.

I don't think book stores are going to automatically refuse to stock Amazon books because it's Amazon. If they refuse at all, it'll be because Amazon aren't offering terms that make it worth their while (and personally, I'd see it as delicious if some retail chains decided to give Amazon a dose of what it dishes out re returnability and discounts).

My suspicion is that Amazon will focus on electronic rather than print sales and they won't be looking for big names at the moment. Their strategy so far has been to cherry pick from the self-published titles and it won't surprise me if they continue to do the same.

MM

[squibnocket]

ETA: Here's his take on the Amazon thing:

"Amazon allowed me to get into bookstores--something self-pubbing couldn't do for me without a lot of extra work on my part."

http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/

That's interesting because he's now claiming indie bookstores are boycotting him: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2011/05/indie-bookstores-boycott-konrath.html

I don't think indies are going to be the only problem. Will retailers like Target and WalMart want to carry Amazon books?

[Soccer Mom]

Target already carries Amazon products such as the Kindle. I don't imagine WalMart or Target will miss out on an opportunity to make money.

[Nick Blaze]

Walmart is selfish and greedy enough. They'll stock the books if they're grant profit. When I was a manager at a Walmart, it was ONLY about the money. Not morals.

[gothicangel]

Target already carries Amazon products such as the Kindle. I don't imagine WalMart or Target will miss out on an opportunity to make money.

I'm waiting to see what the bookseller discounts they are willing to give other booksellers. This could be interesting after seeing the ridiculous discounts they've been demanding.

[rsullivan9597]

I agree. King isn't likely to go to Amazon, but I was just curious on the "what if".

I think it will end up going like this: a lot of bookstores will refuse to stock amazon books. Amazon won't care, they can afford to just sell through their own channels. Eventually an amazon published author will go big (or a big author will jump ship to amazon). People will start going into other bookstores asking if they have that author. With enough demand the stores will start stocking that author. Down the slippery slopes the bookstores go until, lo and behold, they stock amazon published books.

Just seems to me the most likely course of events. Amazon has more than enough money for the publishing imprints to run on low profits for a couple of years. And they have the infrastructure to run on a pretty tidy profit without bookstores.

Exactly the way I see it playing out.

[rsullivan9597]

JA Konrath signed with them for the mystery imprint, as a co-writer. Since he's all about self publishing these days, what does that say? Anything or nothing?

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/47246-amazon-starts-mystery-imprint-thomas--mercer.html



It says volumes to me....that Thomas and Mercer is writing "author friendly" contracts. Konrath, Eisler, Crouch would not sign a bad contract just because of a good advance. I hope this is the beginning of all publishers looking at their contracts and modifying some of the clauses that are so negative to a writer's career.

[BenPanced]

Mods? There seems to be a dearth of threads related to this topic scattered about the site. Can they be merged into one place?

Sorry. Looks like it's being done.

[Jamiekswriter]

Hi all,

Has anyone had any experience or offers with these guys?

I don't mean CreateSpace or self pubbing through Amazon.

I heard, Amazon has a brick and mortar publishing house in NYC and they're offering substantial advances. But I can find anything online about it aside from the article in the thread link below.

Big advances, added along with their marketing machine and I think they could be a really sweet choice.

There's another thread about it here where people are chatting about conflicts of interests and monopoly and it's a pretty interesting discussion: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227137

I was looking to see if anyone who wasn't famous (aka Penny Marshall) has gotten a nibble.

I think they're fresh out of the gate this week, but I'm not sure.

[IceCreamEmpress]

The information is up at a set of pages (http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000664761) that's a subset of the Amazon consumer site, hence it being difficult to find.

It's real and from what I hear they're offering advances that are competitive with other NY commercial print publishers. I can't imagine your agent doesn't know about this already, though?

The impression I get both from what I hear and from what's on the pages above is that they're focusing on working with authors who have already been published, perhaps to an even greater extent than better-established publishers. (Which makes sense, I suppose--"books by people you've never heard of from a brand-new publisher" is a tricky launch strategy, even for a megacorporation.)

[Jamiekswriter]

I can't imagine your agent doesn't know about this already, though?


LOL, she was the one who told me about it.

Thanks for the link to the pages.

[kaitie]

I seem to remember they actually had the highest bid for Amanda Hocking but she turned them down. Am I right on that one?

[IceCreamEmpress]

LOL, she was the one who told me about it.

Thanks for the link to the pages.


:Jaw: I can't believe they managed to hide the websites for the imprints so well that even agents can't find them! That is funny.

(I am choosing to imagine that that's what's happened, rather than your agent not bothering to tell you how to find them...)

[rugcat]

Looks pretty real to me.

From Publishers Lunch:

Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear & friends's THE MONGOLIAD, the first in the
collaborative Foreworld series serialized on the authors' PULP
platform, to Alex Carr at 47North, in a significant deal, in a five-
book deal, for publication in April 2012, by Liz Darhansoff at
Darhansoff & Verrill (World).


47 North is Amazon's SF/F "imprint."

"Significant deal" is a serious boatload of money.

[Momento Mori]

kaitie:
I seem to remember they actually had the highest bid for Amanda Hocking but she turned them down. Am I right on that one?

That was the story I heard and I understand it's because they wanted to push ebooks more than hardback/paperback and at that point weren't interested in bricks and mortar stores.

MM

[amergina]

Looks pretty real to me.

From Publishers Lunch:

Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear & friends's THE MONGOLIAD, the first in the
collaborative Foreworld series serialized on the authors' PULP
platform, to Alex Carr at 47North, in a significant deal, in a five-
book deal, for publication in April 2012, by Liz Darhansoff at
Darhansoff & Verrill (World).


47 North is Amazon's SF/F "imprint."

"Significant deal" is a serious boatload of money.

Well, it is Neal Stephenson and Greg Bear...

[Jamiekswriter]

:Jaw:
(I am choosing to imagine that that's what's happened, rather than your agent not bothering to tell you how to find them...)

Actually, I never asked because I figured I could google it myself. (And cyberstalk every last detail and obsess about . . . .well you get the idea :D). When I couldn't I figured I'd go here because AW always knows the skinny and if it was an obvious . . . It's right here Jamie (Carlos Mencia's DiDiDi sound effect) I wouldn't look like a noob.

Significant deal for a 5 book series . . . :drool. Oh right, I'm not Greg Bear and Neil Stephenson . . . ::sigh::

[Sheryl Nantus]

That was the story I heard and I understand it's because they wanted to push ebooks more than hardback/paperback and at that point weren't interested in bricks and mortar stores.

MM


I believe her agent and her discussed the offer and turned Amazon down because they wanted her books to be exclusively Kindle - no other formats available and obviously put out through their print companies.

I think they made the right decision. At least now her books will be available on all formats for all ebook readers and have a chance of getting into actual bookstores. I don't see B&N and BAMM stocking a lot of Amazon's print books, despite the hyperbole from the Amazon folks.

:)

[Arcadia Divine]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_357337902_1?ie=UTF8&docId=1000664761&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1MVX27W3CTVBGQF7GQY7&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1323097282&pf_rd_i=1000715991

Sorry if anyone else has posted this. Amazon is now a publishing company! What does everyone think? Personally, I think it'll be interesting to see how it develops. I couldn't find their submission guidelines anywhere though.

Also, sorry for the long link

[Arcadia Divine]

I just now found a thread on amazon, sorry.

[flygal716]

It looks like submission information is available by email only. I hope they post their guidelines on their website.

[veinglory]

They don't strike me as having an open submission model. Mostly they look for authors that have already broken through with other publishers.

[Sheryl Nantus]

They don't strike me as having an open submission model. Mostly they look for authors that have already broken through with other publishers.

Which is playing it pretty safe - the books probably won't lose money and Amazon looks like they're trumpeting the successful author over the big, nasty publishers...

...

like Amazon.

Oh, snap - did I say that out loud?

:D

[Miss Plum]

A few things:


Penny Marshall's autobiog doesn't fit with any of the Amazon imprints. So who acquired it and how?
There's an Amazon store in NYC? Really? How long before such stores spread, or before Amazon does something clever like setting up kiosks in subway stations and other thoroughfares that contain just one book or Kindle downloads or whatever?
And #2 may be the answer to whether other brick-and-mortar stores cave in and start stacking Amazon books: how can they if Amazon goes brick-and-mortar?
And #3 makes me wonder: heck, how long before B&N and BAM start trying to develop titles? How long before some conglomerate of publishers tries to open a bookstore?

Interesting times!

[Sheryl Nantus]

A few things:


Penny Marshall's autobiog doesn't fit with any of the Amazon imprints. So who acquired it and how?
There's an Amazon store in NYC? Really? How long before such stores spread, or before Amazon does something clever like setting up kiosks in subway stations and other thoroughfares that contain just one book or Kindle downloads or whatever?
And #2 may be the answer to whether other brick-and-mortar stores cave in and start stacking Amazon books: how can they if Amazon goes brick-and-mortar?
And #3 makes me wonder: heck, how long before B&N and BAM start trying to develop titles? How long before some conglomerate of publishers tries to open a bookstore?
Interesting times!

I believe the kiosk is just to pick up your Amazon order. Your teapot, your book, your underwear since you can order anything from Amazon. It's not a bookstore or an actual retail front, it's just a pickup locker for you to get your order.

It's not the same as a bookstore. And space is expensive. If Amazon can't get enough people to pick up their fruit and nut baskets from these lockers they won't stay around.

JMO, YMMV.

[James D. Macdonald]

And #3 makes me wonder: heck, how long before B&N and BAM start trying to develop titles? How long before some conglomerate of publishers tries to open a bookstore?

The answer is: A decade ago to over a century ago.

E.G. The Cook's Encyclopedia of Vegetarian Cooking ISBN 0760724229 published by Barnes & Noble, 2001.

Henry Holt was the first major publisher that didn't own a bookstore. As recently as fifteen years ago, Random House operated its own bookstores.

[thothguard51]

For their SF&F imprint, 47north, you have to contact them to find out what the submission process is.

As mentioned before, I suspect Amazon is cherry picking the authors they want to go with at this time. Not a bad move on their part but I don't see where unpublished authors would benefit from this new publishing venture...

[Miss Plum]

It's not a bookstore or an actual retail front, it's just a pickup locker for you to get your order.
Ah. Having never seen the thing, I thought it was an actual browse'n'buy bookstore.

The answer is: A decade ago to over a century ago.

E.G. The Cook's Encyclopedia of Vegetarian Cooking ISBN 0760724229 published by Barnes & Noble, 2001.

Henry Holt was the first major publisher that didn't own a bookstore. As recently as fifteen years ago, Random House operated its own bookstores.
Learn something every day. And now you mention it, I have seen Penguin bookstores and -- what was that when I was a kid -- a Doubleday bookstore?

But what I'm spitballing, James, is something bigger and newer to respond to the new challenges to publishers and bookstores. A gang-up of the Big Six or something, in a retail chain with a limited menu of bestsellers?

[James D. Macdonald]

The only thing constant in this industry is change. There's a joke that the first item off Gutenberg's press was a bible, and the second was a tract proclaiming that publishing was on the verge of collapse.

I don't think we'll see the Big Six get into the bookstore business. Why should they take the risk when someone else can take it, and pay them for the privilege?

[IceCreamEmpress]

I don't think we'll see the Big Six get into the bookstore business.

Get back into the bookstore business, you mean. And I agree!

Barnes and Noble has been publishing since the early 1980s; the now-defunct bookstore chain Brentano's was a publisher in the 1940s.

[jrector]

As mentioned before, I suspect Amazon is cherry picking the authors they want to go with at this time. Not a bad move on their part but I don't see where unpublished authors would benefit from this new publishing venture...


All publishers cherry pick the authors they want to go with, and Amazon Publishing is no different. But the majority of the authors they've signed up are previously unpublished. I'd have to double check to make sure, but I don't think any of the authors they've published under their AmazonEncore imprint (besides me and Konrath) have been previously published by big 6 houses.

AmazonEncore is there to find the best unpublished or self published books and introduce them to a wider audience. The other imprints like Thomas & Mercer and 47 North are set up for original titles, but just like any other major publisher, they will take previously unpublished authors books if they fit with what the editors are looking for, and if they're good.

What Amazon is doing is a very good thing for writers, published and unpublished. Not such a good thing for agents and other publishers, though.

[kaitie]

Are they actually giving advances to those authors? If so what sort? Comparable to others, more, or less? Also what royalty rates and promotion are they offering?

[thothguard51]

Well, as a curious old soul, I contacted 47North today to ask for submission guidelines...

Waiting to hear back from them...

[Sheryl Nantus]

Are they actually giving advances to those authors? If so what sort? Comparable to others, more, or less? Also what royalty rates and promotion are they offering?

Well, it's all very secret doncha know...

Meh.

Just another publisher to my old eyes. Except they're keeping their authors exclusive to the Kindle, meaning they lose sales on the other platforms. And few bookstores will carry the books on their shelves, since Amazon is the direct competition.

Just another new kid on the block. Big toys but starting off with a big handicap which is probably why all the secrecy.

Maybe Amazon is paying in groceries or video games. After all, they carry everything on their websites. Hmm. Wonder if I can get an advance of a PS3 for a novel instead of money...

:D

[Miss Plum]

Are they actually giving advances to those authors? If so what sort? Comparable to others, more, or less? Also what royalty rates and promotion are they offering?
I'm glad this thread has revived, because I'm just really catching up to the significance of this.

DISCLAIMER: I'm only repeating things I've read here and there.

As we all know, it is reported that Penny Marshall got an $800k advance for her Hollywood autobiog, which doesn't seem to fit any of Amazon's imprints. (Or is "Amazon Publishing" some umbrella non-imprint that acquires properties outside the imprints?) Outside of that, Amazon Publishing has an NDA clause in its author contracts and it's being rather secretive about its upcoming titles and editorial staff.

Nevertheless, I'm strongly inclined to jump in. The more I read about it, the more I like it. I'll be contacting my agent to ask him about the possibility of querying Amazon Publishing.

[Miss Plum]

they're keeping their authors exclusive to the Kindle, meaning they lose sales on the other platforms. And few bookstores will carry the books on their shelves, since Amazon is the direct competition.

Not quite:

… a number of independent booksellers in the US are refusing to stock Amazon books under any circumstances. “We’re not doing that,” the owner of a store in New Jersey said. “I’d love to stock their books and give them more money to put me out of business.” Barnes & Noble, the US’s only dominant bookstore chain since Borders went out of business in July, does stock Amazon Publishing titles, but with a proviso: that it gets to sell the print title as well as the e-book. “We will not stock physical books in our stores if we are not offered the available digital format,” the chain’s CEO William Lynch said. “Given Amazon’s recent push for exclusivity with agents and the authors they represent, we feel it’s important to be very clear about our position on content going forward.”More at http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-10-19-analysis-if-amazon-ruled-book-publishing-too. One of the comments at that article says:
As anyone who has bought books from Amazon knows, as soon as you have made a purchase you start receive emails suggesting other titles that match your purchase. The email marketing continues when they publish new titles that match the customer profile that they have of you..Of course some customers may not like being Spamazoned, but some do appreciate the service. Beyond that, as authors/producers who want to get their book marketed it all seems good to me!

ETA: Just found this on indie booksellers:

Independent booksellers willing to carry Amazon Publishing titles had some of their own conditions. Richard Goldman, co-owner of Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, Pa., said his store has sold some AmazonEncore titles after customers requested them, and if he could get Amazon Publishing titles through Ingram “at normal terms,” he would carry their books. “Generally our position on carrying a book is, if we can get it at 35% or better, and it’s returnable, we’ll order it.”

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/48259-all-eyes-on-amazon-publishing.html

[Arcadia Divine]

Well, as a curious old soul, I contacted 47North today to ask for submission guidelines...

Waiting to hear back from them...

Here's what I got. It's copied directly from the email.

Thank you for your interest in Amazon Publishing's sci-fi, fantasy, and
horror imprint, 47North. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we
are unable to respond to every request.

Should we be interested in publishing your work, we will be in touch.

Submission requirements

Proposals and manuscripts should only be submitted to one
imprint or editor at a time. We will communicate internally to make sure
your work finds its best home. For a full list of Amazon Publishing
imprints, visit: amazon.com/amazonpublishing (http://amazon.com/amazonpublishing)

If you are represented by an agent, please have your agent
submit your proposal.

Submissions should include the following information:

o Title and author in the subject line

o Short synopsis of the book

o Brief bio and bibliography of author

o Full or partial manuscript (Word file, Times New Roman 12)

o Comparable authors or titles

o Any relevant marketing/PR strengths

Thank you again for your submission!

Amazon Publishing

I sent my question dirctly to their submission's email addredd/. I didn't recieve a response back from their other email address.

[thothguard51]

Arcadia...

Thank you for the post. Still waiting for a response, but as their reply noted, they may not respond to every request.

I find it odd that they want the submission to be in Times New Roman. Times New Roman is a bit hard to read at times, especially on a screen. They also indicate you can submit a full instead of just a partial. A bit odd for a query I think

I am still not sure how this new Amazon venture is going to be a plus for new and unpublished authors. Midlisters and authors with a few successful credits though might have better success with Amazon...

[kaitie]

I want to see their contracts, personally. I also want to see what kind of actual service people are getting and how comparable it is--particularly for the new authors they're taking on. I'm skeptical.

[Miss Plum]

kaitie, of course we're all skeptical until we have all the facts, but is there anything more tickling an alarm for you? I'm about to ask my agent to look into them. Generous royalties, promotion by spamazon, a partnership with Warner Bros, maybe even a whopping advance, heck yeah I'd take that.

[kaitie]

Yeah, but I've already detailed my reasons in two other threads. I probably shouldn't derail this one to do the same, but let's just say lots and lots of reasons.

[Miss Plum]

Ach, yeah. I'll go reread those threads.

[Cyia]

If this retweet by Sarah LaPolla (originally from EvilWylie) is accurate, then it's something to think about:

Why does Amazon make Amazon Publishing authors sign non-disclosure agreements, forbidding them from disclosing royalty rates, sales, etc?

[kaitie]

Yeah, she's not the only one who's said it. The author in one of the articles I linked also had to sign one. Sounds true to me.

[Snappy]

Any new news?

[Bubastes]

I clicked on a few random Montlake romance links and checked out their Amazon sales rankings. As a whole, they don't seem to be doing any better than books from other e-publishers. So what's the advantage of going with Montlake again?

[Mustafa]

I clicked on a few random Montlake romance links and checked out their Amazon sales rankings. As a whole, they don't seem to be doing any better than books from other e-publishers. So what's the advantage of going with Montlake again?

Off the top of my head, um, superior cover art, superior editing, advances, the fact that they do print and ebook, and the fact that, despite what you suggested above, they do a lot better than other e-publishers. So, yeah, there's that I guess. ETA: the fact that they belong to Amazon, which means they actually have money behind them for important stuff, like marketing.

[K. Victoria Chase]

Have you guys seen this?

http://www.robinperini.com/for-writers/writers-notes-by-robin-blog/montlake-romance-an-inside-scoop

A writer for Montlake posted this last October. Gives submission guidelines (a few) and says Montlake accepts unagented submissions. I hope this info is still good because I sent off my manuscript, hehehe. :-)

[HapiSofi]

For years now, we've been seeing Amazon sell certain books for less than they paid for them, or turn off the "buy this book" button on an entire publishing house in order to force them to knuckle under in some ongoing negotiation, or arbitrarily declare certain ebooks to be "on sale" at deep discounts, or {fill in stories here}.

What are they doing with their original-title publishing program? Beats me. If they didn't have their history of weird sneaky maneuvers, I'd try to analyze the project as a publishing operation. But since they do, all I can say is "Beats me; could be anything."

[Sheryl Nantus]

Off the top of my head, um, superior cover art, superior editing, advances, the fact that they do print and ebook, and the fact that, despite what you suggested above, they do a lot better than other e-publishers. So, yeah, there's that I guess. ETA: the fact that they belong to Amazon, which means they actually have money behind them for important stuff, like marketing.

Your source for this statement?

Please and thank you!

[Miss Plum]

Any new news?
Wellllll

Since getting splammed (splash page + spam) by Jeff Bezos's letter about new Amazon author Jessica Park, I've been reconsidering. I read his splam, then Jessica's post -- which appears to be the best thing she's ever written.12 THEN I read the Look Inside of Flat-out Love.

O.......k....... So that's why no trad publisher would take it. Amazon is looking less enticing. And my agent ain't interested.

1RYFW acknowledged and moved on from
2assuming she actually wrote it or that it's not edited beyond recognition

[lachrymal]

Miss Plum, As far as I know, Jessica Park's book was self-published through CreateSpace. She's not an Amazon Publishing or Amazon Children's Publishing author. It's a completely different operation.

[Miss Plum]

Woops, you're right, lachrymal.

Self-pubbling, a whole 'nother discussion.

[tlcwrites]

Does anyone know who the acquisitions editor is for Amazon's Thomas & Mercer imprint? I've been searching around and can't find it.

Thanks,
Theresa

[AmberS]

I believe Alison Dasho will be an acquisitions editor for Thomas & Mercer starting in April, because she left my pub house to go there :)

Does anyone have experience with the Kindle serial program? Would that be separate from Montlake if I have a romance serial?

[tlcwrites]

Thanks.
My email just came back. Apparently I have the wrong email address.

[JournoWriter]

I'm unable to find anything published by the "flagship imprint," AmazonEncore, in recent years. The last book appears to have come out in 2011. Does anyone have any insight into what's going on there?