First (Professional) Novel Survey

jchines · Feb 20, 2010

I'm doing a survey trying to get some numbers on first novel sales and how people are breaking in. Mostly, I want something to point to when the next new author tells me traditional publishing is dead, you can't break in unless you're sleeping with your editor, agents won't take unpublished authors, and so on.

For members who have sold at least one novel for an advance of $2000 or more, would you mind stopping by either of the following posts?

http://www.jimchines.com/2010/02/first-novel-survey/
http://jimhines.livejournal.com/492779.html

Both include the info and a link to the survey itself.

And if folks felt like passing along the links, I certainly wouldn't object. The more responses I get, the more useful the data should be.

Thanks!
Jim

kaitie · Feb 20, 2010

So...I probably could have left that bit about sexual favors out of my query letter?

Jamesaritchie · Feb 20, 2010

jchines said:
I'm doing a survey trying to get some numbers on first novel sales and how people are breaking in. Mostly, I want something to point to when the next new author tells me traditional publishing is dead, you can't break in unless you're sleeping with your editor, agents won't take unpublished authors, and so on.

For members who have sold at least one novel for an advance of $2000 or more, would you mind stopping by either of the following posts?

http://www.jimchines.com/2010/02/first-novel-survey/
http://jimhines.livejournal.com/492779.html

Both include the info and a link to the survey itself.

And if folks felt like passing along the links, I certainly wouldn't object. The more responses I get, the more useful the data should be.

Thanks!
Jim

Just tell those new writers they're absolutely right, and may as well give up writing today. Anyone who believes that is going to fail, no matter what you tell them.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 20, 2010

jchines said:
I'm doing a survey trying to get some numbers on first novel sales and how people are breaking in. Mostly, I want something to point to when the next new author tells me traditional publishing is dead, you can't break in unless you're sleeping with your editor, agents won't take unpublished authors, and so on.

For members who have sold at least one novel for an advance of $2000 or more, would you mind stopping by either of the following posts?

http://www.jimchines.com/2010/02/first-novel-survey/
http://jimhines.livejournal.com/492779.html

Both include the info and a link to the survey itself.

And if folks felt like passing along the links, I certainly wouldn't object. The more responses I get, the more useful the data should be.

Thanks!
Jim

Just tell those new writers they're absolutely right, and may as well give up writing today. Anyone who believes that is going to fail, no matter what you tell them.

jchines · Feb 20, 2010

@kaitie - That's absolutely right. Save the sexual favors for when it's time to negotiate the contract!

Parametric · Feb 20, 2010

You're familiar with Tobias Buckell's Author Advance Survey, right? That seems to cover a lot of the same ground.

jchines · Feb 20, 2010

Toby's a friend. I mentioned in the original blog post that his survey is one of the things that inspired mine. They don't cover the same ground, actually, but I'm hoping they'll complement each other when it comes to talking about how to break in and what to expect.

kaitie · Feb 20, 2010

jchines said:
@kaitie - That's absolutely right. Save the sexual favors for when it's time to negotiate the contract!

But...I thought that's what the agent was for?

mkcbunny · Feb 20, 2010

Well drat. I'll to have to move back to NY if I'm to start offering sexual favors to land that agent.

jchines · Feb 21, 2010

Just remember, the agent should receive no more than 15% of your sexual favors. And nothing up front!

Calla Lily · Feb 21, 2010

I'm doomed. I only sent my agent my signature brownies when he sold me.

Wait... that didn't come out right...

shaldna · Feb 22, 2010

Hmm. we had this 'sales figures' conversation just last week and it didn't go over too well. So good luck with this.

eqb · Feb 22, 2010

shaldna said:
Hmm. we had this 'sales figures' conversation just last week and it didn't go over too well. So good luck with this.

Well, it's not a conversation but a survey, and it's not about money but how long it took to make that first sale, whether the sale was agented, etc.

jchines · Mar 18, 2010

Thanks to everyone who participated. I'm working through the results, and have posted the first two parts so far.

http://www.jimchines.com/2010/03/novel-survey-results-part-i/
http://www.jimchines.com/2010/03/novel-survey-results-part-ii/

Lots of good discussion in the comments as well, both there and on the mirrored posts at LiveJournal (http://jimhines.livejournal.com).

I'm planning to compile everything into one long report once I'm through, and I'll also be posting the raw data (minus any identifying information).

Thanks again, all!

jchines · Mar 24, 2010

Part three is up at http://www.jimchines.com/2010/03/novel-survey-results-part-iii/

All that's left now is for me to get this all together as a single essay, and post that along with the raw data.

First (Professional) Novel Survey

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

kaitie

With great power comes

Jamesaritchie

Jamesaritchie

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

Parametric

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

kaitie

With great power comes

mkcbunny

Bufflehead

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

Calla Lily

On hiatus

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

eqb

I write novels

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

jchines

Got the hang of it, here