Pinhead Publishers Should Be Afraid According To Konrath

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type3secretion

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I'm not impressed by established authors who make it big self-publishing. Their readers don't care who publishes them as long as the books keep coming. Now, if the quality starts going downhill, then they'll care - but otherwise... And yeah, if a writer gets caught in a bad contract, well, they signed it.

Blame the victim. Konrath annoys me because he is a grandstander and many of his arguments are full of holes (his defense of monopolies in a recent post was an invitation to consider him either stupid or dishonest).

BUT, he is right that many authors really do not have a choice in the publishing world of yore. If they offer you a lousy contract, especially if you are a new author or midlist, what the heck are you going to do about it?

You sign.

Or, if you believe Konrath, you give them the finger and make bushels of money self-publishing.

But, let's stop blaming writers for contracts that make writing a profession from which little money can generally be made.
 

bearilou

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Blame the victim. Konrath annoys me because he is a grandstander and many of his arguments are full of holes (his defense of monopolies in a recent post was an invitation to consider him either stupid or dishonest).

BUT, he is right that many authors really do not have a choice in the publishing world of yore. If they offer you a lousy contract, especially if you are a new author or midlist, what the heck are you going to do about it?

You sign.

Or, if you believe Konrath, you give them the finger and make bushels of money self-publishing.

But, let's stop blaming writers for contracts that make writing a profession from which little money can generally be made.

General You in effect:

It's not as if you don't have a choice: Sign or else. If there was interest, there will be again. You don't have to take the first offer out there. So, let's be real. Only Konath tells us that you that you have no choice but to sign.

And if you believe Konrath that you'll be making bushels of money, maybe your problem isn't the offer of a lousy contract, but your ability to recognize if something is to your benefit or not, and taking bad advice, from any corner.

He's big into educating. Showing authors there is another way. Bully for him. But to shine the light on trade publishing and say 'because they don't give you any choice' isn't necessarily true. Any writer looking to do best for their book will do their research and not submit queries to questionable publishers who will rook you, they will research those reputable agents and they will not be so desperate to see their book in print that they rush off into any and all bad decisions.

Sadly, that's where anyone gets hit, self-published or trade. Making bad decisions because they're so desperate to 'see their name in print' that they won't Stop and Think about the offer on the table in front of them.
 

shadowwalker

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General You in effect:

It's not as if you don't have a choice: Sign or else. If there was interest, there will be again. You don't have to take the first offer out there. So, let's be real. Only Konath tells us that you that you have no choice but to sign.
...

Sadly, that's where anyone gets hit, self-published or trade. Making bad decisions because they're so desperate to 'see their name in print' that they won't Stop and Think about the offer on the table in front of them.

Exactly right. Konrath loves to make trade publishing the bad guy, the big bully who holds a gun to authors' heads and forces them to sign bad contracts.

To which I say - BULL!
 

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Blame the victim. Konrath annoys me because he is a grandstander and many of his arguments are full of holes (his defense of monopolies in a recent post was an invitation to consider him either stupid or dishonest).

BUT, he is right that many authors really do not have a choice in the publishing world of yore. If they offer you a lousy contract, especially if you are a new author or midlist, what the heck are you going to do about it?

You sign.

No, you don't. You negotiate.

This is where a good agent earns her keep but writers can negotiate their own contracts if they don't have representation. Publishers expect contracts to be negotiated. It's no big deal.
 

CheshireCat

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A good literary attorney can also come in handy, and most will review a contract -- and explain the author-unfriendly clauses and how to try and get them changed -- for a few hundred bucks. And worth every penny.

I've been doing this for decades, but whenever I've sold to a new publisher, my agent has run their boilerplate past a good literary attorney, and we make changes.

Do I get everything I want? No. But I get the worst crap taken out, and if there's a second contract (usually is), I get another chance to chip away at the boilerplate until I have my own boilerplate with that publisher.

Yeah, my agent earns her 15% and then some.
 

Isabella Amaris

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About negotiation... and choices.... I think it's important to remember that a skilled negotiator can only take one so far; the bargaining power of the parties involved will almost always affect the outcome of a negotiation, hence the problems that the disenfranchised face - it might seem that there is no gun to one's head, but that might be because the other party doesn't need a gun to achieve the outcome they desire...

Not that this should be applied without exception to any industry, of course, including publishing... But I do think it's something that should be kept in mind when talking about writers' choices and negotiation of contracts...
 

Mr Flibble

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it might seem that there is no gun to one's head, but that might be because the other party doesn't need a gun to achieve the outcome they desire...
But the gun is smaller now. Writers have more choices than ever.

Where Konrath's argument falls down for me is implying that anyone taking a contract from a publisher is automatically exploited. We should all be doing what is right for us. This may or may not be the same as what is right for him.

Someone commented on his blog about Konrath having signed with Amazon and yes they market him etc and that's part of their slice of the pie - he doesn't get that marketing for free. I think they were trying to bolster Konrath's point by saying that he signed that deal because that marketing was worth it to him. But that goes for everyone. Any contract we sign, we should know what's involved and know that it is worth it to us. Self pubbing isn't for everyone. Some people like someone else (with expertise that say I don't have, in what covers work, etc) to handle all the non writing bits, and are prepared to lose some on the royalties for that to happen. Some people want complete control and a contract with a pub isn't going to work for them

But it's isn't a 'contract with us or never get published' kind of deal any more, or at least it's starting to open up. That doesn't mean that signing with a publisher means you're exploited (unless ofc you don't negotiate things to the way you want, or at least feel comfortable with)

It's checks and balances - what is important to you, the writer? Is it widespread distribution? Or complete creative control? Maybe you'd prefer the lump sum up front rather than have to wait and see how many you sell? Or...?

Every writer has to decide for themselves what is important to them, and go from that basis, and get the best deal they can. Which is something Joe seems to fail to understand in his my way or the highway argument.
 

Sheryl Nantus

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But the gun is smaller now. Writers have more choices than ever.

Where Konrath's argument falls down for me is implying that anyone taking a contract from a publisher is automatically exploited. We should all be doing what is right for us. This may or may not be the same as what is right for him.

QFT.

Brother Joe also intentionally forgets the smaller publishers such as Samhain, Loose Id and others who are doing quite well and seem to have a good relationship with their authors.

With Konrath it's ALL about the Big Six and how they're crushing the author, yatta yatta yatta. But there are options between going to NYC and self-publishing - and a variety of options between "selling your soul" to an "abusive publisher" and self-publishing.

Considering he still goes to the RT Convention and claims he's not doing promotion and has signed with Amazon but claims it's not *really* a publisher... not to mention his rape analogy with the monkey and frog that he continues to mention over and over and over... I just find him rather sad.

It works for him - I get it. It works for others, I get it. But don't call me mentally ill or some sort of traitor to the world of authors if I choose to sign a contract with a publisher, be it a Big Six or a small epublisher.

RYFW indeed.
 

James D. Macdonald

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But it's isn't a 'contract with us or never get published' kind of deal any more, or at least it's starting to open up.

It never was 'a contract with us or never get published.'

A book that's publishable by one is publishable by many. You can always say "Thanks for your time, see you later" and go to the next publisher on your list. Again, this is where an agent earns her percentage.
 

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And it's always possible to negotiate a contract.

You might not be able to convince a publisher to up their offer of advance from £5,000 to £500,000; but you can always get them to tweak various clauses so that they're more in your favour. They expect you to. Asking a publisher to improve specific aspects of a contract in reasonable ways is perfectly acceptable, and won't make them withdraw their offer.

Publishers don't hold all the power in these relationships: if they offer on your book it's because they want to publish it. They will do what they can within reason to get you to accept their offer, and that includes negotiating any contract terms which you find unacceptable.
 

Mr Flibble

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They will do what they can within reason to get you to accept their offer, and that includes negotiating any contract terms which you find unacceptable.


You mean I could have held out for a pony? Godsdammit! *composes email to agent, reminding him to add pony next time*

A book that's publishable by one is publishable by many. You can always say "Thanks for your time, see you later" and go to the next publisher on your list.
Very true. I was just trying to illustrate that the options are wide open right now. (and as you say, they were pretty wide before). Provided you have a good book, natch.
 

Isabella Amaris

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But the gun is smaller now. Writers have more choices than ever.


Maybe. It might seem that way, but only time will tell, I guess. I personally feel like agreeing with you, but I do think it's too soon to tell if the choices writers have now will reduce the 'gun' in the long term... hopefully:)


Where Konrath's argument falls down for me is implying that anyone taking a contract from a publisher is automatically exploited. We should all be doing what is right for us. This may or may not be the same as what is right for him.


For sure. By no means do I see commercial publishing as automatically exploiting all writers... (actually, I didn't think Konrath said that either; must go re-read his post). Anyway, yup each writer is different, each business deal is premised on different wants and needs on the respective writer's side... and differing bargaining power... Having said that, exploitation does not necessarily not happen simply because someone thinks something is right for them...


Any contract we sign, we should know what's involved and know that it is worth it to us.


Hmmmm, I dunno...I think whatever writers know or don't know about contracts we sign, our desire to see our work in print in a system where the best chance at distribution of the work lies only in one direction - that too one outside the writer's own power - is precisely a scenario where exploitation could occur... as I said above, exploitation does not necessarily not happen simply because someone thinks something is right for them... JMHO...


But it's isn't a 'contract with us or never get published' kind of deal any more, or at least it's starting to open up. That doesn't mean that signing with a publisher means you're exploited (unless ofc you don't negotiate things to the way you want, or at least feel comfortable with)


Just feel it's too soon to know where the system is heading ... Hopefully towards more choices for the majority of writers... Definitely, signing with a publisher would not automatically equal exploitation for all writers...


It's checks and balances - what is important to you, the writer? Is it widespread distribution? Or complete creative control? Maybe you'd prefer the lump sum up front rather than have to wait and see how many you sell? Or...?

Every writer has to decide for themselves what is important to them, and go from that basis, and get the best deal they can. Which is something Joe seems to fail to understand in his my way or the highway argument.


Yup, I don't think there should be a 'my way or the highway' argument... I can't speak for Konrath, but I didn't read his post that way actually... I read it more of as: 'the system as it stood was ripe for exploitation of writers because they have historically lacked bargaining power in the system and had been/are being shortchanged on many levels as a result; with distribution opening up to the individual, perhaps it's time for writers to reconsider their choices and really think about whether or not they're being exploited still'...


Hmmmmm, it's always been about distribution and how limited avenues for distribution have held writers hostage to an extent... No one in particular to blame for this... It's just the way technology molded the system... Hopefully things will change for the better...
 

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A book publishable by a specific Harlequin imprint may not be publishable by too many others without pretty extensive changes.

I think the truth is, as usual, somewhere in the middle.
 

bearilou

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I dunno. The moment I hear someone shouting not to be exploited (don't spend money! don't buy that expensive gadget! here's an easy way to...) I'm immediately put on edge that the person has something to sell to take the hard work out of it and make it easy peasy all you gotta do is...!

Uh. huh.
 
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