Why are Australian pub branches accepting un-agented work?

oakbark · Nov 24, 2013

Just curious as to why a couple of the big ones who normally require agent submission are opening their doors only in Australia?

Harper
http://www.wednesdaypost.com.au/

Pan
http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/manuscript_monday.asp

Penguin
http://www.penguin.com.au/getting-published

Hachette
http://www.hachette.com.au/manuscriptsubmissions/

Is there any legal/financial/rights difference in being published by an AU branch compared to UK or US branch of the same corporate entity?

Old Hack · Nov 24, 2013

I don't know why they're doing this: perhaps because they're trying something new? Perhaps because writers who submit their work themselves aren't likely to have agents and so are likely to sign less favourable contracts which are less expensive for the publisher to honour? Perhaps because they recognise that some writers struggle to get representation and they're hoping to find a potential star?

As for the financial implications and so on, it's difficult to say because so much would depend on the contract one signed. One thing to consider is that if the publishers offer a contract to anyone it'll probably be for world rights, which might well reduce the royalties the author will receive in other territories--and as Australia is unlikely to represent the largest of territories, that means the author won't earn as much money from the book as they would if it were first sold into a larger market.

SianaBlackwood · Nov 25, 2013

I've been wondering about this. Everything else about getting published here is incredibly restrictive. The way it seems to go is like this:

1) Write the book.
2) Have it professionally assessed at your state Writers Centre or by a 'manuscript assessor'. If your book is awesome, they'll give you a letter of recommendation. This seems to cost anywhere from mid-hundreds up.
3) Armed with manuscript and letter of recommendation, attend conferences and find a way to get one of the small number of agencies to request sample pages.
4) Query, but only to agents who've requested material. They'll usually ignore you unless you have both a request and some prior publishing credits.

According to most of what I've read, this is the only way to get published by one of the major players.

Then you come to the publishing houses themselves and it turns out all of them accept unsolicited manuscripts. HarperCollins used to be the exception, but they've joined the ranks as well with their Wednesday Post (http://www.wednesdaypost.com.au/).

It's a weird contradiction - after reading the advice from the Writers Centres I came away with the impression that the market must be over-saturated and nobody is really trying to sign Australian authors. Meanwhile, basically every single publisher in the country is happy for us to bypass the entire process and submit directly to them.

I've been wondering if this 'short cut' is because not enough books are getting to them through the assessment/query process or if it's part of some clever new way to filter the slush.

Becky Black · Nov 26, 2013

SianaBlackwood said:
I've been wondering if this 'short cut' is because not enough books are getting to them through the assessment/query process or if it's part of some clever new way to filter the slush.

Could be. There must be good writers out there who just can't do all of that process your describe above. Maybe they just don't have the money for the assessment or the time and money to go to all those conferences.

Sounds a right 'mare. I mean there's gatekeeping and there's gatekeeping! What you describe sounds like having a moat full of piranha around the publishing castle and a troll holding a club with nails in it at the gate in case anyone manages to cross anyway.

Old Hack · Nov 26, 2013

SianaBlackwood said:
I've been wondering about this. Everything else about getting published here is incredibly restrictive. The way it seems to go is like this:

1) Write the book.
2) Have it professionally assessed at your state Writers Centre or by a 'manuscript assessor'. If your book is awesome, they'll give you a letter of recommendation. This seems to cost anywhere from mid-hundreds up.
3) Armed with manuscript and letter of recommendation, attend conferences and find a way to get one of the small number of agencies to request sample pages.
4) Query, but only to agents who've requested material. They'll usually ignore you unless you have both a request and some prior publishing credits.

According to most of what I've read, this is the only way to get published by one of the major players.

All you have to do to get published by one of the big publishers is write a great book and then submit it to appropriate agents.

If you can't get an Australian agent to represent you, look for an agent in America or in the UK.

You don't need to attend conferences, or spend money on classes, or get any letters of recommendation. And if the places you've been reading say that you do, you've been reading the wrong places.

mccardey · Nov 27, 2013

SianaBlackwood said:
I've been wondering about this. Everything else about getting published here is incredibly restrictive. The way it seems to go is like this:

1) Write the book.
2) Have it professionally assessed at your state Writers Centre or by a 'manuscript assessor'. If your book is awesome, they'll give you a letter of recommendation. This seems to cost anywhere from mid-hundreds up.
3) Armed with manuscript and letter of recommendation, attend conferences and find a way to get one of the small number of agencies to request sample pages.
4) Query, but only to agents who've requested material. They'll usually ignore you unless you have both a request and some prior publishing credits.

According to most of what I've read, this is the only way to get published by one of the major players.

Then you come to the publishing houses themselves and it turns out all of them accept unsolicited manuscripts. HarperCollins used to be the exception, but they've joined the ranks as well with their Wednesday Post (http://www.wednesdaypost.com.au/).

It's a weird contradiction - after reading the advice from the Writers Centres I came away with the impression that the market must be over-saturated and nobody is really trying to sign Australian authors. Meanwhile, basically every single publisher in the country is happy for us to bypass the entire process and submit directly to them.

I've been wondering if this 'short cut' is because not enough books are getting to them through the assessment/query process or if it's part of some clever new way to filter the slush.

I don't know about that. I've been published here by Pan MacMillan and Allen and Unwin and it seems to follow the normal route. Write book, get agent, agent sells books. Sales in Australia can be* pretty infinitesimal, so that might be a really good reason to sub overseas first - but I don't write things that Overseas is busting down doors for.

ETA: *can be. It's not always the case. Some of our writers make a very good living - deservedly so.

screenscope · Nov 27, 2013

There are only a few agents in Australia and they claim their books are full and they are not accepting new clients.

It's no wonder publishers have to appeal direct to writers.

I'm submitting my novel to US and UK agents, as those direct Australian publisher methods look too much to me like throwing your manuscript into a contest.

SianaBlackwood · Nov 27, 2013

The (hopefully) current version of the Australian Literary Agents Association list has 15 agencies on it right now.

Link: http://austlitagentsassoc.wordpress.com/members/

Probably worth going through the 4 or 5 that are a) open for submissions and b) handle the genre before heading overseas.

Old Hack · Nov 27, 2013

SianaBlackwood said:
The (hopefully) current version of the Australian Literary Agents Association list has 15 agencies on it right now.

Link: http://austlitagentsassoc.wordpress.com/members/

Probably worth going through the 4 or 5 that are a) open for submissions and b) handle the genre before heading overseas.

If I were an Australian writer and I wrote books which had more than national appeal I'd probably go straight to the American market when looking for an agent. It makes sense to have representation in the biggest English-speaking market, and to pay lowest agent commission rates in the biggest market.

Why are Australian pub branches accepting un-agented work?

oakbark

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

SianaBlackwood

Becky Black

Writing my way off the B Ark

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

mccardey

screenscope

SianaBlackwood

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman