http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...publishing-deal-Loving-The-Band-Movellas.html
And for once it's not erotica.
And for once it's not erotica.
another fanfiction writer offered publishing deal
- Thread starter shaldna
- Start date
- Status
Boyband fanfic, in which Mary-Sue meets boyz and rampant wish-fulfilment ensues.
Hmm, should do well.
Hmm, should do well.
Last edited:
Has anyone read the original fanfic? I haven't, but y'know, might want to before deciding that it's crap. It did have a few readers, after all, and frankly, boy bands are pretty generic, right? So if teens are all over boy band stories...
I'm just saying it might actually be a case where the kid is a good writer with a large following, the subject matter is, in reality, generic, and so she ended up with what a lot of us want - a contract.
I'm just saying it might actually be a case where the kid is a good writer with a large following, the subject matter is, in reality, generic, and so she ended up with what a lot of us want - a contract.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2007
- Messages
- 8,049
- Reaction score
- 770
- Location
- Clearlake Park, CA
- Website
- www.strokingthepen.com
Sixteen, huh, and offered a publishing contract? Good for her.
As for fan fiction, never read any so I don't have an opinion one way or the other.
As for fan fiction, never read any so I don't have an opinion one way or the other.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2009
- Messages
- 6,004
- Reaction score
- 1,233
Yep. It has, after all, done what many of us would like to do and that is write something that touches the pulse of the readers.
Sort of like what 50Shades did, good or bad.
Exactly.
But, I can see where some bitterness is going to creep in and I can't say I blame anyone for it. She didn't have to write up a query letter, send it out, and go through the regular grind of rejections to get to publishing that the vast majority of other writers go through to get the coveted contract.
She went from fanfic straight to huge advance stardom. That's going to hit a lot of nerves, just like ELJames did.
Not to mention it is sending the signal to many who are aspiring, that if they (Hocking, James, and now Baker) did it, it can happen to me, too. Even though many of us know that a one-off is not a new trend of how publishing works.
If it keeps happening, though....
*starts my tally sheet of new writers coming on the board wanting to talk about self-publishing and writing fanfic to get noticed by publishers instead of through trade publishing routes of query/representation/sale*
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Messages
- 929
- Reaction score
- 103
- Location
- in ur B&N...facin out AWers bookz...
- Website
- www.jessicaschley.com
Or, and perhaps more frightening, fanfiction writers starting even more publishing houses to "help their friends get noticed" scrubbing their fanfic when no one involved has any experience in publishing...
Yes, there are all kinds of wrong messages that could be received by this. But, like self-publishing, each case needs to be looked at individually, and not as an indicator of a trend. When things like this stop making news, then we might consider it a "legitimate" route instead of the exception.
I honestly think she's so lucky. I'm almost sixteen, 300K worth of published fanfics in my back, a second draft I think it's a pile of sh*t and no contract in sight... And I still think my situation is pretty good as it is.
If her story is good or not, well, that's subjective, but at least she's not making fanfic over other author's name and making fame out of that...
If her story is good or not, well, that's subjective, but at least she's not making fanfic over other author's name and making fame out of that...
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2009
- Messages
- 6,004
- Reaction score
- 1,233
I agree that it's a case-by-case thing and that it isn't an indicator of a trend. Most of us here on the boards have hashed this stuff around and we have many industry experts to help us set the story straight.
It's the people who don't have the rational check-in that will be thinking this, bringing it to the board and arguing the success is becoming the rule instead of the continued exceptions that they are.
Still...it's those exceptions that are making the news and it's hard not to draw the conclusions many will draw.
It's curious why Penguin is soliciting authors from fan fiction sites instead of their own trusted networks.
What happens now is that non-writers start "advising" writers that their work, too, could be snatched up by a major publishing house. All the writer has to do is post a short story or whatever online somewhere and voila!--a publishing contract.
What a lot of non-writers don't realize is that it's a one in a million chance. There are so many things that factor in, so many people out there posting work that is not ready for prime time, so much slush. But even with a polished manuscript that has all the earmarks of being the next best seller, there are no guarantees.
What a lot of non-writers don't realize is that it's a one in a million chance. There are so many things that factor in, so many people out there posting work that is not ready for prime time, so much slush. But even with a polished manuscript that has all the earmarks of being the next best seller, there are no guarantees.
She's hardly the first, or the youngest. It isn't about fan fiction, it isn't about age, and it isn't even who, what, where, when, or how. It's about market potential.
Publishers don't care where they find a writer or a story. Never have. They care about a book that will, for any reason at all, make a profit for the publisher.
Too many writers seem to forget that while writing may, or may not be, art, publishing is a business.
Publishers don't care where they find a writer or a story. Never have. They care about a book that will, for any reason at all, make a profit for the publisher.
Too many writers seem to forget that while writing may, or may not be, art, publishing is a business.
Sites like that, where you post your own content, have TOSes that specify they have the right to display the content of your post, so likely, Penguin bought those rights to keep as much publishing as possible (I'm not sure it's completely possible with fanfic, considering it's already been out there) within their own control. Legal stuff.
From what I understood of the article, the author wrote it and used Movellas to publish it online. Then penguin gave her a publishing contract for a "scrubbed" book with the band names changed and probably some identifiable traits changed (and the author makes those changes) and bought the worldwide publishing rights (which Movellas had according to their TOS).
ETA: Went ahead and looked at the TOS, for kicks.
[URL]http://www.movellas.com/blog/show/201202071118279797/terms-and-conditions[/URL] said:
I think that's what Penguin was buying.
Last edited:
I'd imagine that Penguin is buying this ficcer's platform. It may also be buying her passion for the subject and her authority as a real fan of the band. These things will have weight with the targeted readers, that is, other fans of the band.
So... I'm a bit confused about the legal aspects/marketing of real-person fanfic.
So, my assumption of crazed band fanning is that any old band won't do; it has to be THAT band with THOSE boys and THESE songs. I'm wondering if girls who are hardcore 1D fans will be as enamored with generic made-up band that doesn't actually exist.
Maybe Penguin has bought the boyz' identities, too. Or, at least, their carefully groomed public personas?
At a glance at their photo in the article, I saw the Smart/Snarky One, the Bad Boy, the Good Boy, the Poet and the Jock.
At a glance at their photo in the article, I saw the Smart/Snarky One, the Bad Boy, the Good Boy, the Poet and the Jock.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2009
- Messages
- 6,004
- Reaction score
- 1,233
Maybe Penguin has bought the boyz' identities, too. Or, at least, their carefully groomed public personas?
At a glance at their photo in the article, I saw the Smart/Snarky One, the Bad Boy, the Good Boy, the Poet and the Jock.
You joke, sort of, but I have to wonder....
So...what kind of business deal are we talking about? My terminology is failing me here. Is this along the lines of a book bundler deal? Where she is writing for their intellectual property? It states in the article:
Will she own the rights? Is she writing on-spec? Does anyone have any idea what I'm trying to say? *flail*
I wondered about her use of "commissioned", but the quote from the article does make it appear that she's been hired to write Razorbill's story, although the rewriting of hers makes it a little murky.
I was just assuming that it was a straight forward deal--"We'll buy under the condition you make these edits"--and that people were getting their terminology mixed up. But...
This sort of sounds like the were looking for someone to write a planned book and decided she'd be perfect.
But then...
This sounds like they bought the rights to HER book... but then commissioned her to make changes? Wouldn't making changes just be part of the process. I'm not clear on how you can be commissioned to write a book you already wrote. Or how she wouldn't retain ownership.
Also, did I see any mention of an agent in all this?
Read more:
If she was, indeed, commissioned to write Razorbill's story, then wouldn't that make this a case of a fanfic author being noticed because of fanfic, but not necessarily a pull-2-publish situation?
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2010
- Messages
- 7,063
- Reaction score
- 1,642
If the publishers can get permission to use the boy-band's actual names, which is entirely possible for such a manufactured entity as One Direction, they will make mint off this.
It's essentially marketing for the band. (Original typo: "It's essentially marketing for the bad." LOL!)
And given the band's fans are likely in the age group where they're self-inserting themselves, via fantasy, into exactly the scenarios the book will depict, I can see this book being devoured by its intended audience. The passion that the band's fans have for One Direction will translate very well over to the book.
Someone's brilliant. But I have a sinking feeling the author is going to get shafted badly.
It's essentially marketing for the band. (Original typo: "It's essentially marketing for the bad." LOL!)
And given the band's fans are likely in the age group where they're self-inserting themselves, via fantasy, into exactly the scenarios the book will depict, I can see this book being devoured by its intended audience. The passion that the band's fans have for One Direction will translate very well over to the book.
Someone's brilliant. But I have a sinking feeling the author is going to get shafted badly.
Quite possibly. She's very young, and I can only hope she's got really good legal advice.
OTOH, she's well placed for a lucrative career in book packaging, if she keeps her cool.
OTOH, she's well placed for a lucrative career in book packaging, if she keeps her cool.
At 16, is she even old enough to sign a publishing contract, or would it have been a guardian signing on her behalf? Either way, I hope the contract was looked over by someone who is familiar with publishing contracts.
- Status