Second Life as an ebook

popmuze

Last of a Dying Breed
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
2,597
Reaction score
181
Location
Nowhere, man
0-32 so far in the ebook section, so let me rephrase my thread.

As an editor, would you see new opportunities for exploitation of one of your existing titles when it appears as an ebook?

My book originally came out in 2002 and I did a few radio interviews. There were no foreign rights sales. Now that it's coming back as an ebook, do you think it would be worth my while (or my agent's) to touch base with the (new) editor to see if I can go another round of interviews and to revive the foreign rights opportunity?
 
Lauri B

Lauri B

I Heart Mac
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
2,038
Reaction score
400
Hi Pop,
You can always try, but ebooks aren't interview-worthy, generally speaking. You can pitch ezines and online sites relevant to your book's topic and you could get some decent electronic press on it (reviews, excerpts, etc.), but regular papers, mags, etc. aren't going to bite.
Regarding foreign rights: I've never heard of ebooks selling foreign rights--but since I've always worked with a foreign rights rep, I could be missing information. It seems to me, though, that an ebook is just a different version of the original book, and if there was no foreign interest in the original, I'm not sure why there'd be interest in the e-version.
 
Popeyesays

Popeyesays

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us
Requiescat In Pace
Registered
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
1,461
Reaction score
163
Foreign countries often would rather have e-books available than print because shipping is not an issue.

Regards,
Scott
 
Lauri B

Lauri B

I Heart Mac
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
2,038
Reaction score
400
Foreign rights don't mean sending books to foreign countries. Foreign rights mean a publisher sells the translation rights to the foreign publisher. There is no shipping involved, unless you count the occasional cd of interior graphics.
 

popmuze

Last of a Dying Breed
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
2,597
Reaction score
181
Location
Nowhere, man
Without going into all of the gory (but typical) details surrounding the release of the original, let's just say I lost a few editors along the way and the sub rights department was also in a state of flux. By the time everything was (relatively) straightened out, the book had no one to represent it in house, plus it's moment had passed. So I don't even know if it was ever offered to any foreign countries.

I just thought this might be an opportunity for a second chance, especially with Japan, a country that's always up for the latest technology.

But is this something for the agent to pursue or would I call the editor myself?
 
Lauri B

Lauri B

I Heart Mac
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
2,038
Reaction score
400
Ah, I get it. Well, then maybe it's a good time to repitch the book to foreign publishers, since it sounds like no one got pitched in the first place.

I don't know what your relationship is with your agent, so can't really answer your question. But I can tell you that in Nomad's case, our distributor had a foreign rights agent in house, so she did all of our deals on our (and our authors') behalf. It was just simpler for everyone concerned. I'd discuss it with your agent first and go from there.
good luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.