Publishing Industry Case Study: J.K. Rowling

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Tanatra

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In my quest to become more adept in understanding how this industry works, I often enjoy studying the circumstances of the more successful authors of our time. Today, I wish to post a brief summary of Rowling's first ventures into publication (and my inquiries):

Way back in the mid-90s, Rowling didn't have much trouble finding an agent, but Philosopher's Stone was rejected by 8-12 publishing houses before finally being accepted by a small house called Bloomsbury. After it was accepted (at the insistence of the boss' daughter) the rights to sell in the states were auctioned off and eventually won by Scholastic, who paid Rowling a six-figure sum before the novel ever appeared in bookstores.

The novel obviously went on to become an incredible success, but that last fact baffles me. Rowling made more from writing than the vast majority of people do in a year without even selling a single book yet. Did Scholastic really have THAT much faith in her story?

I also wonder if the same could be said for an American author, because currently I am of the understanding that a published (or accepted) book would have to be liked by a publishing house exec (or relative) and/or be sufficiently successful for a large publisher to buy the distribution rights to it.

Anybody else have any thoughts on this matter?
 

rugcat

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I personally know an American YA debut author who received a six figure advance, plus foreign rights money for a series that has yet to see the bookstore shelf.

The publisher sees potential for a huge hit--it's a business decision that has nothing to do with relatives or friends.
 

Siddow

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Steve Berry was rejected over 300 times before he got an agent, who got him a three-book, six-figure deal.

I know there's one debut author on this site who got a six-figure deal, and another who I suspect got a pretty awesome deal, but I haven't heard her say how much.

Whether any of those folks can follow in Ms. Rowlings success...lawdy, I hope so.
 

reenkam

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I know of someone who got a six figure 3 book deal with her first novel.

Did JK get the six figure deal on the one book? Or was it on a series of seven? Either way, that's an amazing amount, but she probably had to sign something stating she'd write the others...
 

Legionsynch

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I've read about two authors recently who've gotten amazing deals like that. One was a three book deal (and reading the first book, was well worth it), and another that I don't think is out yet, but I'm still interested to read.

I think it's just one of those things. Sometimes, a book comes around that people are like "oooh." And other times, really good books come and go and no one seems to notice.
 

Will Lavender

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As some on this site know from reading my PW blurb, I received a six-figure advance for my debut novel in the States. I got a pretty good advance from Pan Macmillan in the UK. Who knows if I'll sell any books, but I'm grateful for the opportunity Shaye Areheart has given me.

One reason new authors get this money is because often in these cases a publishing house is vying against other houses for the writer's services. I would say that Scholastic is glad they put that money up for the first Harry Potter. :)

But Rowling made good on the deal. She has sold a ton of books, and that's of course understating it. Many debut authors who get these deals sort of fade away because they don't live up to the hope that their editors put in them.
 

blacbird

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J.K. Rowling's experience as a "case study" of how the publishing industry works is at one loooooong tail end of the bell curve. To pretend that it's a useful or instructive example for you (or me) is the worst form of self-delusion. The other tail of the bell curve might be John Kennedy Toole.

caw
 

ATP

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J.K. Rowling's experience as a "case study" of how the publishing industry works is at one loooooong tail end of the bell curve. To pretend that it's a useful or instructive example for you (or me) is the worst form of self-delusion. The other tail of the bell curve might be John Kennedy Toole.

This is a significant point. Also, I would add that there appears to be an essential fact missing from the original post-the figure for her UK advance.I would think that a more comprehensive 'case study' would likely include a chronology of deals and amounts.
 

Tanatra

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Thank you everyone for your input, and congratulation Will Lavender on your debut novel.

J.K. Rowling's experience as a "case study" of how the publishing industry works is at one loooooong tail end of the bell curve. To pretend that it's a useful or instructive example for you (or me) is the worst form of self-delusion. The other tail of the bell curve might be John Kennedy Toole.

caw

Please don't assume that I wasn't oh-so aware of this. :roll:Her instance just happened to be the first I read that went into detail of how much she was paid for the rights to her first novel, the amount of which turns out isn't as uncommon as I previously thought.
 

maestrowork

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Did JK get the six figure deal on the one book? Or was it on a series of seven? Either way, that's an amazing amount, but she probably had to sign something stating she'd write the others...

She got £2500 for Philosopher's Stone. Then Scholastic bought the NA rights for US$100,000 -- for just one book, I believe. She was still writing her second -- she applied for a £8000 grant.
 

ATP

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You may be correct. But, in providing the following, I am relying on only one source...

http://www.answers.com/topic/j-k-rowling?cat=entertainment

In 1995, Rowling completed her manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on an old manual typewriter.[17] Upon the enthusiastic response of Bryony Evans, a reader who had been asked to review the book’s first three chapters, the Fulham-based Christopher Little Literary Agents agreed to represent Rowling in her quest for a publisher. The book was handed to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected it.[18] A year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1500 advance) by editor Barry Cunningham from the small publisher Bloomsbury.[19][18] The decision to take Rowling on was apparently largely due to Alice Newton, the eight-year-old daughter of the company’s chairman, who was given the first chapter to review by her father, and immediately demanded the next.[20] Although Bloomsbury agreed to publish the book, Cunningham says that he advised Rowling to get a day job, since she had little chance of making money in children’s books.[21] Soon after, Rowling received an £8000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council to enable her to continue writing.[17][22]
 

Jamesaritchie

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In my quest to become more adept in understanding how this industry works, I often enjoy studying the circumstances of the more successful authors of our time. Today, I wish to post a brief summary of Rowling's first ventures into publication (and my inquiries):

Way back in the mid-90s, Rowling didn't have much trouble finding an agent, but Philosopher's Stone was rejected by 8-12 publishing houses before finally being accepted by a small house called Bloomsbury. After it was accepted (at the insistence of the boss' daughter) the rights to sell in the states were auctioned off and eventually won by Scholastic, who paid Rowling a six-figure sum before the novel ever appeared in bookstores.

The novel obviously went on to become an incredible success, but that last fact baffles me. Rowling made more from writing than the vast majority of people do in a year without even selling a single book yet. Did Scholastic really have THAT much faith in her story?

I also wonder if the same could be said for an American author, because currently I am of the understanding that a published (or accepted) book would have to be liked by a publishing house exec (or relative) and/or be sufficiently successful for a large publisher to buy the distribution rights to it.

Anybody else have any thoughts on this matter?

I've heard so many stories about the history of the Potter books that I don't know which one to believe. I know Wikipedia gets several things wrong.

But there's nothing weird about this. The Scholastic advance was large, but orders of magnitude away from any sort of record for a first novel. It missed this mark by about three and a half million dollars for the first advance, and by even more for the distribution rights.

And it isn't publishing house execs or their relatives who buy anything, it's an acquisition board made up of editors and those from marketing.
 

ChunkyC

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http://www.answers.com/topic/j-k-rowling?cat=entertainment#wp-_note-scotsmanA year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1500 advance) by editor Barry Cunningham from the small publisher Bloomsbury.[19][18] The decision to take Rowling on was apparently largely due to Alice Newton, the eight-year-old daughter of the company’s chairman, who was given the first chapter to review by her father, and immediately demanded the next.http://www.answers.com/topic/j-k-rowling?cat=entertainment#wp-_note-13
Just shows you how rumours grow from small beginnings. This tells me simply that Mr. Cunningham paid attention to Miss Newton's reaction to the story and it became only one of what had to be many factors in his decision whether or not to offer a contract for the book. But to hear the rumour mill tell it, this little girl virtually made the decision to sign Rowling up, which of course has to be utter nonsense.
 

Hillary

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JK, and advances on nothing

Advances in the publishing world are ridiculous...

Didn't Allen Folsom get $2 million for his first novel?

My mother once got paid something like $8,000 to write the words to a picture book novelization of a movie - a grand total of 12 days of "work." It was like a "write-by-number," they just told her what had to be said on each page, and handed her the movie script and some animation stills.

Novelizations are the secret shame of a LOT of authors, usually under pen names. Originally, my mum's name wasn't even attached to her novelization. It's fast cash with no real work. It's like athletes doing exhibition games or movie stars going overseas to film commercials. It doesn't matter if you do terribly, or aren't that original or passionate, you still get paid for showing up and standing there.

Slightly back on topic - advances are insane.
My mother has just signed on to a seven book contract with advances on each book, and she hasn't written anything! Not a single word. I kid you not. I really have to find out if this work she will be doing is public knowledge yet, so I can talk about it here, because I find it fascinating.

But it's actually looked upon by agents and editors and authors as a GOOD thing to receive a LOW(ish) advance. Not ridiculously low, of course, but low enough so that you sell out your advance quickly and you are viewed by your publishing house as a windfall, not a drain or liability. The advance really should be low unless you're a very well established writer guaranteed to sell out your advance in the first pay period, and your work ends up in a bidding war or something.

Oh, as a final note... didn't John Milton sell the rights to Paradise Lost for £
10?
 

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All of these various tales, apocryphal or genuine, demonstrate clearly how ridiculous it is to treat J.K. Rowling's publishing history as a "case study" of anything. The likelihood of something similar happening again is essentially zero. Other weird anomalous things may happen relative to authors vs. publishers, but they'll be different weird anomalous happenings. Which is the nature of weird anomalous happenings. And they'll equally be useless as "case studies".

caw
 

maestrowork

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I agree. It shouldn't be treated as a "case study" of how publishing usually works. Rowling's success is a fairy tale on its own -- a savory rags-to-riches story and as years go by, there are bound to be more and more "myths" surrounding it. The fact remains that she didn't get a big advance and her agent/publisher didn't think it was going to be a success until Scholastic changed all that. So, for every new author thinking they should get a huge advance and go on to be richer than the Queen of Britain, it's good to dream.
 

Toothpaste

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Actually that isn't quite accurate either! lol! From JK Rowling's website:

(She talks about finishing the book and then immediately subbing to agents . . . )
"But the second agent I tried wrote back and asked to see the rest of the manuscript. It was far and away the best letter I had ever received in my life, and it was only two sentences long. It took a year for my new agent to find a publisher. Lots of them turned it down."

So it was relatively easy for her to get an agent, but it took a full year before a publisher went with her.

And no Bloomsbury isn't small, but it wasn't one of the big players at the time.
 

ATP

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And, if I may ask, when have you ever known that when writers of all levels come together, that there isn't contention, as you put it?

What underlies this particularly quiescent episode is an effort to arrive at the facts. Somewhere among the recent posts do lie the facts/truth of the matter. Prompted by the OP, whom I am sure now realises a bit better what AW is about...
 

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All of these various tales, apocryphal or genuine, demonstrate clearly how ridiculous it is to treat J.K. Rowling's publishing history as a "case study" of anything. The likelihood of something similar happening again is essentially zero. Other weird anomalous things may happen relative to authors vs. publishers, but they'll be different weird anomalous happenings. Which is the nature of weird anomalous happenings. And they'll equally be useless as "case studies".

caw

The likelihood of anyone else sell as many copies of her novels as Rowling may be close to zero, but the advance, and the distribution money, are pretty darned common, and happen several times each year.
 

Jamesaritchie

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Actually that isn't quite accurate either! lol! From JK Rowling's website:

(She talks about finishing the book and then immediately subbing to agents . . . )
"But the second agent I tried wrote back and asked to see the rest of the manuscript. It was far and away the best letter I had ever received in my life, and it was only two sentences long. It took a year for my new agent to find a publisher. Lots of them turned it down."

So it was relatively easy for her to get an agent, but it took a full year before a publisher went with her.

And no Bloomsbury isn't small, but it wasn't one of the big players at the time.

She also did some rewrites along the way, based of publisher feedback. The version that was bought was a fair bit different from the versions the other publishers rejected.

She had an easy time getting an agent, and an easy time finding a publisher. A year is nothing, and after the last rewrite, things jumped immediately.
 

blacbird

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Well, as "case study" usefulness goes, I'm already long failed at the "had an easy time getting an agent, and an easy time finding a publisher" stages, so it doesn't help much.

caw
 
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