HOW DO YOU GET A SIX FIGURE ADVANCE

Ty T · Nov 5, 2004

Hi

I have read some posts that say it is possible for a first time author to get a six figure advance. I was wondering if anybody know basically how do you get this, is it purely on how good your book is, if you have already lined up loads of publicity for it, you know what would make a publisher give a first time author a six figure advance

spywriter · Nov 5, 2004

advance

HOW DO YOU GET A SIX FIGURE ADVANCE????

Write an outstanding book that no one else has, with incredible marketing potential. A book which seems destined to be a movie is also a plus, as is originality.

Now hard reality.....advances have decreased greatly in the last few years. The chances of your first book getting a 6 figure deal are WAY slim. Figure on $10,000 being a good advance.

I hope you get what your looking for, but don't be disappointed if you don't. Just keep writing!!!!

Ty T · Nov 5, 2004

Oh I didn't essentially mean me, no I'm qutie a way off there yet so if you had lots of publicity lined up for you and your book with the great possibility that even more could come do you think this would help. Also how much of it do you think depends on the publicity side and how much do you think actually depends on the book side

Ty T · Nov 5, 2004

How would the possibility of it being a movie help
Because surely the publishers wouldn't actually get any of the money from that

spywriter · Nov 5, 2004

advance

Mass apeal. If your book would make a great movie, the publisher might see its mass apeal poential. The more mainstream your book--men and women like it--the more books will be sold. Not a hard fast rule, just a thought.

I read a great article recently and I forgot who wrote it, but it was about an author who GOT THE CALL and a step by step diary of day one to the day he got pusblished. He is the author of a book called WHISKY SOUR. It was his 9th book, and the first to get published. He got 6 figures. It was really interesting. One of the things her said is that publishers don't do book tours for 1st time authors...said the return is minimal. His marketing did not start until he signed with Hyperion.

Ty T · Nov 5, 2004

Yeah I suppose

But if your book had all that potential, do you think it would actually go against you

Would the publishers think this is too good for us, we don't want to pay him all this money for it

spywriter · Nov 5, 2004

advance

Ah....no. If they can make a quarter off of you, you'll be worth a dime of investment. Remember too, that they can pay you 10 grand to start, and if it does well offer you a truck load on your next.

If your book is got that "thing" that captures the rare enthusiasm of the editor, your going to do well. I truly wish you well. I too wait for the CALL. SOmetimes it drives me to distraction because MY AGENT won't call me back! (I have issues).

Ty T · Nov 5, 2004

So what would you consider a good amount of an advance

What you accept no less than

spywriter · Nov 5, 2004

Advance

That depends. If you know that other companies are looking at it, and it comes in low, you may wait. Personally, I AM GOING TO TAKE WHAT I CAN GET!!!! Once I am published, and hopefully successful, I can demand more money. RIght now, I am a nobody...so are you.

REMEMBER....pigs get fat....hogs get slaughtered. DOn't push your luck Mr./ Ms. Newby.

HOWEVER, your agent will better guide. You. GOTTA RUN...talk to you later.

aka eraser · Nov 5, 2004

Re: Advance

Since this discussion is ongoing on the Writing Novels board, where it's better suited than here, I'm going to close this thread.

Anyone wishing to join in is welcome to visit Writing Novels.

James D. Macdonald · Jul 29, 2005

How Do You Get a Six Figure Advance?

Moved from the Bewares Board.....

Jamesaritchie · Jul 29, 2005

spywriter said:
HOW DO YOU GET A SIX FIGURE ADVANCE????

Write an outstanding book that no one else has, with incredible marketing potential. A book which seems destined to be a movie is also a plus, as is originality.

Now hard reality.....advances have decreased greatly in the last few years. The chances of your first book getting a 6 figure deal are WAY slim. Figure on $10,000 being a good advance.

I hope you get what your looking for, but don't be disappointed if you don't. Just keep writing!!!!

10K was always a good advance. I haven't seen advances going down, and most have risen slightly over the years I've been at this. When I started, 2.5K was the average advance at a large publisher, and now it's closer to 7.5K.

maestrowork · Jul 29, 2005

And how many actually earn out... ?

triceretops · Jul 29, 2005

Truthfully, I'm more concerned with finding a small five-figure advance. I think $5,000.00 would totally bowl me over if it came my way. My previous book were under $$2,000.00 15 years ago.

Tri

Jamesaritchie · Jul 29, 2005

maestrowork said:
And how many actually earn out... ?

If you believe the publishers, about one first time novel in four actually earns out, though most come close enough that not earning out is a fairly close thing.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 29, 2005

6 Figures

Seriously, first time writers very rarely receive a large advance, and never have. It's usually a matter of luck. Just being at the right place, at the right time, with the right novel.

Unless you're famous, a celebrity of some sort, receiving a large advance for a first novel means the publish either thinks your novel is going to coattail some other novel that's already riding at number one, or it means the publisher thinks it's time to push something, an dyou just happen to be the one that gets pushed.

And first novels that receive large advances are almost always novels the publisher thinks will sell to the mainstream.

Most of this is pure, dumb luck, and doesn't happen very often at all.

Diana Hignutt · Jul 30, 2005

Three Simple steps to Six Figures...

Oh, even I know the answer to this one:

Step I - Write a great, brilliant novel.

Step II - Get a great agent.

Step III - Get lucky.

diana
(who hasn't even come remotely close)

brinkett · Jul 30, 2005

Do you want a six figure advance these days? If it doesn't earn out, your star falls to earth pretty quickly as far as a publisher is concerned. I guess if you only care about selling the one novel...

Vomaxx · Jul 30, 2005

I think Diana is completely right. Especially Step III.

La Reine · Jul 30, 2005

I would run away from a six figure advance simply because I don't want to deal with the pressures it brings. A four figure advance is good enough for me.

DivaWriter · Jul 30, 2005

6 Figures and Counting

Well, I know of a first time writer in the ChickLit genre who received a six-figure deal. Based on the rules of the board, I'm not sure if I should give her name and website information, but she has a truly interesting story.

I've been following her career (via her website blog) and she is well on her way to a possible movie deal for her second book and it hasn't even been published yet! Talk about fortunate!

That little green-eyed monster peeks past my left shoulder when I hear about her piles and piles of good fortune in the publishing world, but then I realize my silliness and I become happy for her and hope that I can achieve as much success as she has in such a short period of time and on her first full-length work.

She's truly doing her thing!

Mistook · Jul 30, 2005

I wonder whatever happened to Ty T?

James D. Macdonald · Jul 31, 2005

If you've written a book that deserves a six-figure advance, even if the advance is four figures you'll get all six -- eventually.

Then your next book will get that six-figure advance...

britwrit · Jul 31, 2005

If you're writing "literary" fiction...

(1) Be young and good looking. (Note - this is relative. Think David Foster Wallace, not Brad Pitt).

(2) Have a killer agent.

(3) Live in New York and/or be wildly connected.

(4) The less you actually need that $1 million (i.e. have a trust fund), the more likely you are to get it. So be a rich, Ivy League grad.

(5) Write something obviously literary but nothing too experimental. If you can't plausibly see an excerpt from your novel in the New Yorker, don't bother getting your hopes up.

So, in other words, unless you belong to the .0000001% of the population who can fit into these criteria, I wouldn't worry much about it.

reph · Jul 31, 2005

Ty T vanished from these forums shortly after arriving. Maybe he figured out that writing was no way to get rich.

HOW DO YOU GET A SIX FIGURE ADVANCE

Ty T

spywriter

Ty T

Ty T

spywriter

Ty T

spywriter

Ty T

spywriter

aka eraser

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Jamesaritchie

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

triceretops

Jamesaritchie

Jamesaritchie

Diana Hignutt

Very Tired

brinkett

Elder Scrolls devotee

Vomaxx

La Reine

DivaWriter

Mistook

Neverending WIP

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

britwrit

reph

Fig of authority