Dispatches from the traditional publishing front lines, circa twenty-teens.
Not much needs to be said, the anecdotes speak for themselves:
http://pulppusher.blogspot.co.uk/201...tt-hilton.html
Quote:
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Another author I’ve spoken with related a shocking story. Sadly it wasn’t the shops that ruined him, but the very people he relied on to establish him as an author. He told me that his first book came out on both sides of the Atlantic published by a major publishing house. It did well in sales and was even number 1 in the German paperback charts. When his second novel came out, his publisher messed up, and distribution barely occurred. Because book 2 didn’t sell, they decided not to publish his third book and pulled his contract. No fault of his, but his career went down the Swanny. Fighting back, said author then released a book through self-publishing means and it was a medium hit. It gained him enough notice that he was picked up by another agent who sold his next series to a major publisher in the USA for a substantial advance fee. Because the US bought publication rights, then so did Canada, and on the back of it the UK also took the series. Then the initial US editor left the company, and in what almost sounds like a fit of spite the publisher cancelled all the deals on books commissioned by that editor. But that wasn’t the end of it. Because the US was no longer publishing his books, the Canadian publisher decided they wouldn’t bother either, and, yes, the UK publisher soon made the same decision. This author had done absolutely nothing wrong, but was dumped on from a very great height. Bad enough luck for anyone to contend with, except now his name is dirt in the publishing world and nobody will touch him. I reiterate: this author did absolutely nothing wrong, it was bad decisions and bad practices that killed his career and he is now right back to the drawing board to try to resurrect his writing and his name. And there’s yet more woe to add to the heap. Because his agent felt totally deflated, the author was dropped and began to seek new representation. Guess what the agents checked to see if he was viable? His sales record. Because his sales were poor, they declined. So, a guy who had not only won one major contract, but two, who did absolutely nothing except deliver terrific books readers would have read given the opportunity was all but finished. I haven’t spoken to him in a few months now, and can only hope that his talent and viability as an author has now been recognised and he has a happier story to tell.
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"Just write and trust the universe to take care of you" does seem to include a few bumps, these days. These are the people whose books are being displaced from bookstore chains chasing bestseller and "lifestyle product" sales.
Or, depending on your viewpoint, being left behind in the migration to ebooks and online sales.
I'm curious to see whether these folks will adapt to the new environment or just fall out of the business.