Quote:
Originally Posted by Calenorn
So am I missing something here?  Or are publishers just irrational? |
Both.
Trad publishers want to tie down rights, even if they don't exploit them, because they are financial assets that *can* be exploited. If not by them, by others. And they'd rather it not be others.
That is why most current tradpub contracts have non-compete, first-refusal, etc type clauses.
You have noticed they don't like competition, right?
Also, locking down as many rights as possible for as long as possible is their endgame exit strategy. You don't have to publish new books if you can milk the copyright of known-good titles "forever". Come merger time, the value of the company will be defined by the rights they own.
"They may be crazy but they ain't stupid."
The Predatory Presses know exactly what they're doing and despite all their posturing, they're not in the literature business; they're in a financial business.