Quote:
Originally Posted by Catlady
The author in question had a $120,000 deal. She's made less than one-sixth of that, and a good first month is no guarantee of future earnings. The jury is still out.
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It was a deal for three books, with five-sixths payable 18 months to three years in the future. All she was going to see for 18 months was $17k. That is less than $1000 a month. Afterwards, she would get another $17k at launch and wait to earn out the advance and then wait another six months for whatever royalty the publisher reports.
She made $18k for the first month alone. A book that good doesn't vanish overnight. Rather, she is likely going to clear over $100k in the first year and she'll get the full trilogy out before the first tradpub book even got out the door.
She clearly came out ahead in present value, creative control, and ip control, all things that obviously matter to her. Especially the ip control.
It is easy to see $120k and assume it's a great deal but the smart read is to look at the fine print and what you give up for how long. Which she did.
She bet on herself and won.
It's her story, her career, and she's not at the mercy of any glass tower denizen: just her readers.