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Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg
I didn't like reading this from that link:
My concern comes because Amazon doesn't seem to issue advances to fund narrative non-fiction research, nor to do much to improve manuscripts. And I consider these to be the main social contribution of the incumbent large publishers potentially threatened by Amazon Publishing.
Now, as the individual who owns the Washington Post, Jeff Bezos does do a lot to fund narrative non-fiction research and improve (short) manuscripts. Perhaps this gives some hope. And maybe this is just a fiction issue.
Not that I don't read fiction. I do. But I've got zero fear of ever not being able to find the kind of fiction I'd want to read.
Do people think that Dean Koontz doesn't need strong structural editing? If the answer is yes, he might as well go to the highest bidder.
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I don't know that the trends in fiction will have a big effect on non fiction. A fair amount of the non fiction that I read is published by academic imprints rather than big five publisher imprints.
My guess is that authors who are use to getting advances, will continue to get advances. While the article doesn't say, I would guess that Koontz is either likely getting paid via the standard system, i.e. X percent up front, Y percent when the first manuscript is delivered and the rest when the final manuscript is delivered. I would be quite surprised if the contract says that Koontz doesn't get an advance, but purely a percentage of the sales.