Thread: Authors get screwed by Agent Model
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Old 02-03-2010, 12:34 PM   #19
Pardoz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daithi View Post
I believe the industry standard for retailer returns is actually in the 30% range (not Lynn's 80% figure)
I've heard the same figure, but this may be variable by imprint, genre, and bestseller hardback vs. paperback original. She quoted the 80% as a high figure - I believe she said that her most recent information from Tor was that their average return rate was closer to 60% than 30%, which is interesting because it shows how the already-high figures for waste may increase as you move from the constructed best-seller to the midlist.

I'll freely admit that as a reader with tastes that skew strongly towards the midlist and away from titles like Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea or Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid any change that moves publishing away from the current cycle of best-seller dependence and back to the days of a profitable, stable midlist is a good one, and e-publishing, handled intelligently, has the potential to do just that.
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