Book writers of PH
Discussion
Vandenberg said:
I just had my first journal article published in an american journal and had a call from the APA, about potentially writing a textbook which is flattering.
Thinking about it today I may do it if I can keep the digital rights and let them do the print version and I can self pub the all singing and dancing interactive ebook version. I love what you can do with an epub 3 files these days.
I used to work for the biggest STM publisher and know exactly how bad publishers are at digital, including some of their more dodgy practices.
Congrats on the publication and potential follow up work! But I would imagine they would be keen to hold the e-rights as well? Thinking about it today I may do it if I can keep the digital rights and let them do the print version and I can self pub the all singing and dancing interactive ebook version. I love what you can do with an epub 3 files these days.
I used to work for the biggest STM publisher and know exactly how bad publishers are at digital, including some of their more dodgy practices.
I am interested to hear about these 'dodgy practices' you speak of. I have written 10,000 words of my first book and when I finish I will look to self publish (as I'm writing it more for me and if I sell any copies it's a happy bonus!)
extraT said:
Congrats on the publication and potential follow up work! But I would imagine they would be keen to hold the e-rights as well?
I am interested to hear about these 'dodgy practices' you speak of. I have written 10,000 words of my first book and when I finish I will look to self publish (as I'm writing it more for me and if I sell any copies it's a happy bonus!)
Thank you, its a nice feeling to be the sole author on a journal article, nearest I have had before is second author and as lowly as 12th!I am interested to hear about these 'dodgy practices' you speak of. I have written 10,000 words of my first book and when I finish I will look to self publish (as I'm writing it more for me and if I sell any copies it's a happy bonus!)
Your right they will want the digital rights, but I am hoping to negotiate that they have the print, and flat ebooks and I retain the rights to do the enriched ebooks as I can licence that to some big corporates and universities. 4 universities in the states are already interested so I need to get my finger out and get it authored.
Am happy to share my tales of dodgy practices, with the caveat that all my experience in the industry is in the STM sector rather than novels. Strange industry with some bizarre business models.
Regarding a post made a couple of pages ago, about self-publishing to get traction before getting picked up by a trad publisher.
If I have a trilogy, and I self-publish the first book, and let's say it's successful, would a publisher still look to pick up the other two, or would they just say that they'd missed the boat? Surely they wouldn't go to the expense of republishing a book which is already out there, and selling just to enable them to publish the other two?
If I have a trilogy, and I self-publish the first book, and let's say it's successful, would a publisher still look to pick up the other two, or would they just say that they'd missed the boat? Surely they wouldn't go to the expense of republishing a book which is already out there, and selling just to enable them to publish the other two?
Doofus said:
Regarding a post made a couple of pages ago, about self-publishing to get traction before getting picked up by a trad publisher.
If I have a trilogy, and I self-publish the first book, and let's say it's successful, would a publisher still look to pick up the other two, or would they just say that they'd missed the boat? Surely they wouldn't go to the expense of republishing a book which is already out there, and selling just to enable them to publish the other two?
If a mainstream publisher wants the trilogy they will just pick up the whole lot, and they'll certainly republish/repackage the first one. You will of course lose the control you enjoyed as a self-publisher, over things like how the cover looks, but its a small price to pay. Good luck.If I have a trilogy, and I self-publish the first book, and let's say it's successful, would a publisher still look to pick up the other two, or would they just say that they'd missed the boat? Surely they wouldn't go to the expense of republishing a book which is already out there, and selling just to enable them to publish the other two?
coppice said:
I'd worry about that if your first one sells- it's a nice problem to have .But why not try a publisher now ?
I'm not at that stage yet. I was happily plodding along until I came upon this thread, which prompted my question. I'm not ready to scope out publishers yet, I'm 40,000 into my first draft; that's all. NailedOn said:
The relationship between an author and a publisher is via an agent.
Sending proofs direct to a publisher rarely works.
That's very true, but where a self-published book attracts a buzz a publisher might/can/will pick it up directly. Likewise a movie or TV production company, who might buy the rights directly.Sending proofs direct to a publisher rarely works.
This seems like as good a thread as any for this question.
Let's say (although this is not the case), I have written a novel based at Hogwarts school, but with entierly different characters and events to the better known such novels. Or let's say (for, again, it is not actually so), that I have written a novel set on the USS Enterprise.
Would I be free to publish? There are a number of 'young James Bond' books out there, but I don't know if you need permission from somebody or not. I assume you would, but I don't know if that reqirement expires after the original has been in the public domain for a period of time.
Let's say (although this is not the case), I have written a novel based at Hogwarts school, but with entierly different characters and events to the better known such novels. Or let's say (for, again, it is not actually so), that I have written a novel set on the USS Enterprise.
Would I be free to publish? There are a number of 'young James Bond' books out there, but I don't know if you need permission from somebody or not. I assume you would, but I don't know if that reqirement expires after the original has been in the public domain for a period of time.
I would expect to hear from Sue, Grabbit and Run very quickly. The Bond books were all licensed by the Fleming estate I am sure. When I had a day job as a lawyer I remember talking to a London solicitor whose firm had carte blanche and unlimited funds to take action against anybody selling counterfeit merchandise from a popular kids' TV programme- assumed it was Ninja Turtles , who were big at the time. I suspect Ms Rowling would take a similarly robust approach .
Doofus said:
Thanks both. I guess I need to write a grovelling letter, and hope that it isn't met with a 'No', suggesting I've wasted my time for the past year...
It's not Rowling, or Bond, by the way...
You could always spend a bit of time changing any salient details? Might be cheaper. It's not Rowling, or Bond, by the way...
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