Special thanks to Linda Pendleton, a published author in Northern California, for sharing the following article:
Saturday, November 13, 2010
"Average Hardworking Author"
For quite a long time I have heard comments by writers that the midlist author is being pushed aside by the NY Six—that is not a typo of Sex but I refer to the NY corporate publishers which currently number Six, while not too many years ago, the number was at least twice that.
Apparently NY publishers for some time have been pulling away from supporting the midlist author who was once considered a consistent, yet moderate seller. They seem also to have given up a vision (if they ever had one) of taking a chance on a new author or an author who has broken through the midlist category into a possible BIG book.
So where does that put the average hardworking author who is marketing his or her new quality manuscript? When publishers are not acquiring new manuscripts where does that put the average hardworking author? When literary agents are not taking on additional authors because they cannot sell the material they already represent, where does that put the average hardworking author? When publishers offer small advances, much smaller than in previous years, and expect to do a small number press run, where does that put the average hardworking author?
It may have the average hardworking author looking at small independent presses, and considering low advances and low print runs. Expectations may not be as high at a small press—so a successful publication of an average hardworking author’s book may just be that: successful.
But that average hardworking author may look beyond tying their manuscript up with even a small press, and look to other publishing opportunities.
And what might those opportunities be for the average hardworking author?
Ebooks and Print on Demand may be exactly what that average hardworking author is looking for.
One place for the average hardworking author to look to publish the quality book he or she has created, is at Amazon’s Kindle and Createspace, and Smashwords.
And that average hardworking author will reap the benefits of excellent royalty rates and enjoy a sense of freedom, which may make the lack of an advance paid against royalties a good thing.
All stories come to an end, but for this average hardworking author who now has a new book published, can do what he or she does best: write the next book.
Apparently NY publishers for some time have been pulling away from supporting the midlist author who was once considered a consistent, yet moderate seller. They seem also to have given up a vision (if they ever had one) of taking a chance on a new author or an author who has broken through the midlist category into a possible BIG book.
So where does that put the average hardworking author who is marketing his or her new quality manuscript? When publishers are not acquiring new manuscripts where does that put the average hardworking author? When literary agents are not taking on additional authors because they cannot sell the material they already represent, where does that put the average hardworking author? When publishers offer small advances, much smaller than in previous years, and expect to do a small number press run, where does that put the average hardworking author?
It may have the average hardworking author looking at small independent presses, and considering low advances and low print runs. Expectations may not be as high at a small press—so a successful publication of an average hardworking author’s book may just be that: successful.
But that average hardworking author may look beyond tying their manuscript up with even a small press, and look to other publishing opportunities.
And what might those opportunities be for the average hardworking author?
Ebooks and Print on Demand may be exactly what that average hardworking author is looking for.
One place for the average hardworking author to look to publish the quality book he or she has created, is at Amazon’s Kindle and Createspace, and Smashwords.
And that average hardworking author will reap the benefits of excellent royalty rates and enjoy a sense of freedom, which may make the lack of an advance paid against royalties a good thing.
All stories come to an end, but for this average hardworking author who now has a new book published, can do what he or she does best: write the next book.
~Linda
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