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April 06, 2008
Experiments in Publishing
No agents are involved, the publishing house accepts direct submissions, and writers get no advance, but earn 20% royalties.And for a little more color on "remainders," a much despised element of the book industry, check out a post of mine from several years ago explaining the curious life cycle of the remaindered book.Sounds good, no? But it's not all upside. Not only are the writers' contracts non-negotiable, but Macmillan receives all subsidiary rights to the book and a first look at the author's second book. Critics have reacted strongly, calling the imprint "literary slave drivers" and "vanity publishers," and indulging in apocalyptic predictions of the end of publishing as we know it.
- C. Max Magee @ 11:06 AM ~
comments: 4 ~ Links to this post
Remainders are not returns. Remainders specifically refers to books sold at a deep discount by publishers (more than the usual discount given to wholesalers and/or booksellers). Remainders are usually returns, but they can also be books that were never purchased in the first place (i.e., if a publisher printed way more than the demand).
A "no remainders" policy would not be a radical change. A no returns policy, however, is quite radical.
A "no remainders" policy would not be a radical change. A no returns policy, however, is quite radical.
# posted by 
Robert Boyd @ April 06, 2008 3:56 PM
Robert Boyd @ April 06, 2008 3:56 PM
A very old chestnut that MacM "literary slave trade": Sounds like 18th C Grub Street to me. Gin Lane, here we come.
maybe just stop giving multi-million dollar advances to ghostwritten books by celebrities. no?
# posted by 
@ April 07, 2008 3:23 PM
@ April 07, 2008 3:23 PMSponsor:
