In one of my other writing groups, a person asked what we thought about a publisher offering a contract for her digital rights only. That would mean she wouldn't have the printed version at all.
There were several opinions tossed around, most not happy with a publisher that would limit an author like that, especially with the "Right of First Refusal" clause limiting the entire series to this same format and publisher.
So, I'm curious. What have you heard about publishers doing this sort of thing? Would you sign a contract for ebook only? What would be your conditions if you did?
Christine (C.K.) Bryant is the author of BOUND, the first book in The Crystor Series. Her second book, BROKEN, will be released next month.
You can read more about her and her books on her blog HERE.
There is no way, at least here and now, that I would ever sign a contract like that. This may sound really dumb to some people, but for me the thought of holding my book in my hands is one of the most thrilling aspects of getting something published. That's what would / will make it real for me, whether it's via a publishing company or whether I publish on my own.
ReplyDeleteDo I love my kindle? Absolutely! But print books have a completely different value to me, and that is shifting. I'm at a point where I only buy books in print if I really, really love them. (My room is small and books take space.)
But the loss of the option to actually "hold" my book -- and I won't lie, to me an eBook just isn't the same -- that would definitely still my hand.
I totally agree with you. I needed to hold my baby. I also have family who wanted to read it who don't have access to digital books. So this would be a no brainer for me as well. Thanks for your comment, Kathy.
DeleteFor me that would totally depend on what they offered along with it - aside from cover design and editing. Right now one of the major reasons to go traditional is the hope of being in bookstores and reaching that audience that isn't online. So this would mean even more marketing on the author's part. How would the publisher market these kinds of books? or would they at all? And what would the royalties be? I couldn't even begin to know what I'd do without knowing these answers.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. And being self published, I can't honestly see what a traditional publisher could do for my digital book that I'm not already doing myself.
DeleteIt's interesting ... does that mean the author retains the print rights? If there was nothing in the contract preventing the author from running print copies, it would almost be like having the best of both world. Someone else would front the money for editing and cover design and the author could upload it all to CreateSpace, etc. and get print copies. Of course, there'd be expense in that, but just like any Indie published work. The contract would need to be very specific that the author has the right to run a print edition of the book, but there's no reason both can't live in harmony, right?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of that. I think if I could have the print rights and do what I wanted with it, then it might be something to consider.
DeleteI think the only problem with this route is obtaining rights to the cover art for the e-book. I think that if you have two different covers, it might be harder for people to find your book where as one cover for both print and digital would be easily recognizable by people who look online for books and end up buying them in bookstores.
DeleteI can see digital-only in the beginning to see if a book "has legs" before fronting the money for a print run. That being said, I think it's valuable (and inexpensive) to do POD, so I'm not sure why you wouldn't at least do that. Then, if the book took off and the publisher had print distribution channels, they could look at doing a print run. In fact, I think this is how publishers of all sizes should consider bringing in new talent. As far as the author goes, the publisher would need to bring something to the table in order for it to be more beneficial to the author to go with them (vs. self-pub). For some, that may be editorial and cover design. For others, maybe a distribution channel? It would depend on the publisher.
ReplyDeleteI can see doing it to test the waters, I know of a couple small publisher doing that now, but they also retain the print rights so they can do POD after they see how the digital sells. It's interesting to see how the publishing world is changing, isn't it?
DeleteNow I want to know more about digital contract only ... if you keep the print rights and can do a POD by yourself.
ReplyDeleteCarina Press uses digital contract only, doesn't it? But I doubt they would let the author to do a POD of the book.
I haven't heard of Carina Press, but if you're interested in this kind of contract, it's worth doing a little research. Good Luck.
DeleteI think I found the ideal publisher for my book. They are small and new, but they still publish to kindle and all other e-book formats as well as POD. That's what I love about them and why I chose to sign the contract. Ultimately, I think it all depends on what you as the author want for your book. Also, I'm a big believer in self-marketing. I'm not about to sit around and just hope my book sells, I'm doing everything I can to get my book out there!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!! Finding a publisher who will work with you and that fits your needs is huge in this business. I'm sure they're thrilled to have an author who is willing to do so much to market their book too.
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