As some of you might know, I was asked to give a Saturday workshop by the Writers Guild of Texas this November about the 'business of writing.' And I said, sure!
And then, a week or so letter, I emailed and said, enh, maybe not.
Because I actually pretty much hate having to talk about it, and it is changing so much nonstop that any attempt to do a terrific job of it not only would take a lot more time than I want to spend on it, but would be outdated in five minutes.
Somebody else is going to do it, and I am sure they will do a great job of it.
In the meantime, here is some really smart stuff about the writing as a business from Hugo Award-winning Kameron Hurley.
I had a colleagues come to me recently gushing excitedly about selling their first novel in a two-book deal. “That’s fabulous!” I said.
“I mean… the advance isn’t a lot of money, but I know the publishers and they are great people,” they said.
“Do you have an agent?”
“Oh, well… it’s not for very much money. It’s like $500.”
Alarm bells started going off in my brain. A $500 advance is basically just “go away” money. It’s pat-you-on-the-head ha ha money. “Oh, well… what kinds of rights are they asking for?” I said.
“Oh, you know, everything. World English rights, foreign rights, movie rights…”
“OK, stop right there. You’re going to give a publisher complete ownership of your novels, including movie rights, for $500?”
“Well, the publishers are really nice people…”
Ok, my friends, let’s back up.
And then, a week or so letter, I emailed and said, enh, maybe not.
Because I actually pretty much hate having to talk about it, and it is changing so much nonstop that any attempt to do a terrific job of it not only would take a lot more time than I want to spend on it, but would be outdated in five minutes.
Somebody else is going to do it, and I am sure they will do a great job of it.
In the meantime, here is some really smart stuff about the writing as a business from Hugo Award-winning Kameron Hurley.
I had a colleagues come to me recently gushing excitedly about selling their first novel in a two-book deal. “That’s fabulous!” I said.
“I mean… the advance isn’t a lot of money, but I know the publishers and they are great people,” they said.
“Do you have an agent?”
“Oh, well… it’s not for very much money. It’s like $500.”
Alarm bells started going off in my brain. A $500 advance is basically just “go away” money. It’s pat-you-on-the-head ha ha money. “Oh, well… what kinds of rights are they asking for?” I said.
“Oh, you know, everything. World English rights, foreign rights, movie rights…”
“OK, stop right there. You’re going to give a publisher complete ownership of your novels, including movie rights, for $500?”
“Well, the publishers are really nice people…”
Ok, my friends, let’s back up.
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