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Worrying Trends
Jun. 1st, 2006 08:06 pmI've only written about four pages so far today, but have got four hours till midnight.
I have been thinking disturbing thoughts about the publishing industry today. From Martha Wells blog...
"...my fantasy publisher is unhappy with my sales and probably won't want another book from me. The sales were better than the previous books; The Wizard Hunters is the only one that's been out long enough for me to really tell, but it sold more paperbacks in the first year it was out than Wheel of the Infinite did in three years. But the publisher wanted a break-out bestseller, and didn't get one. So they haven't pushed the books enough to really do any good, especially The Gate of Gods. They new books have been very hard to find in most chain stores, and they're letting my backlist go out of print, so after the last book comes out in paperback, I suspect that will be it."
Despite having more sales, the publisher wants to bail???? On really good books?
Truthfully, I don't think that the publisher has been pushing it at all, which is a frightening thing for anyone hoping to get a book published in the future. I don't see these excellent books in the chain stores, despite their being new.
There were some people griping about not being able to get hold of two of Ansen Dibell's books because they were only published in Dutch and French (yes, I was among them). They were never published in the States, probably becasue they were too complex for readers who prefer simple plots. Who knows. I'm hoping that this isn't the way the industry goes--you have one shot, and then your backlist disappears. Woe to anyone who didn't buy your books before then.
I can find Dibell's books Used in France for exorbitant prices, plus shipping. (Aux Confins de l'Ouragan runs about 100 Euros, while Le Soliel du Grand Retour is more reasonable), but those were originally published in the 80s. Martha Well's first book, The Element of Fire, can be found from 55 to 100 dollars used in the States. I wonder why publishers don't look at the prices people are willing to pay for used books and realize that some of us want to go back and read works from authors we didn't know were great then....
The only thing I can think to do is to badger my friends to buy the books. I'll get the librarian I know to put it in their HS library.
I have been thinking disturbing thoughts about the publishing industry today. From Martha Wells blog...
"...my fantasy publisher is unhappy with my sales and probably won't want another book from me. The sales were better than the previous books; The Wizard Hunters is the only one that's been out long enough for me to really tell, but it sold more paperbacks in the first year it was out than Wheel of the Infinite did in three years. But the publisher wanted a break-out bestseller, and didn't get one. So they haven't pushed the books enough to really do any good, especially The Gate of Gods. They new books have been very hard to find in most chain stores, and they're letting my backlist go out of print, so after the last book comes out in paperback, I suspect that will be it."
Despite having more sales, the publisher wants to bail???? On really good books?
Truthfully, I don't think that the publisher has been pushing it at all, which is a frightening thing for anyone hoping to get a book published in the future. I don't see these excellent books in the chain stores, despite their being new.
There were some people griping about not being able to get hold of two of Ansen Dibell's books because they were only published in Dutch and French (yes, I was among them). They were never published in the States, probably becasue they were too complex for readers who prefer simple plots. Who knows. I'm hoping that this isn't the way the industry goes--you have one shot, and then your backlist disappears. Woe to anyone who didn't buy your books before then.
I can find Dibell's books Used in France for exorbitant prices, plus shipping. (Aux Confins de l'Ouragan runs about 100 Euros, while Le Soliel du Grand Retour is more reasonable), but those were originally published in the 80s. Martha Well's first book, The Element of Fire, can be found from 55 to 100 dollars used in the States. I wonder why publishers don't look at the prices people are willing to pay for used books and realize that some of us want to go back and read works from authors we didn't know were great then....
The only thing I can think to do is to badger my friends to buy the books. I'll get the librarian I know to put it in their HS library.
