Contracts -- Walking Away
Sometimes when you are negotiating contracts you have to be willing to walk away from the whole deal.
And you should know whether you are willing to walk away BEFORE negotiations go on because this is a big decision that shouldn't be made in the course of a few minutes or hours. This affects your career.
You have to know your limits and what you are willing to do and not do and be COMFORTABLE (or at least reconciled) to walking away. Otherwise regret and bitterness could follow.
I wasn't ready to walk away from the Summoning series mid-series. I was willing to take short deadlines and combine 3 books into 2 to finish that series, and I made that decision within a half hour, but I have had to live with the consequences and will for the rest of my life. I would do it again, but I would ask more questions. The whole thing blindsided me at the time.
Most of the power in this business is with the publisher unless you are a multi-million dollar author, so you get a yes/no decision, do the deal or not.
Be prepared for that.
May you be sharp today.
Robin
And you should know whether you are willing to walk away BEFORE negotiations go on because this is a big decision that shouldn't be made in the course of a few minutes or hours. This affects your career.
You have to know your limits and what you are willing to do and not do and be COMFORTABLE (or at least reconciled) to walking away. Otherwise regret and bitterness could follow.
I wasn't ready to walk away from the Summoning series mid-series. I was willing to take short deadlines and combine 3 books into 2 to finish that series, and I made that decision within a half hour, but I have had to live with the consequences and will for the rest of my life. I would do it again, but I would ask more questions. The whole thing blindsided me at the time.
Most of the power in this business is with the publisher unless you are a multi-million dollar author, so you get a yes/no decision, do the deal or not.
Be prepared for that.
May you be sharp today.
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 10:46 AM
4 Comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hi again, So this is probably an obvious question but ... What were the consequences? It's good you got to finish the series, right? Also, why did they *make* you do it this way - 3-books into 2? is it really just sales?
This all sounds so cut throat. Isn't this awfulness what an agent is for? To semi-protect you and your work?
The short deadlines were very tough for me, making the 3 books into 2 and deciding how to do it in a few days so I could write the books and hit the deadlines was rough also.
Luna was not prepared to buy 3 more books in the Summoning series, I was not informed why, so I was presented with the deal and whether to do it or not.
I trust my agent, and am sure she got the best she could for me, but she can only present what the bottom line is as stated by the publisher. If they won't negotiate any more, that's it, I have to decide whether to accept it or not.
Robin
OK Thanks for explaining. :)
That's a real bummer about why series end. Its surprising since much crap *does* manage to get published and gluts a genre (ex:vamp) readers have a harder time finding gems -Nalini Singh's Psy -series.
Naturally, I would have to fall in love with novels/characters on the endangered list.
I keep hoping Doris Egan will continue her IVORY series ... Or that Susan Sizemore will finish the "Laws of the Blood" series - (different from her current vamps).
Post a Comment
<< Home