Author Scott Nicholson has a guest post over at the Ask the Publishing Guru blog in which he discusses self-publishing and how the game has changed for authors. Here’s a snippet:
The generally quoted standard advance for a new, unknown writer is $5,000. For that, the publisher usually seeks a specific time period in which to sell the book. For paperbacks, it’s a fair arrangement, since most books lose money, at least on paper. The catch now is e-books, where publishers are increasingly imposing Draconian terms that could leave the writer forever indentured.
The most onerous are the clauses that say something like, “If the book earns $100 in e-book royalties in six months, Publisher retains the electronic rights.” Ad infinitum.
Lots more make it a worthwhile read.
