Publishers Scramble to Fit Their Catalogs to New, Depressing Times

In the News:

The L A Times reports that publishers are scrambling to keep up with the new economic (and accompanying political) scene. Books like Michael Corbett's Find it, Fix It, Flip It!: Make Millions in Real Estate -- One House at a Time are just so last year they won't cut it, they think. They want books that tell people how to survive in a recession. Like Stephen Leeb's Game Over: How the Collapsing Economy Will Shrink Your Wealth by 50% Unless You Know Wht to Do.

And as a contrarian I'm thinking, maybe this is a good time to buy real estate, in a down market -- rather like my husband's uncle did in LA during the Great Depression. I'm also thinking, Oh, books on frugality like the HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers? But mine are already published. Lucky me!

That's how getting publicity works.You find what's in your book already that fits with today's news. Unlike publishers who must scramble, we must just make what already exists in our books fit. If we write only what we think will be needed next year, we just might be wrong. Find the article by Josh Getlin in Thursday's March 28 paper.

So, if I were consulting with Michael, I'd suggest he pitch the buy low and hold theory that worked so well in the 30s and 40s to radio shows. Stephen's path is obvious. What about yours? Not just in terms of the market but everything else you find on the front pages (and inside pages!) of your paper. To do this well, you need to take a fresh look at your book -- yes, even a novel, and rethink what's in it.

Look at:

1. What are the professions of your main characters? Journalist? Fireman? Writer who plagiarizes? There are lots of big stories that involve them.

2. Is the town where your book is set in the news or of special interest? (This Is the Place is set in Salt Lake City which was the home of the 2002 Winter Olympics. I managed to put that to very good use.)

3. What about the underlying theme or premise. In This Is the Place, it's the corrosive quality of even what appears to be subtle bigotry or prejudice. Mmmmm. Unfortunately that seems to fit something in the news almost every week.

4. What about the race or ethnicities of your characters?

5. What about the time in which it is set? Does that fit with the politics of today? The economics?

You get the idea. For most of us, the trick is to write what we love and disect what we have written to fit the the way things are going on any given day. Then write articles and/or pitch those ideas to radio and TV hosts.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Selling Your Book The Way People Want to Buy It

Or Your Per Book Net Profit and What You Can Do About It

Stop Whining!

You know, about how much money you make per book.

If you self-published and your margin is too small to accommodate the profit margins of bookstore or Amazon sales it's your own fault. You didn't do your homework upfront. So swallow hard and console yourself. You've learned a valuable lesson for the next time you publish.

Ditto for subsidy- or partner-published books. Your publisher doesn't give you enough royalties? Next time negotiate better or choose another publisher or, better still, self-publish (yes, a new learning curve for you but you'll have more control over your profitability).

If you're traditionally published, you made the tradeoff! You hoped for fame. And you hoped for big sales. You may have gotten one, both or neither. You knew there were no guarantees. And didn't you know, too, that the publisher was taking the financial risks and therefore needed to take a bigger share of the pie to pay for his or her expenses and to make a profit to stay in business? If you didn't, maybe you should have taken a Business 101, Basic Economics or The Essentials of Capitalism course before you embarked on what, after all, is a business. In fact, an industry!

So the fact remains, you're boo-hooing because you don't make enough per book, right? Well be comforted because volume counts for something, too. So, roll up your sleeves and go for more sales. Promote like crazy. To do that, you'll want to be able to write a picture-perfect query letter so you can:

 Pitch your next book to a publisher or agent who can be a partner in increasing your profits.

 You'll want to know how to query appropriately for feature stories on you or the content of your book.

 You'll want to know how to write a presentable cover letter to contest judges so you can win some awards to make your book stand out.

 You'll want your query to entice radio and TV producers so they'll want you on their show. To do that, get controversial -- yes, even in the query!

 You'll want to query magazine and e-zine editors to publish your articles and/or excerpts so you can build credibility for your book and more easily sell the next one. And you do that by -- you guessed it -- doing your homework. Buy a book that tells you how to do that.

By the way, The Frugal Editor is a good start on all of the above!)

And then get a few good books on promotion. You need to understand what the different kinds of editors need. And you need to know how to offer them what they want in a way that makes it supremely easy for them to pick you.

You want to sell your book any old way your customer wants to buy them. Many people prefer to buy from Amazon so why would you try to force them to buy direct from your site? What if it doesn't work and they buy somebody else's book from Amazon instead. You know, they may be at Amazon spending their money and be interested in a book like yours. Lots of people are. They may need one more book to make the minimum to get free shipping. Or they may not want to pay sales tax. Or they may not want to take the time to make two purchases, one with credit card, one with Paypal. Or they may just get ticked because you're trying to make them buy your book YOUR way, they won't buy your book regardless.

What if they like to read e-books or need a book instantly and your book isn't available that way? Yep, they'll buy somebody else's! Loyalty only extends so far.

Ditto for Kindle!

What if they long for a signed book? Do you offer a way for them to get your treasured signature? With a label sent directly to them. Your autograph is one way to entice readers to buy directly from you if you prefer that.

Many authors rely solely on online bookstore sales. Authors can avoid some or our industry problems by selling their books that way. But what about customers who prefer to buy from bookstores? You should have at least made the effort to assure that your book can be ordered for customers who request them at B&N and Borders or at your local independents.

And here's a last idea for boosting your profitability. It's especially useful for authors who have only one book. Sell another book with yours at book fairs and your speaking engagements. It helps if the second or third books are related to yours but don't duplicate it so closely that a reader wouldn't need or want both. You can offer a little gift with purchase if a customer buys both. Authors' Coalition does that at their booth at the LA Times Festival of Books.

To make something like this work, of course, the second book must be purchased in quantity and marked up. Here are some ways to do that:
 You can cross-promote with an author friend.
 Or you can contact an author, tell them your plans and ask for a bookstore discount if you buy, say, six of his or her books.
 Or you can sell The Complete Writers' Journal which was designed with this purposed in mind and is available at discounts in quantity. Find it at www.redenginepress.com.

I guess it comes down to this. We all make mistakes. But we don't benefit from them if we don't own up. Hoist up your panties, do what you can to rectify the mistake this time around and avoid making it again.

And keep learning. You do that by reading, reading, reading. Add evaluating to that list. Not all resources are born equal. Listen but don't swallow whole anything you hear or read. (I'm sure you've noticed that there is a lot of griping-to-no-purpose going around the Web!)

Once you've been around the industry a little while, it will be easier to tell if what you hear is right for you. You'll know what to adopt and what to discard. Hooray for you. Now you're a real author. An author who knows the industry you're in and how to make it work for you. The school of hard knocks isn't all bad.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Sound Authors Let's Authors Sound Off

The release below is from a radio show I will be appearing on Friday. Followers of this blog will want to know about it to query for spots of their own but also because they frequently feature authors with ideas and information about the publishing industry and that fits in with my mantra, we need to learn everything we can about the business we're in! (-: I'll be appearing this Friday.


OPENPRESS) March 19, 2008 -- Each Friday at 1PM Eastern Standard Time, Sound Authors radio show features live interviews and readings from all varieties of authors, known and not-yet-known; all soon-to-be bestselling authors from all walks of life, from Hollywood actors to marathoners, to PhD therapists or life coaches. On this talk radio show, it is the story that counts. Authors sound off on every possible topic, from cuisine to culture, and from nature to nurture.

The show also podcasts each interview separately, and all archived podcasts can be searched from the Sound Authors website at www.soundauthors.com.

The first author guest this week will be writer Saul Silas Fathi, author of Full Circle: Escape from Baghdad and the Return. The book chronicles a prominent Iraqi Jewish family's escape from persecution through the journey of one family member: A 10-years old boy who witnesses public hangings and the 1941 Krystalnacht (Farhood) in Baghdad.

The second guest featured on the show will be author and video producer Jessica Kizorek, she has written a timely book that simplifies the process of producing and distributing video on the Internet titled Show Me: Marketing with Video on the Internet. It explores the nature of the online video channel, and guides readers through practical avenues of utilizing a medium that has become a driving force in the marketing world.

The musical guest for the show this week will be legendary jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott. His career has spanned nearly sixty years, and in that time he has performed with such artists as Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, as well as a host of musicians from other genres of music, such as David Byrne, Lou Reed and Michael Stipe.

Tune in next week, March 28th, to the live show or podcast to hear Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter. She will share her professional experience as well as practical tips from the successes of her own book campaigns. She is an award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction and former publicist for a New York PR firm and a marketing instructor for UCLA's Writers' Program.

Sound Authors radio show each week is replete with authors from around the country and around the world, each telling their tales, from self-help to fiction, children’s books to thrillers, how-to books to corporate guidebooks. Original music is also featured, along with up-and-coming bands and singer-songwriters. Listen for musician interviews and fresh music each week! No need to run out to your nearest bookstore to find the next great book or CD. Tune in to Sound Authors every Friday at 1PM EST on World Talk Radio. Or check out any of the interviews on the web – they are all podcasted within a day or two of the interview. Sound Authors - where authors sound off.

Sound Authors Host Dr. Kent Gustavson’s background is in music, but his career has been in publishing. He is the owner of an independent book publisher, and a publishing consultant around the world. His many CDs and his book are available from his website online, or through the Sound Authors website.

Sound Authors
World Talk Radio Network
Voice America Network
Modavox

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Spark Up Your Media Releases

This may be the shortest blog of all. Mary Emma Allen, an old networking friend of mine, posted some tips to spark your media release on her BizNotes blog. http://www.homebiznotes.com/carolyn-howard-johnsons-tips-to-spark-your-media-releases/. Be sure to leave a comment for us both while you're there!
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

You, Your Thank You Notes and Google

Your mother would have insisted you use Google Alerts if they'd been around when you were a kid. Why? Because they are you first line of defense for writing thank you notes.

And you all know how important I think thank you notes are! You use them to keep in touch with your valuable readers and to keep networks with your editors and fellow authors alive. Yes, you also continue to send them to your great grandmother who sends you a $1 bill in your birthday card, too!

Alerts is a tool that notifies you when something you need to know about appears on line. It knows what you want to know because you tell it.
That makes it an excellent research tool, too.

Here's how you use Alerts for both thanks yous and research:

Go to http://www.google.com/alerts to create a Google Alert for the subject you are interested in. It might be your name or your book title or some of the keywords for your next book. Be sure to use quotation marks around the full phrase you want. Example: Google searches for "This Is the Place" for me because that's the title of my novel. I don't want it to notify me every time the word "place" comes up. Or, yikes! You can imagine! Or the single word "This."

Google then scans stories, blogs, websites, videos and user groups -- everywhere! -- to find information related to "This Is the Place" and then e-mails me when they find it.

This saves me time because:

~I don't have to do that "self-Googling" thing one really should do occasionally.
~I don't miss anything or don't miss much.
~I can learn when things that relate to "This Is the Place" are appearing so I can pitch feature editors, radio producers, etc. (Google gets news on things like polygamy, women's issues, etc. to me fast!

By the way, when you get a link from Google--even one that doesn't seem directly related to your book--pay attention! It can give you lots more information that you might notice at first. Things like the name of a staff writer interested in your area of expertise, or a blogger or niche magazine you didn't know about.

Put on you Alert hat and be Alert! Let Google help you do it!


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Ask Amy Expounds on Family Histories

Only the other day, Amy Dickinson, nationally distributed columnist, was asked why it "so hard to get my parents to write down their stories before it is too late."

Amy, whose column appears in the LA Times's Calendar section, suggests that the child (at whatever age) get involved. She suggests "interviewing them and taping the sessions." She says, "Start by asking them to tell stories you've heard many times before." Then move on to asking about how they met, and other open-ended questions about their earlier lives. She suggests the National Story Corps Project's website www.storycorps.net.

Now, I'm going to tell you something she was telling you indirectly. Stop whining. Get in there and do what it is you want your parents to do. Write down vignettes you were told by your parents, your grandparents, and the ones you tell your kids. Then go one step farther and write down what you didn't tell your kids. Do some genealogy work with your relatives. Once you're doing something yourself, you'll find it easier to enlist them in your project. You'll be inspired. So will they.

My book This Is the Place, would never have been published if I'd waited around for someone else to tell me their stories. I simply used the ones I had been told and wove them with my own. To make a novel of it, I had to embroider a bit and that was lots of fun. You'll never be done once you've started but I promise you will have something to leave generations to come. If I can do it you can do it! This one went on to win several awards.

Ahh, the power of storytelling! You might end up with a book to publish.

If you you want to do that, my other books, the Frugal Editor and the Frugal Book Promoter will help you with that. If you don't, just type them up and stow them with your other valuables. Make a copy for your safe deposit box.

Or go to www.creativememories.com or e-mail Debra Synott (Debra4CM@sbcglobal.net), and she'll get you started on publishing individual books with your stories, books that can even be illustrated with your pictures. You can give them to your parents for Christmas. They'll tell you how you got it all wrong. And then they'll be inspired to do books of their own. Writing is like that.

Maybe later, you'll move on and make a novel out of it. (-: If you don't believe me, ask Amy (askamy@tribune.com).

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Best Selling Author TV To Be at LA Times Festival of Books

Big Video News!

Rey Ybarra, the interviewer for the video many of you have seen and commented on is fantastic. So is his cameraman, Randy Detroit, and so is the equipment they use! And so is their knowledge about getting that video out to places that most authors know little about.

They will be filming at the Authors' Coalition booth at the LA Times Fair April 26 and 27th with a special introductory price for videos. I'm hoping lots of authors drop by to see what this team can do for them besides film a really nice video. Learn more at www.bestsellingauthortv.blogspot.com .

Explore the videos they have done there. Check out Rey's amazing past in radio and TV.

There will be more on this opportunity in my newsltter later. You can subscribe by sending me an e-mail at hojonews@aol.com. Use the same e-mail address to make advance appointments or ontact me with questions.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Book Mark-Up, Barnes and Noble and Why It's All Worth the Effort

I count myself so lucky because in the process of consulting with other authors I get to learn new things myself. Also, my clients and friends are so incredibly generous with the knowlege they glean from experience. Here is a you-shouldn't-miss-this-one letter from Christopher Meeks, a fellow UCLA Extension Writers' Program instructor. And, yes, of course he gave me permission to include it in my blog. (-: Scroll down and you'll even find some important Barnes and Noble contact information.

Carolyn--

I learned a lot yesterday more about the workings of Barnes and Noble in relation to my signing on June 13th that's sponsored by Barnes and Noble. At one point, I had an executive in the B&N Small Press Department, Diane Simowski, call me, and between her and others, here are a few points I learned that impact POD publishers:

o POD titles are rarely on the shelves of a Barnes & Noble unless two conditions are met: they are returnable, and there's at least a 40% discount.

o B&N's computers show that a book's title is either a short discount or retail. A short discount means it's less than a 40% discount, which means a customer who wants it has to prepay it before it can be ordered. Individual stores are not supposed to order books for their shelves that have less than a 40% discount.

o The Small Press Department really won't help POD publishers because the department is basically meant for old-fashioned publishers who are small (under 4' 11"... kidding). That is, if one self-published a book and has boxes of books in the garage, an author can send his/her book to the Small Press department if it'll match various critieria, as follows:

- B&N will get at least a 40% discount
- Books can be returnable
- There is a marketing campaign, which you have to give details on
- You have a copy of the book (no manuscripts accepted)
- Trade reviews are a plus
- You have a note explaining what makes the book unique
- Your book can be purchased from one of B&N's approved wholesalers; B&N will not purchase directly to a publisher or author; therefore, an author/publisher has to make a distribution deal with one of these wholesalers and still leave a 40% margin for B&N

If you can meet these criteria, then send your book and all the details about it to:

Small Press Dept.
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
122 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10011

Once the book is evaluated and the criteria are met, the Small Press Department will show the book to their buyers, and the buyers decide whether or not to order any books. Diane said each buyer might decide on ordering one or two books to try it out at a store first.

Originally, I was told that for my event, B&N wanted to order my books a month in advance, which meant my book had to be available at that point. That meant if B&N could order it, so could anyone, and it would be available on Amazon.com. Diane underscored what you said, Carolyn, which is publication dates are not all that holy. JK Rowling's books might be strict, but many others are not. Hence, my book with a June 13th publication date might be available in May.

I also learned that my first book, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea, listed at $12.95--which originally had a 40% discount to bookstores--now has only a 15% discount from Ingram to bookstores. That means there's not a lot of incentive for a bookstore to want it, and at B&N, anyone who wants it has to prepay. That kind of kills the book completely at bookstores. If Barnes and Noble can get at least a 40% discount, their computers will show the book as retail, and thus they won't make the customer prepay. Individual stores who like the book--if it gets good press thanks to a good frugal book promoter--can order it more easily for their store. Less than that discount, managers are not supposed to order it at all.

I now need to find out if Lulu can bump up the list price and if so, how much will it cost me? If it costs me $100 to change the price as I think it will, and I bump up the list price to $14.95, which will be the price of my new book, I might make only 32 cents more per book (at a 16% royalty), which means I will have to sell 625 books to pay for the increase, which is unlikely in the next year.

So as I go into the marketing of my new book, these are things on my mind. There's no point in my sending my book to the Small Press Department at Barnes and Noble because my book won't meet the criteria. Some POD publishers now will offer returnability, but that means authors won't be getting as much royalty because money will be held to pay for returns. Then again, if you get more sales in bookstores, it's something to consider. I don't know if Lulu offers that, but I'll investigate.

As for my opening, I'm now told I should bring all the copies of the books, which B&N will sell. They will then order that many books from Ingram and give those books back to me to replace the ones they sold. Why give B$N so much profit? If I sell a hundred books or more that night, I'll show up on the Los Angeles area best seller list. Once on the list, people will take note, and the book can keep selling. I'm told one author who sold over a hundred at her opening landed on the list and stayed there for a year. Now my trick is to get people to come to the reading & publication party on June 13th at the Beverly Hills Library. The reading will be done by four different actors, so it's a paid performance. The library sells $10 tickets for the performance, but I have to say, it's a good show. There will also be food and drinks, so it should make a good night.

Best,

Chris Meeks

Diane L. Simowski
Small Press Dept.
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
122 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10011
tel: (212) 633-3549
fax: (212) 463-5677
dsimowski@bn.com
www.bn.com
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

Connie Mroch Focuses on Great Danes and Frugality. Go Figure! (-:

I'm sending writers who blog this link because:

a. it is a blog that is a bit different in terms of the way it presents authors--obviously for the pleasure of all those who read but also for a change for authors who may be tired of the same old interviews.
b. because it give me a chance to brag a bit about my dogs. Ha!

In any case, I hope knowing about Courtney Mroch's blog at http://pets.families.com/blog/frugality-and-great-danes-an-interview-with-author-carolyn-howard-johnson will interest you if for no other reason than to see pictures of my new Great Dane. Malibu (her full name is Malibu Barbie!) is what they call a "blue." Sort of gun-metal grey with that bluish tinge. Her ears were clipped when we rescued her. Anyone interested in rescuing a large breed, e-mail me (hojonews@aol.com) and I'll give you the information you need to do so.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.

How Novelists Can Avoid Getting the Shaft with a Movie Deal..Well, OK. How They Can Try

People keep asking me about the writers' strike. That's because I live in LA and wrote a never-produced screenplay. Wowee! Such Qualifications!

So, I couldn't add much that wasn't in all the papers in every city in the nation during the strike. But here's a story that you may not have heard and, yes, I think it will inform many of you, just in case you should ever get lucky enough (we know we're talented enough, right?) to get an offer from a studio to make our book into a movie.

In Column One of the LA Times on Wednesday, Feb. 13, Times Staff Writer Josh Getlin reported on Deborah Gregory's experience. She's the novelist who came out of nowhere to write the Cheetah Girl novels. Disney saw the potential and now—with Disney's powerhouse promotion behind it—her characters are in films, CDs, toys. You name it.

Here's the thing. Aside from the option fees and payment for her title as co-producer of the movies—reportedly at $125,000—she hasn't seen any royalties. The real lesson here isn't that she was given the shaft. The real reason is she was given the shaft because she didn't negotiate properly. And you need to know what she did wrong so you won't do it when your luck is riding high. Here's the dope:

 Studios write contracts so that royalties are paid on net profits.
 Studios know how to cook books so that movies never really make a net profit.
 Even a good agent can't get better contracts from studios because the studios know a) authors are desperate and b) the studios are willing to walk away from a deal that they don't like.

So, what I can tell from this sad little story is that the only things an author can do if he or she is approached by a studio are:

 Don't get too starry eyed. Reality is not likely to be what you think it will be.
 Try to get as much as you can in the upfront money because you will probably never see any tail-end money.
 You can try to negotiate royalties based on gross profits rather than net profits. (Don't plan on that, though--remember, the studios are willing to walk away.)
 Oh, yeah. Get an agent and/or a manager. Preferably one with lots of experience and a background in law.

Now, in case you think that this couldn't happen to you, Getlin reports in a related story that ran the same day (p. A22) that there are many, many authors out there with similar stories. They include Olivia Goldsmith who wrote The First Wives Club; Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump: Alice Walker who wrote The Color Purple: and Art Buchwald who wrote Coming to America.

Need I remind anyone that Buchwald wasn't a little emerging writer when this happened to him. The movie based on his book grossed $350 million but the studios claimed they didn't make enough money to pay net profits. Buchwald won an undisclosed settlement but, alas, the decision will not apply to your case if you should ever be so lucky (or unlucky) to have to fight for your due. It's a small legality but a big one for those who came after him.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author THIS IS THE PLACE; HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED; TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T; and THE FRUGAL EDITOR: PUT YOUR BEST BOOK FORWARD TO AVOID HUMILIATION AND ENSURE SUCCESS.
Her other blogs include TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.