Lara's Wanderings

I don’t usually write posts about topics in the news, but this merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster being sued by the government is a big deal to all in the book business. You can read a good summary article here: https://apnews.com/article/stephen-king-government-and-politics-b3ab31d8d8369e7feed7ce454153a03c

As an indie author who is self-published and as a graphic designer who has worked for publishers, I can offer a few thoughts that most news articles are not talking about. This lawsuit from the government is focused on the decrease of advances for authors who typically received more than $250,000. Technically, this is not a monopoly on selling books, but rather just a monopoly on paying for a product. Since Amazon actually is the biggest seller of books in the world and has unclear stats for how many self-published authors publish through them, this direction for the law suit makes sense.

For many years I personally have tried to break into the traditional publishing world with my novels. Most “publishers” in the directories you purchase to submit your books are actually sub-”imprints” of the big 5 publishers. These often require you to have an agent to even send your book in. Many of the agents I have contacted replied that they were not taking on new authors.

There are hundreds of small publishers, though. This is the counter argument that the bog publishers are using. The vast majority of these are niche publishers who focus a very specific genre and even topic in that genre. Many of these publisher print 5 to ten new titles a year, mostly from their established authors. On top of all this, the average advance on a book from a new author is $5000, not $250,000.

From what I understand, (since I am not traditionally published, I may be wrong), for a new author, especially in fiction, to get published, they either need to be incredibly lucky or know someone. I have heard of authors going to conferences and paying the extra fees to get to sit with a publisher and show their work. I believe this is how “The Name of the Wind” got published. Unfortunately, many of us authors don’t have this much money to through at a chance to get seen.

I have sent out tons of inquires to many publishers and agents. The replies are never about my ideas or my letter at all. 99% of the replies to my inquires are form letters that they have too many manuscripts and have no time for mine. I have published many short stories with great feedback, so I know I am not a horrible writer. My self-published books get good reviews and even win awards. Yet, I can not get a traditional publisher to even look at my book.

Because of this tight and tiny possibility to get published as an unknown new author, thousands of authors have turned to self-publishing. A few authors have had blockbuster success on single novels. These are often offered contracts by traditional publisher after they become famous. Many indie authors I have seen make a living by producing lots of books or even novellas.

The vast majority of self-published authors sell less than 200 books and quiet. This low number does not directly reflect the quality of these books. I personally have reviewed some very good self-published books that were eventually taken off the market because the author falsely believed that readers have rejected them and we’re too hurt to continue pushing for publicity and sales.

A representative of one of the publishers said in this trial that marketing doesn’t sell books; it just gets them seen. This is a bunch of hogwash! Marketing can sell ice to an Eskimo. As a professional graphic designer, you can sell anything with enough marketing dollars. I also have personally reviewed books by the big publishers that I felt was political trash disguised as fiction. Big advances are paid to authors based on their name recognition, not based on the quality of their book. Once a new author gets famous for writing a good book, then they get a bigger advance on the next book. Marketing is the primary purpose of why these publishers even exist.

Graphics designers don’t make much money on print design. Illustrators make very little per cover. Editing costs is about the same as the others. Even paper per book is only 1/3 of the cost of the book at the most. Sn author’s royalties on a traditionally published book is between 5% and 15% (if you are famous). The majority of the money spent on a successful book is on marketing. This means that these big publishers have a vast advantage over everyone else in selling books.

So what does this have to do with this merger then?

Everything!

Stephen King volunteered to testify on behalf of the government against the publishers because he argued that this merger was bad for new authors and small publishers. This was not the lone of conversation everyone else was having. It had been rich people talking about rich people. King came in and has cut to the real heart of the issue which is getting new blood in the publishing world.

I saw one article discuss how this merger reduced the opportunities for diversity. I totally agree with this point, but not just for minorities. Theses big publishers all exist in New York. We need diverse points of view from around the country and around the world. If a minority person is published for repeating the view of the white publisher, there might be a diversity of race, but one of point of view. Everyone has a bias and the best way to have a diversity of worldviews is by having many equally competitive publishers.

Diversity in worldview is not the only diversity we need. We need many ideas or what good art and good writing is. When any art form, from books to paintings to music to movies, gets stuck selling only what fits a formula for high dollar sales, culture deteriorates to the basest tastes, like junk food for the soul.

I am not saying all books need to be some kind of unreliable academic fiction. Some people think this is what classic novels of times past were. Completely untrue! Many of our classic novels are stand-alone books written by previously unknown authors. Some of these authors never wrote another book.

With the Big 5 publishers getting bigger and owing more to stockholders than either authors or buyers, they will choose the path of safety. This means buying books from those who have an extensive fan base already, whether a writer or actors, or politicians. Competition in a buyer’s market means taking risks. Risk means give new unknown authors a fighting chance.

So is this long post about an indie author being jealous of the marketing money and power of the Big 5 publishers? Is it a self-published author wishing deep down that there was just a small door open to a traditional publisher who could help her books get in front of the right audience? I would be lying if I said that these motives are not true.

I have also heard the hurting hearts of so many others who feel this way too. I often ponder how many of our classic novels would have never been published had they been written today. To get one gem, a publisher does have to risk many duds. My books could be a gem or could be a dud, but to have a large market of equally competitive publishers allows the public try they a vast assortment of writing styles.

So, will stopping this merger fox all of this?

No.

Publishing has been around for a long time and trends come and go. I hope that this trend of consulting publishing into a few big companies can be stopped and turned to swing in the other direction for a time. Only time will tell if this case can be that turning point or not.

Check out my young adult fantasy fiction novels HERE for something optimistic and fun.

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