NPL Publishing Consultants

Well, I am at it again.

I am sure Robert Gottlieb is a perfectly decent guy. Well known, properly credentialled in the industry, and likely with more experience than I in dealing with author negotiations and ‘big deals’. He is, according to PW, a couple years younger than I, and has been in the business about as long…

And I understand that, as an agent, his job is to get as much as humanly possible for his clients. The article profiling him speaks of fighting, confronting, being vocal, and battling. Apparently, his reputation precedes him… and that, my friends, is often a good thing.

Unfortunately, for us, as publishers, he does, indeed, represent the enemy. And maybe he speaks in hyperbole to get attention, or let his clients know he is working for them… but really now…

When did authors become “PARTNERS” in the publishing financial process?

His quote, the headline of my article, speaks to the concept that with eBooks, since it is cheaper to produce them, that publishers are going to have to “share” that additional profit with authors. (And you wonder why I avoided EVER taking on an author who had an agent.)

Despite the fact that the author and the publisher are NOT on an equal footing, no mater how much fighting Mr. Gottlieb does… and despite the fact that authors and publishers are NOT “partners” and never will be unless they BOTH invest… in any sense of the word… he is demanding that publishers share every nickel of profit with them… likely 3 cents to the author and 2 to the publisher.

I am just curious, Mr. Gottlieb… if I find a way to print my books less expensively… maybe a bigger press run, or printing offshore, do your agreements call for me to “share” those additional profits as well? Or is this a new area you simply haven’t started ‘fighting’ about yet? (If you do, I want 15% of whatever you get using this new method of revenue enhancement.)

As I have maintained for years… if an author is unhappy with her/his deal, by all means, just like buses, there’s another publisher coming down the road in ten minutes. I ONLY do business with authors who are happy, if not ecstatic, to be part of my organization. It is the only karma that works. If we’re busy fighting and confronting over every last nickel and dime… the relationship in my mind is dead in the water on day one. If I can’t make MY comfort zone profit in a deal, I won’t do it. I wonder how many authors wind up at their third or fourth or no choice publishing house because of this ‘adversarial’ stance?

Publishers: There is an abundance of quality material out there… authors are self publishing at a frenetic rate… just keep your eyes open, advertise for qualified authors to join your group, and keep away from agents. Now this irrational avoidance of agents may make Mr. Gottlieb happy, but somehow I don’t think it enhances the general relationship among authors, agents, and publishers.

Keep your powder dry and your stick on the ice.