"Personal" question(s) to John Jarrold

[John Jarrold]

It does. We have two Waterstones stores in Lincoln. The one that used to be an Ottakars still fights to have tailored stock, is proactive and is far better for authors and events. The Waterstones that has always been Waterstones is a clone of any other Waterstones, often doesn't take Book of the Month as seriously (especially if it isn't price promoted) and I don't use it.

[Karen Dales]

Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton

Here is one that I know about: Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons to Help You Sell Your Work: Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen: Books

Thanks so much Teresa. I'm definitely going to check it out.

Karen

[John Jarrold]

Should be useful for all new writers, I think! As I've said elsewhere, writing the book and getting a sale to a publisher is the beginning of an author's work, not the end...

[Sassysara]

Hi John,

Only joined this site yesterday and it's great, can't believe that I can talk to so many people about writing, fantasy and Lord of the Rings. I will no longer have to bore my friends and family. I will be sending you some more to read on Monday for editing, sorry about that. Thanks again for your input, it's given me the drive to get it finished.

Sara

[John Jarrold]

Onwards! Us Lincolnshire inhabitants got to stick together...

I really enjoy seeing all the posts here. It's like the first time I went to an SF convention in 1973, and realised I was part of a huge family.

[Triceratops]

Hi, John. I'm getting word that thrillers are a pretty hot ticket with English publishers. I'm wondering if that applies to paranormal thrillers, as well. Or, what might be the English 'cup of tea' for an entertaining thriller?

I have a DNA experiment that produces a hybrid female wolf that gets chased through the Wyoming (backwoods) countryside. It is not the typical lycanthropy tale that involes shape-shifting (werewolves), silver bullets, or howling at the moon. So I think that it could be classified as a straight thriller, without the paranormal conotation. In fact, my agent said it was a Crichton-esque type thriller.

Anything like that appeal to the English markets? If so, could you direct me to a list of such publishers, or a link perhaps?

Much thanks for all you do. You're very accessible here and we appreciate your participation--more than you would know.

Yours,

Tri (Chris)

[John Jarrold]

It sounds like something Orbit, Bantam or Gollancz might be interested in, Tri - I'd still class it as a supernatural/scientific thriller, if werewolves are involved. Sounds like a Stephen Gallagher style novel.

'Thrillers' takes in a huge market - from John Le Carre to Lee Child and many others. I couldn't pinpoint an area other than post-Da Vinci historical conspiracy thrillers that jumps out at me. But remember that for every one of those published, hundreds will be turned down (this is also true of supernatural thrillers, of course).

[Triceratops]

Thanks, John, that's good to know. I completely forgot about orbit, and it's certainly one of largest over there. I believe you are correct in that it does have a certain supernatural flavor to it. As much as I'd like to distance myself from it, or give it a different spin, I'm afraid it's still werewolf tale.

Tri

[Troo]

Orbit are very lovely people, too.

I'm sure Bantam and Gollancz are as well, but have no experience of either.

[John Jarrold]

Since I used to run Orbit, I can only agree with you!

[ctg]

Royalties kick in after the advance has earned out - they are usually something like 10% of the cover price on hardbacks and 7.5% of the cover price on paperbacks (although there are other arcane percentages involved too). And yes, once the advance has earned out, the author gets a royalty on every sale.

What is the industry standard royalty rate? 10 % for the first 5000 book sold, 12.5% for the next 5000 book sold and 15% from the rest? How does the translation rights and royalties work?

[Doctor Sax]

From the self-publishing thread:

Originally Posted by garycompton

As i have said before I was inspired to start writing when I watched a BBC documentary on Sheila Quigley in 2004 I think it was, she was with the Darley Anderson Agency. Her advance was for £300,000 - how did she get so much? is it to do with the genre she is writing in?

Hmm. I really hope it wasn't the £300 grand advance that inspired you to start writing, because the odds are you (and me, and all of us on this board) are going to be sorely disappointed.

[John Jarrold]

The hardback escalator rates vary, but that wouldn't be far off, and a paperback escalator can come in at different levels too (it can rise from 7.5% to 10% after 25,000 copies) - and if the UK publisher has world rights, US and translation rights will be split roughly 75/25 or 80/20 in the author's favour.

Of course, the great majority of books published never sell enough copies to reach the first escalator, in hardback or paperback!

Have a nice weekend, eveyrone...

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by Doctor Sax

From the self-publishing thread:



Hmm. I really hope it wasn't the £300 grand advance that inspired you to start writing, because the odds are you (and me, and all of us on this board) are going to be sorely disappointed.

Too right.

[Scarfy]

Write because you enjoy it, not for the financial reward.

It can be difficult to balance a working life with a writing life, but if you have the passion you will find a way...