4/3/07

High Risk Manuscripts

Hi LDS Publisher,

How much impact does a first-time author's sales from their first novel have on your decision to accept another manuscript from them? If a book sells only about 600 copies in the first year, would you be hesitant to accept their next manuscript, if that manuscript was good?

Thanks.


Unless I am personally committed to your cause or career, or I'm trying to impress you for some reason, sales of a previous book has a HUGE impact in whether I accept your next manuscript, because in that scenario I will have lost a ton of money.

Exceptions to this would be:
  • I made some type of marketing mistake and it's my fault they didn't sell (highly unlikely, and I'd never admit to it publicly, but it could be possible).
  • Your next manuscript was much better or would appeal to a different market.
  • You were published by another publisher and I thought perhaps I could do a better job at promotion and marketing than they did.
  • I can lock in 1,000 pre-sales before I go to press (and you would need to be the one creating the buzz for those pre-sales, because I will be thinking it won't happen).
  • You're willing to share the expense of publishing--but I would only consider this option if the manuscript was significantly better.

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