Getting a multi-book deal–what does it mean?
Getting a multi-book deal sounds pretty dream-worthy. Like, the only thing better than getting one book published is having several, right? Well, like everything in life, there are some wonderful things about multi-book deals…and some bad.
Disclaimer: I am more grateful than you can ever, EVER know about becoming a published author. But everyday I learn new things about this whole “writing under contract” that I had no idea about before I sold my book. I don’t want you to think I’m complaining; I am merely stating the way things are in my life and also the lives of many of my author friends. C’est la vie d’un auteur. 🙂
Why Getting a Multi-book Deal is Awesome
1. The obvious reason is that you’ve just sold three books. You’re guaranteed >1 published novel–huzzah!*
2. Your first advance is kinda big. I mean, not necessarily huge, but certainly the biggest of your advance checks. Why? Because it’s your “Signing Advance”. For example, in a three book deal where each book sold for $15K, then each book’s advance will be split three ways. This means each advance check will be $5K. HOWEVER, that first signing check is nice and fat because you just signed for all three books. So you’re first check is a wopping $15K. Yippee!**
3. You can brag to people about selling multiple books because it sounds really wicked cool.
*Nothing–absolutely nothing is guaranteed in publishing. Or life, for that matter. See #1 under The Rough Parts.
**Publishing never, ever, EVER pays on time and it’s very hard to live from check to check in this biz since you only get ~2 checks a year. Plus, you’re gonna lose 15% of each check to your agent (and they are worth every penny!) and then another 25% to Uncle Sam. So of the starting $15K on your signing check, you’ll only actually get $9,500. Ouch, huh?
Why Getting a Multi-book Deal Can Also Be Rough
1. If your first book flops, the publisher can cancel your contract. OR if you sold a series and the series flops, then they cancel the series. In that case, you might be expected to write other books to fulfill the contract you signed. Does that make sense? So for example, if you sell a four book series but the first book fails, then they might not publish books 2-4. Instead, they’ll expect you to write 3 different books. And consider, you’ll probably already have written and turned in books 2 & 3 before the publisher even knows book 1 didn’t sell. So…under that 4-book contract, you could feasibly end up writing 7 books.*
2. You’re writing a book that you might not want to write on a deadline you might not be able to meet. Think about that for a minute. Your next book will be due soon. Soon could mean a few months or maybe a whole year, but it’s still soon. Probably less time than it took you to write that first book. You need to write the contracted book, revise it, send it to your crit partners, and revise it again all before you turn it into your editor.
NOW, some people are better writers than me, and they don’t need as many revisions as I do…but alas, I’m not one of those people. I wrote, revised, rewrote, and revised again A Darkness Strange and Lovely in 3 months. Do. Not. EVER DO THIS. Like many debut authors, I way over-estimated my ability for how quickly I could write a book. A Darkness Strange and Lovely almost killed me. I am trying to be smarter with book 3. I started writing it this month and I already have 20K. However, considering that I only finished book 2 a few months ago, my inspiration to work on book 3 is kinda low. It’s taking a lot of force of will to hammer out new words each day. But I have to BICHOK anyway.
3. Not only do you have to write multiple books, but you also have to promote multiple books. Right now, I’m spending a solid chunk (~3-4 hours) each day preparing promotional stuff for book 1…I also need to write book 3 and work on editorial revisions for book 2. There is no leftover time for writing what I want to write–which is Screechers. I gave Screechers a full month of TLC, and now–even though it destroys my little soul–I have to set it aside for what’s in my contract. This is kinda tied to #2 above. And #4 below.
4. Kiss vacation goodbye. Even with a single book deal, you have NO idea when you’re next moment of free time will be. I have no idea what will be expected of me in the next six months–both in terms of revising/writing under contract and also in terms of book promotion. I do not foresee any vacations for a long, looooong time. My poor husband.
5. Kiss free time and weekends goodbye. See #4. It’s kind of the same, just on a day to day scale. My poor, poor husband.
6. If you still work a day job or are in school, then consider how much time you actually have in a day to work on your writing. It might not be enough, plain and simple. I know more than a few authors killing themselves to meet deadlines…and even more who kill themselves and then need extensions. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just how it is.
7. Oh! I just thought of one more. Coming up with the plots for sequels is REALLY HARD. If you sold book 1 as a “series with standalone potential” (as most debut authors do) then you will be faced with creating a new story that can last X-amount of books. You’re faced with writing the same characters for X-amount of books and working in the same world for X-amount of books. To some people, this might be a great thing (so let’s make it #4 under Awesome, just with happy language), but to others, it can be a real challenge.
*Don’t worry. I only a know a few people to whom this has happened. I don’t think it’s that common.
Why I’m Telling You This
Contrary to what you might think, I’m not telling you all this to scare you. Or to complain about my lack of vacation time (I can hear my brother all the way across the world making a sarcastic “WAAH” sound at me). The purpose of this post was just so you know what to expect when you set out to write a series. Or write ANY book under contract, for that matter. For example, when you sell a book based on a proposal (synopsis + partial MS), then you’re facing a lot of the same issues.
Some people have no problem with the Rough Parts–some of my close friends, in fact, manage with no trouble at all. They can hammer out beautiful prose with no need to feel inspired, and they are 100% able to juggle families, full-time jobs, and hobbies to boot (here’s looking at you Kat Brauer).
But people like ME find it a challenge. It is a challenge I’m willing to face (as I proved with my stupid write-a-sequel-in-3-months debacle), but it was also a challenge I never expected. I can’t lie: I do miss the days of writing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Of dropping X book to work on Y book…and then head off to dabble with Z book. But I’m also very, very happy to be exactly where I am today. (Even if self-promotion scares the willies out of shy old me.)
So the overal moral of the story is that there’s good and bad in multi-book deals. And at the end of the day, there’s a whole LOT in favor of writing a single, solitary, standalone book (and publishers are actively seeking them! REMEMBER THIS!).
You tell me: As a writer, do you tend to write single books or series? What about as a reader–are you more likely to read standalones or series?
♥
May 16, 2012 @ 1:05 pm
Thanks for the great info! I don’t think I ever thought about what it would be like to be a published author other than the occasional dream of seeing my book on a shelf or in someone’s hands! How do you keep from going crazy? Do you take at least a couple of hours and relax?
May 17, 2012 @ 4:37 am
Honestly? No. My relaxation comes in the form of a ~20 minutes of sudoku right before bed. 🙂 I haven’t read a book in ages. It’s terrible, but I’m really hoping things settle down soon…Though I have a feeling they won’t settle down until around October. EEK! Who knew self-promotion was going to be such a huge time-suck? But I know it’s all for the best in the end. 🙂
May 16, 2012 @ 3:01 pm
I’m going to be honest–I don’t know how I do it, either. Pretty sure I’m forgetting at least one very important thing every day.
I admire YOU. <3 Because you look at this Rough but Fun time, you give it the stink eye for a bit, and then you finish it off with a GREAT BIG HUG. You are so determined and focused, and I really think that's phenomenal. Mucho amour.
May 17, 2012 @ 4:38 am
<3 <3 <3 And you're to whom I look for inspiration. How you do all you do in a year is…frightening. And awe-inspiring.
May 16, 2012 @ 4:59 pm
Very informative and honest post.
Although I will eventually seek to be published, in the back of my mind I wonder if I could produce under the stress of deadlines. I guess knowing what to expect, and mentally preparing for it is a start. But still, knowing and actually being put in that situation are two very different things. Very, very scary.
But it’s definitely something to think about/consider if your ultimate goal is to be a mult- published author.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
May 17, 2012 @ 4:42 am
You know, if I had known what would be involved before I set out to get published, I wouldn’t have let it stop me. But I might have prepared a bit–found a balance to writing/revising/promotion *before* I was actually on deadline. Even though I know many writers can pump out multiple novels a year (romance writers never cease to amaze me in this regard), I am one of those people who needs at least 6 months…preferably a full year. But, alas, that’s not an option. Actually, there’s a really interesting article here (
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/business/in-e-reader-age-of-writers-cramp-a-book-a-year-is-slacking.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=e-reader%20age&st=Search ) about why that is…
May 16, 2012 @ 9:32 pm
Thanks for the honesty. I’m writing 2 series. Well, technically 1 1/2 because I haven’t even started the 2nd book in the second series. My first series is a snarky mystery and book #1 is with a small press. I’m continuing the next books in this series by self pubbing as frankly, I can make more money on my own. The 2nd series is YA and hasn’t caught on yet. (Two different genres.) No one and my mother knows me as a YA author. So – Who knows? Anyhow. Love your blog. You’re so informative. Best,
May 17, 2012 @ 4:43 am
Thanks! I’m so glad you like my blog. 🙂 Since you’re writing two series, how often do you get the next book out? And, if you don’t mind me asking, do you find it difficult to meet deadlines or totally manageable?
May 17, 2012 @ 5:00 am
Oopsies, I replied to myself. See that post, Susan. Thanks.
May 17, 2012 @ 4:59 am
Deadlines/Schmedlines.
Actually my deadlines are currently imposed by my readers who want the next book in the series, as well as my knowledge that a new author can disappear from sight if she doesn’t produce the next book in a timely fashion.
I wrote Cupcakes, Lies, and Dead Guys and waited for my agent to sell it. Agent was fired and agency fired me as it hadn’t sold yet. Then Krill Press (teensy publisher) picked it up and ran with it late 2010. During this time I wrote my YA – The Messenger’s Handbook.
Then people liked the Cupcakes book and wanted the next – which I’d started but hadn’t finished. So I set that novel down and wrote a novella. I self-pubbed Cupcakes, Sales and Cocktails – A Novella before Christmas 2011. Shopped TMH to agents, (sigh,) while writing next Cupcakes novel – Cupcakes, Pies, and Hot Guys. Got discouraged agent shopping and self-pubbed TMH in April 2012. It hasn’t caught on yet.
Will self pub Hot Guys this summer. Then figure out next in TMH series and another Cupcakes novella.
I don’t really have a life except for yoga and writing and working.
Keep up the good work and the good blog. It will pay off.
Here are my links.
The Messenger’s Handbook 1st book in Young adult romantic time travel thriller. http://tinyurl.com/6rfl3rnCupcakes, Lies, and Dead Guys – 1st book in comedic mystery series. http://tinyurl.com/4ryaa8g Cupcakes, Sales, and Cocktails – A Novella – 2nd book in Cupcakes series. http://tinyurl.com/78uvnodCupcakes Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0BK3FDI_ckBest,Pam DuMond
May 17, 2012 @ 4:32 am
I am 20k in to writing book 2, and having so many troubles finding time to work on it! I had always planned to get it done way ahead of time so I wouldn’t stress, but I hadn’t anticipated how much time everything else would take! Your write-a-sequel-in-3-months debacle scares me. Not only because I write slow, but I find myself inching ever closer to that same time frame. O_oAs far as series– I like to write in a series, but when it comes to reading, either works.
May 17, 2012 @ 4:45 am
Well, hey–at least you’re starting now and not putting off like I did. But you’re right that everything else takes up SO MUCH TIME. Revising for your editor; blogging and doing all that; writing the next book; revising more for your editor. But you’ll manage. We all do. 😉 And like I said, you’re ahead of most authors in that you didn’t overestimate how quickly you could write. You started early and that will pay off a lot!
May 17, 2012 @ 6:06 pm
So fascinating. I think this is informative and helpful– so many focus on “the agent” or “the deal” but it’s good to be reminded of THE WORK. :0)
May 18, 2012 @ 7:30 am
As a reader, I greatly prefer standaones just because waiting around for a sequel to tie off the storylines is killer to someone as impatient as I am, but at the same time after I spend a whole book falling in love with great characters, I love knowing that I get to read more books about them!
Very eye-opening post – I guess I am guilty of assuming that writing full time is kind of a self-employed gig, where you set your own hours and get to plan vacations whenever is convienent, but it sounds like “convienent” is never! 🙁
May 19, 2012 @ 10:19 pm
Thanks for writing this… I’ve been googling “multi-book deals” for weeks now trying to come up with a pros and cons list and I finally found one. And, yes, writing under deadline can kill you… my first book was a single-book deal bought on proposal and I had 60 days to write the book (oh, and 3 kids at home w/ a full time job). Eeek.
May 22, 2012 @ 3:00 am
What a great post.. I’ve always wanted to write but I haven’t really sat down to do it. This will make me really think about it before I put more into it! You seem to have a handle on it so far and that’s a good thing, keep it up because book 1 was great and I will happily read anything you write. 😀
May 23, 2012 @ 12:56 pm
Hi Susan,
I like your site, you have some interesting posts. My site compliments yours, consisting of interesting articles from a published author, and a free writers yearbook with over 1000 book publishers currently accepting submissions. Keep up the good work.
Regards, Brian
May 23, 2012 @ 12:59 pm
Added to say you can find me here – My Perfect Pitch
July 17, 2012 @ 10:55 pm
Sooz – I’m catching up on your blog… literally, I have been bouncing from one post to another all day (so long as my nephew is napping – Auntie Stephie is babysitting today!). I just wanted to say that the content you are providing is priceless, invaluable (years ago, I thought that word meant “without value,” but thankfully I now know the difference!)… SO INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL!!
THANK YOU!!You are amazing… keep at it! 🙂
August 28, 2014 @ 4:40 am
Thanks for the advice!