tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post9020135015504352323..comments2024-03-29T14:16:41.085+00:00Comments on Picture Book Den: How much to charge for fee-only picture book text Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-44079472748369528962014-06-05T08:48:45.559+01:002014-06-05T08:48:45.559+01:00Oh dear, I think I just lost my comment so delete ...Oh dear, I think I just lost my comment so delete this if it has posted twice. This was a great post. Thank you so much for the insight. I am in the position where I would welcome a work for hire picture book, as I want to just get my name on the scene. However, it seems that Australia is a closed shop in children' publishing on all fronts. You would not by chance have a list of what you term mass market publishers ( not limited to Australia) as they don't really seem to call themselves that. Thanks againJambohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01704840860387375378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-38554618797246102772014-06-05T07:49:32.430+01:002014-06-05T07:49:32.430+01:00Really useful post. I have written three fee-only ...Really useful post. I have written three fee-only picture books - for the reason you mentioned- because they were my first books as author only. Luckily the fees were about right but I agree with Malachy - it feels strange not to be informed about foreign editions and... toys (!) so beware if you feel especially close to your story and its characters. Also - the contracts are often 'write-for-hire' despite you generating the idea yourself without any brief. Always question that type of thing even if you don't manage to get the contract changed - if we all flag this sort of thing up, perhaps it will eventually make a difference to working practices - one would hope.Paula Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02181466382764440710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-6966474362935807582014-06-04T17:29:22.974+01:002014-06-04T17:29:22.974+01:00Great post, Moira! It's so helpful for writers...Great post, Moira! It's so helpful for writers to go into these situations well-equipped with information about how this type of publishing works.Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-29655156523295510912014-06-04T14:02:53.720+01:002014-06-04T14:02:53.720+01:00Good luck, Julia! It is a hard decision to make if... Good luck, Julia! It is a hard decision to make if you're a new illustrator. As Malachy says in his comment, you can say yes, but don't offer your pride and joy. Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-52940251665752345152014-06-04T13:59:51.367+01:002014-06-04T13:59:51.367+01:00That's not enough, is it. If they've writt...That's not enough, is it. If they've written the brief, they'd do better to complete it themselves. What they're offering there is a 4/5-spread board book fee (and a low one). Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-72179345275309977142014-06-04T13:20:10.721+01:002014-06-04T13:20:10.721+01:00Thanks for the advice Moira! I am slightly cheered...Thanks for the advice Moira! I am slightly cheered by it having recently turned down this type of offer. It was a hard decision to make, especially as a new to the market illustrator. But I decided that I didn't want to accept a fee only deal for my first book. Luckily I've had interest from other publishers so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a regular advance/royalties deal soon. Would rather work for a small advance and know that I can earn royalities from co-editions in the future, although a big advance would be good too!!!Julia Groveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17655097653431289095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-77190086169779277682014-06-04T13:15:13.990+01:002014-06-04T13:15:13.990+01:00Thanks for this post, Moira! I have been approache...Thanks for this post, Moira! I have been approached recently by a small, independent mass market publisher, who are offering a flat fee of £350 for a 650 word picture book text for which they have written a brief. It's work for hire essentially. £1500 seems imminently fairer, but I am sure they'd never go for it - lots of other jobbing writers will accept the lower fee instead. Another publisher is offering no advance, just royalties. It's a shifting world.Natascha Biebowhttp://www.blueelephantstoryshaping.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-76532262702300205292014-06-04T12:56:42.927+01:002014-06-04T12:56:42.927+01:00And you have been helpful, Moira. An interesting b...And you have been helpful, Moira. An interesting blog - thank you.Paeony Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16304088335318285353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-7259019873201809112014-06-04T12:17:24.896+01:002014-06-04T12:17:24.896+01:00PS: I don't mean to denigrate fee-only publish...PS: I don't mean to denigrate fee-only publishers, by the way. I'm trying to offer some useful pointers for everyone. Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-44967177571045735492014-06-04T12:16:30.076+01:002014-06-04T12:16:30.076+01:00Really useful advice, Moira, thanksReally useful advice, Moira, thanksJane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-63109079991319453062014-06-04T12:15:03.431+01:002014-06-04T12:15:03.431+01:00It's good to know the fee offered was higher t...It's good to know the fee offered was higher than £1500, Michelle. My suggestion could therefore be upped a bit. Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-68415630173529233192014-06-04T12:12:55.639+01:002014-06-04T12:12:55.639+01:00How have you found the fees, Gemma. Do you think t...How have you found the fees, Gemma. Do you think they're fair? <br />Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-80472709002723313942014-06-04T11:35:28.810+01:002014-06-04T11:35:28.810+01:00This is such a useful post, Moira. I've always...This is such a useful post, Moira. I've always felt there's an awful lot of smoke and mirrors around this sort of thing, especially when you're new to the industry - and particularly in terms of fees. I'm sure a lot of people will benefit from reading this! I was approached to write for one of these companies last year for a higher one off fee, but decided to decline, mainly because I already have so many writing commitments and so little time to fulfil them. As useful as the money would have been, I didn't want to spend any of my time on something I didn't particularly fancy doing!Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-75191450314463947122014-06-04T11:22:13.732+01:002014-06-04T11:22:13.732+01:00Really useful, Moira, thanks. I've been workin...Really useful, Moira, thanks. I've been working with a mass-market publisher on picture books for the last couple of years and have first-hand experience of most of what you're talking about here! I am now using a pseudonym, partly because I wasn't happy with errors that had crept in... Authors should also be prepared to see their picture book text rejigged to appear in other formats. I had obviously seen other publishers do this but somehow hadn't expected it to happen to me! Once they own the text, they can do what they like with it. (But it wasn't my 'best' stuff, so that's OK.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12817110562066233830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-81886916798325223092014-06-04T10:56:40.597+01:002014-06-04T10:56:40.597+01:00Yes. Even though you might be signing away rights,...Yes. Even though you might be signing away rights, there's no reason why you shouldn't get involved in discussions on changes that might be made. I've had some awful things done to text before, without my knowledge, and only discovered when I saw a hard copy. The trick here is to be kind and helpful to the editor, not combative until you have to be (in which case the only option is to demand they take your name off). Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-30110434505520956962014-06-04T10:23:14.623+01:002014-06-04T10:23:14.623+01:00I've been doing some work along these lines in...I've been doing some work along these lines in the past few years. I don't like doing it, but times are tough. It's galling when you later discover that there are all sorts of foreign editions out there that you've never even seen, never mind got no extra money for... but that's what you sign up to, I'm afraid. I agree with Moira's ballpark fee - I started below there, but am now a bit higher. I also agree - don't use your very best work, unless you're desperate. But fight your corner with editors (if necessary) - if it's got your name on, you want to be proud of it. Sometimes the publisher comes up with the idea, and you write it - this feels better, in some funny way, than letting them have your darlings in perpetuity for a pittance. malachy doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14428551785118345251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-69668248969299364642014-06-04T09:20:09.551+01:002014-06-04T09:20:09.551+01:00This is really helpful advice Moira - thank you xThis is really helpful advice Moira - thank you xAbie Longstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682225221860351795noreply@blogger.com