Yesterday, my colleague Laura Rennert was featured on a digital panel with Richard Nash, Lou Aronica, and Jeff Sharp. She discussed in more detail the ABLA digital initiative, which had a soft launch recently with the release of P.J. Hoover’s SOLSTICE. It’s a really cool futuristic retelling of the Persephone story, set in a dying world.
One thing that’s been going around recently is the idea of agencies digitally publishing frontlist titles, which is what the Andrea Brown Literary Agency is doing in some cases, like the above, with SOLSTICE, and charging a 50% commission after costs are recouped.
There has been a lot of backlash with that. Why are agencies charing a 50% take for something an author can do themselves? What are these nebulous costs and how are they accounted? If an author chooses to go the independent digital publishing route, why would they need to pay anyone at all? Wouldn’t it be easier to just do it all themselves?
Well, I’m pleased to echo what Laura announced yesterday at the panel, which is that when we will facilitate the digital publication of frontlist titles at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, we will only take a 15% commission from the process, after recouping our costs, which will be clearly invoiced and accounted. The agency has always put a premium on transparency, and that extends to our digital work as well.
What are some of the costs we will incur? Formatting, conversion, and cover design are the biggies. In terms of developmental work, editorial, and copyediting…those are things we already do with our clients when we work with them to prepare their work for submission to traditional publishers, so it will be business as usual on our end.
Frankly, I’m excited to be at an agency that is paving the way in terms of facilitating digital publication. I’m also excited that we’re charging only our regular agency commission of 15% rather than trying to go more expensive and charging 50% or whatever. Some agencies are trying to take advantage of the fact that digital is still a new landscape, but we know that authors will soon be comfortable enough with the tools to not need to pay someone 50% and expenses.
By charging the standard agency percentage for digital services, we’re making a bold statement to writers and other agencies. We want to facilitate digital publication and provide a broad array of services in the digital/independent publishing sphere and free writers up to do what they’re best at: writing.
Fascinating and fantastic. I may be being a bit of a doughnut, but in the para where you mention SOLSTICE, it sounds as though you’re saying ABLit is taking 50%… whereas later it sounds like it’s only taking 15%? Or is it just that I have a hole in my head and can’t read properly this morning?
Is it being said that some agencies are asking for a commission of 50% on frontlist books they choose to publish in digital format, and that they will absorb ALL costs for formatting, any other costs for creation of product, as well as promotion and marketing? And Andrea Brown Lit Agency will do all the same for 15% commission?
I understand that the Andrea Brown Agency is only taking 15%…but I needed to read the post twice. 15% is reasonable and its great that PJ has a reputable agency backing her. Although the 2.99 price point seems low given what a fab book it is. Price for ebooks needs to be considered carefully; too low and people will suspect junk but too high and readers will be pissed off. Espcially if they spent $13 on a poorly edited book (I’m tempted to give an example here but can’t seem to get up the nerve.)
Love this blog…great discussion.
Hey, Patty, thanks!
Yes, Franziska, only 15%.
And Mary, thank you for mentioning SOLSTICE!
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Great post. I admire ABLA for charging the standard 15%. Hats off.
Patty – the lower cost is actually the ideal way to release a digital book. Digital is all about a graduated increase in sales over a long period of time. Remember, there is no shelf life of a digital book. Look at the bright side, as an avid reader you’ll be spending less money on e-books.
Tracy and Patty — Yes, price points between .99 and $3.99 are actually the ideal for ebooks, according to all retailers, like Amazon. The lower the price point, the more volume you move, and people actually don’t perceive value the same way with ebooks as they do with print books. More expensive, for ebooks, doesn’t mean better in the consumer’s mind, as it turns out.
And yes, sorry for the blurry writing…we are only charging 15% commission for digital publishing projects.
That’s interesting. Is ABLA only giving this digital option to current clients or will the agent descriptions on the website be changing to reflect which agents are representing these types of clients?
Hmmm…so if 2.99 is an ideal price point, why are the price points for most YA novels 8.99 and higher?Is it because they are being published in print as well? I’ve bought many, many ebooks and all were above the $8.99 point.
I think what you are saying is that the pricing model will be changing soon…good for readers!