The Bay Area Writers League

Fifteenth Annual Conference

Panel on Alternative Publishing

The panel: Moderator - Roger Paulding. Participants - Jack Bacon, Kay Finch, Hill Kemp, Bill Stevenson, and B.K. Reeves.
The process: The waiting period for acceptance? How long the contract? Any negotiation? Any special terms? Were you paid an advance? Did you have an agent? Was he or she of any value? Did you wish you had one, if not, to negotiate for you? Were you able to approve the cover or were you otherwise involved in the design of the book?
Once your book was published: Was it on time? Was the publisher able to assure adequate distribution? With whom? Were orders of books for book signing filled promptly? Did you have to carry books in your car as a safety measure?
What is the future of an author with the big presses if the smaller houses have published them?
Were you able to get your book reviewed in important milieus? Was any advertising money spent on your book? Did the publisher assist you with any travel expenses for book signings? Did the publisher arrange any book signings for you? Is it on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com?
The list: What promises have you been made that your book will stay on the publisher's list more than the usual 6 weeks? Do they actively maintain their list for a year or more? If your book sells out will they reprint it?
Foreign rights: Do they actively seek sales to foreign publishers (Germany, Japan, UK, etc.) or do they wait to let them fall in their lap? And if so, are they willing to share? Is where an agent can help you? Also, movie rights.
What percentage of a book's price do they pay the author? If they don't offer an advance, is the percentage more?
Q and A

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