Big Money for Self-Published Authors
This Publishers Weekly article highlights some of the recent success stories for self-published authors — the seven-figure deals that many self-published authors dream about. A shift is clearly taking place in which publishers are beginning to look at self-published books a lot more seriously; Dutton editor Ben Sevier tells PW, “It proves that great books are slipping through the cracks.”
Yet this doesn’t necessarily mean that self-publishing leads straight to the big money at the big houses. Those books that get the attention of the big publishers are already selling on their own; they’re already getting press and blurbs.
Agent David Fugate of LaunchBooks in San Diego, who negotiated a deal for a self-published book that had already sold 20,000 copies before being acquired, emphasizes they editors aren’t likely going to be interested without significant sales, in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 copies.
Self-publishing works best for someone with a platform. In fact, one recently signed Viking author (who got attention after a talk she gave at the TED conference) would likely have gotten editors’ and agents’ attention without her book. Editor Clare Ferraro said, “If Jill hadn’t had a book, I would have been no less interested in her.”
So if you want to self-publish, know your challenges and your limits — but also know where the best-case scenario could take you.