Hi everyone -
No, I don't have a three book deal - but a friend of mine has been offered one. Which seems like a great thing, but I wonder what those of you with experience think of this situation (I said I'd ask on here):
He's written a book which a new, very small press wants to publish. There's no advance, and initially it will be a Print On Demand situation. If sales go well, then they'd put out a small paperback run initially (he's not being asked to pay anything himself, by the way - and he's run the contract by the Soc of Authors).
But this is the bit that bothers me. The book is the first in a trilogy, though each stands alone. They're asking for a 3-book deal, but are offering no advance. This, given the above, seems unfair - what does my friend gain, except the ability to say he's been published? It seems to tie him in to writing another two books with very little reward. Obviously he'll get royalties, but if it remains POD they may not sell many, though apparently they're having a marketing meeting shortly.
What do you think?
Susiex

From the point of view of the publisher, I can see why they would want all three books if they are investing in the first of a trilogy. Alternatively, they could ask him to come back when he's written all three. However, if it's a good enough book, why not pitch it out to a few of the big publishers or agents for a while?

It seems logical, considering it's a trilogy.

It is doubtful (ie, rare) that another publisher would pick up books two and three of a trilogy without also having published book one, so he is tied to the first publisher for all 3. And it's unlikely that another publisher will pick up book one after it's been out on POD unless he can generate high PB sales figures.
If it takes off and goes to paperback, then he'll be in a much stronger position to be picked up by a larger publisher, if not for the trilogy, then for his future books.
G.P. Taylor and his first book Shadowmancer is the closest example I can think of, although that was self-published with an initial print run of a few thousand, rather than POD, so he could show strong sales figures and (I believe) it was going for a second print run when he was signed up by Faber.

At the very least, it's a start.

- NaomiM

<Added>

Although you say he is not being asked to pay anything towards publication, he will have to invest time and travel expenses in publicising his book to make sure it's a success.

Thanks, both - am passing comments on. Colin, he says it's been to just about every agent in the UK over a long period and though they liked it, they didn't love it...
Susiex

I assume this publisher is providing a free editorial and proof-reading service before the book is printed.
If not, personally, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Damn!

When I saw the title and who posted this thread, I nearly crushed my laptop mouse. I'll recork the Champagne for now.

Aw, that's touching, Rod.
Hope the mouse has recovered.
Susiex

I'm reading a book at the moment that was first published as an online e-book, got huge sales by word of mouth and eventually a 6 figure deal. I'm 200 pages in (of 600) and it's bloody brilliant so far. Sometimes, agents and publishers don't know a good thing until they see the sales figures.

Oh aye, the title - Maximum Impact by Jack Henderson

Colin M

Thanks, Colin - will pass this on, too!
Susiex

Sometimes, Colin, you wonder if the author gave up and self-published after only a handful of rejections.

you wonder if the author gave up and self-published after only a handful of rejections.

I think if you don't know just how tough it is - that rejections are all part of the game - and are completely bowled over (as we all are) by the wonderfulness of your first draft, you could well take a small handful of rejections as the end of the story, the proof that publishers don't want you and you don't want them, and self-publish.

(That sounds as if I'm dissing self-publishers, which I'm not, but you know what I mean)

They're asking for a 3-book deal, but are offering no advance. This, given the above, seems unfair - what does my friend gain, except the ability to say he's been published?

Three-book contract, hm, it's a tricky one, for all the reasons everyone's cited. If they're reasonably free-standing he could give them One, get writing Two, and say that he'll be happy to give them first refusal on Two in the contract, on terms to be negotiated (which could include a two-book contract for Two and Three). That way he can back out if he feels they haven't done a good job on One. PoD is arguably never going to sell tons, because with an unknown author it's getting the books into bookshops to be picked up and tasted that counts. That, and media coverage, and if they haven't got the budget for a print run, I don't suppose they've got much budget of time or money for that either. Has he? It's still very difficult. It might be worth going back to the Society of Authors for a run-down of the possible permutations and implications of this situation.

As Naomi says, I would imagine it's unlikely that a bigger publisher would pick up Two and Three, unless they could licence One as well. For them to do that, they'd have to be convinced that the potential was really impressive, despite One already having been out there in however small a way.

On the other hand, the experience he gains from writing the whole trilogy would be worth a lot, and if it's published - even PoD - could, arguably, demonstrate to a bigger publisher that there's a market for what he does: in other words, for the next trilogy...

Emma

Thanks, Emma, as always I'll pass all this on to him. It is tricky, isn't it? I think your advice is excellent - delay a bit and see how things pan out.
Susiex

Actually, following on from Naomi's post:

I assume this publisher is providing a free editorial and proof-reading service before the book is printed. If not, personally, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

I should add that in the acknowledgements he mentions that the book has been on a hell of a journey and that the final version that is on the shelves is very different from the original online version, and much improved thanks to the publisher's editors that worked with him. There are publishers out there who take a text and simply set it out nicely and send it to print and take no responsibility for editing - asking the author to do it if they want. Sometimes this is simply because the publisher is a one-man show and not the corporate company that the author imagines.

Colin M