I've been thinking for a long time about the problem we pb authors have with contract negotiations. The problem is obvious. The publisher has all the knowledge about what they can and will pay for an advance and we, the authors, know very little (and some of what we think we know is out of date). So, how can we possibly negotiate? It seems to me that we'd all benefit from sharing information with each other, but there's no obvious place for a large number of us to do this.
Here's my solution. I've been doing a survey of pb authors who've received contracts in the last 5 years. I have 60 responses in hand (from writer friends, people on Verla Kay's message board, grapevine contacts and people who respond via my website -- writers with contracts with Dutton, Henry Holt, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Viking, Tricycle, Harcourt, Albert Whitman, Clarion, Sterling, Sylvan Dell and more). If you have received a trade contract on a picture book in the last 5 years, you are invited to participate. When someone responds to the survey, I immediately send my previous report (which is currently based on 100 responses) to that person. After that, I will send the entire group updated reports whenever I collect enough responses to warrant a new report. If you choose to respond, I promise that I will keep your personal info completely private. I also -- honestly! -- tend to forget the details myself. I do not keep individuals' names with the data.
My reports have been very detailed and participants have told me they found them extremely helpful. I, personally, used the info to negotiate a better advance on my latest contract. Knowing the range of advances out there gave me the confidence to know that what I was asking for wasn't out of line.
Please note, I can only offer to share this info with people who respond to the survey and have a picture book contract with a trade house. This survey will be ongoing and updated whenever anyone sends me new info. So anyone who gets a contract in the future can e-mail me with their offer and I will let them know what I know.
Here's the survey. Please cut and paste the questions into the "contact me" section or e-mail them to barbara at barbarakanninen.com. As promised above, I will immediately separate your responses from your name for privacy and I will not tell anyone anything about your specific offer.
Thanks and regards,
Barbara
Please respond with respect to your MOST RECENT CONTRACT with a TRADE publisher.
1. Is this your first contract with any publisher (yes/no)?
2. Is this your first contract with this particular publisher (yes/no)?
3. Are you agented (yes/no)?
4. What is the name of the imprint and/or house?
5. What was their initial offer for the advance?
6. Did you (or agent) ask for a higher advance (yes/no)?
7. If you said "yes" to 6., how much more did you get?
8. Were you offered an escalation clause (a higher royalty rate after a certain number of books is sold) (yes/no)?
9. If you said "no" to 8, did you (or your agent) ask for an escalation clause (yes/no)?
10. If you said "yes" to 9., did you get an escalation clause (yes/no)?
11. If you said "yes" to 8. or 10., how many books must be sold before a higher royalty rate kicks in?
12. Were you successful in negotiating at least one change (other than the advance or escalation clause) in the contract (yes/no)?
13. What year did you sign your contract?
14. Is your offered royalty paid on retail or net?
If you said "net" on 14, please go on. If you said "retail" then you are done. Thank you!
15. If your royalty is paid on net, what was the offered royalty rate?
16. Were you able to negotiate a higher royalty rate?
17. What did you get?
Thank you!
