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Loading...I am now ready to talk about how I switched trade publishers, so that now I have a two-book contract with Simon & Schuster, after being with Harper for some thirteen years. As I mentioned in a previous note, I had a particularly close and productive relationship with my editor at Harper, Roger. A couple of years ago, when I was just starting to work on the book that just came out (Jesus Before the Gospels), Roger called me and left a message that he had some bad news and needed to talk with me. I thought that it was either a serious health issue or a career change. Luckily it was the latter. But I didn’t feel lucky! He had been my editor!!
He had decided to leave Harper, stop editing books, and become a literary agent. Big bummer for me.
I had never used a literary agent before, and was not really interested in doing so now (at the time he didn’t ask me to). My reasons were pretty straightforward. Agents typically charge 15% of an author’s book royalties. And I had talked to a couple of agents before about the kinds of contracts I was negotiating on my own, and they both told me that I was doing just fine and didn’t need an agent. So I wasn’t inclined to give someone else 15% of what I made when there was really no reason to do so.
Nearly everyone else I knew who published big trade books did have agents. And most of them thought that, for them, it was…
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Does the stuff about incomprehensible book contracts apply only to trade books, or is it true of monographs, as well?
Trade books are a bit trickier.
I’m curious what the differences are. I was assuming that they’d have a lot of the same stuff, but certain things just might matter more with trade books.
Congratulations on your move and resuming your professional relationship with Roger! “the best is yet to be”.
Does your agent only represent a certain type of client? As in only nonfiction, religious scholarly type of work?
Yes, that’s mainly what he does.
Question Bart, Undergraduate submitting an independent paper at Princeton Department of Religion, Junior 30-40 page and Seniors 70-90. Well maybe it is not a question, but would be amazing to submit a paper History or Theology. Thesis is under the supervision of a faculty adviser of course.. I know I would never be expected its too late, But I am truly curious how I would compare to the Undergraduates attending there. I know on the Blog my paragraph structure etc is not the best, maybe it was posting in a hurry on my phone or intoxicated on wine and alcohol ( just being honest ) which I do not drink due to my Physique Competition in the near future for the record. I wonder how I would compare to a Junior maybe not Senior, if we went head to head on KNOWLEDGE who knows more, ( history and facts ) as well as throwing on our Theology cap …how I would score? Who would score better? Im sure the Faculty would be honest, but if I know more I know more…Well maybe I do have a question and it is if not attending you can not submit? But what about these students holding Doctorate and Ph.D. well before their time. Im sure I wouldn’t be the top student but I wouldn’t be the worst either. I didn’t have the best upbringing so Academically it is too late to be accepted. But am an honorable Veteran, #1 Ranger Candidate next in line to go to the Advanced leadership School, due to me getting 1st on All the assessments Run, Ruck, Etc.. 1st on all and do quote me on that..So with being said my future in the military did look promising. I left the army with Maxed Physical Fitness score and well into extended scale.. That is besides the point, I know its Not CIA, but just curious how I would score? Who ever went against me, I would definitely keep them on their toes….
And maybe you leaving Harper is for a reason.. Like Jesus said, ” You will know what to do and say when the times comes…
Matthew 10:20 ‘ For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ‘
Well, one time I walked into an Honors Seminar at UNC back in the early 90s. I looked around at the 14 students in the class and I said to myself, “You know, I’m the dumbest guy in here!”
(30) Jesus said, “Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him.” (31) Jesus said, “No prophet is accepted in his own village ( Every 3x word number 3 prominent in ancient times as well as perfect circles .. Knowledge )
” Jesus ! There ! Gods ! Gods are one with Jesus ! Prophet in village! ”
” So that explains Bacchus Patining by Leonardo Da Vinci …LOL JK ” 🙂
Ok Bart, again good luck on your next book! You will know what to do and say when the time comes..
Matthew 10:20 ‘ For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ‘
Josephsluna: The first quotes are from the Gospel of Thomas, Sayings 30 and 31. Attridge, commenting on the Oxyrhyncus fragment, reconstructs Saying 30 as follows: (30 + 77b) [Jesus said], “Where there are [three], they are without God, and where there is but [a single one], I say that I am with [him]. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there. Split the piece of wood, and I am there.” This reconstruction harmonizes with the overall theme of the Gospel of Thomas: essential Oneness, the creation flowing forth from the Creator and being essentially one with it. St. Paul experienced this essential Oneness and expressed it as such: “Do you not know yourselves that your are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives within you?” “The mystery which has been hidden but is now revealed is Christ in you” (Bible verses not quoted literally)
Would it, then, be fair to say that (even considering the 15% commission subtraction) you left some money and perks on the table in your first 30 books contracts?
Ha! I’ve tried not to think of that! But the reality is that the advance is always against royalties, so even if the advances weren’t as large, it all works out in the end…..
Dr E, can’t wait to hear more, very exciting subject
Dr. Ehrman, can’t wait to read the next book. Maybe your switch to S&S will be your Milvian Bridge. (See what I did there?)
Another question, your editor or agent rather, does read your book very closely right? He should be able to catch a mistake when one is made? That’s an editor’s job is my understanding. If a mistake isn’t caught through editing and it’s published, will the publisher correct the mistake before printing more or are you stuck with it?
One last question! Is your agent still your editor or do you have an agent who does one thing and an editor who does another?
The publication process is actually a lot more complicated than that. Maybe I’ll say something about it on the blog. But yes, my agent is my agent and I have an editor at the press as well.
What a system to navigate. I think one of the things that makes your trade books so readable is that they are “your” books, with your “conversational” voice, not a collaborative effort. I have been involved in a couple of writing projects where different authors wrote different chapters and edited each other a lot. A lot gets lost without one clear voice. What is gained by different viewpoints gets lost by a sacrifice of a clear, coherent theme. It would be like having a debate partner who goes off in a different direction making good points off the main theme.
Hey Bart! You need to get Reza Aslan’s agent. He’s on Oprah. Marketing beats scholarship EVERY. DAY. You don’t need an editor. You need a marketer!
You’ve lost a lot of weight – like Oprah! You would look great on TV! 🙂
http://www.supersoul.tv/supersoul-full-episodes/reza-aslan-full-episode
Well, it is gaining the credibility, the authority, to write a book. I always have people tell me they are writing a book ( because I was an English teacher), and I ask them what it’s about. Invariably, they don’t know themselves what it is they want to write. I tell them that it is a tough business and that getting an agent is harder than writing the book. Go try to get one who believes in you.
Can you discuss the profitability of writing a book?
Do you mean the financial profitability? For most authors there’s no money in it at all! Of course if a book sells a whole lot….
Well, you have to admit you are a brand. Not the biggest in the literary world, but definetely one worth money. So it really makes sense for you to have an agent.
What general advice would you give people writing about a focused/narrow subject area? The subject in which I’d like to focus a book generally appears to operate by word of mouth or board postings for new offerings by established contributors…
I’d suggest they become a real expert in the area.