Why Leave So Much Money On The Table?

[Jim Thomsen]

Author Pete Hamill is publishing his latest book as an exclusive e-book, through Little, Brown.

My question: If you're an established author and are going to exclusively e-publish, what the hell do you need a Big Six publisher for? Publish it yourself, promote it on a Web site, and make a lot more money! You think Publishers Weekly and The New York Times and the rest of the New York establishment is going to refuse to review your book because of that? No chance.

This could have been a bold and interesting step in the e-publishing paradigm shift. Instead, it's a move that no author should emulate. Unless, of course, the idea of leaving money on the table holds a lot of appeal.

Weird. I don't get it. What can Little, Brown do for Hamill that he can't do for himself (with some help, granted)?

[Garry L. McLaughlin]

Maybe he figured he would just have to pay the extra money in taxes ...

Garry-

[D.R. MacMaster]

My theory is that he's planning to eventually put out a print edition when enough time has passed for it to be 'exclusive.'

[Dana King]

I can think of two reasons:
1. He already had a contract for his next book, whatever it was, and Little, Brown chose to bring it out in this format. (DR's scenario could still kick in down the road.)
2. They may have paid him an assload of money, and he'd rather have it in hand than risk how a royalties only deal would come out for him. He's 75 years old, so the long tail probably doesn't interest him much.

[Jon Loomis]

Money up front, like Dana says.