Question for Neil Nyren

[Jon Loomis]

As Senior vice president, publisher and editor in chief of G.P. Putnam's Sons, how would you describe the current state of the publishing industry? The news all seems pretty grim from where some of us sit--book sales down, advances drying up, booksellers disappearing, industry layoffs, etc. In your view, where are we now, and where are we likely to be in five years, say?

[Dana King]

You're both right. I'm interested in what Neil has to say, too, but I agree that I was a little disappointed in the lack of detail in his reply. It did seem to be a little "company line," without telling much about why he felt that way.

I read his most recent interview in Murderati and found it helpful. JT Elliosn also had the ability to ask multiple questions, and, I presume, follow-ups. It's entirely possible Neil gave a complete answer to Jon's original question--which was a good one--but we may have to cuff him to a chair and get out the bright lights for the really good dish.

(Not really, but we're crime writers here, and I don't do cozies.)

[I. J. Parker]

To answer John D.: I actually had no idea. I don't think much about who the posters are. Now about the fact that he's a useful member: We are all authors and readers here. Many of the authors are still trying to break in. They can get a lot of information. And, of course, they'd like to be remembered fondly by an editor. Some of those who have a publisher may think "what if one of my future books ends on Neil Nyren's desk?" It's better not to to stir up too great an antipathy.

Now, having said this, the fact is that authors and publishers are in different, and frequently opposite camps. They want different things and expect a different type of collaboration. Therefore, an author's friend is his agent. An agent protects an author's interests against the publisher's interest in so far as that is possible.

[B.R.Stateham]

One of the things that is going to happen in the publishing industy is the reduction in up-front money to authors . . . unless your name is Stephen King or Dan Brown. Publisher have to buy scripts to stay in business. Period. They have to feed the pipe line to get books out on the markets. But hellacious money to an unknown or mid-list writer . . ..and even to some big name writers whose' last few books haven't met the financial grade . . . probably is history.

[Jon Loomis]

If that's true, then it's the end of the road for a lot of working writers, who can't afford to keep writing full-time on spec. I'm not sure how that helps the industry, long term.

[B.R.Stateham]

Jon--
Listening and reading to all of the writers and authors in here and in other venues, it's become obvious that damn few novelists make a full-time living solely on their efforts of packaging up a three or four book deal. You teach, right? Several other published authors teach as well. Every 'successful' detective writer has a day job.

I say this, Jon, not to be snarky (as Neil would put it.) But your comment about compelled to write even though it is work for you is telling. You might as well get what you can while you can get it. You're gonna be hitting the keyboards irregardless. Writing is an addiction, buddy. We're hooked. There ain't no turning away from it.

[Jon Loomis]

I consider it an untreatable mental illness. But it doesn't matter all that much to me what I write--I've got 110 pages of a memoir I haven't had time to look at in over a year; I've got three literary short stories in the works as part of a collection; I've got another book of poems to write before I croak; and I've got an idea for a comic literary novel that actually sounds like it'll be fun to write (I know, I know...nothing's fun between pages 100 and 260). And that's just the stuff I'm thinking about now. I'd also like to not suck at playing guitar, and spend some time with my kids so they'll have something to talk about when they're in therapy--but that's a slightly different subject.

[B.R.Stateham]

'Jes wondering on why Jon is thinking the market is going to improve so much we'll see a dramatic increase in up-front moneis.

[Jon Loomis]

You wouldn't sell your most valuable possession in the middle of a deflationary depression unless you absolutely had to, right? Things will get better eventually, but right now the panic is upon 'em, and I'm a bit wary of all that "you're lucky to get an offer at all" stuff. That and "you drive a hard bargain" are what business-types tell you when you're about to get royally screwed.

[Jude Hardin]

I like Karen's philosophy, though, to get the stuff out and make money from royalties. I'm just not convinced the kinds of advances we'd like to see are ever coming back for debut authors and midlisters. I hope I'm wrong...

Sincerely, I hope your strategy works and you get the deal you want, Jon.

[Neil Nyren]

Take the night off, and look what happens! I was having dinner with Emperor of Japan, by the way. Nice guy. Made me feel all starry-eyed.

I'm enjoying reading this thread very much -- it's clear you don't need me to have a lively discussion! There's just one comment I'd like to make, and that's to Jon. Clearly, your projects are your babies, and you should do whatever you want with them: submit them or save them. But we are still buying books, you know. That's what we do, that's our business. Advances are not disappearing. The new release tables are not going empty. My mailbox is filled with submissions every day. Publishers Marketplace carries a long sheet of brand-new deals every morning. One of those books could be yours -- but you'll never know unless you put your project out there.

[Jon Loomis]

Hi Neil, and thanks again. There's a bit more to my story than I've let on here, in the interest of discretion (not my strong suit, obviously). Long story short, I have an offer on the table, but I'm going to wait and see what happens with the book I've got coming out at the end of April before I bite. It's a bit of a gamble, but I really can't afford to write two more for what's being dangled. My first did well, and I'm reasonably confident that the second will, too. The pre-pub reviews have been great--so far, at least.

[John McFetridge]

Jon, you're writing a continuing series with the same main character - a good character, by the way, in the first book and I look forward to the second.

But isn't it very rare for a series with the same main character to generate a lot of sales with the first two or three books? People keep changing the "magic number" but it's never been two, has it?

The first few books are really just generate the reviews, aren't they?