Another publishing giant goes 'agency model.'

[B.R.Stateham]

Hachette is going the 'agency model' for compensation in their ebook sales.  Just like Macmillian.  Should we worry?   One publishing empire strikes out on a new route and the others must follow?  Didn't we just have this conversation about collusion?

 

 

 

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6717788.html

[Jon Loomis]

It's not collusion if they all do the same thing after watching others take the plunge. It's only collusion if they get together and plan it in advance.

[B.R.Stateham]

I think that's what I said/implied in our earlier discussion in a different thread. And speaking of 'agency models' what's your take on Amazon taking so long in their discussions with Macmillan? Are they punishing Macmillian for challenging them?

[Jon Loomis]

I really don't know, BR--my sense from talking to folks at Minotaur is that only the negotiating teams from Amazon and Macmillan really know what's going on at this point, and I'm not even sure they do. Most likely Amazon's holding out for reasons other than sheer spite--using the takedown as leverage in some other compartment of their deal with Macmillan. Whether that's returns or HC discounts or what, I have no idea. It sucks, though, that they're willing to continue to screw over Macmillan authors without so much as an acknowledgment that we exist and are suffering while they play their little game of hardball. Amazon's very handy at times, but I think from now on I'll be taking my online shopping elsewhere. And I'm buying an iPad as soon as they're available. So there.

In the long run, though, despite IJ's pessimism, it looks like Macmillan authors will come out of this in somewhat better shape than they went in. I like the sound of a 25% royalty on ebooks, especially compared to the 12.5 or so we've been getting, and even the 20% Macmillan had proposed in December. The more of these little trade secrets that get laid out on the table where we can see them, the better it ultimately is for all of us.

[B.R.Stateham]

As the Chinese say, "May we live in interesting times."

[Eric Christopherson]

It's pricing collusion that's the most worrisome possibility IMO. On the other hand that Forrester analyst I'd quoted clearly doesn't think that'll happen, and thinks instead the publishers will compete on price and drive the prices on ebooks down to close to where Amazon sells now.

[John McFetridge]

Yeah, what's taking so long? The Macmillan titles stll aren't back. I guess Amazon isn't very worried about people buying these books someplace else. Maybe that should tell us something.

Now, if we ignore the political contents of this: http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/celebrities/inaugural_daily_be...

The model is very interesting. As Tina Brown says, "Beast Books will be longer than conventional long-form magazine articles but shorter than conventional nonfiction books. They will be published digitally and distributed on multiple platforms, and will soon thereafter be available as handy paperbacks."

This seems like something that could work for crime fiction, especially continuing character series.

[I. J. Parker]

Don't they mean to do non-fiction? In general, I'm not crazy about shortening book length. It tends to play to the lazy reader.

[minervaK]

"I guess Amazon isn't very worried about people buying these books someplace else. Maybe that should tell us something."

See, to me, that's what's bothersome about the whole proprietary e-reader thing. If your book is only formatted for the Kindle, and you're with MacMillan, you're pretty much screwed right now, especially if your contract says you can't pick up your toys and go play elsewhere.

At some point in the future, I hope that there will be a universal e-book format that will be readable by all e-readers -- something like the .pdf format is now. As long as the e-book format is proprietary, the owner of the e-reader is the one who holds all the cards.

MK
www.minervakoenig.com

[Jon Loomis]

That's assuming there's only one dominant ebook reader and your book isn't formatted for it. Buy this time next year, the iPad will have taken a serious bite out of Kindle's market dominance--and may even outsell it. iBooks will also be a major player in the selling of ebooks. Just you wait, 'enry 'iggins--things are going to get interesting.

[B.R.Stateham]

More interesting than you think, Jon. amazon just gobbled up a start-up tech company who designs touch screens. Amazon is going to redesign the Kindle and mimic the Ipad. And I'll betcha the new Kindle will be cheaper.

[Jon Loomis]

They can try, BR. Lots of other companies are developing similar devices. But Apple has a way of dominating the market for such devices, despite low cost competition from other sources. See the iPod and the iPhone.

[John McFetridge]

That may be just an American thing, Jon. Worldwide the iPhone has about 15% of the market, and the iPod not much more.