Maybe old line publishers are catching on.

[B.R.Stateham]

Interesting piece of news from Publishers Weekly.  Random house seems to have discovered digital/ebook publishing.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial...

[I. J. Parker]

I don't know.  I only get the fact that they are making money from e-books.  That doesn't translate into a better deal for midlist authors.

[B.R.Stateham]

Wasn't thinking about traditional publishers giving us a better deal.  I was thinking more along the lines traditional publishing was perhaps finally getting a handle on how to work ebook and digital sales into their traditional printing efforts.

[I. J. Parker]

They are doing it already. In my case, at 15 % royalties as standard contract language.  Then they attach fat prices (12.99) to the books. For bestsellers, that works extremely well. It does nothing for midlist. (Except jeopardize future contracts).

[David DeLee]

I.J.

I agree. This is exactly what is sending authors directly to indie publishing. Still, there are things legacy publishing can do for an author, paper book distribution primarily, market penetration and publisity, but at what cost to the author on the backend? 15% of overpriced e-books verse 70% of better priced, and probably higher sales. 

Amanda Hocking seems to have discovered this. She's made her money upfront with her indie-published stuff, and can now afford to lose it on the backend with SMP to get into the "traditional" brick-and-mortar stores, but with greater control than a typical new or midlist author could ever obtain, gaining her readership in the "new" markets. Which I believe, will boost her already substantial online presence/sales. She is doing what authors have long wanted and needed to do, take control of their work and their careers.

 

[I. J. Parker]

Yes, she obviously is going into this with clout.