Is This True About Dorchester Publishing? - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T18:59:20Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/is-this-true-about-dorchester?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A245620&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAnd from today's Publisher's…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-09:537324:Comment:2456202010-08-09T15:18:33.532ZKaren Dionnehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/KarenDionne
And from today's Publisher's Marketplace Lunch report:<br />
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"Dorchester Publishing has switched to subsistence mode, though they have tried to sprinkle some digital fairy dust over the move. The mass market publisher has struggled for some time, now. . . . this a story about a genre mass-market publisher retreating rather than a bold digital initiative."<br />
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Read the rest at <a href="http://http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/archives/006781.php" target="_blank">Dorchester: Digital, or…</a>
And from today's Publisher's Marketplace Lunch report:<br />
<br />
"Dorchester Publishing has switched to subsistence mode, though they have tried to sprinkle some digital fairy dust over the move. The mass market publisher has struggled for some time, now. . . . this a story about a genre mass-market publisher retreating rather than a bold digital initiative."<br />
<br />
Read the rest at <a href="http://http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/archives/006781.php" target="_blank">Dorchester: Digital, or Desperate?</a><br />
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. I have no idea. But since mmp…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-09:537324:Comment:2456092010-08-09T14:42:56.107ZKaren Dionnehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/KarenDionne
I have no idea. But since mmp sales "only" fell off 14% in recent months according to a reputable study, I'd guess that the 25% is Dorchester's unique problem. In the article, they cite Wal-Mart's not carrying their titles as a big factor in their decision. Maybe Wal-Mart dropped them because of poor accounting practices on Dorchester's end, or unfulfilled orders, or for any number of other business reasons. (Wal-Mart's reputation as a "my way, or you don't play" entity is pretty well…
I have no idea. But since mmp sales "only" fell off 14% in recent months according to a reputable study, I'd guess that the 25% is Dorchester's unique problem. In the article, they cite Wal-Mart's not carrying their titles as a big factor in their decision. Maybe Wal-Mart dropped them because of poor accounting practices on Dorchester's end, or unfulfilled orders, or for any number of other business reasons. (Wal-Mart's reputation as a "my way, or you don't play" entity is pretty well known.)<br />
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Again, just speculation on my part, but as far as Dorchester's announcement that they're moving to all e-books because it's the wave of the future goes, well, call me cynical if you want to, but I'm pretty sure I can recognize spin when I read it . . . It looks as if publishing has…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-09:537324:Comment:2456052010-08-09T14:36:51.334ZM Buckleyhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MBuckley
It looks as if publishing has become a blood sport.<br />
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Nobody can predict what will happen in the next five years and any publishing house that manages to remain solvent, whether in print or by producing e-books will deserve respect.<br />
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I'm a great fan of vanity publishing. Marcel Proust was one who did not wait round for a lucrative contract before putting pen to paper.<br />
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You may enjoy the latest news that Mulholland Books has a new website and it looks set to be very entertaining indeed.…
It looks as if publishing has become a blood sport.<br />
<br />
Nobody can predict what will happen in the next five years and any publishing house that manages to remain solvent, whether in print or by producing e-books will deserve respect.<br />
<br />
I'm a great fan of vanity publishing. Marcel Proust was one who did not wait round for a lucrative contract before putting pen to paper.<br />
<br />
You may enjoy the latest news that Mulholland Books has a new website and it looks set to be very entertaining indeed.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/author/johnschoenfelder/" target="_blank">http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/author/johnschoenfelder/</a> So what happened that the sal…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-09:537324:Comment:2455692010-08-09T01:14:28.792ZJohn McFetridgehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnMcF
So what happened that the sales of Dorchester paperbacks dropped 25%? Did cheaper e-book sales have anything to do with it?
So what happened that the sales of Dorchester paperbacks dropped 25%? Did cheaper e-book sales have anything to do with it? I happen to know a Dorchester…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-08:537324:Comment:2455582010-08-08T23:49:18.145ZKaren Dionnehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/KarenDionne
I happen to know a Dorchester author who published in 2008 who didn't see a dime of their advance for nearly two years. When I first heard about Dorchester's move, it did make me wonder if Dorchester wasn't having financial problems, and they're just using the move to all e-books as an excuse to dig themselves out of a financial hole.<br />
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Now according to a couple of agents, it appears I'm not alone -<br />
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From literary agent Kristin Nelson:<br />
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"I'm just shaking my head. We agents have known for the…
I happen to know a Dorchester author who published in 2008 who didn't see a dime of their advance for nearly two years. When I first heard about Dorchester's move, it did make me wonder if Dorchester wasn't having financial problems, and they're just using the move to all e-books as an excuse to dig themselves out of a financial hole.<br />
<br />
Now according to a couple of agents, it appears I'm not alone -<br />
<br />
From literary agent Kristin Nelson:<br />
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"I'm just shaking my head. We agents have known for the last year (at least) just how precarious Dorchester's financial position has been but I must say I was not expecting this announcement. We ceased submitting to them awhile ago." <a href="http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2010/08/dorchester-ceases-mm-publication.html" target="_blank">http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2010/08/dorchester-ceases-mm-publicati...</a><br />
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And from literary agent Lois Winston on the Sisters in Crime blog:<br />
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"Karen, your friend was not an isolated case. Dorchester owes huge amounts in royalties and advances to their authors. Supposedly, the sale of much of their backlist to Avon several months ago was to pay authors what was owed them. They may have paid some, but the vast majority of authors have not seen any money or even royalty statements so that they have some idea of what they are owed. I was told that authors who write for the confessions market (Dorchester owns all those magazines) had checks bounce on them recently. It's a really bad situation, and it looks like lots of authors are going to get royally shafted with this move to epublishing."<br />
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I don't think in this instance that the relative merits of e- vs print publishing even apply; bottom line is that Twitterer up thread had it right - this isn't a wonderfully insightful publisher leading us into a brave new future, it's just a company going belly up that's trying to stay afloat. "They let all their sales sta…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-08:537324:Comment:2455552010-08-08T22:52:58.708ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
"They let all their sales staff go except for the vip who is now an army of one"<br />
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This is what makes American business the engine that drives our ever-growing economy. We can live without everyone who worked there, except for the guy who oversaw whatever it was that got everyone else fired. Him, we keep.
"They let all their sales staff go except for the vip who is now an army of one"<br />
<br />
This is what makes American business the engine that drives our ever-growing economy. We can live without everyone who worked there, except for the guy who oversaw whatever it was that got everyone else fired. Him, we keep. Yes, check out Romance Writer…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-08:537324:Comment:2455532010-08-08T21:58:34.861ZKaryn J. Powershttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/karyning
Yes, check out Romance Writers of America. They sent a blurb out to their members and one of my critique group announced this at our meeting Saturday. Said they will go to print after x number of e books sell. They let all their sales staff go except for the vip who is now an army of one.
Yes, check out Romance Writers of America. They sent a blurb out to their members and one of my critique group announced this at our meeting Saturday. Said they will go to print after x number of e books sell. They let all their sales staff go except for the vip who is now an army of one. Hi Jack,
I agree she's snoot…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-07:537324:Comment:2454492010-08-07T17:17:44.657ZStacyhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/StacyDeanne
Hi Jack,<br />
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I agree she's snooty. Screw her. You don't need her. Most reviewers now (I've learned) are asking for authors and pubs to send PDF's of their books because that's become an easy method for them. They want electric review copies now. Also, this is starting because of ebooks becoming popular.<br />
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There are tons of reviewers would review your books I am sure. I love book bloggers myself because they bring in more attention to your work and pass the word around fast! Sometimes you get a…
Hi Jack,<br />
<br />
I agree she's snooty. Screw her. You don't need her. Most reviewers now (I've learned) are asking for authors and pubs to send PDF's of their books because that's become an easy method for them. They want electric review copies now. Also, this is starting because of ebooks becoming popular.<br />
<br />
There are tons of reviewers would review your books I am sure. I love book bloggers myself because they bring in more attention to your work and pass the word around fast! Sometimes you get a review from one blog and before you look around they've passed that info to five or more blogs. That's word of mouth, yes sir.<br />
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Blog reviewers are much nicer and author friendly. They will also get you more readers than a newspaper review probably would since a lot of folks don't even read newspapers it seems anymore.<br />
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Best Wishes!<br />
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<a href="http://www.stacy-deanne.net" target="_blank">http://www.stacy-deanne.net</a> Not really funny. This seems…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-07:537324:Comment:2454182010-08-07T14:31:40.746ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Not really funny. This seems to be another new trend: if you can't beat them, join them. And from the Dorchester announcement, there is also a bit of a blame game going on: Walmart won't carry our books, so we're going it without the book stores. See how they'll like that!
Not really funny. This seems to be another new trend: if you can't beat them, join them. And from the Dorchester announcement, there is also a bit of a blame game going on: Walmart won't carry our books, so we're going it without the book stores. See how they'll like that! It doesn't say what it pays i…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-08-07:537324:Comment:2454172010-08-07T14:28:55.561ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
It doesn't say what it pays its authors now. 50 % or 70 % or the miserable amount they used to pay for the pbs.
It doesn't say what it pays its authors now. 50 % or 70 % or the miserable amount they used to pay for the pbs.