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Mundania Press / PhazE / New Classics Press

Jennifer Robins

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I agree with silverhand.
To wait several month or even a year for each and everyone you submit to could take years to get published. I don't think that's a good way to run a business. Yes I think of my writing as a business too.

Jennifer
 

James D. Macdonald

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Welcome to the wonderful world of the buyer's market.

In fact publishers don't need to look at slush at all. Their primary job is to publish the books they already have under contract the best way they can. So very few publishable books come from the slushpile that many publishers have decided to dispense with the thing entirely.

Where do they get manuscripts?

From submissions by agents, from personal recommendation by authors they already publish, and by solicitation. They've found those streams have more gold in them than the over-the-transom stream.

In effect, by going to agented-subs only they've moved the location (and associated costs in time and personnel) of the slushpile. From the writer's point of view this is trivial.

Remember this if you remember nothing else: Publishers are in the business of supplying readers with their needs, not supplying authors with theirs.
 

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James D. Macdonald said:
I use WordPerfect, and "save as" if someone needs a different file type.

Word is (IMHO) a lousy wordprocessor for a novelist, for all that it might be wonderful for a business executive who needs to write a two-page memo once a month.

Couldn't agree more. Now if Corel will just remain solvent ...
 

kjh7073

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[Publisher] Phaze

Someone I know just had an erotic novel accepted by these guys. I wonder if anyone has heard anything about them?

http://www.phaze.com/about.htm


I read the list of where their books are available and they're the same exact links (with the exception of walmart.com) where PA's books are available. It seems just a little fishy....so I thought I'd come to ya'all and see if you've heard anything.

Thanks,
KJ
 

Bartholomew

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kjh7073 said:
http://www.phaze.com/about.htm
I read the list of where their books are available and they're the same exact links (with the exception of walmart.com) where PA's books are available. It seems just a little fishy....so I thought I'd come to ya'all and see if you've heard anything.

That's not fishy. PA doesn't actually make their books available at those places. They just say they do so that people will be suckered in.

Lots of people have books available at those places. This does not make those people suspect.
 

PhazePub

kjh7073 said:
I read the list of where their books are available and they're the same exact links (with the exception of walmart.com) where PA's books are available. It seems just a little fishy....so I thought I'd come to ya'all and see if you've heard anything.

Thanks,
KJ

I took over as publisher for Phaze in August, 2006. We are the erotic arm of Mundania, as veinglory mentioned. We've been around since 2004 and are finally hitting our stride. Our print books are available through a number of channels courtesy of distribution through Ingrams. I understand PA uses the same channels, but I can assure you we are worlds apart from PA. We will be at EPICon in March and RT in April, and are currently working on getting to BEA in June.

If you questions about Phaze, you are more than welcome to contact me personally. Thank you.

Kat Lively
 

Richard White

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kjh7073 said:
Someone I know just had an erotic novel accepted by these guys. I wonder if anyone has heard anything about them?

http://www.phaze.com/about.htm

The better question is, "why didn't you ask about them before you submitted to them?"

Not trying to be a smart-***, but wouldn't it be better to check out ANY publisher before you send them an query? Given the wealth of information available here, at Preditors and Editors and Writer Beware, due dilligence by a prospective author should be the rule of the day, not an afterthought.
 

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The list of on-line bookstores that have Book X from Publisher 1 is the same as the list of on-line bookstores that have Book Y from Publisher 2, because the on-line bookstores just list everything that has an ISBN. It doesn't say anything about either book, or either publisher.

(I don't think that kjh7073 had submitted to Phaze, but was asking because she knows someone who did.)
 

kjh7073

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No, I hadn't submitted to Phaze...but someone I know did.... Makes me feel so much better that they don't have a horrid reputation like PA. I'm trying not to get myself entangled in anything like that again.

In fact, I might submit something I've been working on to Phaze... ;)
 

Gary Clarke

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Hi folks, hats off to Mundania, they seem to be a darned good bunch of chaps with good product that gets distributed well. As soon as the first of Dec rolls around I'll be subbing. But I just read the sample contract and it kinda scared me a bit.

The business I come from often has contracts whereby you get offered Royalties on NET. We used to grin when we got to that clause because those royalties were never seen, and we knew they'd never be seen. We called it 'hollywood money'

I’d be so much happier to see the more acceptable royalties on GROSS in the contract ( which, as I read it, would mean your percentage is paid on the cover price of every book sold, rather then on the cover price minus whatever expenses the publisher decides were involved in getting the book out there.)

Now, it seems to me that Mundania has been around for a good few years and that their authors are happy with their earnings, so I'm just wondering. How do they make the royalties on NET work? I'm sorry to sound cynical, but I'm cynical for good reason having seen many a poor sot burned.

Can you give me some qualm-easing answers?
 

victoriastrauss

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Gary, while royalty payments calculated on retail or cover price are desirable, many smaller publishers do pay on net. With an ethical publisher, this means the book's retail price less wholesalers' discounts (anywhere from 40-60%).

Less ethical publishers do sometimes try to "Hollywoodize" their net royalty payments. Things to watch out for:

- Anything other than wholesalers' discounts and applicable taxes deducted from net. Some publishers also deduct shipping and handling, which can add up to a lot, and some deduct a whole menu of costs including printing and/or publicity.

- Royalties paid on "net profits" rather than just on "net." That one, easily-missable little word can mean the difference between fair royalties and a pittance.

As I noted, royalties paid on retail are best. Yes, with a higher percentage paid on net, you do make more on books direct-sold by the publisher--but if a small publisher is doing a good job of marketing and distribution, a sizeable portion of its sales should come from third-party vendors.

- Victoria
 

Gary Clarke

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Hi Dan, thanks so much for coming online to answer my question! I understand that you’re unbelievably busy and I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to try and answer my question.

I still don’t fully understand though. I’m not being a smart ass here, I’m genuinely terrible when it comes to figures ( a trait that I suspect I share with many an artist. ) My faculties seem to just shut down and I start drooling.

Can you ( or someone else here, I know you’re mad busy) dumb it down even further for me? (If that’s possible, it’s probably below par for toddler-maths at the moment and I still don’t understand LOL!)

I just can’t get my head around how it’s better to get a percentage of an as yet unknown amount ( the price of the book minus costs ) as opposed to a percentage off the top of the cover price of the book.
 

Gary Clarke

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Victoria! Thanks so much! I didn't see this reply when I posted to Dan. That sheds a good bit of light for me! Thank you.

Less ethical publishers do sometimes try to "Hollywoodize" their net royalty payments. Things to watch out for:

- Anything other than wholesalers' discounts and applicable taxes deducted from net. Some publishers also deduct shipping and handling, which can add up to a lot, and some deduct a whole menu of costs including printing and/or publicity.

- Royalties paid on "net profits" rather than just on "net." That one, easily-missable little word can mean the difference between fair royalties and a pittance.

As I noted, royalties paid on retail are best. Yes, with a higher percentage paid on net, you do make more on books direct-sold by the publisher--but if a small publisher is doing a good job of marketing and distribution, a sizeable portion of its sales should come from third-party vendors.

- Victoria

Can I ask if all that should be clear in a contract? ( the fact that only wholesalers discounts and relevant taxes are applicable for example) or are you basically expected to keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best?

Also, if it came down to it and your title was lucky enough to be a hit and then went on to be sold widely through third party vendors, would it be best to include a clause to the effect that shipping etc wouldn't be deducted from net?

Again, not sure that I've really understood what you're trying to tell me, so I apologise if I'm mangling your original meaning. Set me straight if that's the case ok?
 

herdon

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Can I ask if all that should be clear in a contract? ( the fact that only wholesalers discounts and relevant taxes are applicable for example) or are you basically expected to keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best?

Also, if it came down to it and your title was lucky enough to be a hit and then went on to be sold widely through third party vendors, would it be best to include a clause to the effect that shipping etc wouldn't be deducted from net?


Yes, it should be spelled out in the contract (and is spelled out in their sample contract), which makes your second question moot.

Royalties based on net are not uncommon among small press and e-press since it allows them to figure in the discounts given to third-party vendors.

Though, personally, I think 12% net is a little on the low side. No real figures to go on here, but it amounts to the equivilent of about a 6% royalty on sales through a third party. And, as Victoria said, if the publisher does its job, a sizable amount should come through a third party. I'd say 15% on net would be more reasonable. Again, just my opinion.

Also, that's for print editions, for e-books the royalty percentage on net should be much higher (around 40%). Note: Mundania's contract spells out 40% on net for e-books, so they are right in line for this.
 
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victoriastrauss

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Can I ask if all that should be clear in a contract? ( the fact that only wholesalers discounts and relevant taxes are applicable for example) or are you basically expected to keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best?
As Havlen said, it should be spelled out--the contract should include a definition of "net." If there is no definition of net in the contract (which can sometimes be a warning sign of an inexperienced publisher), you should ask for one--and get it in writing. Never rely on verbal assurances.
Also, if it came down to it and your title was lucky enough to be a hit and then went on to be sold widely through third party vendors, would it be best to include a clause to the effect that shipping etc wouldn't be deducted from net?
This is putting it backwards. Unless your title is sold through third-party vendors right from the start--i.e., wholesalers and distributors, necessary if the book is to get into physical bookstores--it's not very likely to become a hit. For most books, wide availability, including bookstore presence, is essential for volume sales.

- Victoria
 

herdon

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The key ingredient for having sales is being read, and the key ingredient to being read is having sales. These two play into each other, which is why having small or no distribution at the start will handcuff a book. Even with distribution that puts the books in physical stores, being a best seller is a very low probability, without that distribution, that chance goes to just this side of none.
 

Gary Clarke

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Havlen and Victoria, you guys have been just great. Thank you so much for your help. This is a difficult industry to understand and cope with, this board is a blessing!
 

Mark Wakely

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While I can’t speak for all Mundania authors, I can tell you that my own novel is selling well. I’ve sold in excess of 2,500 copies so far (since February 2005) with virtually no bookstore placement. Would I like to see my novel in bookstores? Of course. But that’s not Mundania’s business model. Mundania started out as a reprint house to make a few classic science fiction and fantasy titles available again. Their plan has always been to keep books in print for as long as possible by selling them through online bookstores, as well as through Baker & Taylor and their own website. So instead of facing the sooner-than-expected remainder table, my novel should continue to sell steadily for years to come, at least for as long as Mundania remain in business. And since Mundania is having its best year ever, that should be quite a long time.

I recently signed another foreign rights contract, this time with RAO in Romania, and the Korean edition of An Audience for Einstein continues to sell well. Here’s one of the Korean online bookstore that lists my book:
http://book.interpark.com/product/B...etail&sc.shopNo=&sc.dispNo=&sc.prdNo=12228281

My agent- Diane Dreher at Rights Unlimited- says that foreign rights sales have a way of snowballing, so here’s hoping for many more sales.

Another thing really helping to drive sales has been the growing number of middle school and high school teachers assigning my book. If you look at my novel’s page on Amazon, you’ll see several examples. A few of those school orders were made directly from the Mundania website, so I can attest to the benefits of net royalties instead of gross when that happens.

Quarterly royalty payments have been punctual, and with the online royalty report system Dan is creating, I’ll soon be able to track sales on a monthly basis, a huge plus. (Royalty payments will be monthly as well.) There’s a private Mundania Press authors’ group on Yahoo! where we share success stories as well as marketing tips such as how to have a successful book signing, etc., and a public Mundania group too, here for those who might be interested in joining: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mundania_press/

Bottom Line: I would sign with Mundania again in a heartbeat, and I don’t sweat the gross vs. net thing, or the lack of bookstore placement. Dan has been consistently true to his word and forthright in his business dealings with me, and in an industry fraught with frauds and charlatans (and lots of honorable people, to be fair) that’s worth its weight in gold.

I hope this answers your concerns.
 
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Robyn

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This is one company i'm wanting to sub to but they are still closed to submissions. I can say I'm going to be hitting their site come Dec 1st to see if they are open again. I have a fantasy novel burning a hole in my drawer that I have wanted to forward their way for awhile.
 

ajkjd01

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Can I say that I met with Bob Sanders at the Novels in Progress Workshop in Louisville, Kentucky, last March, and I was very impressed. I was disappointed to learn that they were not accepting submissions at the time, but Bob still took the time to sit down one-on-one with a few of us and talk about our projects and submission and marketing strategy. It was probably one of the most valuable discussions I'd had all week. And that's really saying something because the conference was awesome!

It really did help to get into my head exactly what I will need to do for my project.

They are definitely on my list of places to submit.
 
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