Big Move -- Dilema

Surely your publisher isn't going to revert rights to its entire backlist? That would be a very dangerous thing for them to do to their business. Wowsers.

If you have published a couple of books in a series with this publisher, and those rights remain with the original publisher, you're unlikely to find another publisher interested in subsequent books in that same series. Publishers want full control over a series, to maintain consistency in production and marketing, for example.

If you're hoping to have the rights revert to you and to find another publisher willing to put those books out again, you're going to struggle. But it's been done, so don't lose hope.

Meanwhile forget about your publisher being like family to you: this is a business relationship and you'll not help yourself, your books, or your publisher if you remain with them because of loyalty.

If your publisher is doing this huge revamp in order to address the problem of flagging sales, ask yourself why sales were poor in the first place, and how the revamp is going to change that. If there's no clear plan, if the problems haven't been resolved, then chances are the sales will not improve, and you'd be better off elsewhere.

Weird. I wonder why the choice is going to the writers and not being exercised by the publishers.

This one? If so, maybe the thread below will give you some more ideas, if you haven't seen it yet.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233877&highlight=writersamuseme

What does your contract actually say?

Usually a publishing firm is obliged to pay you royalties for as long as they're publishing the book.

I'm published with three publishers. Adding another one doesn't negate the legal responsibilities of the others.

Check your first contract. Check the termination clauses and publishing responsibilities within that. A publisher can't just turn around and say you must replace one contract with another, or terminate the contract, unless it's in accordance with what is written in the first contract.

If you are happy with them, and happy with the terms of the new contract, sign it.

If you are not happy with them, or the terms of the new contract, negotiate, or don't sign it.

Getting published - if you're a good writer - is not so hard. Selling books is extremely hard. If things haven't been moving with this publisher, perhaps time to try another.

You're more likely to sell a new work than to re-sell something that's already been published. If that new work is accepted and enjoyed, you can subtly (or bold and blatantly) slip them the other works and ask.

Are you sure this publisher is releasing those works, though? Usually within your first contract the publisher agrees to keep the book in print for x number of years. If that time has not elapsed, they're still obliged to publish it (other terms accepted).

If it's a POD (Print on Demand) publisher, they usually have to pay Lightning Source, or whoever's printing the books, a small annual fee to keep books available on the market. Perhaps they've just got too many books that aren't selling, or they've learned something about their public presentation they want to change, and some of their current list don't fit with the new image.

Either way - don't let your loyalties get in the way here. It's business. They've put you in this position - how much do you really owe them? (I know, first publishers are like first loves - but eventually you do move on.)

Consider your career. Where do you want it to be this time next year? Which course of action is most likely to get you there?