Book contract help

Sirs, Madames,

I've done some ghosting (re-)writing as well as fiction and non-fiction with my name on it. I had talks with one athlete about ghosting his autobiography last year and, though we couldn't piece it together, I came away from it of a mind that next time I don't want my name on it. Acknowledged in book, fine. But to tie myself to a public figure who might be disgraced or discredited or play with facts too freely is not worth the vanity pts of seeing my name on the cover. I know a couple of major ghosts who operate that way.

And get an agent. That should go without saying.

YHS, etc

 

swenk is my agent, and she's been awesome. So much so that my first three testimonials are also free.

 

It seems odd that you're already working with a major publisher and an agent hasn't gotten involved yet. Typically editors at major houses don't deal directly with an author in most aspects of the process, and if the book has already attracted interest and has been hyped to the level you speak of, it seems you elicited such interest without an agent, which is rare but not unheard of. It sounds as if your subject is so high profile that he/she banged down the door and the major publishing house was happy to listen.

Assuming the amount of money is significant, an agent is the only way to go at this point. If an author already has a deal on the table, roles are reversed and agents do the salivating because much of the legwork has been done by the author since he/she received an offer from a publishing house on their own. I would be very selective with my agent since you should have the pick of the litter -- assuming everything you have said is accurate.

Get the best agent possible with a track record of securing the best financial terms. If your subject is that big time, I would imagine an agent would shop the proposal/book to multiple major houses to increase the likelihood of getting an even more lucrative deal than the one you're currently dealing with is considering to offer.

A great agent will maximize the leverage power you have been blessed with. Choose wisely.

 

Bump

Anyone ever dealt with AuthorHouse? They've sent me a contract proposal I'm going to get my attorney to look over. AuthorHouse has expressed repeated interest, but for all I know it's just a sales ploy.
Any and all advice would be appreciated.

 

Never heard anything good about them. But aren't they a self-publisher? What kind of contract would they be sending you since you'd be paying for it? Also: 265 AUTHORHOUSE complaints and reviews @ Pissed Consumer

 

Self-publishing—very, very occasionally—works out for some people, particularly early in their careers. Brandon Sneed self-published two books and now has a book coming out with HarperCollins. It's like a band putting out an indie record and then signing with a major. But I also know a woman who self-published here in town who has not sold a single copy of her book, and it's terrible to see. If you have a book that you think might sell, I would always recommend the traditional agent/publishing house route. If you just want to write a book and see it in print, or you're convinced that everyone in traditional publishing is wrong, then maybe self-publishing is the best option for you. Just think about it carefully. Writing a book is a no joke.

Aside from everything I've just written, as lantaur points out, AuthorHouse has the reputation of a toilet monster. Avoid.

 

So now I'm curious. Can we get a Seabasket3 to log in and tell us how the book turned out?