Re: “About That (New) Deal”

On 8/21/2024 9:00 AM, James Nicoll wrote:

In article <va3udg$3okbq$1@dont-email.me>,
Lynn McGuire  <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

“About That (New) Deal”
    https://whatever.scalzi.com/2024/07/29/about-that-new-deal/
>
“Does this mean your current 13-book contract with them is done?"
>
"No. I’ve still got six books on that one."
>
"… but now you’ve signed a contract for another ten books."
>
"Yes."
>
John Scalzi is getting $300,000 advances for each of his books.  Not bad
but he probably pays half of it to his agent, editors, proofers, etc.
>
Lynn
>

 Your grasp of publishing costs is equal to your grasp of climate science.

So, John Scalzi does not pay his agent anything ?  Nor does he pay any taxes ?  He does not have any private editors ?
And you are so intimately involved in his book authorship that he just throws everything into Tor and they cover all the expenses of editing, proofing, etc ?  This might be true but, who knows about their private relationship.
The husband and wife team of Ilona Andrews recently disclosed that they had a new contract with Tor for "Maggie The Undying" for seven figures for three books.
    https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/maggie-and-tor-questions/
    "15% goes to the agent
     32-35% goes to the government. The tax bracket at that level is 40%, but there are tax-deductible business expenses, etc.
     The rest is broken down over the period of three years and contingent on delivery and publication."
"So, while the number is impressive, in practice it’s a little smaller. And we are a business with several employees, many contractors, and all of the associated business expenses. But that said, we are so incredibly grateful and fortunate."
I am my own publisher for our software.  I have spent tens of millions of dollars over the years marketing and selling our software.  I understand these costs very well, way too well.
Lynn