Re: “About That (New) Deal”

On Wed, 21 Aug 2024, Lynn McGuire wrote:

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

Strange, based on your understanding of climate science and experience running a business, I'd say that you are probably one of the more qualified people to speculate about the percentages paid.
But I think climate hysterics are very quick to label the other person stupid, and in addition, think that that also then applies to anything they say.