HarperCollins

[Frances Gow]

I was interested to see that HarperCollins, as part of their graduate recruitment programme, are asking applicants to create a video interview which addresses the question:

"How would you convince a successful self-publishing author that signing up with HarperCollins is a better option for their next book?"

http://corporate.harpercollins.co.uk/careers/graduate-recruitment

Funnily enough, I had a conversation with an editor at Penguin Random House, who suggested to me that I might like to consider self-publishing.

Is self-publishing now becoming the accepted route to mainstream publishing? Do we have to prove ourselves and our self-marketing skills before being considered by the big players?

 

[Marc Joan]

Fascinating question; I'd be interested in the responses, especially from those who have been down both routes.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

That seems very strange to me, that a publisher would suggest self publishing? That's counter productive for them I would have thought, unless maybe the book is borderline profitable in their opinion, and maybe they are hoping self publishing might promote it enough to give an indication if its marketable for them, and if so, maybe they'd come back to it? Although that suggests they can't figure out it's potential for themselves...... and begs the question, do they know what they are doing??? lol

 

[James Marinero]

Alistair got it right I think. Tara Rose posted a great link on Facebook this morning and the article explains why a publisher might suggest self publishing. My understanding is that they want to see that an author can generate traction and a brand - that improves the chance of success if the publisher should eventually sign them up.

 

[James Marinero]

Frances, the corollary (?) about proving oneself of course is that if you become successful as a self-pubber then you don't need a publishing house (unless you would like a fat advance to go away and write with). Many of us have heard of Amanda Hocking, but check this list - I think it's quite inspiring.

 

[Frances Gow]

Yeah, I get that James. I do wonder why some authors like Amanda Hocking go over to mainstream when you compare the royalty percentages. Interesting list!

Alistair - it used to be that no reputable publisher would touch you if you had self-published, but ever since 50 Shades, that seems to have changed. (Incidentally, it was the editor responsible for bringing us 'said book' who suggested it to me!)

 

[James Marinero]

Here's another list from: http://www.selfpublishinghalloffame.com/
Margaret Atwood, L. Frank Baum, William Blake, Ken Blanchard, Robert Bly, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Lord Byron, Willa Cather, Pat Conroy, Stephen Crane, e.e. cummings, W.E.B. DuBois, Alexander Dumas, T.S. Eliot, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Benjamin Franklin, Zane Grey, Thomas Hardy, E. Lynn Harris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemingway, Robinson Jeffers, Spencer Johnson, Stephen King, Rudyard Kipling, Louis L'Amour, D.H. Lawrence, Rod McKuen, Marlo Morgan, John Muir, Anais Nin, Thomas Paine, Tom Peters, Edgar Allen Poe, Alexander Pope, Beatrix Potter, Ezra Pound, Marcel Proust, Irma Rombauer, Carl Sandburg, Robert Service, George Bernard Shaw, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Upton Sinclair, Gertrude Stein, William Strunk, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoi, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, and Virginia Woolf.

 

[Emurelda]

Alistair got it right I think. Tara Rose posted a great link on Facebook this morning and the article explains why a publisher might suggest self publishing. My understanding is that they want to see that an author can generate traction and a brand - that improves the chance of success if the publisher should eventually sign them up.

Then doesn't that mean the author has to focus their energy on marketing intensely and coming up with clever marketing routes rather than focus on clever story angles. It just seems like wasted energy even though I appreciate that for writers these days this is important especially if you are self-publishing.

Heck that could be the answer to the graduate question....of course that means Harper Collins has a great marketing arm leaving the writer to do what they do best.

 

[James Marinero]

Whether self-pubbed or trad-pubbed, I believe that an author has to work hard at marketing. Clever angles work, but the competition is more intense than ever since ebooks and self-pubbing became a reality.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Here's another list from: http://www.selfpublishinghalloffame.com/
Margaret Atwood, L. Frank Baum, William Blake, Ken Blanchard, Robert Bly, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Lord Byron, Willa Cather, Pat Conroy, Stephen Crane, e.e. cummings, W.E.B. DuBois, Alexander Dumas, T.S. Eliot, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Benjamin Franklin, Zane Grey, Thomas Hardy, E. Lynn Harris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemingway, Robinson Jeffers, Spencer Johnson, Stephen King, Rudyard Kipling, Louis L'Amour, D.H. Lawrence, Rod McKuen, Marlo Morgan, John Muir, Anais Nin, Thomas Paine, Tom Peters, Edgar Allen Poe, Alexander Pope, Beatrix Potter, Ezra Pound, Marcel Proust, Irma Rombauer, Carl Sandburg, Robert Service, George Bernard Shaw, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Upton Sinclair, Gertrude Stein, William Strunk, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoi, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, and Virginia Woolf.

Jesus. (Not self-published.)

 

[Jason Byrne]

Yeah, I get that James. I do wonder why some authors like Amanda Hocking go over to mainstream when you compare the royalty percentages. Interesting list!

Alistair - it used to be that no reputable publisher would touch you if you had self-published, but ever since 50 Shades, that seems to have changed. (Incidentally, it was the editor responsible for bringing us 'said book' who suggested it to me!)

That is the number-one reason I avoided self-publishing. Perhaps that is changing...

 

[James Marinero]

That is the number-one reason I avoided self-publishing. Perhaps that is changing...

A few reasons I avoided trad-pub:
1. I don't take rejection well
2. Finding an agent/publisher is clearly very hit and miss as the above list illustrates - life is too short!
3. I'm stupid - I just like to do everything myself. It seems that includes reading my books...

Re Amanda Hocking, if you want you name on billboards and would like a high public profile, then changing horses would make sense. A nice fat advance for the next book would also be attractive to an author. HC only did it for profit that's for sure.

 

[Emurelda]

@James Marinero thanks for sharing your reasoning. It is strikingly similar to why one would choose employment vs self-employment.

Having done both I see traditional publishing and self-publishing to be in parallel to employment analogy. One you are your own boss and the other you have a ready made team in place albeit for less reward potentially (or more depending on how you do).

I have chosen to submit to traditional publishers mainly because I want to build a nice network of contacts in the industry and learn the ropes as well as of course secure 'employment' for my books. How it all pans out is the big question.

 

[James Marinero]

@James Marinero thanks for sharing your reasoning. It is strikingly similar to why one would choose employment vs self-employment.

Having done both I see traditional publishing and self-publishing to be in parallel to employment analogy. One you are your own boss and the other you have a ready made team in place albeit for less reward potentially (or more depending on how you do).

I have chosen to submit to traditional publishers mainly because I want to build a nice network of contacts in the industry and learn the ropes as well as of course secure 'employment' for my books. How it all pans out is the big question.

A good comparison - and yes, I've been self employed for 75% of my working life (and counting)

 

[Jason Byrne]

@James Marinero thanks for sharing your reasoning. It is strikingly similar to why one would choose employment vs self-employment.

Having done both I see traditional publishing and self-publishing to be in parallel to employment analogy. One you are your own boss and the other you have a ready made team in place albeit for less reward potentially (or more depending on how you do).

I have chosen to submit to traditional publishers mainly because I want to build a nice network of contacts in the industry and learn the ropes as well as of course secure 'employment' for my books. How it all pans out is the big question.

Emurelda strikes again. You have it there — your plan for your working life will probably be very similar to your publishing aspirations. Wherever I work, I put in the hard work, make friends, and show that I have the competency and ambition to rise honestly, and eventually attain a top position. I want to enter the system, and 'win.' So I'm hoping to attract an agent that can deal with major publishing houses — Bantam, Random House.
You know. While we're in Fantasyland. I'm noticing I spend a lot of time there.

 

[Emurelda]

Emurelda strikes again. You have it there — your plan for your working life will probably be very similar to your publishing aspirations. Wherever I work, I put in the hard work, make friends, and show that I have the competency and ambition to rise honestly, and eventually attain a top position. I want to enter the system, and 'win.' So I'm hoping to attract an agent that can deal with major publishing houses — Bantam, Random House.
You know. While we're in Fantasyland. I'm noticing I spend a lot of time there.

Well it is Litopia

On a serious note it is a hard slog. I'm sure I've written more words on this forum than I have for my manuscript. Weirdly I've been getting a little distracted by another idea that is entering my head and started researching that for a bit.

Whereas employment was all about work work work...now it's all about write write write. I just love the latter feeling more so as a full time 'job'.

@Jason Byrne I certainly hope you will be 'head hunted' by Random House etc and that is no fantasy.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Well it is Litopia

On a serious note it is a hard slog. I'm sure I've written more words on this forum than I have for my manuscript. Weirdly I've been getting a little distracted by another idea that is entering my head and started researching that for a bit.

Whereas employment was all about work work work...now it's all about write write write. I just love the latter feeling more so as a full time 'job'.

@Jason Byrne I certainly hope you will be 'head hunted' by Random House etc and that is no fantasy.

Shame I can only "like" that one once, Emurelda.

We all dream about that kind of instant success and adulation. First one to get it — just remember all our names!

 

[brendancody]

I was interested to see that HarperCollins, as part of their graduate recruitment programme, are asking applicants to create a video interview which addresses the question:
"How would you convince a successful self-publishing author that signing up with HarperCollins is a better option for their next book?"

It's been on the cards for some time that self-publishing would find acceptance in the "mainstream" publishing world, with many commercial publishers looking for ways that they could profit from this new innovation of the digital era that can't really be ignored.

What I find more interesting is that recruits are now expected to do video presentation for entry into what is a literary publishing business. Social media impinges on everything now. Got to look good on the tube!

 

[Frances Gow]

Thanks for your comments brendan - I don't find it so surprising that graduate recruits have to do a video presentation - it is all about sales in today's graduate recruitment market, whatever industry you are in. You have to be able to sell yourself and the product (in this case, books). How else do you reach a generation that is turning its back on print media and spends more time on YouTube and Vine?