WSJ: Hugh Howey's Wool

In a highly unusual deal, Simon & Schuster acquired print publication rights to "Wool" while allowing Mr. Howey to keep the e-book rights himself. Mr. Howey self-published "Wool" as a serial novel in 2011, and took a rare stand by refusing to sell the digital rights. Last year, he turned down multiple seven-figure offers from publishers before reaching a mid-six-figure, print-only deal with Simon & Schuster.

"I had made seven figures on my own, so it was easy to walk away," says Mr. Howey, 37, a college dropout who worked as a yacht captain, a roofer and a bookseller before he started self-publishing. "I thought, 'How are you guys going to sell six times what I'm selling now?' "

Very cool.

Thanks for the link, Thomas!

Thanks for sharing, Thomas!

Howey, Hocking, these are the best case scenarios for self publishers.

Good for them that they're working both sides of the line: lord knows *I'd* certainly entertain six or seven figures, from a print publishers!

OK, Amanda Hocking is no longer the only poster child for an unknown getting rich by self-publishing. Now we've got half a dozen or so.

Lowers the odds from 2 million to 1 all the way down to maybe 300,000 to 1.

-- Mike

http://selfpublishingsuccessstories.blogspot.com/

More than half a dozen names on that list. The real news, as Hugh himself often says, isn't the mega-breakouts. It's the self-publishing midlist. Those people making a few thousand a month. There are a ton more of them, but no one wants to talk about that because, just like with trad publishing, break-out hits are more news worthy.

A reason to be cautious about letting other people control your fate:

http://io9.com/another-indie-publisher-on-the-ropes-night-shade-books-468876511

I'm not saying I wouldn't sign a traditional publishing deal, but it would have to come with enough money to be worth the risk. I hope those authors got enough money up front to be worth the rights being tied up in bankruptcy court for a while.

And for the record, I liked Night Shade Books, they put out some great novels. It's a shame their going under, but it is a business and you have to make money.

If you do sign with a traditional publisher, make sure you have an IP lawyer to tell what sort of ghastly business they've hidden in the wording. Case and point:

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/04/2013/heartbreak-for-harlequin-authors-as-judge-tosses-e-book-case/

More articles, one from Hugh and one from Michael Stackpole on the Night Shade deal.

http://www.salon.com/2013/04/04/hugh_howey_self_publishing_is_the_future_and_great_for_writers/

http://www.michaelastackpole.com/?p=3288