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Original poster

Is my friends publisher being a bitch?

64 replies

KandiKane1 · 24/09/2024 18:49

I am a fairly experienced editor and self publisher (Amazon and Google). My friend has currently finished his first novel (he's Syrian, the book is in English), and his old university professor who is also a friend of their family has pretty much taken over with the publishing and editing of his work. For context this woman has no experience in the book world apart from having a PHD in literature (Arabic), which she teaches. She is planning to sell the book for £70 per copy and is talking about going to India as it will be "cheaper" to get it published there. I voiced my concerns to my friend that this was all abit weird and pointless as most of it can be done online now and published simultaneously in 70 countries. After discussing it, he was eager to have me on board as an extra editor and publisher (we explicitly stated to his professor we were not trying to replace her), and jointly drafted a nice letter asking for me to join the process. She completely flipped out, screaming to him that I was trying to take control, she didn't even want to talk things through she just blocked me completely. He tried talking to her and she said I "might" be able to help her in the future, which sounds to me like I'd be expected to be some token lackey. Am I being unreasonable for wanting to help my friend, or is she being a controlling and jealous B? I don't know if they've discussed money but I'd be willing to help him out for free, just to give him a start

OP posts:
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zaxxon · 02/10/2024 12:07

Not the point of the post but can I ask what the point of self-publishing is?

That's a big question! In broad terms, if you self-publish, you get to make all the decisions yourself (release date, length, editing, cover design, etc). And you get to keep every penny of sales yourself, rather than giving X% to your agent and Y% to your publisher. Plus, you can just bring out your book into the world without having to get it past the "gatekeepers" (agents and publishers).

Those are some of the plus points - there are minuses too, but I won't go into those here, since you didn't ask.

Manchegos · 02/10/2024 10:35

Not the point of the post but can I ask what the point of self-publishing is?

Do you actually make any money off it?

Would you expect him to make money off it?

And yes she sounds mad but it’s his problem not yours.

LastNight1Dreamt1WentToManderleyAgain · 02/10/2024 09:56

I mean, you could step away, or you could see if there are peer support or community organisations and activities that might get him out of what sounds like an unboundaried and stifling connection

Original poster
KandiKane1 · 02/10/2024 09:44

LastNight1Dreamt1WentToManderleyAgain · 01/10/2024 22:43

Does she control or coerce him in other ways? Doesn't sound good

Show quote history

He had a few struggles at university including failing his final exam several times (she was his teacher), She says he caused himself as other students passed. I thought this was abit crappy of her, just passing the blame

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LastNight1Dreamt1WentToManderleyAgain · 01/10/2024 22:43

KandiKane1 · 24/09/2024 19:49

From what he's told me, he agreed that she could do it when she offered, I'm guessing because he didn't have a clue himself. He says she's not interested in any money, I think the "contract" was verbal. I believe his main issue is that she's known him longer than me and their families are quite close as they are both Syrian nationals

Does she control or coerce him in other ways? Doesn't sound good

Createausername1970 · 25/09/2024 19:55

£70 for a novel?

Ye Gods.

I love reading and will sometimes pay for a hardback version if I can't wait for the paperback version. But I have never ever paid this amount and cannot image ever paying £70 for a novel.

Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 19:29

Darkfloods · 25/09/2024 14:16

She’s saying he’ll get £70 per book? She’ll charge him a huge amount of money to get the books printed with a promise of profit.

I've tried to explain this to him, and he says he doesn't think she's helping for any financial gain

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Darkfloods · 25/09/2024 14:16

She’s saying he’ll get £70 per book? She’ll charge him a huge amount of money to get the books printed with a promise of profit.

notafanofmarmite · 25/09/2024 14:04

BrigadierEtienneGerard · 25/09/2024 09:37

If it's an academic non-fiction work £70 is in the ball-park. Very few such books come in at under £60 as publishers know there's a very limited print run and most buyers will be academic libraries with a budget for new books.

That’s right. I’m an academic, and £70 is correct for this genre. But for a novel? No way. If your friend has published before, they can be a member of the Society of Authors which offers excellent impartial advice. They even have a lawyer on staff to look at publishing contracts.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 25/09/2024 14:03

I would just ask your friend to look at other books in the same genre as his 'thriller fiction' or whatever he's classing it as. Ask him to look at the retail price of those books. Most of the self-pubbed ones will, I'd guess be going for the 99p 'sell loads very cheap' bracket, or maybe as far as the £7.99 paperback sector.

Just maybe this might make the £70 penny drop. If not, and he seriously thinks he's going to make any money from it, back off. Reality will bite soon enough.

Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 14:02

CraftyOP · 25/09/2024 08:47

You are trying to take control though aren't you, so I can see why she's not so happy about that. She'd have had things published as part of her PhD and academic career surely? So not exactly just someone off the street. You may have a valid argument but doesn't help discrediting her abilities. It's your friends decision and really it's unlikely to sell more than a handful of copies whatever the price

I can understand the "taking over" thoughts, but she could have been gracious enough to discuss things with me in a civil way. We didn't even get a response to our message (jointly written by me and my friend), just instant blocking

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zaxxon · 25/09/2024 14:01

I'd take a big step back from it all if I were you. Maybe your friend is naive, but he's an adult and can make his own decisions.

Biffbaff · 25/09/2024 14:00

This sounds like an absolute farce. He needs to send it to an agent or actual book editor in the first instance. Not sure what you can do here except try and stop him being scammed by the deluded "friend".

Justice4Friend · 25/09/2024 13:59

Don't get involved.
Your friend is spineless.
This woman will ruin his chances.
He'll learn a valuable lesson.
You step away from the drama.

Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 13:57

commonground · 25/09/2024 09:43

Why doesn't he send it out on submission and try and find an agent? That is the old-fashioned pre-internet way.* Not sending it to India and charging 70 quid a pop. He will end up with a lot of nice pulp.

(*Edited to add - and the modern way also!)

Edited

I don't think he's thought any of it through to be honest, and she's just taken over

OP posts:
Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 13:55

TheYearOfSmallThings · 25/09/2024 09:44

I would back off but I would have an uneasy feeling your friend is being exploited. I suspect the book is unsaleable and unreadable, and at some point he will be giving someone money.

These are my feelings exactly, she's acting like a saint and his family are quite well off, which she knows

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Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 13:54

Yestothis · 25/09/2024 09:45

Yes. Is she treating it as an academic publication, somehow? Possibly with (her own?) commentary, notes etc? There are circumstances where a memoir could be treated that way, though it wouldn't be expected to sell much and her publishing choices still sound a bit odd. But it would explain her attitude.

Show quote history

Just a fictional spy type novel, as far as I'm aware she wouldn't be using it for her academic career, but who knows

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Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 13:52

Fastback · 25/09/2024 09:55

The whole things sounds a bit of a mess. How come you self-published rather than sought an agent?

I personally self publish because it's easier, I can have a massive audience with a few clicks

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Original poster
KandiKane1 · 25/09/2024 13:51

BrigadierEtienneGerard · 25/09/2024 09:37

If it's an academic non-fiction work £70 is in the ball-park. Very few such books come in at under £60 as publishers know there's a very limited print run and most buyers will be academic libraries with a budget for new books.

It's a fiction spy book, something like James Bond I believe

OP posts:
Fastback · 25/09/2024 09:55

The whole things sounds a bit of a mess. How come you self-published rather than sought an agent?

PurpleChrayn · 25/09/2024 09:45

Nobody is going to buy it for £70.

Yestothis · 25/09/2024 09:45

BrigadierEtienneGerard · 25/09/2024 09:37

If it's an academic non-fiction work £70 is in the ball-park. Very few such books come in at under £60 as publishers know there's a very limited print run and most buyers will be academic libraries with a budget for new books.

Yes. Is she treating it as an academic publication, somehow? Possibly with (her own?) commentary, notes etc? There are circumstances where a memoir could be treated that way, though it wouldn't be expected to sell much and her publishing choices still sound a bit odd. But it would explain her attitude.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 25/09/2024 09:44

I would back off but I would have an uneasy feeling your friend is being exploited. I suspect the book is unsaleable and unreadable, and at some point he will be giving someone money.

commonground · 25/09/2024 09:43

Why doesn't he send it out on submission and try and find an agent? That is the old-fashioned pre-internet way.* Not sending it to India and charging 70 quid a pop. He will end up with a lot of nice pulp.

(*Edited to add - and the modern way also!)

DrummingMousWife · 25/09/2024 09:40

Well the book is very sadly going to end up pulped and no one will buy it. It’s amateur hour. I’d say to him that if he gets rid of her, you’ll help him, otherwise good luck.
don’t get involved in this nonsense.