Upcoming BL Stuff - 2022

[skylerboodie]

Ah I see! Well at least that helps explain why they do it, even though it's stoopid. Thanks :)

[theSpirea]

This was, I believe, directly addressed by Nick Kyme. He confirmed the decision is based on the word count.

 

The Deacon of Wounds, The 48K

Sepulturum 57K

Castle of Blood 62K

The Oubliette 70K

 

The Reverie 88K

House of Night and Chain 80K

Dark Harvest 81K

The Wicked and the Damned 91K

Maledictions 95K

Invocations 83K

Anathemas 93K

The Harrowed Paths 91K

The Accursed 89K

 

Crime books are all 85K+.

 

Yes, it's a dumb decision to have some books within the same imprint as paperbacks and some as hardbacks. I'm curious if it impacts the author's royalties. I'd be really angry if I made less just because I crossed 80K words.

[Tyriks]

If I remember right, hardcovers usually cost a bit over twice as much to manufacture as a paperback, so since BL paperbacks aren't half the cost it might actually have a larger profit margin (and thus more royalties). But with BL, who knows

[Noserenda]

I had heard margins are better on Hardbacks but that was in a different industry so it may not be strictly true with novels. 

Personally id kinda like it because i hate hardbacks but it does seem nonsensical to do it based on word count!

[DukeLeto69]

Almost certain (although there is the “BL anomalous approach to everything” to consider) that most authors get a % royalty based on the retail price of the book. The higher the price the more they earn even though the % remains the same. That is one reason authors love hardbacks and adore Limited Editions.

 

All authors receive an advance. BL will have a standard advance (I have been told that is about £5k for a novel though no idea if that alters for wordcounts). BEFORE the author receives a single penny in royalties BL will have to recoup the advance, which is paid back out of the author royalties.

 

So 1000 copies sold of a Ltd Edition will pay back a chunk of the advance far quicker than 1000 copies of a paperback.

 

Obviously the more your last book(s) sells the better negotiating position the author has for agreeing their next advance and royalty rate (though they may be locked into a multi-book deal so cannot alter the contract).

[Kelborn]

=][=

Hello everybody and happy new year if I may.

 

This topic shall be a continuation of our beloved upcoming BL stuff thread which is already over 130+ pages long.

 

As it's quite bloated, we thought an annual thread for each year might be 

 

1) more compact

2) better overview

3) easier to handle

 

Thus, this thread shall be our new home for news and updates for 2022.

 

Furthermore, I will split all 2022 related posts and move them over here beginning with the latest preview we got a couple of weeks ago,

 

May we have a great year of 2022!

 

Cheers

=][=

Edited January 5, 2022 by Kelborn

[Tyriks]

Many publishers base the authors royalties on the net profit of the book sales, not gross. I have no idea which BL does, but I was just saying that it could still wind up being more lucrative doing paperback over hardback (for general release, not counting limited editing, those will always make more money if they sell).

 

That, or maybe BL wants shorter books?

[USNCenturion]

I just want word on the Mortarion and Dorn Primarch series books: cover art, author, topic, anything!

[DukeLeto69]

Many publishers base the authors royalties on the net profit of the book sales, not gross. I have no idea which BL does, but I was just saying that it could still wind up being more lucrative doing paperback over hardback (for general release, not counting limited editing, those will always make more money if they sell).

 

That, or maybe BL wants shorter books?

Interesting you say that because I too thought the % royalty was based on wholesale/trade price rather than cover price/RRP but an author told me it was the latter?

 

Have to say “net profit” doesn’t sound right. That gives the publisher the ability to deduct all design, production, distribution and marketing costs before assigning a % royalty that could only be taken out of what is left!

 

Anyhow, going off topic. Some interesting titles coming but as always I wish we knew more/further ahead!

[Noserenda]

I always figured Hardbacks were more net profitable given how hard some publishers push them?

[cheywood]

Looks like Day of Ascension will be up for preorder on the 22nd according to Fnac: https://www.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a16571903/Adrian-Tchaikovsky-Day-Of-Ascension#omnsearchpos=14

 

They go by the shipping date not the preorder date so it says the 29th. As far as I know they’re the only site with accurate release date info.

 

The White Scars 40k omnibus is also up for preorder on the 22nd. I would hazard a guess that Danie Ware’s The Triumph of St. Katherine will be available on either the 15th or the 22nd.

[Tyriks]

 

Many publishers base the authors royalties on the net profit of the book sales, not gross. I have no idea which BL does, but I was just saying that it could still wind up being more lucrative doing paperback over hardback (for general release, not counting limited editing, those will always make more money if they sell).

That, or maybe BL wants shorter books?

Interesting you say that because I too thought the % royalty was based on wholesale/trade price rather than cover price/RRP but an author told me it was the latter?

Have to say “net profit” doesn’t sound right. That gives the publisher the ability to deduct all design, production, distribution and marketing costs before assigning a % royalty that could only be taken out of what is left!

It might not sound right but many publishers do that, at least some of the time. That part's not in question, only whether BL does. It probably comes down to how "safe" an investment a book by an author is. In BL's case a book by Abnett or ADB or Wraight is much more likely to sell well than a debut author. I have no idea about the wholesale or RRP issue, though, might have to ask one of my friends in publishing.

 

Edit: To clarify, I'm not intending to be dismissive of your point, so I hope it doesn't come across that way. I just know a lot of publishers do pay royalties out of net profit (at least, they might). You don't have to take my word for it, Google will confirm that point

Edited January 6, 2022 by Nemesor Tyriks

[ACoolBird]

Not sure if it's been posted about already 

 

The Sister Of Battle comics (the newer Marvel ones) will be collected as one issue, released 22nd Feburary according to Amazon currently. The same way as the Marneus Calgar comics were collected into one edition

[DukeLeto69]

 

 

Many publishers base the authors royalties on the net profit of the book sales, not gross. I have no idea which BL does, but I was just saying that it could still wind up being more lucrative doing paperback over hardback (for general release, not counting limited editing, those will always make more money if they sell).

That, or maybe BL wants shorter books?

Interesting you say that because I too thought the % royalty was based on wholesale/trade price rather than cover price/RRP but an author told me it was the latter?

Have to say “net profit” doesn’t sound right. That gives the publisher the ability to deduct all design, production, distribution and marketing costs before assigning a % royalty that could only be taken out of what is left!

It might not sound right but many publishers do that, at least some of the time. That part's not in question, only whether BL does. It probably comes down to how "safe" an investment a book by an author is. In BL's case a book by Abnett or ADB or Wraight is much more likely to sell well than a debut author. I have no idea about the wholesale or RRP issue, though, might have to ask one of my friends in publishing.

 

Edit: To clarify, I'm not intending to be dismissive of your point, so I hope it doesn't come across that way. I just know a lot of publishers do pay royalties out of net profit (at least, they might). You don't have to take my word for it, Google will confirm that point

Not at all, it’s totally cool. I don’t for one minute think I know more than anyone else, it just sounds like a rather dodgy practice and not something I had heard before.

 

I have always assumed (more fool me maybe) that authors are remunerated in a similar way to recording artists, ie an advance that is then recouped from royalties that are a % of the wholesale price of their vinyl/CD/download. Obviously recording artists also get performance royalties based on radio play. However, the “sharp practice” in the music industry is that often the artist advance is also expected to cover the studio costs so maybe it is something book publishers may also deduct?

 

Dangerously off topic now.

[Kelborn]

Looks like "Back-on-topic"'s back on the menu, boys!

[Fire Golem]

I’m hoping I got a copy of Twice Dead King - Reign, I forgot and ordered from Dark Sphere at about half 11. My order went through but they only seem to have 3 copies…

[Taliesin]

Its one of those weird BL things where some hardbacks go up for sale on Amazon, and then others dont.

Point in case, Twice Dead King is not on Amazon, a regular hardback. Yet Bookkeeper's Skull is, or Day of Ascension.

And this often ( or even always?) coincides with the hardcover selling out really fast when its on not on Amazon, as if they know in advance that they either had an even smaller print run than normal, or because its very popular. 

[theSpirea]

Its one of those weird BL things where some hardbacks go up for sale on Amazon, and then others dont.

Point in case, Twice Dead King is not on Amazon, a regular hardback. Yet Bookkeeper's Skull is, or Day of Ascension.

And this often ( or even always?) coincides with the hardcover selling out really fast when its on not on Amazon, as if they know in advance that they either had an even smaller print run than normal, or because its very popular. 

 

Majority of regular hardcovers are limited only to GW and LFGS only. There are exceptions such as Horus Heresy stuff, Horror hardbacks, and occasionally Abnett's stuff.

[Fire Golem]

It’s pretty wild to me that the regular hardback edition is about as limited as the special edition. 

[Felix Antipodes]

Another quiet week coming up with just two AoS books.  Nothing W40K announced.

[theSpirea]

That leaves St Katherine either for 22nd or 29th. Still debating whether to go after it or not. It would look great next to Celestine but that book was already a huge disappointment and so far I can't say I enjoyed Danie's SoB stories.

 

I'm considering getting Harrowdeep seeing Gary Kloster is listed as an author. His previous Necromunda novella Spark of Revolution was a nice surprise, his short story in Broken City The Verdant Sun was pretty good, and The Buried Beast Horus Heresy short wasn't bad either. Curious to see his take on AoS. Also interesting to see a new author writing for all WH settings, I'd say that's quite unusual.

[USNCenturion]

Anyone heard anything on the Primarch series delay?

[Ubiquitous1984]

Anyone heard anything on the Primarch series delay?

No.  It's coming upto a year since the last release in the series.

 

All we have learnt in the last year is a very heavy hint from Graeme McNeill that he is lined up to write Horus novel.  Other than that we have zero info.

[Knockagh]

Graeme McNeill and Horus?? Oh no, what an absolute let down

[Scribe]

Graeme McNeill and Horus?? Oh no, what an absolute let down

 

Its been (looking) twelve years but I maintain that he can write a good book, as I really enjoyed A Thousand Sons.