$ Publishers contracts $

Hi

Is it true that Authors/Artists only get about $5000 when then sign a contract?

Is it worth it when it takes such a long time to do.

I know that the publishers promote your work etc. but is that not a form of exploition?

Seb

I know with a book contract you get an advance of about $2,000 to $5,000 and then you have to wait till the book's sales catch up to what was paid to you (it works out to something like 57 cents per book--a friend told me this, she had written one called The Care & Feeding Of Spinning Wheels). You get another 'payment' when sales reach a certain figure, then if the book stays in publication (most don't) you get yearly checks for the sales of the previous year.

Fortunately for my friend her book has been selling slowly but sort of steadily, she gets about $300 a year for the past few years on the thing.

It's not a way to make a living, that's for sure, unless you're someone like Tom Clancy or Stephen King.

Tarot has to be pretty similar, the majority of the money goes to the publisher & the distributors. You get some, but not enough to live on. Robin Wood has had her deck out for a number of years, how about contacting her on what sort of income the deck generates? She's got a web site easily found online. And she's such a nice lady she's very likely to answer you on this!

Since the subject of this thread is more appropriate for Chat, it will be moved accordingly within 24 hours.

Please note that Chat is available to subscribers only & therefore not accessible via regular membership. Chat is a forum intended for all subjects non-Tarot & that do not fit in any other forum.

Your understanding is appreciated.

For information on becoming a subscriber, please see:

http://www.aeclectic.net/subscribe.html

Hiding place

MeeWah said:

Since the subject of this thread is more appropriate for Chat, it will be moved accordingly within 24 hours.

Please note that Chat is available to subscribers only & therefore not accessible via regular membership. Chat is a forum intended for all subjects non-Tarot & that do not fit in any other forum.

????? non-Tarot????

I guess we don't want the publishers to see this thread, it's best hidden out off the way eh.

Click to expand...

My suggestion would be to move it to the Tarot Deck Creation forum, since aspects of deck publishing are sometimes discussed there.

-- Lee

Thank you for the wise decision to move this subject to the Tarot deck creation threads INSTEAD of the subscribers chat.

I would like to follow this thread closely, and contribute if my research into the subject turns up any info. But, due to an abreviated financial situation at this time in my life, I am unable to pay for a subscription. I would hope that threads started in the non-subscribers section remain somewhere in the non-subscribers section at least until they are archived.

Judging by what was written so far, it almost makes me wonder if self-publishing is more or less lucrative than being published by a corporation (?)

Self-promotion using the internet would certainly generate fairly good sales. But i am guessing that the production of the cards and packaging would require a very deep investment up front, which seems to be the advantage of being published, aside from the promotional aspects.

Perhaps someone that has published can contribute here. I am certainly interested in the information.

-MrLucid-

I asked something directly of Robin Wood, artist & creator of the Robin Wood Tarot Deck, about info going around that there's a version of her deck with different cards showing up in it than the standard deck everyone knows of hers.

She was great in responding! I posted her email at this thread, I think it's on the second page, look for the last few entries -- http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13072 -- what she says about the contract she signed with Llewellyn is VERY eye opening. She's not allowed to ever make another tarot deck which will compete with the one they currently publish of hers....EVER.

Go give it a read, she made a mistake on a contract with one of the 'big three' and it's forever binding. Just caution for anyone looking to get one officially published.

By the way, she's a VERY nice lady, I've met her at some of the local SCA events and SF conventions. She's always ready to talk to people.

Smelling a rat

Thanks HudsonGray,

For sharing that with us. I can underdstand why some artists self publish.
I know someone myself who is/was writing a book and they felt shafted by the publisher and this was before signing any contract I also know from this person that they would like to make more than one tarot deck in the future.

I guess if it's your first time deck/book you won't get as much as a known writer/artist. But I think it's always good to get any contract over looked by a lawyer or pro body.

I'm sure that the publishers are nice people at the end of the day but they have to think business, even if it means shafting.

It would be interesting to know if the publishers ever contacted an artist/writer for decks/books, to see if they had the same type of contract.

Anyway I don't think many artists are allowed to talk or would want to talk about their deal with someone that they don't know so I'm pleased to hear your info.
I would love to hear from other artists/writers too!

I also know that you don't get your advance payment if you deliver your work late!

It's always good to shop around with publishers. What about the little boy publishers? e.g Published by St Martins Press Tarot de Paris and many more.
There most be some reason why he didn't go with the big boys, or may be he did but didn't get a deal.

I can understand what Tarotbear said in this thread.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9310

I talked to one of the people who put out the Ancestral Path Tarot before they got their deck published (they're from 60 miles west of me, in Watertown, WI). The lady was at a spirit fair with photo images of the art laid out on the table. They'd tried sending the paintings to a tarot publisher (I can't recall which one they tried first) and had a hell of a time getting any answer out of them much less getting their original art back. It took a lawyer to get their paintings back to them so they could try someone else.

This was back at least 10 years ago--they hadn't signed a full contract yet for the deck, so yes, if you can check with people who've put out decks already, I think some of this info can be pieced together for a fuller picture for those of us who want to get a deck done ourselves.

EVERY bit of info is good to learn.

I've heard no info on the 'small boy' publishers, does anyone have a list of them? It'd be great to find out what they're looking for, how fast they can get it to market, how large their print runs are, and any other info they're willing to give.

working on it

Quote....HudsonGray........I've heard no info on the 'small boy' publishers, does anyone have a list of them? It'd be great to find out what they're looking for, how fast they can get it to market, how large their print runs are, and any other info they're willing to give.

Yes its something that myself and another member are working on heres a few but there are tons!!!!! of publishers. When we get more info etc. it will be on a website for everyone to find info etc. so I'll keep you all posted.

Retrokat - Golden tarot would of been good but she doesn't give anyone personal advice on publishing etc. She would of been good as she had copyright issues with a known Big Swiss publisher.

Anyway heres just a hand full

Austria- Piatnik
France- France Cartes
France- Heron
France-Le Diouris
France- Vigno
England- Harper Collins
England-Rider
Italy-Dal Negro
Itlay-Italcards
Itlay-Meneghello
Itlay-Modiano
Spain-Fournier
Portugal-Editora Pensamento

I hope that helps!