How Can Black Authors Level the Financial Playing Field in a Changing Book industry?

September 21st, 2010 - By TheEditor

St. Martin’s Press, which has published many books by Black authors, offers an average of $7,000 – $25,000 for a first book and between $45,000 and $200,000 for follow-ups.

Currently, chick lit and urban drama are dominating the African-American book market.  The advances for many of these books fall between $4,000 and $5,000, with most companies offering a royalty percentage once the advance has been recouped.

Several well-known authors such as McMillan and Toni Morrison have gotten advances that most Black authors have only dreamed of.   But will the financial playing field ever be balanced?  And if so, how can it happen?

“We’re always going to have to fight harder,” said Cooper.  “We have to prove ourselves in terms of the numbers.”

“I really don’t know,” said Brice.  “I think all mid-list authors struggle in this market and I suspect that Black mid-list authors struggle even more.   I think the issue for Black novelists becomes, if you’re not writing street lit or Christian fiction, then who is your audience? I think publishers believe that that’s what Black readers want and that White readers won’t read Black authors unless they are literary and well known,” Brice continued.  “So if you fall into that category, like I do, then yes, you do have a struggle on your hands.”

“In order to pack a punch, financial or audience-wise, you have to write stuff that’s popular,” said Cooper.  “That’s what the publishers are interested in.  So it’s a double-edged sword.  Publishers will unfortunately tell you [to add] ‘a little more sex or a little more violence’.”

Another challenge, Brice contends, is getting readers to read books because they’re interested in the subject matter, without regard for the author’s or characters’ race.

“Some days, I’m optimistic that there’s a wider market for Black books than only Black readers. Other days, I’m not so sure,” said Brice.   Addressing this issue she created the blog, www.welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com, a light-hearted call to white readers to give Black authors, and their works, a try.

Doing It for Themselves

In a break from tradition, a number of Black authors decided to find publishing success on their own.  Such was the case with E. Lynn Harris, who, after being unable to secure a publisher for his first book Invisible Life, decided to publish it himself.  He sold thousands of copies from the trunk of his car before being signed by Doubleday.  Prior to his death last summer, his nine books had sold more than 3 million copies.

Former legal secretary Teri Woods found success after self-publishing her novel True to the Game and other titles.  Vickie Stringer self-published her novel, Let That be the Reason and eventually launched her own successful company, Triple Crown Publications.  Best-selling author Zane broke ground in Black erotica.  After self-publishing her first three titles and selling over 250,000 copies, she eventually signed a deal with Simon & Schuster.  She’s presently the publisher of Strebor Books (under the umbrella of Simon & Schuster) and has over twenty authors on her roster.

Many other authors are following the self-publishing route.  “One of the things that Margaret Johnson Hodge and Gloria Mallette have done is establish their credibility with publishing houses, and when the houses wouldn’t do new contracts, they took their following and self-published,” said Cooper.  “Because they have those followings people are going to read their stuff.”

To Segregate or Not

Black authors and the book-buying public also have to contend with the issue of African-American book sections.  While it may be off-putting to readers of other races, there are many Black authors and readers who have come to embrace the section.  Brice suggested that, although it can often feel like segregation, that if it were not for those sections, major book stores might not buy as many African-American titles.  Some, however, feel it’s time to do away with isolating Black books and place them on the same shelves as White writers.

The success of film versions of Waiting to Exhale (grossed $67 million its first year) and How Stella Got Her Groove Back have shown that Black books can generate success on the big screen.   The turning of Sapphire’s novel Push into the film Precious, generated $47 million dollars at the box office.  The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, written by Alexander McCall Smith, generated big numbers for HBO.

Ernessa T. Carter’s 32 Candles was recently purchased by Miramax.  TV producer Shonda Rhimes bought the rights to Itchbay is the New Black, a memoir by Helena Andrews.

“I think we probably owe Tyler Perry for getting Hollywood to realize there’s a Black audience,” said Brice. “Now, if we can get [studios] and publishing houses to understand that the Black audience isn’t monolithic, maybe we can get a better variety of books and movies.”

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  • nyp

    I understand the point of the article, and it raises some good points, but the reality is that publishers are interested in making money. A great example is Nicholas Sparks, who wrote The Notebook and received a very large advance from Warner Books and the rest, is history. On his website he talks about how he reads copiously, and reads books by great authors in different genres. How many black authors can honestly say they've read James Joyce, Shakespeare, or Mark Twain, etc before they write their stories?

    When you properly base your writing on a solid platform (i.e. a long history of reading quality books, researching how to improve writing, reading books by the leading authors in your target market, etc) the results speak for themselves. Black writers can't get upset that because the money isn't there, if the quality of writing of their contemporaries far exceeds their own.

    As a black writer trying to break into the business in the traditional route of signing with a reputable agent, I believe that authors who self-publish may be refusing to acknowledge that their books may have shortcomings that need to be ameliorated, rather than simply being forced to use that route to publish quality writing. Refusing to grow and learn is a death knell for a writers career, and I believe that in the long run, waiting another year or two, and honing one's talents to a level that traditional publishers find appealing is immeasurably beneficial.

    Lastly, why do non-African American authors seem to find a 'voice' that works for a larger audience, but AA authors have to write books that target a much smaller audience? I refuse to write books that are aimed at black readers, because if I'm going to pour myself into perfecting a novel, I want to see it achieve a high level of market saturation. If a writer expects to see high offers from big-time publishers, they need to envision a book that can become a worldwide phenomenon, creating an author who becomes a brand. Some publishers are remain profitable simply because one author is a mega-star, illustrated by James Patterson who rakes in millions because if he were to switch publishers, the damage would be irreparable. Writers are in the entertainment field, and should really be more aware of the business aspect of publishing. If a writer makes themselves into a major asset, the money will come, because the readers keep coming back.

    • tisasilver

      NYP, some self-published authors may fail to acknowledge the points you mentioned, but ultimately the choice of paths depends on the author's talent, goals and content.

      I self-published a book that was part academic and part autobiography. Self-publishing proved to be my best option at the time, not due lack of quality or skill as an author but because I had something original and I wanted to begin sharing it as soon as possible. I adapted a financial concept for use in a new way, and I wanted to get it out first. It may sound selfish, but I was a college prof first and when you come up with something that is original AND capable of educating people it is hard to sit on it.

      A traditional deal has always been on the radar, and there is no doubt it would be beneficial. Knowing this, I chose to publish through a company which had been used by other authors who were able to make the transition. I also chose to use the services of professional editors, and I read the book at least thirty times before the final manuscript was submitted. I wish more self-published authors would do the same. Regardless of who publishes the work, quality should never be compromised.

      BTW, I stopped by one of the large retail chain's bookstores in P.G. County over the weekend. The store had several new (or at least new to me) category labels. Books by AA authors were on a table labeled "Urban." The table across from it was labeled "Thought Provoking." Unfortunately, I didn't see any AA authors on that table, so I left a few of my postcards.

  • http://stopsnitchingthebook.webs.com/ Kwasi Akwamu

    Writers enjoy writing. They wish they could do nothing but write. To do so, making money doing what they love requires they sell their writing. I hate to say it but there is a saturation of published literature in the marketplace. It has become so easy to self-publish that many are doing it.

    It is true that everyone has a story to tell, but it isn't always the story as much as it is in the telling of it. Good writers will sell; some bad writers are, to the chagrin ofself-professed good writers, good hustlers. I personally know more than one Detroit author who will openly ask you would you rather them sell books or drugs. Gimme that book!

    Don't know if black authors can level the playing field but far more are damned sure trying harder to get some of the money, particularly by cutting out the middle man and peddling books from their backpacks.

    Kwasi Akwamu
    Author of "Stop Snitching: Does It Really Reduce Crime in the Black Community? Volume 1: To the Neighbors" (Urban Guerrilla Publishing, 2010)

    Urban Network
    4750 GRand River
    Detroit, MI 48208

    (313) 285-8450

  • The Royal Crush

    PREACH!

  • S. Kimble-Ellis

    Mr. Zacharias, As mentioned in the article, some of the information gathered regarding advances was credited to information compiled by author and blogger Brenda Hiatt.
    As the writer of this piece, I extend my apologies in being off by $2,000 for Kensington's base price for author advances. For the most part, though, most of the advances noted in this article (as cited from NY Times articles, etc.) are pretty accurate. Not "totally innacurate" as you stated.
    In addition, several African-American authors gave me dollar amounts (off-the-record) for the advances they've received and they were in the $5,000 range for first books and $5,000 to $15,000 for subsequent texts.
    As a published author myself, I can attest to the fact there disparity when it comes to the perceived audience for a book. One of my books was published by John Wiley and it was geared for an African-American audience. A friend wrote a book for the same company, in the same genre but received $4,000 more for her work. I asked the editor about a higher advance but was told by my editor that my book would not be considered "mainstream." So I can tell you first hand that racial disparity does exist in some instances.

  • http://www.jlovebooks.com J. Love

    I believe that as a black community, we are not promoting reading as much as we should. I see many self-published authors trying to make a fast dollar by promoting their book but fail to realize that not many of us are reading. So, after you may get a few to purchase a copy of your book, there is not enough of our people reading. I am seeing far too many people writing books & not enough people reading. Lets take time out to promote reading as a priority to our black community because if the people are not reading, there is no need to promote yourself.

    • Derrick Young

      That is absolutely incorrect. Black people do read and they read often. It is unfortunate that this stereotype continues to persist. Its part of the reason that Black authors continue to struggle in the marketplace. I've worked at a bookstore that sold books written for, by, and about African Americans that generated over 4 million dollars in revenue. Black people read and they write well.

      Lets speak & write what we we want. Until we treat ourselves with the respect we deserve, no one else well.

  • Barbara Grovner

    While there are many problems in the lit industry for Black Americans I will only address one. We may think we have come a long way by having a 'section' in the bookstores when in fact, we have cut off our noses to spite our faces. I write murder mysteries and don't see why my books cannot and are not on the shelves with the likes of James Patterson. I would love to see Black American author's book listed by genre and placed in alphabetical order as with every other author. There is no reason to segregate readers. If you really want to read a book by your favorite Black author, then you won't mind finding their work in the genre that it is written instead of by the color or ethnicity. I'm not talking about history books I'm writing about mainstream novels written for entertainment. I agree that there should be a Black History section in the bookstores for books about our history and leaders in America. I was in a store this summer where there AA section was smaller than I am and I am only 5'5" tall and not very wide. That to me was insulting and degrading. Our books should be where they belong…on the shelves with everyone else's books are displayed and shown. I read books that are written by many authors and I never have to go to a specific area in a bookstore unless I am looking for a Black author. I find that ridiculously unfair and improper. It seems to be just another way to keep readers segregated.

    • http://www.tierraallen.com Tierra Allen

      Barbara, I think the issue is a catch-22: On the one hand, I agree, put the books with like-genre books. On the other hand, 1. If authors are classifying their books as "urban lit," "street lit," or "African American Literature," it no longer becomes "mystery," "romance," or "sy-fy," and all of it will end up on a shelf labeled "African American."

      2. I don't think it's cool to make a distinction regarding trade books (fiction and nonfiction) but then say that African American History should be on its own shelf. I think thoughts like these, not to be condescending, are why we are relegated to African American shelves. It's just easier.

  • http://michelegrant.net Michele Grant

    I'm an author with Kensington, my first book, Heard It All Before is in stores and I have a second book, Sweet Little Lies coming out in February. I do have a few thoughts.
    1) We don't always get to chose our own covers. But please don't judge a book by that. Read the first two pages, go out to GoodReads or ask around to see if it's something you might like.
    2) We don't all write street lit. If I had to characterize my writing style, it would be called bougie lit for the upwardly mobile set. No Pookies, no Ray-Rays, no guns, no jail. All of my characters are educated and intelligent. And I'm not the only one writing these kinds of books.
    3) We're kind of damned if we do, damned if we don't in product placement. Some bookstores place our books in the back near the restroom behind last year's Jet, some mix us in with the general fiction. Truthfully, if it has a space on a rack in a store, that's half the battle. Feel free to get aggressive with your bookstore manager if you can't find something you're looking for.
    4) All we can do is keep writing smart, intelligent, engaging work that hopefully people will find, read, and enjoy.
    And lastly, if you're having trouble finding a good book to read, please feel free to reach out to an author on Facebook or Twitter, we always have recommendations to suit your taste. Don't give up on AA Lit!
    ~Michele Grant

  • Michelle

    Thank you Mr. Zacharius, as I've always wondered why AA books are separated in the book stores. I think it's a mistake due to marketing and an unfair advantage for other groups.

    Lets take romance novels for example: Nora Roberts' books are placed front and center, while you have a Francis Ray off in the corner somewhere. I'm an avid reader and I spend hundreds of dollars on books each month. Someone recently gave me a Francis Ray novel, and because it was so good, I've read over 18 of her books in the last few months. Stop separating books based on the skin color of the author….True advid readers just want a good, well written and well thought out story….give us that and readers will return to the book store in droves.

    Message to All AA writers:
    a) spend a little more time on your book titles and covers….you would be surprised how much that really matters.

    b) Stop the madness with this new trend of making what should be one book into four or five novels. LiL Black Girl lost 1,2,3,4, and 5. We readers are not stupid!

  • Cindy

    As an aspiring writer, I'm not totally buying this argument. Publishers will pay for quality work, regardless if the race or gender of the one doing the writing. What a lot of Black writers are doing, I feel, are skipping the necessary steps to get to McMillan/Morrison levels. Some self-published AA fiction is just terrible, rife with grammatical errors and lacking even basic sentence structure. Join a writing class, seek out quality writers in your community regardless of race, READ EVERYTHING, and start small. Rome wasn't built in a day and your book won't be published either if you're looking to be published by a large house. Submit polished excerpts or short stories to small literary magazines, ones that agents and editors read. I say this because this seems like a situation where we can make excuses about why we can't be successful in this area today. Do the work. Writers should be writing for the love of it and being able to create, not to see a 6 figure advance.

    • CG Writer

      @Cindy, what are you saying? You have spelling errors right here on this post. You speak as though you were some repeatedly published author with a successful career. What do you know about what goes on with aspiring writers? What do you know about being a stuggling black author in today's world? So simplistic, "making excuses", and "read everything". It just sounds racist. Did you read everything? Come on with that. Check yourself, people like you get online and try to spew ignorance all over our screens and I am getting really tired of it. Act like people or stay offline.

  • Steven Zacharius

    I don't think there is such a thing as a standard advance, at least not at Kensington. Possibly this might hold true for a first time writer, writing in a category genre….but even then there are wide exceptions to this. We've had first time authors who got $ 5000. and some who have gotten $ 100,000.

  • tisasilver

    @Mr. Zacharius – I appreciate your candor. Is there a source to explore for figures on advances by genre? Ultimately, I gather that the advance depends on each book and estimated future cash flows but it would be nice to see some figures.

    I chose to self-publish after weighing the risks (i.e. time spent waiting for a response, rejection after time spent, prospects of a meager advance) against my desire to put out original, quality content as quickly as possible. Garnering enough sales/positive feedback to obtain a traditional deal is definitely on my radar, but with the associated risks it may not be worth it. Time will tell.

    Interestingly enough, I am now reading I Choose to Stay by Salome Thomas-EL.

    @Kelly – I hear you. General creativity is still there, but can be hard to find. It is hard for such material to get attention in a market which seems to demand more of the topics you have mentioned. I am an AA author and I write non-fiction material everyone can relate to. I could write about the topics you mentioned, but I want people to learn and grow. Putting out more of the same won't help achieve that.

    Also, I agree with you on the subject of poor writing. It is not an AA specific issue, it is a general problem.

  • Kelly

    As an AA reader, I liked it when I could walk into the book store and find the AA section and grab the newest romance novel. Now that they are lumped in and I have to search for it..I don't anymore. I agree that some books are terribly written, but is that an AA problem only? I doubt it. The issue I think is recycled story lines. General creativity is lost. That's why you've lost so many readers. I don't want to read about anymore cheating husbands and boyfriends, DL brothers or loud rowdy Sistahs! Author books that capture the imagination and then you won't have to worry about being a black author, you would have appealed to the masses. Just my thought.

    • http://www.tisasilver.com Tisa Silver

      Hi Kelly, I hear you. General creativity is still alive, but it is hard for it to get attention when the market seems to demand more of the topics you have mentioned. I am an AA author, but I write non-fiction material about things everyone can relate to. I could write about the same subjects, but I want people to learn and grow. And I agree, poor writing is a general problem.

    • http://www.tierraallen.com Tierra Allen

      Kelly,

      I completely agree with you. That's why I've chosen to write a book that is both well-written and that goes back to the original concept of writing: to entertain. It's called Safe in His Arms, and it is definitely something different. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

  • Steven Zacharius

    As the CEO of Kensington Publishing, I find it necessary to comment on this article. Not only are the level of advances that were reported totally innacurate but the fact that racial inequality was even brought up; is insulting. The level of advances that publishers pay have nothing to do with the race or marketplace for which that author is writing. Advances are solely based on what the publisher is projecting the sales will be of the book. Certain genres sell more than others. And as far as books being segregated in the marketplace; this actually helps increase sales in that category. By placing books that are geared for the Af-Am market in with the general romance section for example, they get lost in the hundreds of new releases that are available. Sales of books are always better when you can place them in a section that is dedicated to the reader.

    • http://www.tisasilver.com Tisa Silver

      Mr. Zacharius, I appreciate your candor. Is there a source one can explore to find accurate figures on advances by genre? Ultimately, advances appear to be dictated by estimates of future cash flows but it would be nice to see some figures.

      I sought advice from several people regarding the climate with traditional publishers before opting to self-publish. Weighing the risks (primarily time waiting for an answer, rejection after a potentially long wait time and prospects of a meager advance) against the desire to put out original, quality material as quickly as possible, made the decision for me. Garnering enough sales, positive feedback, etc. to net a traditional deal for the second book is definitely on my radar, but again with aforementioned risks, it may not be worth it.

      Small world, I am actually reading a Kensington book (I Choose To Stay) now by Salome Thomas-EL.

    • Dr. Rosie Milligan

      To Steven Zacharius: Pl;ease. How canyou not be aware that racial inequality is as issue in the publishing industry the same as in every industry. Take off your blinders. You know that white authors are given larger advances Expectation has much to do with advances. You expect the white writer to better. It liken unto a teacher who has high expectation for some students, based on their socioeconomic status, and less expectation for students in a lower socioeconomic group, the teacher puts more into the students who she expects to win.

      Black author's books are placed together because it is felt that whites are not interested in what Blacks have to say or they can not relate. Take you head out off the sand and do the numbers when it comes to book advances for white and Black writers.