Chapter 16 All Crazy

Crazy, crazy.

Those two are crazy.

When leaving 9406 Crest Avenue.

Raúl Alemán thinks, Bertrand Urwin of HUP and Maré Viljoen of Time Publishing.

These two people are crazy.

Just now in the living room of the villa.

Bertrand Erwin and Marey Viljoen only wrote the beginning of a work on the young man.

Both of them offered crazy prices.

The price HUP offered the other party was a 30% advance on royalties.

They also promised to print 200,000 copies in the first batch and share 15% of the subsequent sales.

The former was 20% for Time Publishing Company, and the first print run was also 200,000 copies.

But the subsequent figures were even more exaggerated, reaching 20%!

You know, even many famous writers cannot get this ratio of royalties.

Take, for example, Harper Lee.

She is the most famous American female writer alive today.

Her book, To Kill a Mockingbird, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

The book has been translated into more than 40 languages ​​and has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

But the big publishers offered her about the same amount as Marey and Bertrand were now offering.

What merit did that guy have, even though the beginning he wrote was pretty good.

But it’s only 80,000 words, so maybe the rest of the content will be a mess.

There is no fame at all.

He is unknown in the publishing and novel circles, and is not a cultural celebrity.

Why should I be treated on the same level as Harper Lee?

Raul thought those two men were crazy, and he also thought he was a little crazy.

He didn't leave decisively just now.

Instead, I stayed there and watched those two people and the young man go crazy together! Fortunately, it was finally over.

More than an hour later.

Bertrand Urwin obtained the publishing rights on behalf of HUP.

Unsurprisingly, the quotations increased a lot amid fierce competition.

HUP's final offer was: 300,000 copies for the first print run, 40% advance payment, and 20% share of the proceeds.

Raul silently calculated the cost of HUP.

First, according to the process, when a publishing house intends to invest in a writer's work for publication, it will predict sales based on the writer's and similar books' past sales records.

If a 10% advance is paid for the royalties, the first print run of this book will be 10,000 copies, priced at $20 per copy.

The writer would receive an advance of $2 per book, with the remaining $18 split between the publisher and the distributor.

Subsequent royalties are generally shared and settled on a quarterly or annual basis.

Apply this model to the current situation.

A crazy 40% advance on royalties, and a crazy first print run of 300,000 copies.

Assume the price is around $10 per copy - this is the regular price for ordinary editions of popular novels in the United States.

In other words, HUP hasn't sold a single book yet.

You have to pay the young man $1.2 million first.

However, this is a one-time expense and you don’t have to pay it again after the book is published.

Moreover, when it comes to ordinary new writers, the advance payment is often almost nothing.

It is a method used by publishing houses to attract famous writers.

Some people also call it a signing fee.

"Thank you for the generous gift!"

Leaving Beverly Hills.

Raúl invites Özsson to have coffee.

After sitting down in the cafe, Raul's opening remarks were very direct.

"Bertrand Erwin and Marey Viljoen, are they crazy? Do they think that's the new John Grisham or Michael Connelly novel?"

"And..." He looked at his friend, "Why didn't you leave just now? Uh, I almost thought you were going to go crazy with them."

Er Hakansson smiled and shook his head. "Raul, believe me, even Marey Viljoen might go crazy. But Bertrand definitely won't. He is the calmest person in our industry."

"What happened just now..." Raul frowned.

"There must be a reason, but we don't know it."

Raul was silent.

In fact, he felt the same way, which was why he chose to stay and watch Bertrand and Mare "go crazy" with Er.

"Guess what kind of situation would make those two people do this."

Raul discusses with friends.

"I think you can guess that there are only a few possibilities."

Örg Håkansson said: "Or maybe they read the whole book and thought it had potential, so they invested a lot of money..."

"This is the least likely possibility." Raul said without hesitation.

Er smiled and nodded. He thought so too. "If it's not this possibility, then maybe it's some other situation, such as... Dave Smith."

Dave Smith is one of the best-selling authors in the United States.

He is also a member of Congress and the Register of Copyrights at the Library of Congress.

In other countries, a library is a library.

But the Library of Congress in the United States has its own American characteristics.

It's called the Library, but it actually has enormous power.

For example, within its administrative body, there is a department called the Copyright Bureau.

Dave Smith is the current Director of the Copyright Registration Office.

He has published several novels, and published data shows that sales of each book are over one million copies.

Very popular.

The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!

However, the public reviews are average and not many people have read his novels.

Raul certainly knew what the name Dave Smith meant in the publishing world.

Even though Ør Hakansson didn't say it, he had thought about this possibility.

Otherwise, why would HUP and Times Publishing give Milo such crazy treatment? Raul did not receive the above prompts before he came.

He wasn't clear about the situation, otherwise he would have wanted to come out and express his opinion.

Ør Hakansson thought so too.

Raul breathed a sigh of relief.

"After we finish this cup of coffee, let's go back and report the situation to our superiors. I think someone will investigate and then tell us what to do next."

Ör Hakansson said.

Raul nodded and said simply, "Let's go."

"Hey, the coffee hasn't even been served yet."

"I'll treat you next time. I'm not in the mood right now."

"Fuck you!"

…

…

"We can sign the contract tomorrow."

The living room of the villa at 9406 Crest Avenue.

After seeing off Bertrand Urwin of HUP, also known as Harvard University Press.

Wendy came back and said to Milo, "When will you finish your book?"

"The total is expected to be 380,000 words, and 300,000 words have been completed so far."

Milo smiled and said, "After the contract is signed, they should be able to get my novel."

"I thought...I thought..."

Wendy made several unconscious gestures.

"You think I'm kidding? Come on, Wendy, I'm dead serious."

Milo raised an eyebrow, "I'm showing you once again that I'm not the same person I used to be!"

After taking a long breath, Wendy shrugged:

"I believe it, but... well, I still find it a little hard to believe. But I think... everyone will be happy if you look like this."

Finally I want to do something.

Even if what you do is incredible and a little outrageous.

But it’s also about doing things.

"Everyone changes. After Paladin passed away, I was no longer the same person."

At this point Milo waved his hand, "Okay, let's not talk about this. How is the thing I asked you to do for me going?"

"The acquisition?"

"Yes."

Paladin Films has been around in Hollywood for over three years.

But there are less than ten people in this company.

Chairman Milo Blackburn, General Manager Wendy Aris.

That accounts for two people.

The rest are except for a part-time cleaner.

There are an accountant, an investigator and two errand boys.

Such a team obviously cannot fulfill Milo's ambition of making a movie.

Before the retreat, Milo asked Wendy to acquire a film company.

It doesn't have to be too big, as long as it has a complete department and a basic network of relationships.

"It's not a difficult thing. There are too many such companies in Hollywood."

Wendy shrugged, "Besides, Disney now owes us a big favor. I've already taken care of this matter."

"That's good."

Milo nodded in satisfaction.

(End of this chapter)