THE CAREER NOVELIST
always done well in this format, especially with young upscale buy-
ers (hence the term yuppie-backs).
The surprise is that many types of commercial and genre fiction
are also beginning to sell well in trade paperback. With cover prices
up sharply, and unlikely to come down anytime soon, it is probable
that trade paper will grow increasingly important as a format for cre-
ating excitement over new authors.
So, which is the logical route for you? In answering this question,
you will need to know your audience and be objective about the
quality of your writing. If you have written a light, cozy mystery novel
that is similar to others on the market, you may want to choose
original paper as your format. Consumers may resist paying hard-
cover prices for your novel, and reviewers may be unkind because
your story type is familiar. Why tempt fate?
On the other hand, perhaps you are an established author who is
ready for a break-out. If you have been publishing in paperback, the
time may be ripe for an aggressive move into hardcover. Consult
your agent.
One final thought: today most large publishers do both hardcov-
er and softcover novels. I would not let that alone dictate my choice
of publishers, but there is one advantage to having both editions
done by a hard/soft house. Paperback royalties, which used to be
split fifty-fifty with hardcover-only houses, are paid through 100 per-
cent to the author under the terms of a hard/soft contract.
Sounds like a good deal to me.
WHEN TO GO FULL-TIME
It is a rare novelist who does not dream about writing fiction full-
time. Fantasies of a book-lined study, smoking jackets, a well-worn
Remington typewriter, and afternoons spent in contemplative
leisure may not exactly match your desires, but I will bet that you
harbor your own version of the dream life.
So powerful is the allure of the writing life that many authors
rush into it, particularly those with the means to do so. I am aston-
ished at how often doctors quit hospitals, CEOs cash in stock
options, and middle managers take early retirement in order to pur-
sue the illusion of a stress-free life as a writer.