The career novelist

Strategy session III: managing success

rights to their clients' books. That is just what happened in 1990
when HarperCollins promised Jeffrey Archer what was said to be in
excess of $20 million for three new novels. In that instance, Harper
got not only world rights, but movieATV rights as well. (Archer's
agent got his whole commission on one deal. Nice for all con-
cerned, don't you think?)
Did you read about the $800,000 paid to unknown first novelist
Carol O'Connell for Mallory's Oracle in 1994? That was a world-rights
deal, too. Naturally, not all big deals are for world rights. The $12.3
million that Ken Follett got for two new novels—just one week
before the Archer deal—was for the U.S. and Canada only. Same
thing for the $14 million Clive Cussler got from Simon £- Schuster
for two new ones in 1994.
Is selling world rights a good idea? Ask the authors who get the
millions: they think so. World rights really become an issue at
lower advance levels. How low can you go and still justify it? The
answer really depends on what you want to accomplish with a
deal. I had a case a few years ago in which an author, previously
unpublished, insisted upon selling his first four novels—they
were linked—all at once. I told him that to bring off this nearly
impossible feat I might have to sell world rights. He said, "Do it."
I did. He got his four-novel deal, but somewhat less than seven
figures.
Was he sorry? Not a bit. He knew what he wanted. So, what do
you want out of your next deal? Is it worth giving away world rights
to obtain it? Interesting question!

THE IMPORTANCE OF BACKLIST

Speaking of big deals, negotiating with the publisher who has your

backlist can make it much easier to get huge up-front sums.

The logic behind that should be obvious. "Backlist" is previous

novels that are still on sale. They are paid for. Their cover art is paid

for, too. There are no expensive author tours to worry about, and the

reviews are in. In fact, the only cost a publisher has to shoulder now

is the price of reprinting and warehousing. Of course, even that may

be too dear if the "rate" (see Chapter 10) is not high enough, but if

that is the case then the novel is probably out of print anyway.