Hi guys, Just recently got my debut novel traditionally published by a large domestic publisher. I'm really new to this so forgive my naivety. An advance was not part of publication offer and I did not request one. I recently lost my job about a month after the book was released. I've been having some real financial troubles and I was wondering if it is possible/common for authors to ask for an advance payment after publication? I would really love to give my family a good Christmas this year and I've been struggling applying for jobs. But it seems I may have run out of time. I do have two new manuscripts that will be ready in the first week of January. Can these be used as leverage for an advance in any way? Obviously royalties will only be paid out once the advance has been paid back. Does this ever happen? I'm South African and my book is published domestically.
An advance is something you would have to negotiate in the contract before you sign it. And the truth is most books don't earn back their advances, but publishers know this and authors are never required to pay back any advance regardless of how sales go. Also, advances are usually paid in thirds. The first payment comes when you sign the contract. The next payment comes after the revision process while working with the editor is completed. And the final payment comes when the book hits the market. So, I highly doubt what you're looking for is how any publisher would do business. It sort of seems like you want to borrow against potential future sales. Now, that the book is published there would be no reason to offer an advance. Sure, you can go for an advance with your new books, but I don't think you will see any money from an advance on those as quickly as you are looking for. I would look to get an agent to negotiate the advance and publishing terms for you next time. Sure, agents take a cut, but you're much more likely to get a better deal with them involved. But, again, these things don't tend to happen so quickly.
Good advice from @deadrats there. Also remember agents have connections at the publishers. So their submission process will be more focused. And they might find you a better deal at a different publisher. You will definately get a better deal, since agents know publishing contracts.
I’d also note that these days advances are modest. Even big five deals aren’t going to pay off your mortgage any more, the days of Stephen king getting £250k for one book as a relative unknown are long gone if you already signed a deal with no advance they aren’t going go suddenly give you one
I read somewhere that even a $10K advance is in the upper tier. That's a nice chunk of change, but it's barely a down payment on a car these days.
That's an amazing achievement. I'm sorry to hear about the tough situation you're facing right now. While it's not super common for authors to ask for an advance post-publication, it's not entirely unheard of. Publishers might consider your situation, especially if you have more manuscripts in the pipeline.
Speaking from my own experience, when times were tough, I found a silver lining with KDP Amazon Book Publishing Services. They provided a platform where I could independently release some shorter works between my major projects. It didn't replace the traditional publishing route, but it brought in some extra income during challenging times. Maybe exploring that avenue could be a helpful bridge while you navigate through the current situation.
Sarah's last appearance online was on December 14. Sarah? You still out there lurking somewhere? Hope things are going well for you.
