Book scouting might be seen as one of the more glamorous positions in publishing, but the job is more than gossipy lunches and international travel. Scouting is a rigorous job with ties to all aspects of the business, influenced as much by local book trends as the global economy. As part of our compensation series, we spoke to literary scouts about how the job works, where the money comes from, and why the segment is shrinking. Scouts are essentially consultants hired by foreign publishers and film/TV studios to help them acquire books for publication or adaptation. They trade in information, […]
Compensation
For Editors, Going Freelance Can Offer Freedom, But Not Necessarily Stability
As consolidation has reshaped publishing, the business has seen a steady stream of editors leaving their jobs at major houses to go independent. But a 2020 survey on freelance rates conducted by the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) indicates that while going independent may lighten an editor’s workload, it does not necessarily pay well. The survey, which polled members of all kinds including proofreaders and copywriters, put the median editorial freelance income of respondents at $25,974 annually. Of the 576 members who participated, only 11% had other income streams. At the high end, the survey recorded that 5 percent make between […]
Barnes & Noble Employees Claim Daunt Has Campaigned Against Union Votes
As workers at a number of individual Barnes & Noble stores vote to unionize — and as the chain itself embarks on a significant expansion of locations this year — employees tell the Guardian that ceo James Daunt has “embarked upon a months-long campaign to dissuade employees from voting in favor” of unionizing. They also “accuse the chain’s management of dragging their heels during contract negotiations.” Jessica Sepple, a bookseller at the flagship New York City store in Union Square, says: “He would come in and essentially try to talk us out of unionizing. The big argument against us unionizing […]
Freelance Publicists Keep the Stress of In-House Publicity But Earn Higher Paychecks
It’s a common fantasy. On a stressful day in the office, inbox overflowing, being pulled from meeting to meeting, while the work never seems to end: What if I worked for myself? In reality, is the flexibility of freelance work worth the financial worries, the hustle for the next contract, and being constantly available to clients? For many freelance book publicists, the answer is a resounding yes. As part of our continued series on compensation, we spoke with independent publicists—those working solo or at small firms—about their rates, their take-home pay, and how the stress doesn’t go down when you’re […]
Ghostwriters Gather To Discuss A Booming Industry
On a freezing morning in January, 136 ghostwriters assembled on the Upper East Side to speak with ground-breaking openness about a corner of publishing that has often been misunderstood. The first ever day-long Gathering of the Ghosts conference, hosted by Gotham Ghostwriters at The New York Academy of Medicine, drew some of the top professionals in the field, who spent the day schmoozing, chatting candidly about their work, and exchanging information. Gotham Ghostwriters ceo Dan Gerstein, who organized the event, told PL, “Our immediate goal is to build a greater sense of community and connectivity within the field—which mostly works […]
Literary Agents Face Low Pay, Supplement With Side Gigs
The Association of American Literary Agents published their bi-annual membership survey report today about agent demographics, how the organization is serving members, and industry issues. This time around, one of the sections addresses agent compensation, with, as they write, “an overwhelming 69%” of respondents pointing to low salaries as “a critical issue for the industry to address.” In parallel, PL has been speaking to agents at a variety of firms about what it takes to make a living, as part of our ongoing series on compensation across the industry (which has previously included book critics and booksellers) — confirming the AALA’s […]