01 The acquisition
An Acquisition Meeting Buys a Route to Readers, Not a Genre Label
A label earns its keep only when it explains comps, route, and P&L risk.
Read the argumentIndependent thinking. Publishing ambition.Readers · Rights · Returns
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02 The audience
Romantasy Reaches Book Clubs When the Discussion Survives the Tropes
A category moves when its native promise leaves a question readers carry into the room.
Read the argument03 The rights
Rights Are Worth More When Positioning Travels Across Territories
A domestic success is not global unless its position survives new readers and retailers.
Read the argumentA worked comparison / 01
Two books.
One flattering number.
Different businesses.
A print run makes a handsome headline. The copies that stay sold pay the bills. Put both books on the same desk before you call a winner.
Illustrative assumptions, not market benchmarks. This is contribution before advances, overhead and other costs.
| The proposition | Book AThe big entrance | Book BThe closer fit |
|---|---|---|
| Copies printed & shipped | 10,000 | 6,000 |
| Returns assumed | 40% | 15% |
| Copies kept sold | 6,000 | 5,100 |
| Net receipts at $12 / sold copy | $72,000 | $61,200 |
| Print cost at $3 / printed copy | −$30,000 | −$18,000 |
| Contribution before other costs | $42,000 | $43,200 |
Book B prints 4,000 fewer copies and keeps $1,200 more. The route is part of the value.
Look past the print runSlushmark / A field guide
Make your value legible.Slushmark
Being a writer
in the age
of AI
Make your value legible.Slushmark
Your next chapter starts here
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