The big papers and magazines are scrambling to scoop each other on the latest James Frey hullabaloo (remember his book, A Million Little Pieces?). He’s now started a book-packaging company called Full Fathom Five. Full Fathom Five will hire young writers to write young adult fiction. His goal is to publish the next Potter-type series.
According to Mediaite, the authors he hires “get $250 upon signing and another $250 upon completion of a book.” He’s had his first major success. A sci-fi story called I Am Number Four is being made into a Michael Bay/Steven Spielberg DreamWorks movie.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Frey “only develops ideas that have serial book potential, as well as obvious film, TV, merchandising and digital marketability. In business about 18 months, he has 28 writers working on 27 book series.” The WSJ quoted the same figures for payment as Mediaite, but added: “They are promised 30% to 49% of all revenue whether it comes from videogames or publications rights.”
So, whose name went on that book-to-movie, I Am Number Four – Frey’s or the contract author? Neither. Frey decided to assign it a moniker of “Pittacus Lore,” a character in the story. The actual writer, Jobie Hughes, sued for a renegotiation of his contract. The suit has been settled and according to the WSJ, the “author” of I Am Number Four will remain Pittacus Lore.
Frey’s company is a machine, churning out books to movies. Full Fathom Five has three series already on the way. According to the site io9, “The Other World Chronicles, a modern-day King Arthur story that Will Smith's son Jaden is already in line to star in the movie version of.”
What do you think? Would you accept $500 to write a book with the hope that it became a major hit and was made into a movie, even if your name would never go on the book but you may get a cut of the movie deal – or you may not?
Would you do it with the idea that it would give you a chance to collaborate with a proven hit-producer?
11 months ago
There's certainly an element to it that's attractive . . . but it still doesn't sound like something I would do. I'd rather write my own book with my own goals in mind than someone else's.
ReplyDeleteWow! I've heard of I Am Number Four, but won't spend my money on it after reading that - talk about taking advantage of people.
ReplyDeleteNo. It sounds like the book version of a puppy mill.
ReplyDeleteGood description, Laura.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I think, the person who wrote I Am Number Four is now probably making a pretty good chunk of money and will write more which might be made into movies - or can take his experience and get a big agent to rep his future books. But he's only one author in the Frey mill.
No, $500 is chicken feed, even for writers! Also, I'd balk at working for Frey, who always seems a little questionable to me...
ReplyDeleteI think Laura nailed the description! And this guy has several books being made into movies? Damn, I'd love to see my book as a movie.
ReplyDeleteFor me, as a hobby write, that's not an issue. But when my so-called novel is made into a movie (just have to finish it first), I want Kate Winslet in the main role, if she's not retired by then >:)
ReplyDeleteCold As Heaven
I think I have to take an opposing viewpoint here. Many people who write for ebook publishers get no advance at all. The royalty percentage is very good and if you're working for someone who has a good chance of getting that book made into a movie you're talking hefty earnings.
ReplyDeleteAs far as not putting your real name on a book, lots of authors write under various names. I do. As long as you can still tell people you actually wrote that best-seller, it will open doors into the industry with that credit on your resume.
This guy really thinks outside the box doesn't he? I have so many questions about this "book-packaging" company I wouldn't know where to start. But first off, it reminds me very much of the guy who put out the serial mysteries-- Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and many more. He hired writers & gave them pseudonyms, and writing formats to follow. They were essentially hired writers, much as these kids are.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...sounds like selling out to me. Karen G mentioned the book packagers. I know Daniel Weiss Associates did Sweet Valley High in the 80s and 90s. I auditioned to write for them several times. They paid $1,000 per book at that time but you got zero credit for it. Same as this. It's just book packaging, fancied up. To me, having my name on the book and having people know ME as the author is more important than money, even if it was a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who wrote in that kind of series, Karen.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun having your name on a book, I agree.
Cold As Heaven, you are Kate Winslet obsessed.
Hi Helen .. sounds like Straight from Hel to me .. not a good idea .. and 'slave labour' .. you could churn - but would you enjoy it?
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend .. Hilary
Sheeesshh! Throw me a bone with some meat on it. No chance. These greedy people can write their own series.
ReplyDeleteNah, I don't think so!
ReplyDeleteFive hundred dollars? Would you have to clean his toilets too? It sounds like slave labor to me.
ReplyDeleteMaybe writers should form their own "club" where they throw around ideas and plot points. One person has an idea and the group offers more ideas and things that could happen. Then the next goes through the brainstorming session with their idea. Be your own plot mill and see where it goes.
ReplyDeleteNope. I wouldn't even like to write with a co-author let alone someone like James Faust, er, I mean Frey.
ReplyDeleteJudy(South Africa)
Hi Judy. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs an author, probably not but as a businesswoman I sure can appreciate his business model.
ReplyDeleteI bet he has a high turn over of writers. But what would he care? I think a lot of writers would see it as a great stepping stone. I don't think I would do it though.
ReplyDeleteIt has a certain appeal, an upside, but ... nah, don't think I would. I want MY name to build, so ... even though the chance to meet and collaborate with heavyweights is there, seems like a dead end for actual name recognition.
ReplyDeleteMarvin D Wilson
Yikes! The things I learn from you Helen. I like Laura's description of this!
ReplyDeletetotally would IFF: I am allowed to let those in the publishing industry know it was mine (so it helped in future book sales) and the money portion was iron clad. In fact this isn't so different from my Cozy Mystery under a pen name bit, but my chances of getting rich are significantly slimmer. This sounds like a pretty darned good schooling to me.
ReplyDeleteThese are probably NOT going to be great quality... a person is probably better off not having it tacked to them forever, but this inside deal has some lessons.
No. Not my thing. At all.
ReplyDeleteI find this rather disturbing. I want recognition for what I write. It's hard enough to break in, let alone be ignored for creating a good book.
ReplyDeleteNancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
I think Laura nailed it.
ReplyDeleteThis feels like what happened to the cast of Giligan's Island. They were paid for the time they were on the show, but they saw no royalties afterwards- even though decades later it's still running and garnering income for the producers of the show. I think the creative talent and the people who bring the characters to life get left out of the residual packages so much that it seems like a normal thing to do in the broadcasting industry.
I suggest that we have a writer revolution.
Anybody want to work on slogans with me?
[I promise not to address anyone as "comrade"]
:0)
What?! That's just wrong. And how did he suddenly become a reputable big publisher with distributors and movie deals?
ReplyDeleteI’ve been reading about this and I must not fully understand it. I can’t see why anyone would agree to write a book that gets the author so little money and no name recognition.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is they're doing it so they can work with a guy who seems to know how to produce hits, and they can prove they can also write hits, and then possibly get a deal of their own under their own name. It can't be for the money.
ReplyDeleteLaura's description is pretty apt. Trouble is with writers, we are taken advantage of all the time! We do mainly write for free! Maybe 500 bucks is big money. Ha Ha. Also true that the writer may well end up rolling in it after the movie comes out. Smacks of extortion though..:)
ReplyDeleteMaybe.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd mind the risk that it would never sell - but I'd opt for a percentage of the sales for sure. A long term investment, so to speak.
I've been interested in ghost writing, so that's probably why I don't see what the big deal is here. Except the small pay amount.
Well, the lack of pressure has its appeal is all I'm saying.
.......dhole
Book packaging is nothing new, but I think the deal Frey is offering authors isn't that great. I have done some collaborations on scripts with a modest upfront payment and a percentage of the profits from the movie and ancillary sales. Still waiting for the profits.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Frey does have some pull in the industry, so maybe the profits will start coming to his writers sooner. I, still, would not do this at this point in my career. I would rather focus on my mystery series.
I wouldn't accept the work for hire deal unless I had nothing better to do. After interviewing six Hollywood screenwriters and learning what happens to scripts after they're written, I'm not interested.
ReplyDeleteI've done work for hire, so I'm not saying I wouldn't do something like this, but I'd want a bigger piece of the profits.
ReplyDeleteEew. This turns writing into a completely "for profit" grind...sure, I'd like to make millions, but since I won't, I'll be happy if my effort, as evidenced by MY name, provides some joy. Writing is in the doing, not the earning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for good stuff
ReplyDeleteAs much as I would love an opportunity to be published (and for my work to be made into TV or a movie) I wouldn't want to sacrifice integrity for the sake of a quick buck (or 500). Even with potential profit stakes, it would no longer be my work, it would be the possession of this company whose selection criteria isn't literary worth but potential for profiteering.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. I didn't realize.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of The Edward Stratemeyer Syndicate. Remember Bobbsey Twins, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, among others? Yeah, those were all written by authors who largely remain unknown to this day. Unless you do the research of course. However, it was worse than Frey's syndicate. Back in the day, people signed contracts promising to never reveal themselves. They were paid very little to be ghost writers.
Thanks to this new light on Hughes, who wouldn't pick up this author's next book? Sad about the first, real bummer for sure, but the author should have known better. As luck may have it, controversy is propelling the future of this author's career. The author should be so lucky. Most writer's go unknown forever, hardly being read.
Frey is dirty. I'm smart enough to know better and I would hope the same for others. But it's quite something to be part of this scandal. We'll always remember Hughes and the $500 that made him and his story famous.