Pulling your own weight: an interview on author-publisher expectations with Michael Mirolla

I am delighted to have beloved Italian-Canadian author and Guernica Editions publisher Michael Mirolla join me on my blog to dish about author-publisher relationships and expectations. You can read more about Michael and his many accomplishments at the end of this interview, but in the meantime, get ready for a wonderful read, especially for writers who are newer to the publishing landscape.

Is this an exhaustive A-Z guide? 

Nah. Not at all. But as an author and a publicist who works closely with many authors and publishers, I set out to ask questions I think would benefit the author I was when I first started publishing, as well as some of the authors I meet now. 

So, pausing only to thank Michael for being so generous with his time and expertise (and to strongly encourage everything to check out his new novel, How About This…? which is published by At Bay Press and is a thrilling exploration on machine authorship and what happens to people when we can no longer tell our own stories), on to the interview!

Hollay Ghadery:  Let’s pretend I’m a writer who has just finished her first manuscript. Let’s even say that I’m a writer who has had a few friends read the manuscript and give feedback so the manuscript has had at least a couple of sets of eyes on it. Now, I want to start looking at getting this book traditionally published. What would you say is the next step?

Michael Mirolla: Friends are a wonderful asset to have and we all need them. But, unless those friends include one or other of these—a professional editor, critic, book reviewer, manuscript evaluator or someone with eyes on the ground when it comes to what agents and publishers are seeking—I would suggest that the next step for you would be—if the budget allows—to find a freelance editor. This editor should be someone who can provide a high level evaluation of the manuscript and a breakdown of visible strengths and possible weaknesses. That is, does your masterpiece have what it takes to be at least in the running for publication? If not, what does it need to raise it to that level?

If your budget doesn’t allow for a freelance editor (and the good ones are quite expensive, ranging between $1500 and $2500), other options include: getting involved in a writers’ group where honest responses to manuscripts are a given; signing up for manuscript evaluations with organizations such as the Writers’ Union or one of the provincial associations that offer these services for a modest fee; taking a chance and sending your manuscript in as is in the hope that a publisher will see its raw potential, despite the blemishes.

PS: this last option is a bit like hoping your life will turn around on the chance of winning the Lotto! No, I take that back. The odds are some lucky someone will win the Lotto sooner or later. There is no playbook that says a publisher “needs” to publish an author. So my advice is to put your best foot forward when approaching a publisher. 

HG: As you know, Michael, I am a publicist. But people often confuse ‘publicist’ and ‘publisher’, so I get asked by self-published authors if their already self-published books can be traditionally published. I give my best answer to this, but what is your answer? What would tell a self-published writer who wants to publish traditionally? 

MM: Yeah, the simple answer to this is that, at least in Canada, a self-published book will not usually be then picked up by a traditional publishing house. The reason is simple. Such a book will not be eligible for any of the grants traditional publishers get from Canada’s arts agencies: the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Creates, and the Heritage Book Fund in English Canada. Nor would such a book be eligible for the tax credit.

If someone who has self-published would respond: “Yeah, but I managed to sell a ton-load of copies of my book. So that success should translate into a traditional publisher picking it up.” My response: “That’s fantastic that you managed to sell a ton-load. But, unless you’re hoping to sell a second copy to each of those who bought the self-published version, I fear that sales will not be pleasing for a traditional publisher – on top of being denied grants and opportunities to send the book for awards. But we’d be very happy to take a peek at your next manuscript!

HG: I’m going put you in the hot seat here because much like my 13-year-old daughter, I love spilling a bit of tea. Without naming names, would you tell us about one time an author has been unforgettably rude to you? What’s the takeaway we can share here for other authors?

MM: Sorry not to have a tale of unforgettable rudeness to tell. In my 15 years as a publisher, it has never happened to me. Some authors have been surly upon rejection and whined about how we had passed up the chance to publish the next Joyce (Brothers or James, I never could tell). But the rudeness was definitely forgettable. Probably the closest to that was when an author decided, after months of editing their manuscript, that they were not happy with the cover and were thus pulling their work – with cries of “incompetence” aimed at our cover designer (with whom the author had been working in a back-and-forth manner). Why has no author ever been unforgettably rude to me? I like to think it has to do with the fact I’m a writer myself and thus can’t be accused of not “understanding” a writer’s feelings. Or maybe it’s because rudeness would not even get a response from me. I edit it out!

HG: Next, I want to talk about something that I actually don’t like to talk about: contracts. I don’t like to talk about contracts because, as an author, I’m usually just so happy anyone wants to publish me that I admittedly don’t do much due diligence. Sure, I look over a contract and I read it, but if I don’t see any glaring red flags, I admit I don’t negotiate anything. My question for you is: For an author who does not have an agent, how should one go about reviewing their contract? What are some of your tips? What is a reasonable negotiation point? Is there anything that you would consider off the table for negotiation? 

MM: I can’t speak for other publishing houses on this. I like to think that Guernica’s agreements are fairly simple and straightforward. But, of course, I do encourage any author to look over any agreement as closely as possible – and to ask questions if there’s something in the agreement that doesn’t sit right with them. The parts of a standard agreement that an author should look at to be sure it’s either there or the terms make sense:

a) The length of the agreement and how that length can be increased or the agreement terminated

b) The copyright section. Guernica actually has a dual copyright system (modelled after European publishers): the material belongs to the author; the actual published book belongs to the publisher. In essence, there is double protection against copyright violations. If (when) the title goes Out of Print, all rights return to the author.

c) The royalties: As part of our commitment and as thanks to the grants we receive, we offer a 10% royalty on the cover price of a title, no matter at what price it is sold. So, if a title is listed at $20 and sold on Amazon for $16, we pay the 10% on the $20

d) Publication date: normally about two years in advance from when an agreement is signed.

Reasonable negotiation point: an author might request more than the traditional 10 copies. Other than that, as I said, our agreements are quite simple so there’s little to negotiate.

Off the table: Trying to shorten the publication time frame. That’s because it takes that time period to get our ducks in a row. Asking for more than 10% royalties.

Note: our agreements don’t specifically mention a royalty advance. That’s not because we don’t offer one, but because we offer several options, one being the actual straight advance.

HG: In my previous question, I mentioned red flags. What do you think is a red flag in a contract? Also, when dealing with a potential author, what are some red flags that this person could display that might make you not want to publish them? I ask this because as a publicist, there are certain behaviours that an author looking for representation might display as early as in their first email to me that would stop me immediately from wanting to represent them.

MM: We like to think we don’t have any red flags in our agreements (and I guess more than 750 authors have agreed with us). But if I were to think of red flags, they would be: an agreement that doesn’t have a termination date; an agreement that asks for unspecified rights (like some film rights agreements where they demand everything including your first born); an agreement that doesn’t specify subsidiary rights; an agreement that states the publisher is free to make changes to a manuscript without input from the author (or cover design without author input).

Author red flags: That’s a tough question to answer. One publisher’s red flags might be another’s prime choice to publish. For instance, I’m not all that crazy about authors who oversell themselves, preferring quiet confidence. But that’s more like an orange flag! As for red flags, I would say an author not responding within a reasonable time (and without a reasonable excuse) once contact has been made about the possibility of publishing the author. Also, an author who doesn’t submit material (bio, synopsis) when requested. I guess nowadays there’s the question of authors using AI as part of their writing, but that’s difficult to ascertain.

HG: One of the biggest challenges I find about working with authors is managing expectations. I’d love for you to share a little bit about expectation management as a publisher, and perhaps give some tips to authors on how they might better set their expectations for traditional publishing—particularly traditional publishing with a small press—in this literary landscape.

MM: I guess it depends at what stage in their writing careers an author might be. Authors who have been on the merry-go-round know pretty much what to expect – that fame and fortune don’t always go hand in hand. These authors feel they have something to say and would like to have others access their writing. They understand the limitations of traditional publishing by independent publishers and work with a publicist to get the best they can out of it. They know that promotional budgets don’t allow a full-page ad in the Toronto Star, for instance. So their expectations are fairly easily managed.

For authors who are new to the game or who believe that we could all be Stephen Kings if only our publishing house would get off its collective butt, I hate to pour cold water over those expectations but … I try to point out that today the author needs to have greater involvement AFTER a manuscript is accepted for publication if they want to give their title the best chance of success. In a way, those expectations are thrown back on the author. I would say: “Hey, that’s great that you feel your title is a bestseller. So let’s get together and see what we can do to at least give it a shot at that.” And then, as a little aside: “Know, however, that despite all the energy and effort we collectively put into it, there’s no guarantee that your title will provide a return on the cost of producing it, let alone go on to top the bestseller list.”

HG: As a publisher, what is one thing that you think an author can do to increase the likelihood of their book selling well? Understanding, of course that selling well is a relative assessment and dependent on various factors, Including who the author is how many books they published, what genre are they publishing in, and many uncontrollable factors like what the cultural ethos is at the time of publication—which can be something very different than what the author was experiencing during the time the book was being written. 

MM: Aside from working with the publisher’s publicist, the one thing these days an author can do is to make a name for themselves on social media. Establishing and maintaining such a presence is an easy, simple, and cost-effective way to increase the chances of book sales. 

HG: Tell me the truth: was I a pain in the ass as a debut author? You, after all, did publish my first book. Am I a pain in the ass now? You are publishing my fifth book too, and as I recall, I was pretty persistent about that one. 

MM: No, from what I recall, you didn’t stand out (sorry) as a pain in the ass. And let me tell you pain in the ass authors do tend to stand out! As for your fifth, only time will tell!

HG: Anything else you would like to share, Michael, about publisher-author relations, and etiquette?

MM: In one of my presentations, I actually talk about the changing relationship between publisher and author. Let me quote something from that presentation:

“So, aside from providing splendid writing and award-worthy manuscripts, how else do writers help a publishing house in the 21st century? Well, there is the usual and obvious “sell a lot of those books, thank you very much.” That’s tried and true. But that’s not the end of it. It can’t be the end of it. The days of the writer sitting back and thinking his or her or their job is done after a manuscript has been accepted and produced are over. And perhaps it can be argued that, for small publishers, those days never really existed.

“As much as writers, and I place myself among that group, want to slip silently back into their garrets in order to produce another masterpiece, it just doesn’t work that way anymore. In fact, in many ways, it can be argued that today a writer’s task actually shifts into high gear after the contract has been signed. And writers have to be prepared for that. They need to be ready to pitch in. To pull their weight, as the old saying goes. They need to commit themselves to taking on aspects of the writing life that have little to do with actual writing. At least during the period when their title needs to get out into the world. Otherwise, that getting out into the world will be a very brief one, given that the sales lifespan of most books is not very great.

“Ideally, the relationship between publisher and writer goes from high priest and supplicant during the “courting” period before a manuscript is accepted – please, please, take mine – to relatively equal partnership once the ink has dried on their signatures. I say “ideally” because there are always other factors that stand in the way of this ideal relationship. Time, distance, manpower, mutual abilities or lack thereof – all these things militate against a perfectly balanced relationship. Sometimes the fault of the author; sometimes the fault of the publisher; sometimes no one’s fault. Things just don’t work out the way they should. But in most cases, the relationship is close to equal.

“Some writers are natural salespeople: they know what it takes to promote themselves and their books. They have the contacts and know how to use them – or at least to pass their contact list to the publicist. Others need a bit of prodding and help to get them out of that garret. But that’s why Guernica brought a publicist on board: she can make the contacts, help set up the readings, show the writers how to create their own blogs, etc. No matter what, though, no writer can afford to ignore these promotional efforts. Unless the writer has already written a best seller, or has a long list of awards to their name, the chances are a book will fizzle out if this publisher-writer promotional partnership doesn’t exist. The publisher provides the means; the writer provides the input. In an ideal world. Not to say that this will lead to automatic success. There are many other factors that need to be considered – from a book’s intrinsic sales value to the mood of the times. But a strong partnership between author and publisher can’t be ignored.”

More about Michael Mirolla: 

MICHAEL MIROLLA’s publications include a novella, The Last News Vendor, winner of the 2020 Hamilton Literary Award for fiction, as well as three Bressani Prizes: the novel Berlin (2010); the poetry collection The House on 14th Avenue (2014); and the short story collection Lessons in Relationship Dyads (2016). His latest poetry collection, At the End of the World, was short-listed for the 2022 Hamilton Literary Award. In the fall of 2019, Michael served a three- month writer’s residency at Vancouver’s Historic Joy Kogawa House, during which time he finished the first draft of a novel, The Second Law of Thermodynamics. A symposium on Michael’s writing was held in Toronto on May 25, 2023. In September of 2023, Michael took part in a writers’ residency in Olot, Catalonia where he completed the latest draft of his novella, How About This …? In the summer of 2024, Michael will take part in a one-month writers’ residency in Barcelona where he hopes to tackle a new draft of The Second Law. When not busy writing, Michael helps run Guernica Editions, a Canadian independent literary publishing house. Born in Italy and raised in Montreal, Michael now makes his home outside the town of Gananoque in the Thousand Islands area of Ontario.

About How About This…?

It’s a little after the middle of the 21st century. Loving couple Elspeth and Marybeth are both shocked and excited when a stroller with identical twins is left on their back deck with a recorded message that warns them not to try to return the babies or they could face arrest for kidnapping. Using false starts, footnotes, direct approaches to the reader, lists, questions about who the author(s) might be, and even a dose of self-criticism, the story unwinds from that point as El and Mar work hard to create a family under the circumstances. This becomes even more difficult when they discover the babies come with unusual features that perhaps might explain why they were left in the first place. And it all takes place in a disintegrating world that may leave humans incapable of telling their own stories.

How About This…? is available wherever books are bought or borrowed.