CONDITIONS FOR PRINTING OF MYRSKI
This material is
not for the readers but for possible publishing houses, which can express a wish to print me. Not that a heap of such houses have rushed to do this, as a matter of fact till now I am not published in printed form, yet roughly once in a quarter I receive some proposition about publishing and because of this I want to explain on which conditions I would agree, for my requirements differ from those of the publishers, but maybe they will be similar to those of other authors, so that let this material serves as example also for them. These propositions, which I have received, are mainly of three kinds: the first is about issuing at my own expenses, the second is something intermediate between the first and the third kind, i.e. for purely symbolic price, and the third proposition is for serious publishing, which I have not yet received, but even if I receive I will have my
additional requirements.
Printing at my expenses I absolutely reject for the simple reason that I have ... stolen by nobody, in order to feel remorse and to pay for to educate the people -- because my things are chiefly popularizing and educational (although in an interesting form, I think). One may wish to pay for issuing if he (or she) wants somehow to become famous, if he works for the image, as is said, but I am entirely anonymous author, nobody knows me (even the closest relatives), so that I have no interest to glorify myself in my old age. For this reason at my expenses I will never publish, even if I had money, which I have not (but it may spring sometime, who knows?)
Then, to publish for some symbolical payment of the order of 10 percents or so, without mentioning from what, without contract, without specifying the number of copies, and so on, I can agree only conditionally, for a pair of things, and this by initial circulation of about 5,000 copies, for a trial, so to say. But it has to be clear that this is not a deal, this is pure exploitation of the authors, and even in Bulgaria (which country I count for barbarian) in the law on copyright is said that less than 15% of the end price should not be offered to the author, what means that it must be started from 20% and up. What concerns the publication at all, then the Internet
is a publication, and I personally am quite satisfied with the possibility to place things on the websites, because in this way they became widely spread and remain somewhere, in order not to be lost (as in the antiquity has burned the library of Alexandria), and the people can make themselves copies in some form, in order to help for preservation of the materials.
So, and the conditions which I have for publishing of my things in printed form can be divided in two groups, which I will explain in sequence, but in the end will be one more group of questions.
1. Price calculations for publishing of my books
I think that the author must receive
1/4 from the cover price, because there are mainly 4 types of expenses, which form this price, namely: expenses on the very printing and making of the finished book, expenses in the distribution sphere, payment for the author (if more than one person, than it is divided proportionally), and reward for the publishing house as a cap, as well as for taking of the risks for issuing of the book (or searching of sponsors). In this case it turns that the author must receive 1/4 of the selling price, so that nobody else gets more than him, because the book, after all, is entirely his, all other parties are only spongers or parasites (although unavoidable). And even the very process of establishing of the price for selling of the book has to be conducted in the following way: calculated are all expenses for issuing of the book (including possible editorial and proofreading work) and these expenses are multiplied by 4 (with the precision of rounding of the sum). In the distribution sphere are usually spent from 20 to 30%, what coincides roughly with my calculations, and the cap of the house, surely, carries some risks, spends on advertisement, pays probably also for making of the very cover to some painter, so that this quarter for it is justified. But any other calculations are reduced to exploitation of the author. I personally may agree either so like I propose, or not at all.
In addition to this by the printing must be cited also the number of copies, which earlier was shown on the books, but today the companies as if ceased to do this. The author will hardly succeed to control whether the given number corresponds with the really printed copies of the book, but there must exist some accounting documents (especially if the publishing house pays to another printing company) on the basis of which can be made conclusions. Yet the publishing house must carry the responsibility for selling of the book, for its advertisement, for its reviewing, and so on. For this reason have to be left to it these 25%, which can also fall a bit down, but this is a clear win, and even 10% are also money (for nothing, only because it takes the risk). By further stereotyped edition these percents can vary a little, but not much (usually by further edition the printing price becomes
less because are used ready printing matrices), so that the wins, for the author and for the publishing house, have to grow. In any case the fee for the author must not fall below 20%, and only in the worst case, when the author is new, or for a low-read genre (for example for publicistic things, which I have and in quite decent amount), can be come to the lowest 15% for the author and by minimal initial number of copies.
2. Succession of publishing of my books
This is typically my requirement, but it is possible that also some other author will want to apply something of the kind, because every author has his (or her) own estimation of his works, he insists more on some of them than on the others. For me I have established the next five groups, where the printing begins with the first and ends with the last, and only then, can be published all the left things which the publishing house wants; it is allowed, though, some slight changing in the order of two consecutive groups. In this connection have to be chosen also minimal initial number of copies, and then can be again published old things, for which there is demand after publishing of the other books, such moments can happen. In addition to this I will give also very short description of the character of the book, some evaluation of its volume in kilobytes, or rather characters with spaces, as also the number of pages for A5 (half of the standard page) and size of 11 pixels. The groups (which generally coincide with the ordering of my works on the websites, yet not exactly) are the following:
a) "The communism as religion", popular study on the communism as religion, with what it differs from the other religions, through which stages it goes during its development, and some social science fiction about one new religion, pentaism, which is philosophical and
atheistic religion, as well also with one multi-lingual verse about communist greetings as an appendix: number of copies from 10 to 20 K (i.e. thousands), volume of 134 КВ, size 68 pages.
b) "Curious manifestos", a dozen of Manifestos of invented political parties, which criticize fiercely the existing democratic forms, but also propose new utopian, yet entirely scientifically sound, models (to some of which are added complicated mathematical calculations, though they are in separate addendums and are not significant for understanding of the ideas), which
all are better than the existing in some aspects, and in addition to this some of them are also comical; there are two supplements to the book, too: copies 5 - 10 K, volume 366 КВ, size 180 pages.
c) "Ten cynical essays", popular worldview, the cynicism has to be understood in the sense of unbiased and not decorated realism, the topics are about: the Creation, the woman and the man, the mankind, the intellect, the religion, the democracy, the violence, the justice, the population, and the future, plus the Constitution of Cynicland: copies 5 - 15 K, volume 465 КВ, size 205 pages.
d) Here exist two variants, which have to be regarded as OR.
First variant is the folder "Social Problems", in which for the moment are 5 things (but they have to become 6, so that the cited numbers have to be increased on 20%), on quite different themes (like: about the democratic values, about the women, about the social evils, about the Bulgarian survival, what is reduced to moderate and reasonable way of life and natural food, and about our inability to destroy various things), but they are united under one major title, although can be issued separately (yet then
all of them) and have poetical appendixes: 5 - 10 K, volume 356 КВ, size 170 pages.
Second variant is "Now, look here!", publicistics, but it is
pretty much, already more than 1 MB, and 500 pages, so that choose alone something from it, under the title :Chosen publicistics" of the order of 200 - 250 pages, and in number of 5 - 10 K copies.
e) Here are now three variants, on etymological themes, and also OR.
The
first is a book under the title "On a linguistic wave", where have to be the following papers: "An illiterate world" (idea about worldwide alphabet), "Reflections about the numbers" (what kind of ideas a hidden behind the numbers), and then all things from the folder "For Arabs, Chinese, and Hindus" (the best world language - there must be 3 pieces): copies also 5 - 10 K, volume approximately 250 KB, size maybe 150 pages. (Here are possible some differences according with the language, where in Russian there is a bit different, there is the folder "For CIS people", and in Bulgarian either the English or the Russian papers, but what is in Bulgarian then in this language.)
The
second variant is in English, this is the enormous "Urrh cum commentis" (impressions on etymological canvas): the same 5 - 10 K copies, volume 3.3 MB, 500 pages of smaller size letters (but it can't be shorten or split because there is an index; also the published on the Internet variant is not suitable for printing, there is another variant with added index for the keywords and cross-references to the pages).
The
third variant is in Russian, but
if I will succeed to translate it in Russian, this is also very big (it seems or the order of 300 - 400 pages by size 10 pixels) multi-lingual dictionary Explain: the same 5 - 10 K copies, expected volume of about 2 MB.
Only after publishing of
all these things at least in the minimal of the given number of copies can be published other of my things by the given publishing house, which are more for mass consumption, or entirely such. Here is mainly my social science fiction "Homo Rationalis", utopian stories, yet not exactly SF, just around this: copies -- any number, but initially not more than 20 K, volume 500 KB, pages 230. Also all poetry which can appear by me, after it is
entirely published on the websites (in Russian around 2015 must appear one epochal book with limericks called "Isn't it a geography?", "Чем не география?", where are more than
1,700 limericks, yet its publication will continue at least up to 2020). What concerns my scientific ideas, in the folder PIR, then I think that to publish them in printed form does not make much sense, they are too motley, this is not a book. But then all my publicistics is worth issuing, and if the scientific ideas will also be added, then there will gather, possibly, about
hundred papers on 300 - 400 pages, and when there are other already published things then can be thought also about this, again in 10 K copies or more.
But this is all chiefly in English, and I am publishing also in Russian and Bulgarian, and especially in the latter I have a heap (say, about
10,000 lines) light verse, which can be issued in every country, because even in Russia or USA or Canada or Germany etc. can be found several hundred thousands, or maybe millions, people understanding this language. About the enormous book with limericks in Russian I have just said; and in English I have not much things at present but it is not excluded that later on will appear more things, because I already switch to English (and "switch out" from the Russian, as have done with the Bulgarian).
3. Other moments with my books
The other moments reduce chiefly to this, that each printing house
wins (I think) if it begins to print me, for several reasons. For one thing I am now 65, and statistically I have in my disposition not more than 10 years life, and later there will be nobody to ask for my fee. More precisely, after my demise enters into force my "Creative testament", but according with it for the publishing house will remain also 1/4 from my quarter, and in addition to this it will easy perform stereotyped editions of all what was already published, in any number of copies, and there will be nobody to watch about this. I think that this is an important argument because, no matter that my things are already 20 years old, I have emerged on Internet in the last pair of years, so that there can quietly be expected that people will continue to read me in the future, and this in increasing rate. Add to this also my work in several languages, what means different countries, where my books can be sold. This is one thing.
The second consideration for my printing is reduced to this, that I, factually, don't want much money for myself
personally, as it seems, I want it for me for the reason that the books are mine, so that the money is owed to me, yet I intend to invest the main part of the gain
back in the house that publishes me! This is so because the Bulgarian democracy has taught me to live miserable, and when I finally go out on pension, I will not need much money at all, I will be quite satisfied with, say, 1,000 euro on issuing of the book, and also by 1,000 euro per year in the first 3 years of issuing of it, but if the books will follow one after the other in at least half an year (and normally one year, I think), then I maybe will not need other money except the prizing thousand euro (or, maybe, just as much more). The left money will just remain in the printing house till I require it (I suppose on a separate account, to which access will have the publishers, not I, it will still not be mine), and I will, I suppose, invest it in order to help the house to print, say, the publicistics, work in pair with the publishers.
The simplest variant of such sponsorship can be, if I just require 12 - 15% of the invested money, and how the publishing house will use it is its own business. Another variant is if I pay the necessary expenses for printing of
x books by price
y (i.e.
1/4*x*y), carry the risks on a par with the publishing house (but then I will want to look in all financial documents, what is not pretty pleasant for the publishers, I suppose), for what I will receive not only my quarter as author, which will be equal to the invested money (because the selling price will be
x*y, and then we take
1/4 of it, what is the same as the initial investment), but this will only restore my investment, and in addition I will want to have at least 10% (or even a bit more) of the price of the sold books (i.e.
0.1*x*y, what by invested
0.25*x*y will mean 40% of the win for me), and for the house will remain roughly 15% (what, if otherwise they receive 25%, means that their win is reduced to 60% of the expected otherwise, but the risks for the selling of these books carry I, although they are sold by the house). Something of the kind, this must be discussed with the publishers. And in the end I may sink into eternity, as is said, and the money will remain for the house, and a new one will also arise. I can require also all the money, when it is mine, but if it will be much then it will be simply not necessary for me, while more important for me is to print something more, or in another language (for assortment, and sell, for example, mainly in English, yet 5 times less also in Bulgarian or in Russian).
In short, If I alone have had a publishing house, then I would have begun, little by little, starting with the "Religion", to print the books of this unique Myrski, in spite of the fact that he is
not real fiction writer, and does not write bestsellers at all. In three languages the potential readers exceed the
milliard, think about this.
However, to state this explicitly, the copyrights
remain for the author until he is alive (and later according to the "Testament"), and no one publishing house will receive exclusive rights on printing of his books; he can be printed simultaneously by several publishing houses, in various countries, be reprinted, or stop the publication by one publishing house, if he will begin not to like something; yet each potential publisher can make use of his proposition and these conditions for printing, one publishing house does not hinder the others, it simply competes with them. His author's rights, though, he transfers to nobody.
Now, one can say that these conditions are highly untraditional and no publishing house will agree with them. Well, what of it, in this case Myrski will
not at all be printed, he will be found only on the Internet, so that, ladies and gentlemen, hurry to read and copy him, because he writes for you. If you want to help him with small sums (10 - 20 euro) then help, but if you don't then it isn't necessary. He writes because he can't avoid writing, this is a necessity, like the secretion of the glands, it does not depend on him, yes? He only chooses with what interesting to occupy himself (because, say, he is now rather bored with the politics).
Well, as if the major things are said. When this becomes necessary they have to be legally approved and the corresponding contracts with each publishing house signed, yet have in mind that the anonymity of the author is preserved also by the contracts (I can give some number, my biographical data and the photo correspond to the reality but the very name I don't intend to give out, unless it will be necessary to tell it for receiving of the money, but maybe this will not be necessary).
So that I wait offers, if you want, the country is not important.
Dec 2014
P.S. 2018. As far as I have added something to my Testament I think that it is suitable to add a pair of words also here. It concerns the conditions for my printing posthumously, when I could not be able to sign the contract, but I have no rights to deprive the posterity of the opportunity to read my printed books, right? This, naturally, could be done by roughly the same conditions, about 1/4 from the cover price for me, and in the same succession of issuing and the number of copies, only that this, what is destined for me, has to be divided according with my creative Testament. Yes, but the latter is reduced chiefly to this that the Firm printing my works is bound to send 3/4 of my earnings to some Recipients, and 1/4 of my earnings are added to its earnings, so that it will feel much better to publish me posthumously. OK, be it in this way, I don't complain much; after I have gone on pension with the impossibly "high" amount of some 85 (eighty five) Euros per month (at the moment) I need practically
nothing more, such sum
can suffice for creative living, and I don't want to live the life of an usual consumer. So that, if everything is against my publishing while still living, I have nothing against being published posthumously. According to some of my latest calculations this moment is most probably to happen between 33rd and 36th year of the century, so that my readers can wait till this time, I suppose.