Episode 348 - Laying the Groundwork for Book Rights Deals with Jane Friedman
Are you getting value from the podcast? Consider supporting me on Substack, Patreon, or Buy Me a Coffee!
Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment on YouTube!
What can indie authors do now to prepare for future print, audio, foreign, film, or other rights deals? Jane Friedman joins Matty Dalrymple to examine the growing number of publishing arrangements in which authors retain some rights while licensing others to specialized or traditional publishers.
Jane explains why self-published-to-traditional deals are becoming more common, how publishers such as Podium, Sourcebooks, and others are experimenting with flexible combinations of ebook, print, and audiobook rights, and which genres are currently attracting the most attention. She also discusses the signals publishers look for, including consistent sales, strong genre branding, active reader communities, successful series, and visible fandom.
The conversation explores practical steps authors can take to build toward these opportunities, including developing a professional website, growing an email list, selling direct, considering crowdfunding, following trends without sacrificing long-term strategy, and building reader trust through consistent delivery. Jane and Matty also cover contract essentials such as limiting the scope and duration of licenses, negotiating reversion clauses, retaining rights a publisher cannot exploit effectively, and deciding when an agent or contract professional can add value.
They conclude with warnings about rights scams, AI-generated offers, unverifiable companies, and licensing partners whose only contribution is technology authors can already access themselves. The result is a practical guide to building a durable author business while remaining ready for the right deal if and when it appears.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs and received a starred review from Library Journal.
Episode Links
https://youtube.com/@janefriedman
Referenced in the interview:
Companion episode: Episode 107 - The Seventh Process of Publishing: Selective Rights Licensing with Orna Ross
Want the Full Companion Post?
Podcast episodes are free for everyone. Expanded episode materials, including an extensive interview summary, transcript, and access to the supporter-only discussion threads, are available to paid subscribers of The Indy Author on Substack.