Emails Asking to Buy Stories

[The_shadow_rising]

Hi all,

Just had an email, sent via Lit Feedback system, and I wanted to bring it up with other authors. Also seems dodgy to me so I wanted others to know just in case it is.

I was emailed and asked "if you would be interested in selling the following short stories to me?". A list of twelve of my stories then followed with the following: "For all twelve stories (you would have to take them down from literotica, and anywhere else they are online, and I would have full rights to them) I would be willing to pay $800 as a one time payment."

I was given an email address to reply to.

Before replying I updated my profile essentially saying what I replied to this email address. That reply is as follows:

"No. Under no circumstances and no amount of money would I sell my stories or the rights to them."

Now this may have been a genuine, if misguided, enquiry, but something just feels off with it. So I wanted to share and see if anyone else had had this and see what others thought. Also to document the message and my response publicly.

Let me know. Thanks.

 

[sr71plt]

I have twice received such offers, but both times they specified what would happen to the stories and that my name would still be attached to them--and they carried through. Both were to help get story collections established at new Web sites. One site didn't last long, but 100 of my stories were sold to the GM site Gaydemon to start off their story collection. So, it's done, but you do need to be careful about the deal being fulfilled. The flip side is that some will, and do, just swipe your stories without making any deal for them. Of course if they were going to pay $800 for twelve stories (which is suspiciously high), then they should get copyright ownership for them. They are stories, not gold certificates.

 

[The_shadow_rising]

I have heard others who have sold them and that it can work for all parties involved. I don't have a problem with that kind of thing, and anyone showing interest in buying an author's stories (if genuine) is complimentary at least. I just like my stories for me. Maybe one day I will sell stories but they will be specifically written for that purpose.

The email and amount just seemed questionable, to me. Maybe that is my distrustful nature of such things, but I would have expected a far more professional worded email than received.

 

[LeandraNyx]

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[sr71plt]

Of course it sounds off, $800/12 stories is peanuts. You can easily make $250/story on Amazon.

Oh, Lord, no. Probably not. And you'd have production costs even to get them on Amazon. This is bad advice on the potential value of erotica stories written by someone without a first-rate writing reputation. That's what would ring bells for me on the offer. Anyone actually in the business isn't going to pay $800 for twelve stories already having been run for free on a Web site and with a fake name attached to them--unless J.K Rowling wrote them and is willing to have her name slapped on erotica. When all else fails, try common sense.

Most of the stories found here were located on a free-read site because a realistic assessment was made of their intrinsic value--zero--not because a lot of them aren't great stories but because there are so many of them for free read out there.

 

[LeandraNyx]

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[sr71plt]

It's not a guarantee, but a few hundred bucks isn't unheard of by any means, even for an erotic short; I would honestly be shocked if you told me you didn't make at least a couple hundred bucks for every book you put out, Pilot.



What production costs? Even bots are posting content on KDP and KU. It's actually a pretty serious problem.



True, which is why I don't recommend traditional publishing in this day and age; with a few exceptions, it's not a very lucrative option, especially not for erotica authors, since the pickings are already slim.

You're going to make nothing on a one-shot market book (I put about half a million words into the marketplace every year in some twenty-five titles--that's a hell of lot more wordage than twelve stories). If you want to make money off them, you've got to keep content in the market, edited, and with catchy covers. That isn't costless.

No, I don't make a couple of hundred bucks for every title I have in the marketplace. I make money by volume and writing in many genres. And I have some 200 titles in the market that are for sale.

It's simply false, naive, and irresponsible to tell folks here they are likely to make $800 for twelve stories by their own efforts--and in this case for twelve stories already posted to Literotica for free read.

You must be snorting really strong stuff.

 

[LeandraNyx]

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[CyranoJ]

Let me know. Thanks.

Asking for the rights is fishy, whatever assumptions about possible Amazon profits are or aren't at play. Basically the whole approach screams "I think I have a way of monetizing your stories that I'd like to cut you out of." Whether or not that's true I wouldn't find the offer terribly enticing.

 

[sr71plt]

Asking for the rights is fishy,.

No, it's not, if they are going to pay $800 for twelve stories (especially if they've already appeared on the Internet for free--truth be told they are commercially virtually worthless at this point).

Some of you folks are way out of whack on the market value you place on stories already posted here. These are renewable-resource stories by fake-name writers in a glutted market, not gold certificates.

 

[sr71plt]

It's not a guarantee, but a few hundred bucks isn't unheard of by any means, even for an erotic short; I would honestly be shocked if you told me you didn't make at least a couple hundred bucks for every book you put out, Pilot.

Look, I do get incensed by posters who have no idea what the hell they are talking about on publishing leading folks down blind allies. It has nothing to do with you as a poster; it has to do with the nonsense you are posting.

The OP has specified that these are stories that have already been published to the Internet. My e-books are published first to the marketplace--they aren't already used goods. Your comparison starts off being a false one.

 

[CyranoJ]

(especially if they've already appeared on the Internet for free--truth be told they are commercially virtually worthless at this point)

I've sold stories that have previously been on the Internet for free, for better money than the OP is being offered here (well, unless the stories they're offering to buy are really short), so I don't think this premise is sound. It's not like their having been on the Internet guarantees ubiquity.

Asking for the rights would not be fishy if they were offering an advance and royalties but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

 

[sr71plt]

I've sold stories that have previously been on the Internet for free, for better money than the OP is being offered here (well, unless the stories they're offering to buy are really short), so I don't think this premise is sound. It's not like their having been on the Internet guarantees ubiquity.

Well, then, everyone can do it, right? (Assuming you really do it.)

Which means to me that there will be those here that go out and try it and get burned badly. But not because I didn't suggest using common sense over bravado.

Bottom line. When you post stories to Literotica you have applied zero dollars worth to them and that's the worth you can realistically expect to remain attached to them. I say that anyone who offers you $800 for twelve stories you've posted to Literotica isn't too bright in the world of publishing--and, regardless, deserves to receive the copyright to them as well.

 

[CyranoJ]

Well, then, everyone can do it, right?

No, I didn't say "everyone can do it."

AFAICS however the OP has above-average writing skills and could plausibly make better money off his stories, yes. I can't predict outcomes but it is a non-insane conjecture.

(And saying so should not be construed as telling every rando with an Internet connection they can make a fortune on Amazon or Smashwords. That you're making that leap is by no means proof that anyone else is.)

 

[LeandraNyx]

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[lovecraft68]

It's not a guarantee, but a few hundred bucks isn't unheard of by any means, even for an erotic short; I would honestly be shocked if you told me you didn't make at least a couple hundred bucks for every book you put out, Pilot.



What production costs? Even bots are posting content on KDP and KU. It's actually a pretty serious problem.



True, which is why I don't recommend traditional publishing in this day and age; with a few exceptions, it's not a very lucrative option, especially not for erotica authors, since the pickings are already slim.

About three years ago I'd have sided with you on this. At that point any Step mother/son (what amazon will allow) I put on amazon could make a couple hundred its first month then get that for at least three months before tailing down a bit.

But amazon has had witch hunt after witch hunt and done everything possible to screw and outright hide indy authors unless you're in their idiotic unlimited program which screws the author in many other ways.

So those numbers from three years ago? I'm lucky to see a third of that and I'm doing better than many in that genre(except for cheats who keep putting real incest up anyway until they're caught they are why we're in this boat in the first place)

So $800 for 12 stories isn't terrible....if you're not someone already selling or if you're just starting off. In fact...I'm not sure he'll make any money buying them.

If people here are honest they'll tell you their first books on Smashwords are lucky to get a handful of sales and as I said Amazon is a fraction of what it used to be.

Personally I wouldn't do it because I've been selling a few years, have a fan base and can do better than $800 on 12 stories, but Pilot's right a lot of people can't.

The amazing this about this person sending the e-mails is...he's asking to buy and not just stealing.

 

[The_shadow_rising]

Appreciate all the feedback on this - thanks.

Completely respect those authors who wish to sell stories and more power to them. I think, as with all things, whether an author can succeed in making money on stories depends on a lot of things - quality, right time right place, hard work, luck, knowing the market, having a following, doing the whole process right, and so on. So I think some will succeed and others will fail whether they try something one way or another.

For me, I write because I love to and I post my stories on Lit because I just want to share them with others who may like the same kind of thing. I never really considered making money off them. Moreover, I create just for creativity and so having control over my stories and the rights to them is more important for me.

Absolutely not against the idea of selling stories - but I would have to specifically write a story to sell rather than just going that route with all of them. This is why I have gone a different route by starting a Patreon. I can then keep my stories as I want them, support Lit (which is important to me), and any readers who want to support me have the option to do so. So for me this is the best of all worlds. Moreover, the $800 for 12 stories is extremely low. Perhaps not in the market of selling books, but considering that I currently have over $70 pledged per story I release on Patreon (and considering this support has been given when I have not written a story in four years, this shows something). While that, of course, fluctuates the difference is clear.

But more than that, I just feel as if the whole thing was not professional and aimed at not benefiting all parties equally. I figured that others may be more susceptible to such solicitation as they may not share my purpose for writing, so I wanted advice and to put it out there.

Really do appreciate all of your feedback and opinions - hugely helpful, so thanks.

 

[LeandraNyx]

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[LeandraNyx]

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[LibertyHound]

I am new to the forum but an avid reader..

I became a member of the forum pretty much for the same reason as the person who sent that email. I even started a thread asking if any authors do ghost writing.

There are several services out there where folks like me, who just want to publish stories can hire writers to write stories for them for an agreed upon fee. From my research the average going rate seems to be around $100 per 10K words ( basically a penny a word).

For me I thought this would be a good place to see if anyone did ghostwriting and had zero thoughts that such a topic would be offending.. But in hindsight, not surprised some might find such a thing offensive...

Anyways... that is my honest 2 cents...

 

[ChloeTzang]

I am new to the forum but an avid reader..

I became a member of the forum pretty much for the same reason as the person who sent that email. I even started a thread asking if any authors do ghost writing.

There are several services out there where folks like me, who just want to publish stories can hire writers to write stories for them for an agreed upon fee. From my research the average going rate seems to be around $100 per 10K words ( basically a penny a word).

For me I thought this would be a good place to see if anyone did ghostwriting and had zero thoughts that such a topic would be offending.. But in hindsight, not surprised some might find such a thing offensive...

Anyways... that is my honest 2 cents...

Oh no, there's a difference between what you're looking for and just buying up someone's stories that are already written. There's a few here that will write if you pay them. It's just not that cheap. Nobodies going to do it for peanuts.

 

[CyranoJ]

From my research the average going rate seems to be around $100 per 10K words ( basically a penny a word).

The bargain basement freelance price for anyone worth paying would be fifteen cents a word. If it's a labour of love, they're likelier to expend that energy on their own stories. (Tip: If you're researching a question like this, searching freelancing sites for how much working writers advise other writers to charge.)

 

[LeandraNyx]

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[The_shadow_rising]

I have to agree with the last three replies. I don't think it is a matter of being offensive as it is about being fair and equal so everyone gets a good deal.

For me personally such discussions would have to be negotiations. As some have said above there are different deals that could be made or an author may want to write some stories specifically to be sold, or sold in a certain way, but not others.

While I would be open to writing stories specifically to sell - so it is not offensive to be asked - I, and other authors, write because I want to and I enjoy it. Not many survive on Lit, or writing stories anywhere for free, for any length of time without that. So being offered little and/or having something that means something to you completely taken away, especially for someone else to profit substantially more, may be one thing but so may just the idea of parting with what is artistically their own if that is their sole reason for writing.

Like I said above I think everything is complex with different reasons and authors who will make different decisions. So contacting authors is not a problem. I just think equality in deals and considering how different authors have different reasons for writing and reactions, and approaching people professionally and considering this, is important.