I’ve worked out deals with about five outlets within the first week of the book being available. I can deal with many outlets who want the book since the deal is straightforward: There will be no variations on it. There will be no credit, no refunds, no returns, and no changes in the margins. They don’t have to do any marketing, as I am doing it all.

Simple is better. It keeps my costs manageable, and they can make some money on it. Perhaps maybe not as much as they are accustomed to, but enough that they should be happy to take the money for the transaction. I paid for everything up until this point, so the time it takes a reseller to do the transaction is the reseller’s only investment. I think I’m giving them a really great deal.

The industry likely created the “standard” percentage of the gross sale to a reseller at the beginning of the industrial age. The statement that “that’s just the industry standard” assumes is that I am somehow part of the established, well-defined publishing industry when nothing could be further from the reality.

I feel like I am very much a third party observing this industry and getting a good show.

The truth is that that “industry standard” may well be their reality for selling books. But it is not my reality in light of the investment I have into the book and the way I see the internet completely blowing the old-world book publishing model to pieces.

I guess I would rather avoid their reality. I know many people think it is easier to go with the flow and play the game, but I beg to differ. Avoiding that “real world” is easier for me than just believing what I am told.

I don’t accept reality as something that I can’t alter, and as long as it makes it better for all involved, that is what I intend to do.