Chapter 72

High above, the Random House saw potential in a science fiction novel from China, which was akin to adding a drop of water to a desert of science fiction. In their view, this should be a natural progression, and the other party would not even be able to refuse.

What more could a Chinese science fiction writer ask for? Being able to publish an English version of a novel was the greatest reward for a writer. To earn more royalties, one had to produce more valuable works.

Although Qin Jun was Chinese himself, he did not think there was anything wrong with it. To publish an English version of a Chinese science fiction novel, some sacrifices were inevitable.

Random House had always been the one to reject unsolicited submissions, and it was rare for them to extend an olive branch that would be rejected. This was originally just a business matter, but it touched a sensitive spot in Qin Jun's heart.

As a staff member of a publishing company, many famous writers outside had to be polite to him, and publishing an English version of a novel was not that easy.

Lin Han was also confused. Was Random House really sincere about seeking cooperation? They wanted to buy so many rights for just $50,000. Although he could participate in the profit-sharing later, the ratio was too low, almost like a form of charity.

"I, Robot" had already saved the publisher the time for translation. Other types of books still needed to find translators, and a novel translated directly by the original author was both accurate and a promotional gimmick. It was worth far more than $50,000.

In fact, the electronic sales revenue from Amazon for this novel was far more than $50,000. Priced at $499 per copy, it had already sold 180,000 copies.

According to Lin Han's 70% profit-sharing ratio, he could earn several hundred thousand dollars, and there was no need to sell the novel's rights for just a few tens of thousands of dollars.

Publishing a novel on Amazon's online bookstore was almost cost-free, and Lin Han had previously bypassed the publisher, signing an agency agreement with Amazon under his own name. The 180,000 copies sold were genuine, with no institution inflating the numbers.

One of the key marketing strategies for foreign books was to skillfully "chart" new books, similar to music charts, to boost their visibility on the bestseller lists.

In the United States, there were specialized marketing companies that worked with publishing industry insiders to devise ways to get new books onto the bestseller lists. A new book could secure a spot on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list with 10,000 pre-orders and a spot on the prestigious New York Times bestseller list with 50,000 pre-orders.

Of course, this only guaranteed a place in the top 100, not a direct entry into the top 10 or higher. The advertising benefits generated by charting helped more books become bestsellers, which in turn had a significant market impact.

Publishers could turn a profit from bestsellers, and authors gained credibility and prestige. The business of charting marketing companies was thriving, and these exciting bestsellers became a powerful driver of book sales.

Lin Han had once been misled by such large-scale promotions. A novel called "The Alchemist" was advertised as having held the top spot on the New York Times bestseller list for 240 weeks, but after reading it, he found it somewhat overrated. It was certainly a classic, but it seemed to be missing something.

The New York Times bestseller list had a magical power, capable of crowning both good and bad books, making readers flock to them.

For authors, such lists were also very interesting. From publishing companies to the general public, everyone watched these lists. If a fiction author made the list, they would receive a steady stream of writing invitations, and their books would be reprinted, even boosting the sales of their older works.

For non-fiction authors, making the list meant being invited to various speeches, training sessions, and consultations, increasing their exposure and prestige.

Returning to the main topic, since "I, Robot" had not yet been published in English, it was not eligible for the Wall Street Journal or New York Times bestseller lists. This was both a potential business opportunity for publishers and a missed promotional opportunity for Lin Han.

"Is Random House trying to get a bargain?"

Chen Jiaxuan thought for a long time before reaching this conclusion. Had they really thoroughly checked the sales on Amazon? After all, "I, Robot" had become a hot commodity after being tested by both word of mouth and sales.

Lin Han waved his hand, picked up his tablet, and opened the American version of Amazon's website. He said, "I'm not sure what they're thinking. My current income from selling the English e-book on Amazon is already surpassing my domestic earnings. If we really promote it, the sales will definitely increase."

"I've calculated it. Based on the current sales, you can earn $500,000 after taxes! That's too high. We work hard here and only earn a few hundred thousand RMB in royalties."

This calculation further solidified Chen Jiaxuan's thoughts. She muttered, "Since the e-book is selling so well, we shouldn't sell the English publishing rights so easily. We need to plan carefully to get more publishers to approach us."

Random House and Penguin Group together were the biggest, but there were many other competitors. Publishers from any country would not miss an opportunity to make money.

"I hope other publishers don't fall into this trap. It's not worth it. Why chase a hollow reputation when the money in hand is more practical?"

Lin Han carefully searched through Amazon's rankings. He found that his book had already been placed in Amazon's novel recommendation list. Since the more books sold, the more money Amazon received, the sales quickly reached 180,000 copies.

Currently, the total sales of Amazon novels had entered the million era. Only books with cumulative e-book sales exceeding one million could be truly considered bestsellers, such as Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy—The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest—and James Patterson's thriller series, including The Spider and Kiss the Girls, which had astonishing sales.

On the new book sales chart, many books were being charted. Amazon basically ranked them by sales, and regardless of how many copies one person bought, they were all counted, making it easy for many people to manipulate the rankings.

With 180,000 copies sold in a month, "I, Robot" ranked 8th on the new book sales chart, not far behind the top-selling books. The top-ranked book, "The Light We Cannot See," was widely praised by critics and even had a chance to win this year's Pulitzer Prize.

On the novel sales chart, "I, Robot" was slightly inferior. Other types of books had very high sales, even reaching several hundred thousand. However, in the science fiction category, it stood out, ranking 10th on the science fiction sales chart, just behind the science fiction masters.

Logically, such good performance should have proven its potential, but apart from Random House, no one else seemed interested, and Random House's terms were so stringent.

"We need a higher sales ranking to attract more publishers to notice the novel." Chen Jiaxuan tapped the screen with her finger and said, "Should we also look for a specialized charting company?"

However, Lin Han shook his head and said with a smile, "I don't think it's necessary. Let's contact Amazon directly and say we're willing to join their promotional campaigns. Once we enter the discount promotions, the sales will definitely increase."

"Originally, it was only $499. How much will it be after a discount?"

"Even at 60% off, it's still $299. It's a strategy of low profit but high volume. The number of buyers should increase, and we'll see how high we can climb."

Many readers found it hard to understand the previous chapter's portrayal of Random House, but that was basically the reality. Publishers are the bosses, and you, the authors, are the small fish who depend on us for a living. Author Jun had once contacted a Taiwanese publisher, and their attitude was even worse.

Even a friend who passed the Taiwanese publication review received an offer that was less than one-tenth of his monthly manuscript fee, purely for the sake of a dream, not for profit.

The relationship between publishers and authors should be mutually beneficial, but authors are truly the weaker party. Considering the global 25% market share of Random House, would they really place special importance on a science fiction novel? At most, they would make a routine inquiry, casting a wide net to catch whatever they could.

This attitude is normal. They are high and mighty when dealing with ordinary authors but change their attitude when dealing with best-selling authors.

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