[Python-authors] Author Python Book - Packt Publishing

[Doug Hellmann]

On Dec 17, 2009, at 12:23 PM, wesley chun wrote:

> this is a warning to all before jumping in without looking at the
> waters first. i haven't worked with them before, but based on the
> existing review of their Python books, i would be somewhat hesitant,
> and i certainly wouldn't approach them without an agent. (i'm also not
> sure of their marketing and PR... i doubt they have the same type of
> staff as a more well-known publisher like Pearson [Prentice Hall,
> Addison Wesley] or O'Reilly.)

I've dealt with them before (as a reviewer, not as an author) and it  
was my impression that Packt was probably smaller than some of the  
American publishers with whom I'm more familiar.  I have no direct  
knowledge of that, though, and anyone who missed news of Tarek's book  
must have been unplugged from the net for several months.  :-)

> the royalties they're offering seem abnormally high, and even scarier
> is that they tell you over email when this is typically something
> that's negotiated. the standard royalty rate is 10%, as O'Reilly
> states publically:
>
> http://www.oreillynet.com/oreilly/oreilly/author/ch03.html

It did seem a little surprising, but if O'Reilly publishes their  
standard rate I don't see any problem with Packt publishing theirs.   
Everything is up for negotiation, no?

> i'm concerned that they offer a higher rate because they spend less
> elsewhere, such as editing. read Alex Martelli's review very carefully
> as well as others' here:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/184719494X

This issue concerns me more.  While I was editor for Python Magazine,  
working with authors for whom English was not their primary language  
was one of the most time consuming aspects of the job.  Cleaning up  
the language while maintaining the author's voice requires a delicate  
hand.

> he is doing both the Python community *and* authors at-large a huge
> favor by exposing this type of publisher behavior in the hopes that
> anyone would jump at this project because they: 1) want to be
> published, and 2) want higher royalties. as long as they sell enough
> to cover their minimal costs. it is also strongly likely that the
> editing, if there is any, is outsourced.
>
> here's another one (check out the "most helpful review"):
>
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/1904811841
>
> anyway, i'm not telling you guys *not* to do it, but just be careful,
> and have good English writing skills because likely, it won't be
> edited much so you should be prepared to be practically camera-ready.
>
> cheers,
> -wesley

Thanks for raising these issues, Wesley.  They are all good food for  
thought.

Regards,
Doug

>
> On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 4:52 AM, Sunny Kansara <sunnyk at packtpub.com>  
> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I represent Packt Publishing, the publishers of computer related  
>> books.
>>
>> We are planning to publish a new book on wxPython which will teach  
>> the
>> Python developers who want to quickly use wxPython to create  
>> programs with
>> high functional GUI's and currently we are looking out for some  
>> potential
>> authors to write this book.
>>
>> We pay a royalty of 16% and an advance against it.
>>
>> An ideal candidate to author this book will be someone with an  
>> experience in
>> wxPython. He/She should be able to communicate his/her thoughts  
>> clearly in
>> English. Past writing experience will be an advantage though not  
>> mandatory.
>>
>> If you are interested in authoring this book, please write to me  
>> with a
>> brief information about your experience with wxPython and any past  
>> writing
>> experience you may have..
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Sunny.
>> --
>> Sunny Kansara
>> Author Relationship Executive
>> Packt Publishing
>> www.PacktPub.com
>> Skype: sunnyk
>> MSN: sunny_packt at hotmail.com
>
> -- 
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> "Core Python Programming", Prentice Hall, (c)2007,2001
> "Python Fundamentals", Prentice Hall, (c)2009
>    http://corepython.com
>
> wesley.j.chun :: wescpy-at-gmail.com
> python training and technical consulting
> cyberweb.consulting : silicon valley, ca
> http://cyberwebconsulting.com
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