The bargain made between authors and publishers is this: In exchange for the EXCLUSIVE right to publish the work, the publisher will prepare the book for publication (editing, design, typesetting, and so on), print, promote, and distribute the work. Once this bargain is made, the author no longer has the right to produce the book in any form whatever–the publisher alone has that right. Like any other author, I’m not at liberty to produce alternate versions of my books. That’s exactly what the author gives up in exchange for being published in the first place. In order to be published, the author must agree not to go into competition with the publisher in making the work available to the public.
NOTE: As of 2019 all books except Work, Work, Work are available as E-books. Also, Ishmael is available in a Bantam audio version, and all the books except Tales of Adam and Work, Work, Work have been published in paperback editions.
ID: 442
posted: 23 Nov 1999
updated: 28 Jul 2019
