The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-21
THg NIT FICTION QUESTION
VIEWS o. PUBLISHERS As 70
THE SELLING PRICE.
Interests % Authors. Ilookseliers and
Readers Affected Process % ne-
adjustment CsSlag On FaetSrs IN the
Problem That Are Hard 20 Conpuie.


them. One publisher says that the whole
subject v in tho hands Of readers and that
the real question n whether they care Ia
buy books at prices appFoHimating real
value and cost or by the lump price
method. What some of the publishers
trying the system recently had % say 10
tho Publishers Weekly n og interest IN
thOss who want 60 know Why they paw
tbs prices they do for their hooks.
'Tha advocates Of net fiction said
Doubleday. Page A Co.. loudly pro-
claim that all OF practically all fiction
ba put net. and 10 the publishers these
enthusiastic booksellers say in effect:
BE quick about it: We are not now con
cerned with the trade in the Far West.
who ssll regular fiction at net or nearly
net pricss. and your authors ara dumb
u they fail 20 sss that they ought 90 10
agreeable 20 all net suggestion
This attitude seems IN Va tn bs the
worst thing about the net fiction cam
paign. and We are 80 convinced that sur
cess Is only to be worked out by building
up tho net prices gradually a. custom
of the trade. that We are trespa-sing on
your time 20 explain what oar convictions
ara. II all the publishers agreed 10 make
all books net and kept ont Of the Federal
jails long enough 10 carry out the plan
completely and fully. aud furthermore
were powerful enough 10 force the idea
down the threats of hesitaiing author-.
IL would cause a revolution and put this
excellent idea back dozen wears
In the firSt place. net fiction l. not
good Tor some dealers; for instance. those
booksellers. and they are many. who
now .sll At full price. Secondly. Il II not
good for a publisher II hs cannot got the
cooperation u the author, and Il i not
good for the author. a least At p7-sent.
if Il dos not increase biz sales, say ~ per
cent
IL these statements are true the net
plan must be- worked ont gradually. and
IL seems 70 No that this IL exactly what
l. happening. although II h. not going a.
fast a. some booksellers think II should
In the sacred list ~ best sellers pub
WMuNI NaNu MiANAAh w NAAMA NhbHANNANNRAa
and energetic magazine the BookndH
there have been in the last year only
three novels sold ~ a net price II may
he assumed that possibly this list is not
absolutely correct. because Il il made
,lp on a basis not susceptible II scientific
axacuonE nut IL AZ least reveals the
di6iCilty u ovsrturning an established
custom
I'm our Judgment the whole subject
Il IN the hands % the readers 81 books
on which the bookseller may have a
puw erful but not final influence n the
priC,. Of the book h too high and We be-
iieve that 81 n 10 too high Tor a novel Of
passing interest and u no great bulk.
the author must accept a less sum q
hook a. ROYALTY. and this can only be- made
tip by increased sales
Let the booksellers and publishers
" no beheve thing should he sold
Tor the advertised price work together
TO help a. best thsy can IN bringing 10 the
attention ~ readers all good hooks sold
az net price and set the net price fashion.
When 90 per cent. u the best sellers are
net the rest " 10 I've easy. bat u will'take a
long time ~ accomplish this and read just
things. vet the cheerful fact IL that al
the time the effort for net prizes goes on
the majority u bookseller per cent.
II profit gill be getting larger and this
gradual bett.Fmeut. Ne believe. b. the
hope and will be the final triumph II the
plan
said HouRhton Mihiin Company in re-
gard O. the net price system We need
only .ay that our confidence in IL has
Ls..n shown by the fact that this spring
- iast We are publishing all our fiction
~ net prio-- ~ manv elements enter
into the suCC-s- Or failure ~ different
b0uk- that u h. too sOon Tor u- 10 gru~raliye
~ assert the relation on any gwen book
- the change from the long a. the net
system. but 49, are deeply impressed
by the appreciation with which ~" trade
ha- welcomed this change
As the interests u the publishers and
authors alike are d~p~ndeut 10 large
measure 0n the siIcCess and stability ~
the bO1ksslling trade, Ws are hopeful that
he net system will effectively contribute
20 that end aud he likewise 10 ~. ed
vantage - the writers and makers ~
hooks
Nav ~ coll the attention of the publish
.r- avs the ". Y FOOte COMPANY ~
Syracuse. 20 an interview which ~ had
yesterday with th. head q une IT the
leading dry goods hOuss- u this city on
the 81, icci u the o. ~ novel
The utn-r four dry gOud- houses carry
ing books he'd hsrn approached by the
writer aud hal aKr--d 90 maintain q
higher pric~ s,y as This house.
however. refused ~ mpk~ any other
pro. than the 81 ~ as hang ~ this wis th"
prevailing price 10 other cities. - they
nave stores Iu twO Or three other large
cities The suggestion Wis thrown ON
hy the gentlemen az the clus. 81 the in
tervieW that Il the publishers would make
all their books net this trouble would H.
avoided aud retailers would bs able a.
ssil fiction az q prUfit instead II a lu-s
This coming from leading dry goods
man IN significant IT the general f~' ling
through that trade There - no pric.
cutting 80 far 49, We are aware Oh the
net books this spring
Giving another hint u the position -
the trade On the net fiction question
q p Putuamz sons offer q letter written
Co tham touching he subJect
want 20 thank YOU. II reads FOR
bringing out such a splendid book ~ The
Rosary and that too A. a net bOOk II
las bs.an a splendid seller with ms I have
bought through the Baker a Taylor Com
pany. aud not a person has complained Of
The price Icing 81 II II proves beyond a
doubt 10 me that u net book Of merit will
sell az a net prize and without any trouble
whatever
IT u a pleasure " sell such a good.
clean story a. The Rosary aud 10 recon
mend a. The market has been ~ flooded
with the most name trash that IL ~ re-
frrshing 10 know some one has written
hook really worth while I have been
quite amused in receiying two hooks tO
read from a publisher who offers fine
cOvers. great advertising schemes and
good terms on he long prize basis .
I am ~ Tar ~ pUssible buying the net
stories instead ~ the fiction On tho old
liasis. and ! regret that The Macmillans
llLI nnI I...na nILl { LIIrnhllIa mln LnnE IN