WotC cancel publication of Dragonlance: Dragons of an Hourglass Mage

[Banshee16]

Even the most proven of writers sometimes miss deadlines and/or have personality or creative conflicts with the publisher. (Not saying that's what happened here--I don't know--but it's possible.)

And sometimes, in the publishing industry, deadline is more important even than the most proven writers. (Well, except for truly powerful names like Stephen King, perhaps.) It's unfortunate, but it's sometimes the way it is.

So, there's some competing Dragonlance book which will impact the sales of Dragons of an Hourglass Mage, since the W&H book would get pushed into its "slot"? That doesn't make a lot of sense. After almost 25 years of history with writers who have sold millions of books for you, you don't just cancel a project like that.

Banshee

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Is that SOP? To have marketing in place (i.e., already paid for) before the material is submitted for editing? Couldn't they just do that (and pay for) AFTER the authors submitted their work?

As Ari pointed out, you have to put out solicits before you have the finished product, so there are changes. Matter of fact, I recall this very thing happening in the Dragonlance line when it was under TSR- they released a solicit for one of the Meetings books that was quite different than what actually came out. It was either for The Oath and the Measure or Steel and Stone- though I forget which (I want to say it was the first,which ended up being a rather poor retread of the Gawain and the Green Knight story).

 

[Darth Shoju]

(I want to say it was the first,which ended up being a rather poor retread of the Gawain and the Green Knight story).

Not to derail the thread, but was that the one where Sturm was traveling with a giant spider? One that was [sblock]some polymorphed elf dude or something?[/sblock]

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

After almost 25 years of history with writers who have sold millions of books for you, you don't just cancel a project like that.

Banshee

You do if it will end up costing you more money than you expect to recover. They have the sales information on the first two books in the trilogy. They can make a very good estimate as to sales of the third book.

 

[BadMojo]

Even the most proven of writers sometimes miss deadlines ...

When was the last time George R R Martin released a book?

He's missed so many self-imposed deadlines on Dance With Dragons (or whatever it's called) that I can't take anything he says about the status of the book seriously anymore.

 

[Starman]

When was the last time George R R Martin released a book?

He's missed so many self-imposed deadlines on Dance With Dragons (or whatever it's called) that I can't take anything he says about the status of the book seriously anymore.

With any luck the current primary elections and the upcoming general election won't hamper him in any way.

 

[rowport]

When was the last time George R R Martin released a book?

He's missed so many self-imposed deadlines on Dance With Dragons (or whatever it's called) that I can't take anything he says about the status of the book seriously anymore.

He just issued a new Wild Cards novel last month, Snarky Guy.

 

[Umbran]

So, there's some competing Dragonlance book which will impact the sales of Dragons of an Hourglass Mage, since the W&H book would get pushed into its "slot"?

There's not necessarily a competing Dragonlance book. When you want to proofread or edit a book, you need people ready to do it. When you want to print a book, you have to devote presses to it. When you want to ship a massive number of those books, you have to have resources dedicated to the task. Having those resources sitting and just waiting, because the book isn't ready, costs money. Quite possibly lots of money, if there are contracts with fines involved.

 

[Ranger REG]

There's not necessarily a competing Dragonlance book. When you want to proofread or edit a book, you need people ready to do it. When you want to print a book, you have to devote presses to it. When you want to ship a massive number of those books, you have to have resources dedicated to the task. Having those resources sitting and just waiting, because the book isn't ready, costs money. Quite possibly lots of money, if there are contracts with fines involved.

Heh. The image of people standing and waiting for them is hilarious, especially editors and spellcheckers.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Not to derail the thread, but was that the one where Sturm was traveling with a giant spider?

That was the one.