That wasn't a bad price for a first book. My agent upped it as much as possible. I was 27 and had nothing behind me. I was working like a fool to earn a living and pay for my apartment.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
It used to be a lot easier to get a book deal.
Writing my first book, I think in hindsight I went into it saying, 'It's gonna sell.' I was earning enough to scrape by sometime around a book or two before 'Tell No One.' I moved up from $50,000 to $75,000, then $150,000 for each book. I had never thought I would be doing anything else. I had enough encouragement.
I set the goal of getting a book contract by age thirty.
I sold my very first novel when I was 24 or 25 years old.
So, in effect, my first sale was actually two books.
I'd sold the book first. Actually to a paperback publisher. I had nothing. I just had the idea.
I had casually rented an apartment that cost $75 a month because I expected my writing to pay my way.
The 'Fortune' I came to work for on Jan. 25, 1954, was a monthly, with pages significantly larger than what you're reading; 'art' covers that did not relate to stories inside; and a newsstand price of $1.25.
I priced my books at what I would want to spend on an electronic book.
I think my first story sold for $550. This was in 1954, and it seemed like quite a lot of money, and I said to myself, 'Hey, I'm a professional writer now.'