Irish publisher strikes 'zero advance' deal for debut novelist

Irish publisher Liberties Press takes its first step into fiction, striking a 'zero advance' deal. The publisher will not pay debut novelist Gerry O'Carroll an advance; instead, profits will be split between author and publisher.

United Agents director and literary agent Robert Kirby struck the deal, granting Irish rights to "The Gathering of Souls," with both publisher and agent looking to sell on further territories and translation rights during the London Book Fair. O'Carroll has retained all non-book rights.

Kirby called the deal, "a new way of doing business … particularly with smaller independents".

He told trade journal The Bookseller, "Advances are generally lowering, big authors and trademark names seem to still be attracting the sort of advance they have in the past, but if you are breaking through a new author  without any extra PR support, or working with a smaller company when you don't want to tie up the cash, this makes sense."

"You have to think what is the point of the advance - and whether you would be better off using that money for marketing and promotion."