John Scalzi Inks $3.4 Million Publishing Deal With Tor

Posted on June 12, 2015

John Scalzi has inked a $3.4 million deal with Tor Books. The deal is for 13 books to be spread over the next decade. Scalzi writes science fiction; he is bet known for his series Old Man's War and Redshirts.

In a blog post Scalzi discussed the implictions of his new deal. He is known for his outspoken views, but he says he has no intention of toning it down just because he has a decade long publishing contract. He also says he is not worried that he'll lose readers who don't agree with his opinions on political and social issues.

He says, "No silence has been bought. If I’m not talking about something, it’s because I chose not to talk about it, not because my book publishers have paid to keep me quiet." As for his publishers worrying that he might offend or turn away readers somehow, he notes that not once in 15 years has an editor ever tried to censor him.

Scalzi has been very open and honest about the business of writing, sharing lots of financial details that most writers will not. In an interview with The Washington Post he discusses why he is willing to share so much. He says that writing is a business, like any other. And those that treat it as a mystical experience and pass on myths about getting published are doing beginning authors a great disservice.

He says, "The more time you spend demystifying, 'Look, this is my job, and this is what I do and this is how I do it,' and encourage people to share information, then it becomes harder for the myths of publishers to take hold and basically be used to the disadvantage of writers."