Dear O'Abby: What the heck is a book packager?

Dear O'Abby,

I've recently been alerted to an opportunity to audition to write a book for a packaging company.  I've never heard of something like this before, and wondered if it is legit?

Do you know anything about book packaging companies?  Should I do the audition, or is this another scam?

Kind regards,

Skeptical

Dear Skeptical,

I actually do know a bit about this.  I've auditioned to write for packaging companies a couple of times - I never got the gig, but both times it was a good experience and definitely stretched my writing muscles.

Basically, a book packager comes up with a concept for a book, generally something they see as being marketable, and then hire a writer to write the actual book.  This is something that might be initiated by a publisher who sees a market for a particular type of book, but isn't getting that type of book submitted, or the publisher of a super successful series where the original author either doesn't want to write more, or can't keep up with reader demand.  Think Sweet Valley High or Goosebumps, in the case of the second example.

In the situation where you might have the chance to write more books in a successful series, it's unlikely that you'll get your name on the cover or any acknowledgement of your work other than a paycheque (which isn't bad, in itself).  Generally, you'll get a one-off payment for the work and won't receive royalties on sales.

In the case where the idea is an original one (and this is the type of book I've been approached to write in the past) you may get a lower up-front fee, but a piece of royalties as well.  And generally, it will be your name on the cover.

The first time I auditioned to write a packed book, I was given an idea of the world the book was set in (it was a fantasy or alternative history story) and and idea of what might happen in a very broad sense.  I was then asked to write the first two or three chapters as I saw them.  I wasn't given much in the way of plot to follow; just a general gist.  I think I would have received a more detailed outline had I made it through the audition.

The second time, I received the full outline, with a detailed chapter by chapter breakdown of the plot.  Again, I had to write the first three chapters as an audition.  This was a contemporary thrillere, so more within my own wheelhouse than the previous attempt.  But I didn't get that job either...  

Interestingly though, I stumbled across the book that was written just the other day.  I was browsing my local bookstore and picked up a book, read the blurb, and was puzzled about why the plot sounded so familiar.  It was only after a few minutes that I realized this was the book I'd auditioned to write!  Obviously I had to read it and it was actually quite funny to see how this other author had filled out the story.  The plot was pretty much identical to the outline I'd been sent, but the characters were developed in different ways than I had planned to.

So to get back to your question...  Yes, this is a legit thing.  If I were you though, I'd find out the deal terms before I jumped in to audition.  While something like this is probably less work than coming up with an original idea and plot, it's still going to take up some time, and you need to know it's going to be worth it financially, or that it's going to benefit you in terms of name-recognition and reader numbers.  But I certainly have never regretted the time I spent on the audition chapters - both stories were fun to play around with, even if I didn't get the opportunity to write the whole book.

Hope that helps!

X O'Abby