A $20,000 fact-checking budget
Authors, not publishers, are responsible for the accuracy of nonfiction books.
Once an author sells a book, whatever the amount of the book deal, the author is responsible for the cost of fact-checking, photography, illustrations, or any issues related to copyright. The cost of fact-checking a non-fiction book is around $10,000, and some authors either can’t afford it or decide not to do it. I have worked as a fact-checker for magazines, most frequently California Sunday, and am lucky to have worked with many fact-checkers on my own articles, from those at The New Yorker to Civil Eats.
In 2024, I will spend $20,000 to fact-check both of my books: The Life and Death of the American Worker (Astra House) and Artists All Around (Princeton Architectural Press). Although that is a wild amount of money to spend, I am happy to be involved in long-term projects where I have the budget to do the best work possible.
While working on two books, I’ve learned about copyright law and have approached individuals and foundations for permission to quote, for example, poets Robert Bly and Allen Ginsberg. While I did receive permission to quote Bly, I learned that I can’t afford the cost of quoting Ginsberg. In November, Arkansas photographer Liz Sanders, who has worked with me since 2020, will continue photographing work for Artists All Around. I love the process of this work, and having the freedom and support to envision each book as a creative universe.
Alice