And it is paid by the signing of the book

As each time to the approach of a presidential election, the publishers have pisté, months before the campaign, the tenors in the world politics. The contract of Ségolène Royal with Flammarion have signed two years ago. Very early on, they also began for reporters or columnists to have, when the time comes, catalogue, biographies, pamphlets, etc. In total, for this term, "Books weekly" are a hundred political books in the broad sense, including 30 written by elected officials. These works are more the publishers editorial strategy. Plon, Fayard, Flammarion are particularly active. But this productivist fever is rewarded by the public

A random career

And reality, as in general literature, the business career of the political book is random. Regularly, an epiphenomenon occurs. Often, when a poster of the time heads takes the pen. Thus the "evidence" of Nicolas Sarkozy is poised to be included in the ten best books of the year sales. It might even become "the biggest success" for XO Editions, yet machine bestsellers, since their creation according to its CEO, Bernard Fixot. But this is a test case. With the rare load of Franz-Olivier Gisbert on Jacques Chirac, "The tragedy of the President", sold more than 300,000 copies.

"The book written by policy is category badly for fifteen years," observes Alexandre Wickham, literary Director for testing and materials in Albin Michel. In the ranking of the best hundred sales tests and documents last year, there was not fifteen political books. A they-only, the issues on the European Constitution were already five-seat! "It will always be a niche intellectually interesting but marginal economically." "Even in this pre-election period, this finding is confirmed", said Bernard Fixot. Publish a politician can give the editor the feeling of going into the mysteries of the power. At least, this enables it to feed its dinners in town in anecdotes.

In politics, point lot sales of the type of a Marc Lévy. A best 15,000, the performance is already hailed. However, most elected officials do not reach these quantities. Of Daniel Vaillant to Laurent Fabius, many had simply best below the 10,000 sales, sometimes even to the 5,000. Weariness with the speech often "language of wood" of the policy as the think Alexander Wickham

The success of the works of journalists is also mixed. Except when it's a pamphlet or crunchy revelations about the corridors of power. "Chirac and 40 liars" Montaldo has thus experienced a very good start. But station with the phenomenon of congestion. Flammarion has thus refused a book on Laurent Fabius: "It would have been the third." It was too!

The lawyer, Emmanuel Pierrat however relativizes the financial risk taken by houses. "Political parties undertake in reality with the signing of the contract to buy a part of the draw." In General, between 1,000-2,000 best. "Which already guarantees to the Publisher sales and especially the margin," observes by recalling that, on these sales, the editor supports or the costs of dissemination (52 of the cost of the book) or copyright (between 10 and 14).

A team effort

Publishers nevertheless display great caution. There are few politicians who receive a credited. Only a handful of Tenors (including Lionel Jospin, François Fillon and DSK) receives an advance, never higher however to 15,000 euros. Nothing to do with the EUR million affected by Michel Houllebecq for "The possibility of an island"!

In reality, no one knows how to touch the elected-author. Most of the time, his writings are the result of teamwork. Two or three councillors are responsible for at least partial writing of the manuscript. The most often for free. Sometimes, a Negro is, moreover, called to the rescue. And it is paid by the signing of the book.