The proposal is simple. Fantasy authors, you’ll write a bestseller. You’ll promise more in the series. You’ll get a contract with a deadline in it. All this, I assume, is familiar to you.
But there will be a new clause in the contract:
“If you do not turn in a completed draft by the deadline, all rights to your series will be transferred to Terry Brooks, who will finish your novel within six weeks.”
I think this clause would have salutary effects on the industry.
Often, it isn’t the author’s choice: the publisher just ends the series because it’s not selling.
Too bad!
Er–I mean, I’m looking at the Martins and the Rothfusses and the Lynches of the world, the ones that might benefit from a little bit of horrifying threat.
Oof, nailed it. My three favorites, right in order.
That’s one reason I loved a a trilogy put out by a new author on the scene Brent Weeks.
He wrote his first novel, and apparently took quite some time to find a publisher. In the meantime he wrote books two and three. So that by the time he sold the concept to a publisher he had the whole trilogy written and ready to go.
So after putting up with Martin’s and Jordan’s extended releases, I got a very good fantasy trilogy, where Book 3 was released less than twelve months after book 1.
Of course now he’s got me hooked, and I just bought Book 1 of his new trilogy, and I don’t know how long I’ll have to wait for the rest. Maybe he should have signed your proposed new contract fo this new trilogy!! 
It’s something I dearly appreciate about Jim Butcher. He’s super-fun, but not the most mind-blowing author. However, the dude has a work ethic that can’t be beat.
Not really. The result would be a lot more Terry Brooks novels, and nobody wants that.
Meh. I’ve READ the second Amber series. I don’t want good authors cranking out crap books just to move product out the door.
Bah. There are already a ton of Terry Brooks books that I don’t read, and a ton of unwritten sequels to excellent books that I don’t read. This would create more Terry Brooks books that I wouldn’t read, and it might create another Song of Ice and Fire book that I would read. Huzzah for my plan!