What percentage do authors receive /make ?
My friend has chosen a publishing company to publish his book. They do the printing and shipping,contracts and do advise him. His book sells for .95 paper back and .00 hard cover.I do know that the book is a true story, and since I have read it, I know it’s not one of those books that is only interesting in a few chapters and has a big bang at the end. The book keeps you stuck to your seat and your attention from beginning to end .He has made an arrgrement to (example) wal-mart buys 50 books, if they don’t sell in 6 months the publishing company buys them back from the book store, so no one is loosing there money.His royalties are paid every four months. The book went out in stores in April to Canada and the US.
Like music artists, it depends on the contract he got and the agreements.
Is he self-publishing? Did he pay to have his book published? If he did, he’ll make no money. It is strange that the softcover is only $5 cheaper than the hard, and also that they’re both out at the same time.
If he’s being published by a legitimate publisher, he’ll receive a royalty for every copy sold. 10% of the retail price is a standard royalty.
For normal legitimate publishers, figure something like 5%. There are a number of ways to calculate royalties. Some are based on retail. Some are based on the wholesale, with discounts worked in. With a book is deep discounted, it might go well below 5% of retail, but that’s not necessarily bad, because they may be selling more books that way.
I’m not sure your friend is in a conventional deal. Unless he’s truly a celebrity, he doesn’t choose among competing publishers. They choose him, and lucky to get one to accept the book. If he paid them at any point, he got taken. I only suggest that because of the odd way you put it, so it may be strictly legitimate. But the rule is money flows on TO the author, never away.
And it doesn’t always fall within those numbers. Big guns do sometimes get to nail down an actual amount for each book. It’s kind of complicated, which is why that’s usually left to the agent to work out, since they know the market.