Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
Personally I think $2.99 is about right, if you're doing all the work yourself. I merely note what's out there. I note that publisher already have many a cover that the own (work for hire) to be used. You don't. on Amazon at $2.99, I believe you keep $2.00. 500 books for a break even.
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Which would be why most of my books cost $2.99. However, it should be noted that when I released "Under Witch Moon" and "Executive Retention," I paid more for the artwork--so again, keep in mind that I'm working a bare-bones operation and my example left some expenses out.
There's also been some snafus for artwork--I don't always get what I *think* I'm paying for. Twice now I've commissioned art that has turned out to be something I cannot use.
I also have to pay for the graphics software--Gimp, Paint.net and Inkscape are fine for small editing projects, but they aren't powerful/efficient enough for the top efforts. Believe me, I tried to make them work, but recently had to get a new package. My old one was too old.
Publishers pay significantly more than I do for covers. Just because they are publishers they are going to have to shell out 500 to 1000 and up for covers. Even using stock art and having someone blend in all the fonts and so on runs 500 from what I'm told. (This is anecdotal evidence/heresy--but it matches what a lot of artists charge for some of the basic work, especially if they have a few trad publisher credits to their name.)
I'm not knocking the argument. I don't think backlist should cost 9.99 or more -- BUT I do think the costs to put backlist out there are higher than most people think, especially when all the various pieces are hired out.
If an author has to get a lawyer involved to get her backlist rights definitively returned to her (there are a lot of cases right now where publishers are making rights grabs) that's going to cost even more upfront.
The time involved is *enormous.*
I'm not knocking that either for the long-term potential benefits, but I *do* understand that by the time it all comes together some authors are going to feel an urgent need to make back some money on their investment!