Quote:
Originally Posted by eGeezer
In other words, if the hb is marketed for $29.95, does the author get the same royalty amount if it is sold for $29.95 as she does if it is sold for $12.45?
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Barring strange and exotic contracts--anything's possible--in theory, authors receive $X for each hardcover, $Y for each trade paperback, and $Z for each mm paperback. And $Q for each ebook, I suppose. It doesn't matter how much the retailer sells them for; the royalty amount is set as a per-book payment established by the publication contract.
I believe this may be phrased as a percentage rather than a flat dollar rate--but it's a percentage of the official asking price of the book. So, if a the author gets 10%, and the trade paperback says $14.95 on the cover, she receives $1.46. If it's reprinted next year at $17.95, she gets $1.80 for the sale--even if the retailer slapped a "40% off clearance" sticker on it.
However, if the books have been "remaindered"--returned as not-sellable--they can be resold later by someone else, without paying royalties. (It's, umm, complicated. And somewhat crazy-making.)