MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - This is how much a writer makes with a traditional publishing house

Seli · 02-05-2010, 10:51 PM

If people actually read the posts instead of only looking at the summary life would be easier.

She got a 50 k advance, paid her agent, taxes and expenses, resulting in a 26k guaranteed income.
First quarter released royalties were 27.7 k, second one 2.4 k (note the sharp drop-off). technically she has more income, but she'll only get that when the bookstores actually sell her books instead of returning them.

Actual sell-through was closer to 60000 copies then to the 90000 mentioned below, the 90k were sales to resellers ie they still had the right to return. And this was still good enough to be a NYT (mm) bestseller!!

At the same time she did not have to pay for editing, printing, distribution, negotiation with resellers etc etc etc. She proudly mentions she never did put any effort to make her own work better known.

We have someone with a 26 k guaranteed income for this book. Even if total sales would have been really low. Could someone now please explain how she could have done any better by self-publishing?

ETA: sorry total sales were for 11 months, not two quarters.

02-05-2010, 10:51 PM	#9
Seli Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 732 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kobo Glo HD, Android phone	If people actually read the posts instead of only looking at the summary life would be easier. She got a 50 k advance, paid her agent, taxes and expenses, resulting in a 26k guaranteed income. First quarter released royalties were 27.7 k, second one 2.4 k (note the sharp drop-off). technically she has more income, but she'll only get that when the bookstores actually sell her books instead of returning them. Actual sell-through was closer to 60000 copies then to the 90000 mentioned below, the 90k were sales to resellers ie they still had the right to return. And this was still good enough to be a NYT (mm) bestseller!! At the same time she did not have to pay for editing, printing, distribution, negotiation with resellers etc etc etc. She proudly mentions she never did put any effort to make her own work better known. We have someone with a 26 k guaranteed income for this book. Even if total sales would have been really low. Could someone now please explain how she could have done any better by self-publishing? ETA: sorry total sales were for 11 months, not two quarters. Last edited by Seli; 02-05-2010 at 10:55 PM.