A multi-published author looks at the writing world.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
From Nothing to Full Book
I'm guesting at Magical Musings: http://magicalmusings.com with a tale of how last year I had a looming deadline, a blank screen, and no story. From blocked to book. It might be inspiring. :-)
Claims about royalties are WAY over stated. When a publisher (self or standard) puts out a new book at $15 - $20/copy, how many copies do you think ppl will spring for when big publishing houses sell theirs for $8 - $10? eBooks typically yield $1.25 per copy and print soft cover books get you between one dollar and whatever the market will bear on personal signings. *** If you think you're going to make money without an agent in the publishing business, you're dreaming. The big question is how to get a good agent. Good luck with that one, pilgrim.
Choir Loft: I'm not quite sure what this comment is in reference to. Big publishing houses usually price trade paperbacks at $14-$16. Ebooks might be discounted to 9.99. At a trad house, you get about $1 per book (print or e- ) in royalty. Self-publishing yields more--typically 70% of cover price on e-books, about $2-$3 per book on Print on Demand (depending on book length and your price point).
I wrote this post we're on in 2009. Since then the publishing world has changed DRAMATICALLY, with print runs dropping to nothing. So being able to make a living writing is different now. The genre writers I know make a large part of their royalties from e-books (whether trad or self-published). Not sure about non-genre fiction and non-fiction.
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I am a NY Times Bestselling romance, mystery, and fantasy author, agented and writing for large commercial publishers in New York (Penguin), as well as self-published. I have 50 novels and novellas out thus far (since 2002) I hope to help by sharing my experiences and knowledge. You can see what I've published (and what's coming up) by visiting http://www.jennifersromances.com/; http://www.gardnermysteries.com/; and http://www.allysonjames.com/
3 comments:
I just read your guest post. Thanks for sharing the story behind your story.
Claims about royalties are WAY over stated. When a publisher (self or standard) puts out a new book at $15 - $20/copy, how many copies do you think ppl will spring for when big publishing houses sell theirs for $8 - $10? eBooks typically yield $1.25 per copy and print soft cover books get you between one dollar and whatever the market will bear on personal signings.
***
If you think you're going to make money without an agent in the publishing business, you're dreaming. The big question is how to get a good agent. Good luck with that one, pilgrim.
Choir Loft: I'm not quite sure what this comment is in reference to. Big publishing houses usually price trade paperbacks at $14-$16. Ebooks might be discounted to 9.99. At a trad house, you get about $1 per book (print or e- ) in royalty. Self-publishing yields more--typically 70% of cover price on e-books, about $2-$3 per book on Print on Demand (depending on book length and your price point).
I wrote this post we're on in 2009. Since then the publishing world has changed DRAMATICALLY, with print runs dropping to nothing. So being able to make a living writing is different now. The genre writers I know make a large part of their royalties from e-books (whether trad or self-published). Not sure about non-genre fiction and non-fiction.
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