Hi there,

I wonder if anyone can help me. I am in the process of getting a deal to get my first book published. It's a non-fiction book and I have been sent a contract to sign. However, the contract makes no mention of an advance and they are offering me 10% royalties. It sounds like a bit of a bum deal to me, especially having read some posts on here about how a lack of an advance can mean the publisher can decide not to promote the book later. I would value any input about how this offer compares to "standard" (if there is such a thing) offers and whether I should play hardball or take it.

Thanks,

S

Hi S,

You'll be able to get better advice from the Society of Authors. I think it's about £80 membership, but it's worth spending that for the contract vetting service alone.

Nik.

Hi there, thanks for your advice. I am in the process of trying to join them but there is some point of contention. Hopefully it's all because I didn't have a contract to show them before so there was no way for them to know I am really an author (as opposed to someone who just wants to pay them for services who are only of use to authors?). I decided to join them because it seemed like a good idea. I am glad other people also think so!

S

Kashka, 10% royalties is fairly standard, assuming that's on cover price, and not on net receipts, (which is what the publisher actually gets in from selling the books to the shop at, say 40% discount). An advance on royalties is, in a sense, a declaration of confidence and intent by the publisher: they reckon they'll make enough to pay you that, and they're going to try hard enough to promote it to make that. Of course, there are teeny publishers who don't pay advances, but it doesn't say much for their financial position if they can't find you something. It's also common for academic authors not to be offered advances; the cynics would say that it's because the publishers don't have to, having must-be-published-to-have-a-career authors over a barrel.

But I really, really think you need to get this looked at, not just about royalties, but about everything else. The Society of Authors have excellent booklets on this kind of thing, for a few pounds. Better still, you can join if you've been offered a publishing contract (or an agency one). They'll go over the contract with a fine toothed comb and tell you what's fair, what's missing and what's unfair, all in a day or two. And the booklets are free to members too. I could go on, but the easiest thing is for you to look at their nice, clear website:

www.societyofauthors.net

Emma

<Added>

I cross-posted with Nik. Glad we're all saying the same things!

Emma

<Added>

And I didn't do the link properly, but you've obviously got it anyway. You could always get the leaflet on publishing contracts anyway, if your publisher's being slow about getting the real thing to you.

Thanks you guys! I just spoke to the Society of Authors again and they did confirm that they didn't accept me before because I didn't have the contract. Now that I have, I can send it to them and they will look it over for me. Hopefully they'll help me get a better deal or at least put my mind at ease!

S

Good stuff! I forgot to say congratulations on getting a contract. Well done. What's the book about, by the way?

Nik.

It's a dating guide (long story, not my usual style of writing at all. I specialised in supernatural dark horror when I was doing writing at uni )

Sounds exciting! Best of luck with it!

Nik.

Yes, I forgot to say Congratulations and Good Luck too!

Emma

Thanks to both of you!

S

assuming that's on cover price

Doas anyone actually get that, because the cover price is rarely what is actually paid. I thought this was the root of the anger at ASDA and TESCO slashing book prices. They sell loads, but the author and publisher get next to nothing. Have I got this wrong?

Yes, they get it if that's what it says in the contract, which it mostly does. It switches to a slightly higher percentage on net receipts if the discount's over (I think) 50%, which would be sales to the supermarkets, Amazon maybe, and things like book clubs, where they buy vast quantities at once. Everyone in the book trade knows that no one - not Asda, not the publisher, not the author, makes any money on a £15 hardback reduced to £4. Much money was lost on Harry Potter, where the discounting's so fierce.

Emma