How Much Does a Traditional Publisher Pay?

I am doing research on this and so far am finding that the most accurate answer to this is: "Depends--It's negotiable."

However, that answer is not limited to traditional publishers at all! In fact, my experiences with the POD (print on demand) and "Self-publishing" services, seem even more likely and well known to vary of their costs and your cut.

However, there are general practices that I can outline about traditional Christian publishers that will give you an idea of what you can expect.

Typically, if a publisher approaches you with a contract, they will offer you an advance (money up front)and this amount can widely vary. I've heard a new author quote me $2000 and one who was on her sixth book quote me $5000 for an advance. The publisher is hoping that the book will sell enough copies to cover those costs, obviously. And, in fact, an "advance" means just that in that each book that sells the author contracts to receive a portion of the sale. Again, that varies, but I've heard often that amount could be 50 to 80 cents a book. Let's say the author is hot stuff and so they are able to contract for $1.00 a book, for easy figuring. So, if the publishing house has advanced $5000 to the author, the author must wait until the publishing house has sold 5000 copies of the book (to reimburse the publisher for the advance at $1 a book) before the author receives another dime for their book. From then on the author would receive $1 a book--this is for a book that sells in the stores for $12-$14, for example.

Before you run the publishing industry out of town on a rail, consider that the publisher is likely to spend $25,000 to promote that first book of yours. And by the way, they expect you to be out there signing books and speaking at every retreat you can to sell books as well. This is why, as one publisher took the time to tell me, publishers are no longer buying books, they are buying authors--authors who can turn out three to six books a year.

Since the American public is likely, after finding a book they like, to look for another book by the same author, there is much less of a risk, in the publishing house mindset, to publish someone with a following than a new author. Regardless of how good that new author's first book, the publisher just doesn't want the expense of introducing her to the public. Frustrating?

Wait. There's more. (And I promise in future bogs to cover viable alternatives to traditional publishing.)

Publishing--which way do I turn?

It seems I have been mysteriously silent about my conference experiences and publishing. So many options and avenues have been tried since then that I was in a quandary what to share with serious readers on this page. I've decided to update my followers with info I am finding most helpful, but my final conclusions are not yet drawn. (I am defining some of the terms that are new to me in this process of publishing to be clear as to what I mean.)

First, the Mt Hermon Conference.
With all the wondrous beauty of the grounds and new friends found, I can say the time there was well spent. I also made a connection with a missionary who has established a press (actual facility that prints books and ships them out) in Bulgaria. Amazing! She thought the quality of the production has grown to be comparable with presses world wide and that she could have my book printed and delivered for about $3 a book. Amazing. This might be the best deal I have found and I will be staying in touch with her on this and looking into her presses services.

I also met with an editor who was interested in seeing a proposal I pitched (verbally presented to her over lunch as a possibility for her publishing house to produce and carry as one of their books.) I felt comfortable right away with her, even told her one of my true confession type stories about a slip I had made in the church parking lot one day. I think making a connection with an editor can be pivotal as to whether I will feel comfortable long-term in dealing with the publishing house (companies in the industry of publishing.) Of course, the same might be true as to whether or not the editor is interested in dealing with you. We'll see.

The pitch I made detailed a devotional book I have been thinking about compiling for some time. Since I have written many devotionals, I hope to have the skills to compile a book for a niche market, mothers of special needs children. I expanded on the idea and she liked it. She said I could send her a proposal (a 30 page document defining the book and the market, my qualifications and history and several more relevant items of information.) This formal request is what she will take to the publishing company's team that decides if the book is the kind of thing they want to publish and if it will be profitable for the company.

This last consideration, whether it will be profitable, sounds cut throat, but get the stars out of your eyes. How many of us would be writing much if we were not compensated in some way? The truth is, we all have mouths to feed, even if they are our own. I fully understand, being a business major in school, the necessity of making a book pay (although, I would hazard a guess that sometimes a publisher chooses to publish a book because it is too good not to, and plans to eat the cost--they just can't do that often.)

I was very happy to get the invitation to send the proposal, even knowing I had lots of work ahead of me. A month later, I still am working on the proposal. Perhaps I have waited too long for her to be interested! Well, many things have happened since talking to that editor and I could not spare the time before now. I will explain more as I continue this train of thought on publishing in future posts. Tomorrow I will finish up Mt Hermon and why traditional publishing may not be the best choice in every situation.

Next, Orange County Christian Writer's Conference. Soon POD and self publishing.

I'm a winner! Sorta...

Hey, all!

Still in San Diego after last Friday/Saturday writer's conference in Orange County. Had a great time; met four new friends who I'm sure we will stay in touch, met John Ware and began the new path to screen writing, heard Vivian Wright speak brilliantly about creativity, AND had "Julia" take a third place (out of 38 books submitted) in the WestBow self-publishing package! Whoo-hoot!

I'm very excited about this. I had been thinking fairly seriously about pursuing WestBow or some other self-publishing house anyway. I really like the idea of preserving all the electronic rights of my manuscript, something I would have to give up with a regular publisher. WestBow Press is a subsidiary of Nelson and so has an interest in supporting the self-publishers in house--perhaps moving the book to the catalogue, etc, if it does well in sales.

WestBow will be calling me soon to make arrangements, if I am interested. Since I did not win 1st place there is a question as to whether I will publish with them or not--seeing if I can afford to pick up the rest of the package. In my dreams, I will be in print by July--we shall see!

Tuesday Afternoons...

If you think my next words are “I’m just beginning to see…”, as in the song of the same title, you could be right!

Yes, after attending the “conference to end all conferences” for getting your book published by a Christian publishing house, I have re-set that goal. Not because there was anything wrong with the event or the publishers, although I will admit I don’t think I am a conference person, I do think that it is timely to think about self and electronic publishing as the future of reading.

I know, I know, I too am a smell-the-print person, as I was a feel-the-pen-in-your-hand person when I began writing. Quickly, I realized the superior convenience of the cut and paste, delete and replace, and so many other happily convenient values of the computer over the pen and paper. So, adjust, I tell myself, once again.
I also have some ideas about how to make that all work. Maybe even a business around the self/e-book. I do love business!

So, this next weekend I am off to yet another conference, Orange County Christan Writer's Conference, but this one has a strong self-publishing thrust. I am excited to talk to some of the people in the industry face to face. I’ll report a bit more about that when I return.

In the meantime, write-on and don’t worry about the publishing aspect—I’m believing that may all be up in the air right now, in more ways than one.