I have received 3 offers from publishers for a book I am working on - two offer 15% royalties and one 50%. This seems a huge difference and I am wondering what the average royalties offered tends to be?
I have received 3 offers from publishers for a book I am working on - two offer 15% royalties and one 50%. This seems a huge difference and I am wondering what the average royalties offered tends to be?
Good point, I think more information is needed to offer any guidance.
I would be wary of an offer that seems too good to be true. I know nothinh of the publishing industry other than what my own research has turned up, but that is true of most things.
If in doubt ask and ask again. If you like their answers then you have answered you own question.
Just thought I'd add that non-fiction is often sold on 'proposal', rather than completed MS.
In my experience, it is normally subsidy publishers that offer a greater percentage in royalties. Are you paying for publication.
Basically, if you are putting up the money to produce and market the book, then the publisher is not taking a financial risk, or "lending" you the money up front. Therefore they have no money to recoup and give you a bigger percentage.
If you do not pay to publish your book, then the publisher lays out all the money and has to make this back, so take a greater percentage for themselves to make back their initial investment.
It depends which route you want to take. Good luck with your decision, and well done for getting 3 publishers interested. Take heed, however, that subsidy publishers rarely tell anyone that they do not want to publish their book. No financial risk means they will publish practically anything.
This is not to say you book is not good (how could I possibly know?) but I just wanted you to be aware.