INVESTMENT

Publisher Pays You an Advance

Advance based on % of expected book sales

(5-15% of wholesale price)

$10-$25,000

Minimal quality 

Press Makes No Promises & Costs Are Inflated

(Read the fine print)

$4-$15,000 (2-5000 copies)

PLUS inventory storage, returned copies, marketing/PR

You Keep Larger % of Profits

$500-$2,000

NO inventory control woes or unsold books

AND you keep profits

$1,000

NO inventory control woes or unsold books &

You Share Profits

(Royalty % varies)

Publisher has All

 Creative Control

From editing & proofing to cover & text design

Author has All

Creative Control

(do work or subcontract it out)

Author has All

Creative Control

(do work or subcontract it out)

Author does editing

Facilitator does cover design & text layout

All Marketing &  Distribution

AND review galleys & marketing/PR.

Dollars spent depend on author & book viability

Book dies unless author

 does the promoting

In most cases, marketing/PR & distribution are done by the author

All Marketing Control

 (do work or subcontract it out)

Author invests what the

 budget & time allow on

 marketing/PR

You do it all from production to marketing, just like a Publisher or

Self-Publisher

Company promises a great deal, but the only real marketing benefit is listing in their database & in

Books in Print

(Some have distribution channels)

 (Read the fine print)

Discounts used as purchaser incentives

Buy inventory as needed Often at full retail or short discount

Whatever you spend for marketing and distribution

$5-$15 Per Book Unit for POD copies; marketing & distribution

PRESTIGE of being a

REAL author

BUT you must still market & promote at your own expense unless you are a major author

NO Credibility in Publishing Industry

Significant investment up front with mediocre product quality & little or no help with distribution & marketing

(Read the fine print)

Significant investment up front of money, time & administrative duties

BUT you have complete creative control

AND you keep all profits or suffer the losses

Lower Start-Up & Higher Per Unit Cost (for POD)

(do work or subcontract it out)

BUT no big inventory

AND you keep the profits

AND Bookstores will not stock them!!

Company handles all administrative duties; you get generic product

(rights are retained by some facilitators in the contract)

AND Bookstores will not stock them!!