In a recent article in the Telegraph by Tom Whitehead titled “Self-published authors hit by Amazon online royalties cut” he complains that “Specialist and minor authors are being damaged by Amazon’s online royalties scheme that punishes those who do not want to sell their books at knock-down prices” and “Writers who are likely to have a small readership, particularly in niche markets, are being penalised if they want to sell their books at a high price.”
Really?
Obviously, some writers can’t do math very well – or haven’t scored a book deal with a publisher lately.
Let’s look at the bottom line: with a traditional publisher, the author receives a percentage of the net profits, which means that he’s probably putting down around 15 – 20% of the sales price of any given title. That’s being generous.
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing program offers 70% royalties on all bookx priced between $2.99 and $9.99. Books priced between $.99 and $1.99, or over $9.99 have a royalty structure of 35%.
The article cites Richard Gandon, Author of “Writing Business Processes,” who says that it’s “grossly unfair that a giant company like Amazon should be exploiting small authors like this.”
Again: Really?
His book, on Amazon, is listed for $31.03.
Through a publisher, he’d be making somewhere south of $6.20 per sale.
Through the KDP program – at that listed price, with the 35% royalty plan – he’d make around $10.86. Far more than he would through a traditional publisher.
But wait – there’s even more: The bad, evil, nasty and downright mean Amazon would pay him $6.99 if he sold his book for $9.99. He would make MORE – and probably have more sales at the far more reasonable price – if he sold his book at the 70% royalty cap price of $9.99.
What part of “more” do some writers not understand?
Now, I’m no rocket scientist, but it seems to me that the writers and authors who are railing against the low prices for their books aren’t bothering to do the math. Or that their egos can’t use a calculator.
Writers: If you can’t make a living making MORE royalties on your books at a lower price, then maybe you should think about getting a a job in the housekeeping or fast food industries.
Some people get it, some people don’t. Sheesh.