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SHOW ME THE MONEY!
by Brenda Hiatt
What do the various romance publishers pay? Here's the best info I've been able to glean
from ten years of surveying authors who were generous enough to volunteer their
figures.
Royalty percentages are based on cover price unless
otherwise noted and are for U.S. retail
sales. Earnout figures
include all earnings for a book, including the advance, royalties, and
any
subsidiary sales. Publishers are only included if I had at least three responses for that
publisher. Similarly, n/a means that specific information wasn't available. Ranges for
advances and earnouts are provided to control for the skewing that one or two outliers
might cause, as are median figures. Only titles released in
the year 2000 or later are included.
I make no claim to statistical
significance--I simply present what I've received, operating on
the
assumption that some information is far better than none at all.
...............................................................................................................#
of titles included
Asylett........................................................................................................................4
Average advance: $0
Standard
royalty percentage: 40% of net (digital)
Average earn-out: $100
Median: $70
Avalon.......................................................................................................................20
Average advance: $1030 Median: $1000
Advance range: $1000 - $1200
Standard
royalty percentage: 10%
Average earn-out: $1250 Median:
$1000 Range: $1000 - $2400
Avon/HarperCollins................................................................................................53
Average advance (first book): $19,700 Median: $8000
Average advance (subsequent books): $28,000 Median: $15,000
Advance range: $5000 - $100,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out:
$23,000 Median: $26,500 Range: $12,000 - $35,000
Baker/Revell.............................................................................................................10
Average advance: $8550 Median: $8500
Advance range: $6700 - $10,000
Standard
royalty percentage: 8-17% (of net)
Average earn-out: n/a
Ballantine.................................................................................................................19
Average advance (first book): $40,000 Median: $40,000
Average advance (subsequent books): $172,000 Median: $175,000
Advance range: $40,000 - $275,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average
earn-out: n/a
Bantam/Dell..............................................................................................................15
Average advance: $17,000 Median: $20,000
Advance range: $7500 - $25,000
Standard
royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: n/a
Barbour &
Co. (Heartsong Presents).........................................................................13
Average advance: $2500 Median: $2500
Advance
range: $2200 - $3000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: $3600 Median: $3600 Range: $2500 - $3900
Barbour
& Co. (Novellas) ......................................................................................12
Average advance: $1000 Median: $1000
Standard royalty percentage: 2.5%
Average
earn-out: n/a
Barbour & Co. (Trade Fiction) ..................................................................................4
Average advance: $8750 Median: $8750
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average
earn-out: n/a
Berkley/Jove..............................................................................................................66
Average advance (first book): $8000 Median: $7000
Average advance (subsequent books): $10,800 Median: $7500
Advance range: $4000 - $40,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6% - 8%
Average earn-out:
$16,400 Median: $10,000 Range: $5000 - $50,000
Berkley (novellas) ....................................................................................................4
Average advance: $6900 Median: $6300
Standard royalty percentage: 2-3.75%
Average earn-out: n/a
Cerridwen..................................................................................................................9
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 37.5% (digital)
Average earn-out: $400
Median: $100
Changeling Press......................................................................................................21
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 35% (digital)
Average earn-out: $1050
Median: $1050
Cobblestone...............................................................................................................14
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 35% (digital) 10% (print)
Average earn-out:
$700 Median: $650
Dorchester/Leisure....................................................................................................75
Average advance (first book): $2400 Median: $2000
Average advance (subsequent books): $9600 Median: $3750
Advance range: $1000 - $60,000
Standard royalty percentage: 4% - 8%
Average earn-out:
$5500 Median: $4600 Range: $2,000 - $16,000
Dutton/Signet/NAL...................................................................................................21
Average advance (first book): $9000 Median: $9250
Average advance (subsequent books): $29,000 Median: $15,000
Advance range: $7500 - $85,000
Standard royalty percentage: 7.5 - 8% Average earn-out: n/a
Ellora’s Cave............................................................................................................126
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 37.5% digital / 7.5% print
Average earn-out:
$3200 Median: $2400 Range: $250 - $14,000
Ellora’s
Cave (anthologies/novellas) ...................................................................38
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: varies by number of authors
Average earn-out:
$2150 Median: $1950 Range: $430 - $7100
Five Star/Thorndike (hardcover) ..............................................................................8
Average advance: $1150 Median: $1000
Advance range: $750 - $2000
Standard royalty
percentage: 10%
Average earn-out: $1850 Median: $850
Range: $750 - $4000
Grand Central Publishing (Warner/Hachette) .........................................................55
Average advance (first book): $7000 Median: $6000
Average advance (subsequent books): $17,500 Median: $10,000
Advance range: $5000 - $75,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out:
$38,500 Median: $31,500 Range: $8300 - $100,000
Harlequin American................................................................................................17
Average advance (first book): $4300 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5100 Median: $5000
Advance range: $4000 - $5500
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $8150 Median:
$7600 Range: $7300 - $10,100
Harlequin Blaze.......................................................................................................31
Average advance (first book): $4350 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5500 Median: $5300
Advance range: $4000 - $10,500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out:
$12,500 Median: $12,300 Range: $10,500 - $15,000
Harlequin Intrigue...................................................................................................27
Average advance (first book): $3900 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5000 Median: $4500
Advance range: $3500 - $7500
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $14,500 Median:
$12,600 Range: $10,000 - $26,000
Harlequin Mills & Boon (Historical, Medical) .......................................................23
Average advance (first book): $3200
Median: $2500
Average advance (subsequent
books): $3700 Median: $4000
Advance range: $2000 - $5000
Standard royalty percentage: 4-6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Harlequin Nascar......................................................................................................3
Average advance: $5000 Median: $5000
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average
earn-out: n/a
Harlequin Romance..................................................................................................10
Average advance (first book): $2600 Median: $2600
Average advance (subsequent books): $3700 Median: $3000
Advance range: $2600 - $7000
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Harlequin Superromance..........................................................................................55
Average advance (first book): $5000 Median: $5000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5600 Median: $5500
Advance range: $5000 - $7000
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $16,200 Median:
$15,500 Range: $10,000 - $28,000
HQN.............................................................................................................................10
Average advance: $22,700 Median: $21,000
Advance range: $8500 - $55,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out:
n/a
Kensington/Zebra.......................................................................................................144
Average advance (first book): $3500 Median: $3000
Average advance (subsequent books): $7100 Median: $3750
Advance range: $1750 - $60,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6 - 8.5%
Average earn-out:
$6200 Median: $3800 Range: $2500 - $17,800
Kensington (novellas) ...............................................................................................29
Average advance: $2750 Median: $1500
Advance range: $750 - $9000
Standard royalty
percentage: 2 - 3.75%
Average earn-out: n/a
Liquid Silver...............................................................................................................9
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 40% elec.
Average earn-out: $1300
Median: $1100 Range: $100 - $3400
Loose Id........................................................................................................................15
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 35% elec. 7% print
Average earn-out: $1950
Median: $1350 Range: $1000 - $4500
Medallion Press.............................................................................................................6
Average advance: $1200 Median: $1000
Advance range: $1000 - $2000
Standard
royalty percentage: 10%
Average earn-out: n/a
MIRA...........................................................................................................................5
Average advance: $116,000 Median: $15,000
Advance range: $15,000 - $450,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average
earn-out: n/a
New Concepts Publishing.......................................................................................12
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 9.5% - 40% elec. 4% - 11% print
Average earn-out:
$690 Median: $270 Range: $90 - $2900
Pocket.........................................................................................................................25
Average advance (first book): $12,000 Median: $8500
Average advance (subsequent books): $18,000 Median: $15,000
Advance range: $5000 - $50,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8 - 10%
Average
earn-out: n/a
Red Dress Ink.............................................................................................................3
Average advance: $12,000 Median: $15,000
Standard royalty percentage: 7 - 7.5%
Average earn-out: n/a
Red Sage (novellas) ..................................................................................................11
Average advance: $550 Median: $750
Advance range: $50 - $1000
Standard
royalty percentage: 1.5 - 6%
Average earn-out: $2300 Median:
$2250 Range: $1000 - $3600
St. Martin's Press.......................................................................................................26
Average advance (first book): $20,300 Median: $7500
Average advance (subsequent books): $44,000 Median: $25,000
Advance range: $4500 - $200,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out:
n/a
Samhain.....................................................................................................................21
Average advance: $75 Median: $100
Advance range: $0 - $100
Standard royalty
percentage: 30 - 40% elec. 8 - 10% print
Average earn-out: $1900
Median: $1400 Range: $300 - $9150
Silhouette Desire......................................................................................................24
Average advance (first book): $4500 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5200 Median: $5000
Advance range: $4000 - $8,000
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $17,000 Median:
$16,500 Range: $12,000 - $23,000
Silhouette Nocturne..................................................................................................6
Average advance: $7000 Median: $7300
Advance range: $6000 - $8000
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Silhouette Romantic Suspense...............................................................................13
Average advance (first book): n/a
Average advance (subsequent books): $5600 Median: $5500
Advance range: $4000 - $7500
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $11,000 Median:
$11,000 Range: $9500 - $13,500
Silhouette Special Edition......................................................................................29
Average advance (first book): $4100 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $7300 Median: $8000
Advance range: $4000 - $13,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out:
$17,500 Median: $17,000 Range: $12,000 - $23,000
Siren Publishing.........................................................................................................6
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 40% elec.
Average earn-out: $300 Median:
$200 Range: $100 - $400
Sourcebooks..............................................................................................................24
Average advance (first book): $1400 Median: $1250
Average advance (subsequent books): $2600 Median: $1600
Advance range: $1000 - $6650
Standard
royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Steeple Hill
(Love Inspired) ...................................................................................80
Average advance (first book): $4000 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5400 Median: $5000
Advance range: $3500 - $9500
Standard royalty
percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $10,800 Median: $10,400
Range: $6500 - $18,000
Tor/Forge....................................................................................................................22
Average advance (first book): $11,000 Median: $10,000
Average advance (subsequent books): $14,000 Median: $14,000
Advance range: $7500 - $20,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out:
n/a
Wild
Rose Press.........................................................................................................8
Average advance: none
Standard
royalty percentage: 30-35% digital / 7% print
Average earn-out:
$120 Median: $100 Range: $50 - 300
NOTE: I'd very much like to keep this information current for
future reference. Anyone
willing to share their info (anonymously--I
never save names!) please e-mail me at
brendahb@aol.com. Thank
you again to all of the authors who were willing to share their
own,
private financial data for the benefit of all writers!!
©
2001 - 2009 by Brenda Hiatt (last update: 11/09)
E-mail Brenda
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