Show Me the Money!
by Brenda Hiatt
Updated August 2006
Please send your royalty/sales information to Brenda
so that this survey can be kept up-to-date. You can view the
latest version at her site. Email it to her at BrendaHB@aol.com.
| Avalon | Avon/Harper Collins |
Baker/Revell | Bantam/Dell | Barbour & Co. |
| Berkley/Jove | Changeling Press |Dorchester/Leisure | Dutton/Signet/NAL |
|
Ellora's Cave |
| Fiction Works | Five
Star/Thorndike | Genesis |
| Harlequin American | Harlequin
Blaze | Harlequin Historical|
|Harlequin
Intrigue | Harlequin Mills & Boon
| Harlequin Romance |
| Harlequin Superromance
| Harlequin Temptation |
HQN
| ImaJinn |
| Kensington/Zebra
| Mira |
New Concepts Publishing |
| Pocket
| Red Dress Ink | Red Sage
| Renaissance E-Books |
| St.
Martin's Press | Silhouette Bombshell
|
| Silhouette Desire |
Silhouette
Intimate Moments | Silhouette Romance |
| Silhouette Special Edition |
Steeple Hill | Tor/Forge
|
| Treble Heart Books | Warner
| Wings E-Press |
What do the various romance publishers pay? Here's the best
info I've been able to glean from four years of surveying authors who were generous
enough to volunteer their figures. Note that I am no longer including the outdated
information from the old RWA surveys. Royalty percentages are based on cover price
unless otherwise noted, and are for U.S. retail sales. (Foreign and book club sales,
if any, typically have lower royalty rates.) In the interests of anonymity and
accuracy, publishers are only included if I had at least two responses for that publisher.
Similarly, n/a means that specific information wasn't available. I've added
ranges for advances and earnouts, where appropriate, to control for the skewing that a
very few numbers might have. I make no claim to statistical significance--I simply
averaged what I had, with extra weight given to more recent figures, operating on the
assumption that some information is far better than none at all.
|
Avalon |
number of titles included: 17 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$1,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$1,000 |
| Advance range: |
$1,000 - $1,2000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
10% |
| Average earn-out |
$1,200 |
| Range: |
$1,000 - $2,100 |
|
|
Avon/Harper Collins |
number of titles included: 62 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$13,500 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$24,000 |
| Advance range: |
$3,500 - $100,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
| Average earn-out |
$26,000 |
| Range: |
$7,000 - $100,000 |
|
|
Baker/Revell |
number of titles included: 3 |
| Average advance: |
$10,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% of net |
| Average earn-out |
n/a |
|
|
Bantam/Dell |
number of titles included: 12 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$10,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$13,700 |
| Advance range: |
$7,500 - $25,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
| Average earn-out |
n/a |
|
|
Barbour & Co. (Heartsong
Presents) |
number of titles included: 7 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$2,600 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$2,700 |
| Advance range: |
$2,500 - $2,800 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
| Average earn-out |
$2,750 |
| Range: |
$2,500 - $3,600 |
|
|
Barbour & Co. (novellas) |
number of titles included: 7 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$1,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$1,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
2.5% |
| Average earn-out |
n/a |
|
|
Berkley/Jove |
number of titles included: 47 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$6,100 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$7,675 |
| Average range: |
$3,200 - 8,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
4% - 8% |
| Average earn-out |
$6,500 |
| Range: |
$3,200 - $10,000 |
|
|
Changeling Press
(novellas) |
number of titles included: 3 |
| Average advance: |
none |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
35% (digital) |
| Average earn-out |
$1,200 |
|
|
Dorchester/Leisure
|
number of titles included: 52 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$1,950 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$8,700 |
| Advance range: |
$1,000 - $60,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
4% - 6% |
| Average earn-out |
$6,800 |
| Range: |
$2,000 - $15,000 |
|
|
Dutton/Signet/NAL (single title) |
number of titles included: 16 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$8,750 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$33,000 |
| Advance range: |
$7,500 - $85,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
7.5 - 8% |
| Average earn-out |
n/a |
|
|
Ellora's Cave |
number of titles included: 111 |
| Average advance : |
none |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
37.5% digital/7.5% print |
| Average earn-out: |
$2,900 |
| Range: |
$700 - $11,000 |
|
|
Ellora's Cave
(anthologies/novellas) |
number of titles included: 29 |
| Average advance : |
none |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
varies by number of authors |
| Average earn-out: |
$1750 |
| Range: |
$400 - $6,200 |
|
|
Fiction Works |
number of titles included: 5 |
| Average advance : |
none |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
30% |
| Average earn-out |
$150 |
| Range: |
$0 - $350 |
|
|
Five Star/Thorndike
(hardcover) |
number of titles included: 6 |
| Average advance: |
$1,200 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
10% |
| Average earn-out |
$1,275 |
|
|
Genesis |
number of titles included: 6 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$650 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$2,000 |
| Advance range: |
$500 - $2,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% "of invoice" |
| Average earn-out |
n/a |
|
|
Harlequin American |
number of titles included: 25 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,200 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$4,800 |
| Advance range: |
$4,000 - $5,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$10,000 |
| Range: |
$7,300 - $16,000 |
|
|
Harlequin Blaze |
number of titles included: 23 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$6,000 |
| Advance range: |
$4,000 - $10,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$12,200 |
|
|
Harlequin Historical |
number of titles included: 46 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$5,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$6,700 |
| Advance range: |
$5,000 - $15,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$13,300 |
| Range: |
$6,500 - $24,000 |
|
|
Harlequin Intrigue |
number of titles included: 24 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$6,000 |
| Advance range: |
$3,500 - $7,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$17,000 |
| Range: |
$11,000 - $18,000 |
|
|
Harlequin Mills & Boon |
number of titles included: 4 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$2,250 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$2,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
4-6% |
|
|
Harlequin Romance |
number of titles included: 8 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$2,600 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$2,800 |
| Advance range: |
$2,600 - $3,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
|
|
Harlequin Superromance |
number of titles included: 55 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$5,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$5,900 |
| Advance range: |
$5,000 - $6,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$21,800 |
| Range: |
$10,000 - $58,000 |
|
|
Harlequin Temptation |
number of titles included: 51 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,100 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$5,000 |
| Advance range: |
$4,000 - $10,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$13,700 |
| Range: |
$11,000 - $18,000 |
|
|
HQN |
number of titles included: 2 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$8,500 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$10,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
|
|
ImaJinn |
number of titles included: 5 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$25 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$85 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8-10% |
| Average earn-out |
$180 |
|
|
Kensington |
number of titles included: 130 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$3,700 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$5,500 |
| Advance range: |
$1,750 - $17,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% - 8.5% |
| Average earn-out |
$5,200 |
| Range: |
$2,500 - $17,500 |
|
|
Kensington
(novellas) |
number of titles included: 21 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$3,000 |
| Advance range: |
$750 - $9,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
2% - 2.67% |
|
|
Mira |
number of titles included: 9 |
| Average advance (first book): |
n/a |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$105,000 |
| Advance range: |
$15,000 - $450,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
|
|
New Concepts Publishing |
number of titles included: 13 |
| Average advance : |
none |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
9.5% - 40% elec., 4% - 11% print |
| Average earn-out: |
$350 |
| Range: |
$50 - $1100 |
|
|
Pocket |
number of titles included: 19 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$15,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$21,000 |
| Advance range: |
$7,000 - $50,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
|
|
Red Dress Ink |
number of titles included: 3 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$12,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$15,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
7-7.5% |
|
|
Red Sage (novellas) |
number of titles included: 3 |
| Average advance: |
$350 |
| Advance Range: |
$50 - $1000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
1.5% |
| Average earn-out: |
$3500 |
|
|
Renaissance E-Books |
number of titles included: 4 |
| Average advance: |
None |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
27 - 40% |
| Average earn-out |
$1,300 |
| Range: |
$400 - $4,000 |
|
|
St. Martin's Press |
number of titles included: 27 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$6,300 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$16,000 |
| Average range: |
$4,500 - $150,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
| Average earn-out |
$25,600 |
| Range: |
$6,800 - $51,000 |
|
|
Silhouette
Bombshell |
number of titles included: 11 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$8,750 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
|
|
Silhouette Desire |
number of titles included: 19 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,500 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$8,850 |
| Advance range: |
$4,000 - $15,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$20,000 |
| Range: |
$15,000 - $28,000 |
|
|
Silhouette Intimate
Moments |
number of titles included: 14 |
| Average advance (first book): |
n/a |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$5,900 |
| Advance range: |
$4,000 - $7,500 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$12,000 |
| Range: |
$10,000 - $16,000 |
|
|
Silhouette Romance |
number of titles included: 56 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$3,750 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$4,900 |
| Advance range: |
$3,500 - $10,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$10,300 |
| Range: |
$6,000 - $18,000 |
|
|
Silhouette Special
Edition |
number of titles included: 44 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$4,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$8,200 |
| Advance range: |
$4,000 - $12,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$21,500 |
| Range: |
$12,000 - $37,000 |
|
|
Steeple Hill (Love Inspired) |
number of titles included: 63 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$3,400 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$4,900 |
| Advance range: |
$3,000 - $7,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
6% |
| Average earn-out |
$7,900 |
| Range: |
$5,000 - $18,000 |
|
|
Tor/Forge |
number of titles included: 8 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$13,300 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$17,250 |
| Advance range: |
$8000 - $20,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
| Average earn-out: |
N/A |
|
|
Treble Heart Books |
number of titles included: 6 |
| Average advance : |
none |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
15% - 35% print, 40% elec. |
| Average earn-out: |
$65 |
| Range: |
$5 - $110 |
|
|
Warner |
number of titles included: 23 |
| Average advance (first book): |
$7,000 |
| Average advance (subsequent books): |
$11,200 |
| Advance range: |
$5,000 - $34,000 |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
8% |
|
|
Wings E-Press |
number of titles included: 2 |
| Average advance: |
None |
| Standard royalty percentage: |
30% digitial/15% print |
| Average earn-out |
$200 |
|
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!) can e-mail me at brendahb@aol.com and in
return I'll email you the most up-to-date version of this list. Thank you again to
all of the authors who were willing to share their own, private financial data for the
benefit of all RWA members!
--Brenda Hiatt
http://www.brendahiatt.com
©2002-2005 by Brenda Hiatt
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