There is no such thing as royalties

…in self-publishing.

Self-publishers do not “earn royalties.”

Stop thinking in terms of royalties.

It’s called “profit.” There is overhead. There are COGS. There is revenue.

Why? Self-publishers manufacture a product*; they have not licensed a product.

Sales – COGS = gross profit.

Gross profit – overhead = net profit (aka ka-ching)

There are no royalties.

Royalties do not exist.

Say it with me now: Self-publishers do not earn royalties; they have profit. Now put all that “royalties” BS out of your head.

And Amazon? I know you know this, but you use the term deliberately to blur the lines between your retail business and your POD service. You know very good and well you don’t pay royalties. You give us a rebate on our rental fee for your stalls, you know, like at a flea market.

*A lot of authors don’t like having their babies compared to widgets. A lot of authors don’t like having books compared to babies. My books are my babies. They are also my widgets.

10 thoughts on “There is no such thing as royalties

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  • November 21, 2009 at 9:13 pm
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    Yes. Let’s hear it for clear thinking and truth telling! My widget-baby and I thank you.

    Reply
  • November 21, 2009 at 9:17 pm
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    Thanks, Brent.

    But yanno, the fact that I have to explain this is problematic.

    Reply
  • April 15, 2010 at 5:20 pm
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    I’m glad somebody said it. This has been annoying me forever. I think Amazon does it mainly for simplicity’s sake. so many self publishing authors truly are tards. I mean I hate to say that but we only have to look around to know that it’s true.

    Reply
  • April 15, 2010 at 6:29 pm
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    Dude doesn’t know any self-publishers that are ‘tards……but then, Dude only knows 1 publisher .

    Reply
  • April 16, 2010 at 8:02 pm
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    Yes, your sample is skewed fully away from the tard side of the spectrum. Mojo is a little smartie.

    Reply
  • April 16, 2010 at 11:08 pm
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    Dude says she is waaaaaay more than a little smartie !

    Reply
  • December 29, 2010 at 3:50 pm
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    .

    Weirdly, this makes me wish I went to law school.

    Reply
  • December 29, 2010 at 3:52 pm
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    Well, there I go, into my monthly I-shoulda-gone-to-law-school meltdown…

    Reply
  • December 29, 2010 at 11:53 pm
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    Dude thanks Th. for that. It will take weeks for recovery.

    Reply

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