I've finally had a close look at the consolation "offer" I received as one of the 4,000 or so Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award "entrants" that didn't make the cut to become official "Semi-finalists"
At a glance, it looks enticing. "Get a free proof copy of your novel" as an Amazon entrant. "...as well as discounted publishing services ... as a benefit of entering the contest." Then there are the teasers, embedded in the flashy text that comes along with the offer. "Set your own price" "YOU choose how much you want to make on your book". What is there to lose, right?
Well, actually, Abigail, there is, if you do the math on the fine-print that follows just the opening screen. Or at least, there's no pot of gold at the end of the POD rainbow.
"Royalty Summary", it reads. Sounds grand, doesn't it? Then there's the kicker.
"Amount earned on sales = Your list price minus our share (shown below)"
Our Share = Fixed Charge $3.15 / unit PLUS Black and White Printing (or) + $.02 / page*
PLUS Share for sales on E-Store +20% / sale PLUS Share for sales on Amazon.com +30% / sale .
When I add that up, it looks to me that if I set the price for my 600 page blockbuster wanna-be at $30, I'm going to earn exactly - WAIT a minute! At $30 selling price (a bit steep, you might say, for a First Novel by an unknown author), I'm going LOSE 15 Cents on every book I sell...
Such a deal. So, Abigail, I guess it's back to the Editing desk. Let's cut that 600 page white elephant down to a 300 page white rhin0. At that size, I can sell the book for $20 (sounds more reasonable, right?) and make a grand profit of 85 cents on each copy I sell. If I BUY at least 50 copies for friends and relatives, I can get my book for the super-delux deal of $18.00/copy.
Maybe I should concentrate on cutting my SECOND book (it's only 300 pages) down to 200. The, with $20 sale price, I'd make the princely sum of $2.85 on each book sold.
Guess I'd better not quit the Day-Job, Abigail...
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