Re: [Paddlewise] References: <20001013062716.18829.qmail_at_web3006.mail.yahoo.com>

Tom wrote:

> > 11 Oct 2000 From: "Matt Broze"
>
> > Okay PW's guessing game time. Let's hear some
> > guesses as to how much money I
> > have earned in royalties and advances (before taxes)
> > for "Deep Trouble" over
> > the last 3 years since it came out (Note: I get
> > about 60% of the royalties
> > on that book).
>
> Assuming the closest guess wins (vs. the closest
> without going over), I guess $2.00/book and guess
> sales of 24,500 books equals Fourty-Nine Large

In my opinion Tom has on Rose Colored Glasses!  Deep trouble is probably doing
better than our regional guidebooks but typical royalty is 10-12%of net - net
being on the order of 50-60% of cover price.  Sarah and I have our books sold
for $15.96 cover price by Globe Pequot which means if we don't sell them direct
we get about $0.89 per book.  Sales on the Western Great Lakes book were 5,000
the first year.  So here goes my guess.

Total advance money was probably about $4,000 for royalty and perhaps $1,000 for
expenses.  Assuming Matt gets 60% of this and does not do too much traveling he
breaks even the first year!  This assumes about 5,000 books sold and of course
Matt accepts the hourly rate of $0.00/hr for his labors.  Add in two years and
15,000 more books the total author royalty might be $12,000 this brings the
total cash stash beyond expenses to a grand total of $7,200 for Matt.

I am still praying for minimum wage by the end of the decade on our books.  With
larger sales perhaps Matt will make minimum wage within the first five years of
sales?

>
>
>
> ***************************************************************************



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