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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 five 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. (Foreign and book club sales, if any, typically have lower royalty rates.) Earnout
figures (where reported) include all earnings for a book, including the advance and any subsidiary sales. In the interests
of anonymity and accuracy, publishers are only included if I've had at least three responses for that publisher. Similarly,
n/a means that specific information wasn't available. Medians and ranges for advances and earnouts are provided, where appropriate,
to control for the skewing that one or two outliers might cause. In this update I have eliminated all advance data prior to
the year 2000 as well as adding median figures (the midpoint within a range). I make no claim to statistical significance--I
simply present what I've been given, operating on the assumption that some information is far better than none at all.
...............................................................................................................# of titles
included
Avalon..................................................................................................................14
Average advance: $1015 Median advance: $1000
Advance range: $1000 - $1200
Standard royalty percentage: 10%
Average earn-out: 1170 Median: $1000 Range: $1000 - $2100
Avon/HarperCollins ...........................................................................................46
Average advance (first book): $17,000 Median: $7,000
Average advance (subsequent books): $26,500 Median: $13,000
Advance range: $5000 - $100,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: $23,000 Median: $26,500 Range: $12,000 - $35,000
Baker/Revell.........................................................................................................9
Average advance: $8,400 Median: $8,500
Advance range: $6,700 - $10,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8-17% (of net)
Average earn-out: n/a
Bantam/Dell.........................................................................................................13
Average advance: $16,000 Median: $15,000
Advance range: $7500 - $25,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: n/a
Barbour & Co. (Heartsong Presents).................................................................11
Average advance: $2650 Median: $2550
Advance range: $2500 - $3500
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: $3700 Median: $3600 Range: $2500 - $3900
Barbour & Co. (Novellas).....................................................................................12
Average advance: $1000 Median: $1000
Standard royalty percentage: 2.5%
Average earn-out: n/a
Berkley/Jove .......................................................................................................45
Average advance (first book): $7,800 Median: $5000
Average advance (subsequent books): $8100 Median: $6750
Advance range: $1700 - $30,000
Standard royalty percentage: 4% - 8%
Average earn-out: $8400 Median: $5000 Range: $4000 - $32,000
Cerridwen.............................................................................................................8
Average advance: none
Standard royalty percentage: 37.5% (digital)
Average earn-out: $450 Median: $130
Cobblestone..........................................................................................................7
Average advance: none
Standard royalty percentage: 35% (digital) 10% (print)
Average earn-out: $200 Median: $185
Dorchester/Leisure..............................................................................................51
Average advance (first book): $2300 Median: $2000
Average advance (subsequent books): $13,000 Median: $3250
Advance range: $1000 - $60,000
Standard royalty percentage: 4% - 8%
Average earn-out: $3100 Median: $2300 Range: $2,000 - $5800
Dutton/Signet/NAL ............................................................................................19
Average advance (first book): $9200 Median: $10,000
Average advance (subsequent books): $30,000 Median: $15,000
Advance range: $7500 - $85,000
Standard royalty percentage: 7.5 - 8%
Average earn-out: n/a
Ellora's Cave .........................................................................................................121
Average advance: none
Standard royalty percentage: 37.5% digital / 7.5% print
Average earn-out: $3050 Median: $2400 Range: $460 - $11,600
Ellora's Cave (anthologies/novellas)...................................................................31
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)...................................................................48
Average advance (first book): $6500 Median: $6000
Average advance (subsequent books): $13,000 Median: $7500
Advance range: $5000 - $34,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: n/a
Harlequin American..............................................................................................16
Average advance (first book): $4300 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $4800 Median: $5000
Advance range: $4000 - $5500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $8150 Median: $7600 Range: $7300 - $10,100
Harlequin Blaze......................................................................................................30
Average advance (first book): $4350 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5500 Median: $5500
Advance range: $4000 - $10,500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $12,500 Median: $12,300 Range: $10,500 - $15,000
Harlequin Historical..............................................................................................38
Average advance (first book): $4300 Median: $5000
Average advance (subsequent books): $6700 Median: $5500
Advance range: $2500 - $15,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $12,000 Median: $12,000 Range: $6700 - $19,000
Harlequin Intrigue..................................................................................................23
Average advance (first book): $3900 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5100 Median: $4500
Advance range: $3500 - $7500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $15,100 Median: $13,000 Range: $10,000 - $26,000
Harlequin Mills & Boon........................................................................................13
Average advance (first book): $3400 Median: $3250
Average advance (subsequent books): $3900 Median: $4000
Advance range: $2000 - $5000
Standard royalty percentage: 4-6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Harlequin Romance ...............................................................................................8
Average advance (first book): $2600 Median: $2600
Average advance (subsequent books): $2800 Median: $2600
Advance range: $2600 - $3000
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Harlequin Superromance......................................................................................59
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: $18,500 Median: $16,500 Range: $9,500 - $40,000
HQN...........................................................................................................................9
Average advance (first book): $8500 Median: $8500
Average advance (subsequent books): $20,500 Median: $21,000
Advance range: $8500 - $25,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: n/a
Imajinn......................................................................................................................4
Average advance: $25 Median: $25
Standard royalty percentage: 8 -10%
Average earn-out: n/a
Kensington/Zebra..................................................................................................133
Average advance (first book): $3600 Median: $3000
Average advance (subsequent books): $7100 Median: $3700
Advance range: $1750 - $60,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6 - 8.5%
Average earn-out: $6200 Median: $3800 Range: $2500 - $17,800
Kensington (novellas)............................................................................................25
Average advance: $2850 Median: $1550
Advance range: $750 - $9000
Standard royalty percentage: 2 - 2.67%
Average earn-out: n/a
Loose Id.....................................................................................................................4
Average advance: none
Standard royalty percentage: 35% digital / 7% print
Average earn-out: $1550 Median: $1350 Range: $1100 - $2400
Medallion Press .......................................................................................................6
Average advance: $1200 Median: $1000
Advance range: $1000 - $2000
Standard royalty percentage: 10%
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.........................................................................................................................22
Average advance (first book): $12,000 Median: $8500
Average advance (subsequent books): $19,000 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)......................................................................................................9
Average advance: $600 Median: $750
Advance range: $50 - $1000
Standard royalty percentage: 1.5 - 6%
Average earn-out: $2500 Median: $2250 Range: $1000 - $3600
St. Martin's Press......................................................................................................23
Average advance (first book): $6600 Median: $6750
Average advance (subsequent books): $40,500 Median: $17,500
Advance range: $4500 - $200,000
Standard royalty percentage: 8%
Average earn-out: n/a
Samhain......................................................................................................................7
Average advance: $85 Median: $100
Advance range: $0 - $100
Standard royalty percentage: 30 - 40% elec. 8 -10% print
Average earn-out: $750 Median: $700 Range: $160 - $1470
Silhouette Desire.......................................................................................................14
Average advance (first book): $4500 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $5850 Median: $5750
Advance range: $4000 - $8,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $16,500 Median: $16,500 Range: $12,000 - $23,000
Silhouette Nocturne...................................................................................................3
Average advance: $6300 Median: $6400
Advance range: $6000 - $6500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Silhouette Romantic Suspense (SIM).....................................................................12
Average advance (first book): n/a
Average advance (subsequent books): $5800 Median: $5500
Advance range: $4000 - $7500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $12,000 Median: $12,000 Range: $9500 - $13,500
Silhouette Special Edition....................................................................................23
Average advance (first book): $4000 Median: $4000
Average advance (subsequent books): $8000 Median: $8500
Advance range: $4000 - $13,000
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $17,500 Median: $17,000 Range: $12,000 - $23,000
Sourcebooks (Casablanca).....................................................................................4
Average advance: $2600 Median: $2600
Advance range: $1000 - $3750
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: n/a
Steeple Hill (Love Inspired)..................................................................................78
Average advance (first book): $4000 Median: $3750
Average advance (subsequent books): $5400 Median: $5000
Advance range: $3500 - $9500
Standard royalty percentage: 6%
Average earn-out: $10,900 Median: $10,500 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.......................................................................................................3
Average advance: none
Standard royalty percentage: 30-35% digital / 7% print
Average earn-out: $135 Median: $135
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. The latest version of this list is available on my website www.brendahiatt.com.
Thank you again to all of the authors who were willing to share their own, private financial data for the benefit of all
romance writers!!
© 2001 - 2008 by Brenda Hiatt (last update: 7/08)
E-mail Brenda
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