MSI Press Blog

  Understanding royalties is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—parts of publishing. The numbers look simple on paper, but the basis on which they’re calculated can dramatically change what an author actually earns. Below is a clear, practical overview of what’s typical, what’s fair, and how to protect yourself from the “hidden math” of net‑based royalties. 1. The Two Royalty Models: List vs. Net Royalties on List (Cover Price, MSRP) Calculated on the book’s full retail price Transparent and predictable Example: 10% of a $20 hardcover = $2 per copy Royalties on Net (Net Receipts) Calculated on what the publisher actually receives after retailer discounts and other deductions Retailer discounts are typically 40–55% A “10% royalty” on net often yields far less than a “10% royalty” on list “Net” may include deductions such as freight, warehousing, marketing fees, and returns Which Is Better? List‑based royalties are almost always better for authors Ne...

It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.  Once again, we pick up the topic of book marketing and social media. If, as  Lisa Angle contends, "Connection is the new world of marketing," then the question arises as to how to make social marketing more effective. What are the best do's and don't's? How can social media marketing time be best spent? Start with understanding what drives social media marketing effectiveness Readers who are likely to buy books typically are looking for that connection to the author that Lisa Angle has pointed out. Publishers can help with this, but authors must initiate and maintain this. Readers are likely to buy books from authors they...

  We only find out these things by chance. Either someone tells us, or we stumble across them on the Internet. In any case, it is always pleasant to learn that we have received positive notice. That is important for our authors. So, this week, we were pleased to learn that MSI Press has been rated as #16 among publishers of religious works. See more information about the rating HERE . We publish works based on Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and general spirituality. For more detail about our religious and spiritual books, click HERE .

  Hey, #19 is NOT bad, considering the dozens and dozens of publishers of parenting books. AND, it puts us among the "top" publishers for new authors in this domain, and that is reason enough to be happy! So, what more information about the rating? Click HERE . See some of our parenting books HERE .

We were delighted to discover recently that MSI Press, quite unbeknownst to us, has been included in a list of the top 19 book publishers in California. We are listed as #5 -- truly a cool experience when you stumble across the listing on the Internet. After all, who does not like positive surprises? Anyway, see for yourself. Click here for the whole list. And if you are looking for a publisher and don't quite know how to go about it, we do have some resources, like: B L Ham's book, Publishing for Smarties: How to Find a Publisher, with insider information from an acquisitions editor and highly rated by MidWest Book Review Critique: Exceptionally practical, 'real world' insightful, packed from cover to cover with specific tips, tricks and techniques, "Publishing for Smarties: Finding a Publisher" should be considered a 'must read' for anyone seeking to have their work, fiction or non-fiction, successfully published on terms as advanta...