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in_seoul_2003
Joined: 24 Nov 2003
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 Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 8:59 am Post subject: Nagging Inquiry--How much do academic authors make? |
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As far as I can tell, it's one of the most elusive topics on the web. Probably because it varies so much.
At any rate, what I'd like to know is how much academic books go for? Say your a PhD student or an associate/assistant professor and you write a first book on issues relevant to the humanities (Soc, Psych, Anthro, Cultural Studies, etc) and get it published by, I don't know, Blackwell, Sage, Routledge, etc., how much do you get for it? Again, there's alot of variation, no doubt, but on average. |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:14 am Post subject: |
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| how much do you get for it? |
Depends on how many copies it sells and this depends on a couple of factors most importantly; the quality of the work, the popularity of the discipline and the presence of other texts in that field.
Generally, an academic author will make more per copy sold than a regular author. This is largely due to the fact that the prices of these 'textbooks' are usually much higher than novels. However, due to the relatively small numbers of copies sold by many acamademic works, economies of scale tend to work against you.
Without specifics its hard to be specific.
But, a first year psychology textbook which is prescribed in a large number of universities will do VERY well by academic standards.
Finally, as an average figure. Go with 15% of the cover price of the book. |
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in_seoul_2003
Joined: 24 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:31 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks. Also, I found one site which said something along the lines of $3000-5000. Considering that these books often take so much time to develop that's not much at all. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:45 am Post subject: |
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Most academics do not write for book sales. They write for professional reaons, incluidng their love of research and writing and for tenure and promotional considerations as well. (The real writing goes on in each society's journal and not in monographs, by the way.)
If you want to make money writing, get into screenwriting or write non-academic books, even pseudo-academic (a la Jared Diamond or Charles Mann will work. |
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fishy
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, sometimes you have to get a grant to publish your academic book too. |
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