Most self-publishing companies require full payment before any work starts. We do not. Our process is built to be affordable for authors and allow them to make payments over time as the work progresses.
After clients sign a contract, they make the first of three payments. The initial payment is 40% of the total amount, a second payment of 30% of the total is due when the manuscript has been completed, and the remaining 30% is due when the production phase is completed and ready to be printed. The amount and timing of the payments depend on the amount of work required and its milestones, which are agreed to by Byblio Press and the client before work begins. Any fee for additional services must be made in advance in one payment.
The cost to publish a book with Byblio Press is mainly determined by the number of words in the book. A typical non-fiction book with 60,000 words that does not undergo additional editing will cost roughly $2,500 to publish, and it will be finalized in 3–4 months after it is accepted. Longer books and those that require additional services will cost more and take longer to finalize. (All prices listed are in US dollars.)
The basic fee covers a professional review of the book’s content and layout to ensure it is high quality and meets certain legal requirements, the production of the cover and interior of a softcover and e-book versions, the acquisition of the ISBN for each version of the book (softcover, hardcover, e-book, audiobook), the registration of the book with the Library of Congress and U.S. Copyrights Office, the notification about the book to international book sellers and buyers via a press release, 1-minute YouTube video that promotes the book, and five soft cover copies of the book. The author always has the final say on the book’s text and design (as long as it meets Byblio’s content standards).
Example
January 1 -- Byblio Press agrees to publish a book and negotiates a contract that includes copy editing. The base cost is $2,500 and the additional editing cost is $1,000. The client pays 40% of the base cost ($1,000) and the total cost of editing ($1,000) in the first payment (a total of $2,000).
March 1--Editing is complete and the entire manuscript is approved by the client and sent to the production team to create the cover and interior design. The client pays the second installment (30% of the total, $750).
April 1--The final cover and interior design of the book are finished and approved by the client. The client pays the last installment (30% of the total, $750). The book is sent to the printer and registered with the Library of Congress and U.S. Copyright Office. Book sellers worldwide are notified via a press release and the video is created to promote the book online.
April 15--The book is on the market and the client receives five copies of the book.
As a nonprofit corporation, we don’t benefit financially from our publications. Authors receive 100% of the net royalties, regardless of the book’s format, because we believe in the humanitarian value of the content we publish.
Royalties are paid two months after the end of each calendar quarter (e.g., royalties generated in the last three months of the year are paid at the end of February). Royalties are sent by an electronic fund transfer (EFT) of funds via a direct deposit into the designated bank account. To set up the transfer, we need the name and address of the bank, the account number, and the bank’s routing number. We will place all royalties on hold until we have this bank information. At that time, all accrued royalties will be paid on the next payment schedule. Net royalties are what remains from the purchase after printing costs and a wholesaler’s share are deducted (buyers normally pay any shipping costs).
Audiobook royalties used by major retail platforms are easy to calculate. When somebody buys an audiobook, the author's royalty is 40% of the sale price of the book. For example, for an audiobook that retails for $25.00 but is discounted by the retailer and sells for $20.00, the royalty of $8.00 (40% of $20). Authors publishing books with Byblio Press receive 100% of this amount, no matter how many audiobooks are sold.
Form 1099-MISC is used to report royalty income and backup withholding to the person or organization designed as the account holder. Byblio Press will mail a completed Form 1099-MISC to each U.S. entity that was issued a payment for $10.00 or more in royalties (or incurred any withholdings) during the calendar year. The income and withholding represent royalties from Quarter 4 of the previous year through Quarter 3 of the Form 1099-MISC year. The form will be mailed by January 31. This form is required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to report royalty income and withholding. Authors who were paid no money during the calendar year will not receive the form. Form 1042-S is used for non-U.S. persons and is mailed by March 15.
The IRS requires Byblio Press to have a Form W-9 or Form W-8BEN on file for each entity that may earn royalties. The tax form must include the individual or company’s U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (i.e., SSN, EIN, or ITIN). If an author refuses to provide the form or the digital equivalency, Byblio Press will withhold taxes at the rate of 24% for U.S. citizens (or resident aliens) and 30% for nonresident aliens living outside the U.S., in accordance with U.S. tax law. The IRS requires that we have a complete tax Form W-9 or W-8BEN on file even if an author has opted-out of submitting tax information.
If a company receives the royalties instead of the author, an account for the company must exist in our system. To have an account created for the company, speak to our customer support office about assigning the rights to it. Form W-9 needs to be filled out for the company using the company EIN for the tax ID, and the company’s W-9 must be submitted either online through the company’s Byblio Press account, or by mail.
