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PSA (kind of yelling):
Royalties are paid out from SALES, meaning the money has already been RECEIVED by the entity paying out the royalties.
Businesses fundraising to pay out royalties they ALREADY owe means they had inappropriate financial practices to begin with!
Royalties are paid out from SALES, meaning the money has already been RECEIVED by the entity paying out the royalties.
Businesses fundraising to pay out royalties they ALREADY owe means they had inappropriate financial practices to begin with!
That money should have been set aside *when it came in*
Not used to plug various holes in cash flow as they emerged.
Not used to plug various holes in cash flow as they emerged.
This is something that is common with small presses, sadly.
But I have just seen multiple very large companies have this issue, too.......
But I have just seen multiple very large companies have this issue, too.......
Note that this is extremely different from people fundraising *ahead* of a specific project and saying that the project, once underway, will pay x% royalties.
(Which is common in Kickstarters etc, and there is nothing wrong with it in itself.)
(Which is common in Kickstarters etc, and there is nothing wrong with it in itself.)
But back to the original topic.
If you support businesses that do this, then sadly, you financially contribute to the continuation of these bad business practices.
#COVID19 sure shows that the biggest of the big aren't infallible either, or the ones with the most "cred".
If you support businesses that do this, then sadly, you financially contribute to the continuation of these bad business practices.
#COVID19 sure shows that the biggest of the big aren't infallible either, or the ones with the most "cred".
It is very painful as a writer to have literally ALL your royalties, from companies A, B, C, D, E, F.... ALL somehow being late.
Please don't normalize that.
(Note: I have worked with companies that were ALWAYS on time. But they are very much in the minority. Very much)
Please don't normalize that.
(Note: I have worked with companies that were ALWAYS on time. But they are very much in the minority. Very much)
Right now it's mid-April so I personally don't have a lot due in this month, but there is going to be a lot worse when usual yearly or 2x/year royalties cycles hit their endpoints.
If you like books from an author, and see their publisher/s, distributor, etc. fundraise TO PAY THEM....
Pay the author directly instead, if there is a way to do that.
Pay the author directly instead, if there is a way to do that.
That business already owes the author in a legally binding way (enforcing that is sadly another matter), and they might NOT end up paying the author even if you give money to them.
But a lot of authors have Patreons or other ways to accept small sums of money these days.
But a lot of authors have Patreons or other ways to accept small sums of money these days.
I think the situation is going to get worse, so please be on your guard. :(
Again a caveat, of course it is different (and perfectly acceptable) when a publisher fundraises IN ADVANCE of a project to be able to pay authors.
That is a form of preorder essentially, is common and generally not inappropriate.
That is a form of preorder essentially, is common and generally not inappropriate.
But when the publisher already sells the books, and they somehow need YOUR help to pay the authors of those books, know that something is afoot.
What can you do if you already spent your money to buy a book from a business who is now not paying the author?
well you don't have the money in that case :( but you can 1. promote the author on social media, 2. complain / pressure the publisher / etc.!
well you don't have the money in that case :( but you can 1. promote the author on social media, 2. complain / pressure the publisher / etc.!
I think this is it for now, I just felt a need to grump. Thank you for listening!
