Techno Publishing, E-Royalties & Rights

James Scott
September 2, 2013

Royalties and the legalities of publishing is a subject which most people know little of – that is until they try to venture into a publication of their own. Publication of books and articles has long had the attributes of bringing in some capital as issues are sold. However technology has given book publication a fantastic boost and anyone who owns the technology to read books online will be the first to praise it.

Ever thought about writing your own book? Many people have inspiring ideas but research and writing does take time. Good books require a lot of time and personal effort spending on them and then after all your hard work is completed you have the problems of being accepted for publication. You may have spent months or years with a precious and inspired story but finding a publisher and meeting the current market needs can be very disappointing exercise.

So consider this: try writing your own E book…..much shorter story may be required, still needs accurate research and you do not have the hassle of finding a good publisher.

However as with all good ideas there are things you must find out about before you steam ahead with your project. Just as with normal publications there are legal ties and limits to adhere to and these have to be considered seriously. Here are a few tips to get you started:-

Once you have mastered the art of actually uploading your book on to the desired web program there are first the Digital Rights Management rights to consider. This system will in effect stop people from copying it illegally – it secures your story into a set device so only you can access it. Copyright is and has always been a tricky subject and anyone writing anything now to be published can never be sure if they are just remembering something else written by another author – it is easily done and can cause all sorts of problems. Most people are aware of well publicised legal battles concerning this issue e.g. the publication of ‘The Da Vinci Code’ by Dan Brown.
With any e book ‘the world is your audience’ and depending on the type or subject matter your book is about you need to consider whether or not you may wish to sell it worldwide. The subject matter may just be of relevance in e.g. the UK. As a sole author you have to decide whether to limit your reading audience – this decision needs to be considered before you start to write.
Royalties for book writers can be a sore subject depending on the author! The author of e.g. a biography may have written this solely because he/she felt the story needed to be told. The story may be about a dear family member who has passed away; the author may feel just a need to record memories and hope that anything learned in that past lifetime has been preserved for others to benefit from. However with an e book you have more scope. Your audience is rapidly and continually expanding as technology leaps forward you can reach a bigger audience online so much more quickly and effectively than the traditional method. However there are royalty schemes to consider and content suitability just as with traditional publications. Guidance is needed for this and there is help online – you need to consider the percentage profit you will share with the advertiser of your book E.g the Amazon kindle store. You will also have to consider the sale price of the book.

Whatever media you choose to write in it is now important to be aware that though e-publishing is an expanding market there is a certain large proportion of the world’s readers who will still prefer the feel of turning a page, and holding a book in their hands. Royalties and legal rights are secondary to the great benefits a good book can bring…..just don’t forget about the rules!

Finally, if you are prolific writer and serious about this venture, and feel you are able to make a living out of selling your stories, it may be best to seek legal advice and ask solicitors or accountants to check you are getting the right deal online. Mistakes are easily made and any small business venture requires attention to profit and loss accounts and records for income tax and vat purposes.