P&Ls and how books make (or don't) money

[alg]

Profit & Loss/Profitability & Liability: How Books Make (or Don't Make!) Money

A basic outline of what happens when an editor buys a book and wants to publish it. This is very much a basic look at publishing and publishing finance, with some explanation of terms commonly used by the marketing and sales departments.

Comments

[joannemerriam.livejournal.com]

Unlike every other writer in the world, I love math, so I was practically drooling here. I'm glad my book is with a very small press; if I'm doing the math right, I will be a success if I sell 100 copies this year. (It's poetry.)

Makes the economics of printing banking products seem downright simple. I thought we were being dumb not to charge the banks until we ship their items (we hold them in inventory, sometimes for a year, for free! boggles the mind - apparently it's a selling point) but at least we know we'll get paid for everything we print, eventually.

I've got to think editing Aeryn Sun is much more interesting than editing monthly billing statements, though.

[alg.livejournal.com]

I hope you sell waaaay more than 100 copies! GOOD LUCK!!

[joannemerriam.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Unlike every other writer in the world, I love math, so I was practically drooling here.

!?
Former Nuclear Mechanic.
Was doing Reimannian geometry in linear sets senior year in high school.
Wanna duel? :P
(Since you are from Murfreesboro, and I used to live on the corner of Shelby/Tipton Co... I'll let you slide on account that we were 'neighbors' once.)

-=Jeff=-