ROYALTIES AND RIGHTS

The industry standard for royalties is 10% off cover price. It's not that unusual to not get an advance. Just sucks, though.

It's also not unusual to not get "funding" for a book tour. That usually doesn't happen except for certain subjects, and sometimes certain authors.

And here's a good catch-22 for you. Some authors spend their advance money on promotion, including book tours.

Mind sharing with us the name of the publisher?

Royalties is only half the story, the other half is sales volume--and not every publisher can deliver that. Is the publisher listed in Bewares and Background Checks?

Franklin said:

A publisher has shown an interest in my non-fiction book. It is appx. 475 pages and includes a biography and examples of art.

The publisher is not offering any advance or funding for book tours, etc., only a royalty arrangement.

In most cases publishers only offer promotional monies for books they feel certain have the potential to sell in large quantities, or to prominent, well known authors, who have proven their dollars worth.


Regarding royalties, what percentage is fair and what is the percentage based on?

I assume you don't have an agent.
I have seen royalty rates that varies from 5% (low) of retail to 20% of retail -- dependent on quantity sound (US rights only). Without an agent to rep you, you have no choice but to put on your business hat and get the most you can. IMO, if this is your first published book,I don't think you should "push" it -- the main thing is to become a published author and get your book in the marketplace. If you've written a desirable book that sells, the bigger money will come later on.

Regarding rights, there are so many categories (first rights, on-line rights, foreign rights, etc.) I want to be protected in this area.

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Either get yourself an agent or a literary rights attorney. Don't try to figure it all out, it's extremely confusing and a language of its own.

There is typically an advance and then a common royalty is 10 percent of hardcover and 7-8 percent paperback. Most publishers these days only fund book tours for well-known authors. There are also higher royalties for electronic and foreign sales. I would say that you need an agent or an attorney. I AM an attorney and my agency still caught things in my contract that I never saw because I don't know the standard literary contract.

You also mention art. Not sure if you are supplying this or if you just included art ideas/examples with your manuscript but if an illustrator is needed, the 10% (usual) is most often split between you and the artist.
Of course, with non-fiction the publisher might offer the illustrator a WFH and no royalty.
I know non-advances are becoming more common an offer but I personally wouldn't go for it. Even a small advance, upon signing of a contract, as a show of faith, is better then nothing.
In this case it probably IS about who is this publisher. If they do a lot of sales in non-fiction, well known in that market, then a good royalty arrangement could be a deal worth doing. If they are small, I don't think I would take the chance.