Trafford |
Manuscript screening: |
No |
Kind of contract: |
Non-Exclusive |
2+2=5 |
They reserve the right to produce additional versions without your consent. They reserve the right to change the terms of the agreement with 30 days prior notice. |
Distribution: |
Through their site and online retailers mostly |
Basic fees: |
Paperback publishing |
Basic paperback fee is $649.00. |
Hardcover publishing |
Unknown |
Combo publishing |
Basic combo fee is $1,349.00 |
Color publishing |
$649.00 |
eBook publishing |
eBook publishing is bundled into their packages (this is probably not a good thing). Royalties are 50% of net receipts. |
Royalties: |
Royalties are either 10% or 20% of payments received by the publisher (beware that this is not the same as a percentage of retail price). |
Author's discount: |
Unknown, the word 'discount' is not even mentioned in their contract, though they do specify that you will be paid no royalties in the copies you do purchase. |
Break-even point: |
Unknown seeing how their basic retail price is something of a mystery (probably between 500 and 700 copies based on other publishers' retail price). |
Basic retail price: |
Unknown. |
Layout: |
You must supply a ready to print file(?). |
Graphics: |
As many as you want seeing how you must provide your own layout (?). |
Cover options: |
You must submit your own (?). |
Trim size: |
You have a number of trim sizes to choose from. |
Additional options: |
They have a number of more expensive packages with setup fees going all the was up to $10,999.00. |
Pros*: |
*Good distribution. |
Cons*: |
*Expensive set-up fee *Low royalties on direct sales. *Unknown discount. *You can't opt-out of their eBook publishing. *You must supply your own interior layout. *There are some pretty serious problems with their contract. *There are too many unanswered question in their site. |
Comments*: |
This is one of several large publishers that were bought by Author Solutions (the others being AuthorHouse, iUniverse and Xlibris). |
The Bottom Line*: |
An expensive set-up fee, combined with a few too many unknown factors, low royalties, a few dubious contract clauses and a bundled eBook publishing package that is far from favorable make this a company you may want to avoid. |
Visit the publisher's site |
Last updated: 04-03-2013 |