Got questions?
1. Is Clink Street Ethical & Transparent?
We certainly try to be! what we don't do, as many publishers do, is insert secret revenue for ourselves into the base RRP of your book. If we didm it would cause the RRP to increase and price it out of the market. When your book sells - for example on Amazon - the only amount we are retaining is the 25% of net receipts left over when we pay your your 75% of net receipts royalty.
2. Who Owns the Copyright In My Book?
You do. At all times you retain the copyright in your work. However, when you go through the publishing process, there will inevitably be new copyright that is created, for example in your book cover or the typeset version of your book. We are unique as a publisher in that any intellectual property we create for you and that we own we will gift to you, such as your book cover.
3. When Do I Get Paid?
We do two royalty runs every year. These take place during the months of August and February. There are two accounting periods in any given year for sales i.e. 1st May to 31st October and 1st November to 30th April. Retailers take a few months to get sales data to publishers - as well as payment. In other words they work two to three months in arrears. For this reason the royalty runs occur a few months after the end of the respective sales period. So if we look at the sales period of May-October, we will send you your sales report the following February. Once we have sent your your sales report - this will arrive by email in the form of a PDF - we will then send you payment by bank transfer a couple of weeks later.
There is not a specific day in the month when sales reports/royalty statements are sent out. So please don't email us on 2nd February asking where the sales statement is. It will be with you. If you have not heard from us with your sales report by the last day of the month (either February or August) then please email salesreports@clinkstreetpublishing.com
4. Another Publisher Told Me I Need To Print 500 Copies Of My Book At A Time - Is That True?
No. Definitely not. Not unless you are a motivational speaker talking to large audiences where you want to sell your book. 500 books is a lot of books - think lorry with pallets of books! We think an author needs around 50-100 at any one time and we have a minimum order of just 20. Usually the publisher is trying to get the author to order large volumes of stock because there's good revenue there for the publisher i.e. for pressing the print button.
5. Do You Publish Anything?
No. We are semi-selective. We do not want to become a literary agent and reject nearly all authors that come through to us. That's not what we are about, we want to help new authors break through. Equally, we don't want to publish something if we don't feel it's ready for publication. Even if we feel we can't publish your book for some reason, we will still try to help and offer some helpful advice re next steps. the best thing is for us to have a chat and for you to send us a sample of your book.
6. How Many Copies Of The Book Are Printed?
One at a time.
That sounds crazy, doesn't it! But it's true. As one book is ordered - say by someone on Amazon - the order is placed in seconds, it works out the nearest print operation, the book is printed and then shipped. It takes just a few seconds to print a paperback or hardback book. And your custmer receives their book in the post a couple of days later, just like any book.
This is called Print On Demand technology. And everyone's using it.
What are the advantages?
1. No stock - which is expensive and burdensome (see above)
2. 1 book ordered, 10 books ordered, 1000 books ordered - no problem - all printed and shipped
3. No upfront cost to you
4. Showing as stocked on amazon, B&N, WHSmiths, Waterstones as normal
5. Never go out of stock
6. Incredible international distribution - you don't have to life a finger
Want to see the printing in action? Check out the video below.
Some Examples
You're at home having a cup of tea in Harrogate.
Alexa in Denver orders your book from Amazon; it is printed the same day and shipped domestically, arriving 48 hours later.
Geoff in Sydney buys your book on Booktopia. The paperback arrives a few days later.