Ebooks

EBOOKS

This is a rare publishing-industry post, as I try to keep this blog fairly Victorian. Nonetheless, I have a question for published novelists and book people out there ...

What's a reasonable rate for ebook royalties?

My original contracts with [a certain publisher] had a nice theoretical 50% (although they never actually published anything electronically).

Now, when they might actually publish books as ebooks, with the emergence of the Kindle et al., they want to reduce to 15%.

This is more about curiosity than cash because my books are not massive sellers; and I'm no longer with [a certain publisher] so they won't be promoting me in any serious way; and I'm not trying to work out any kind of negotiating position (I don't really have the leverage - it will be take it or leave it). Really, I'm just plain curious.

The standard rate for paperback royalties is around 7%+ ... is there a standard rate emerging for ebooks?