This page is all about the money. Here you can find out exactly how much it will cost to produce your audiobook, as well as just how royalties are paid.
Production Fees
The production fee for Red Planet Audiobooks is based on the word count of your manuscript. This production fee covers the complete creation of your audio book, from set-up to recording to manufacture to distribution!
1 - 10,000 words $899
10,001 – 20,000 words $1299
20,001 – 30,000 words $1699
30,001 – 40,000 words $2099
40,001 – 50,000 words $2499
50,001 – 60,000 words $2899
60,001 – 70,000 words $3299
70,001 – 80,000 words $3699
80,001 – 90,000 words $4099
90,001 – 100,000 words $4499
100,001 – 110,000 words $4899
110,001 – 120,000 words $5299
These prices assume that you will provide your own cover art. A Red Planet Audiobooks graphics designer can design a professional cover for you for a flat $250 fee.
Sale and Royalty Rates
We pay royalties quarterly according to the policies and rates below.
- For each audiobook sold AT the minimum retail price (see below) via our online storefront, www.worldwideaudiobooks.com, you'll receive a 30% royalty.
- For each audiobook sold ABOVE the minimum retail price via our online storefront, you'll receive a 30% royalty of the minimum retail price, PLUS 50% of the difference between the minimum retail price and the actual sales price.
- For each audiobook sold AT the minimum retail price via another bookseller such as Amazon.com or your local brick-and-mortar bookstore, you'll receive a 15% royalty.
- For each audiobook sold ABOVE the minimum retail price via another bookseller, you'll receive a 15% royalty of the minimum retail price, PLUS 50% of all additional wholesale rates paid to us due to the difference between the minimum retail and actual sales prices.
- For each audiobook sold digitally as a download, you'll receive 50% of all royalties paid to us.
- You can purchase copies of your audiobook from us for 50% of the minimum retail price.
Minimum Retail Prices
The MINIMUM retail price of your audio book will depend on the number of CDs it's comprised of. Your producer will work with you to determine if higher retail prices are warranted due to expected higher than average demand for your audio book.
1 CD Audiobook (1 - ~10,000 words) $9.99
2 CD Audiobook (~10,001 - 20,000 words) $12.99
3 CD Audiobook (~20,001 - ~30,000 words) $15.99
4 CD Audiobook (~30,001 - ~40,000 words) $18.99
5 CD Audiobook (~40,001 - ~50,000 words) $21.99
6 CD Audiobook (~50,001 - ~60,000 words) $24.99
7 CD Audiobook (~60,001 - ~70,000 words) $28.99
8 CD Audiobook (~70,001 - ~80,000 words) $31.99
9 CD Audiobook (~80,001 - ~90,000 words) $34.99
10 CD Audiobook (~90,001 - ~100,000 words) $37.99
11 CD Audiobook (~100,001 - ~110,000 words) $40.99
12 CD Audiobook (~110,001 - ~120,000 words) $43.99
Confused? Here's an example:
Star Novelist publishes a 60,000 word audiobook with Red Planet. She sells a copy via worldwideaudiobooks.com at the minimum retail price ($24.99). She receives a royalty of $7.50 (30%).
The next day, she sells a copy via Amazon.com. She receives a royalty of $3.75 for that sale (15%).
Because her audio book is selling well, Star consults with her producer at Red Planet, and they decide to raise the retail price of her audio book to $29.99.
The next day, Star sells a copy via worldwideaudiobooks.com. She receives a royalty of $10 (30% of the minimum retail price, PLUS 50% of the difference between the minimum and actual retail price-in this case, 50% of $5).
The day after that, she sells a copy at Amazon.com for $30. Due to the retail price increase, Red Planet receives an extra $2 from Amazon.com because of the correlated increase in the wholesale price. Star receives a royalty of $4.75 for that sale (15% of the minimum retail price, PLUS 50% of the wholesale increase-in this case, 50% of $2).
Whew! Isn't math fun?
