Publishing models

This page explains the main ways a book gets published, which model Kshirad Publication uses, and what that means for money and rights.

Traditional publishing

In a traditional deal, the publisher pays for everything and earns its money by selling the book.

• You pay nothing. Editing, design, printing, distribution and marketing are paid for by the publisher.
• You earn royalties: a percentage of the money from each copy sold. Some contracts also include an advance, which is an up-front payment that is later deducted from your royalties.
• You license rights. You keep the copyright. You give the publisher the right to publish the book in certain formats, languages and territories for a set time.
• The publisher makes the final call on things like cover design, price and print run, after consulting you.

This is how Kshirad Publication publishes. If anyone asks you for money to publish with us, contact us at submissions@kshiradprakashan.com before paying anything.

Paid or assisted publishing

In assisted publishing (sometimes called "hybrid" or "self-publishing services"), the author pays some or all of the costs in return for a bigger share of sales.

• You pay a fee for services such as editing, design and printing.
• You usually keep more of the money from each sale.
• Quality and distribution vary a lot between companies.

Assisted publishing can be a good choice for some books. Make sure any contract tells you exactly what you get for the fee, who owns the files, and how sales are reported.

Comparing the models

Typical royalty ranges

For literary publishers in India, royalties are usually:

• Paperback and hardback: 7.5% to 12.5% of the cover price
• Ebook: 15% to 25% of net receipts (the money the publisher actually receives)

Next steps

Read How publishing works for the timeline, or go straight to Before you submit.