F.A.Q.2. Interesting note.

[Black Sheep 1]

I have just received my copy of this book.
Interesting note from the author in cheer 3: Evolution.
He states that he never got any royalties from the first book.
Now, what, he wrote the book and gave it to the publishers for free?
I mean, how can one write a book and not get any royalties from it?
I just don't get that.

 

[spud]

He prob got paid up front for it so got noting for any published books

 

[Black Sheep 1]

He prob got paid up front for it so got noting for any published books

Hmmm......first he looses his company (or gives it away) and then he publishes a book from which he gets no royalties.
My guess is that this guy is better at model building than business?
I don't know.
I hope he made a better deal this time around.

 

[Black Sheep 1]

Funny thing, the first F.A.Q. was selling for hundreds of dollars...if you could find one.
Now Amazon has it for $71. and change.

 

[scratchmod]

Most likely he was either paid up front, or it went right into the MIG Productions.

Sometimes you don't get paid for your work. I personally have been burned twice fr articles that were published. The last one was for an article in the Oct issue of MIM.

So yes , he most likely didn't see much for what he wrote. Also, there are still some of us who just like to share with other modelers what we know. I have a website and a forum where everything I build gets shown and also include SBS. Miguel is the type of guy that will do the same.

I have the book and think it's pretty cool. Most of the stuff in it is not new to me, but it is very inspirational and makes me want to build.

 

[spud]

Mig has a blog and shares some of his tips on there. http://migjimenez.blogspot.com/

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

The first FAQ book was written by Mig Jimenez for Andrea Models (they also have a FAQ for aircraft and one for cars, neither as good btw).

From what I understand he got paid to write the book, but nothing for royalties on the sales, which is pretty standard practice with most publishers of model related books. Companies like Osprey, Real Model (when they actually have a new book out) Tankograd, etc, etc. this is how they operate. You get paid to write the book, and you might get a couple of free books in the end for yourself or to give to friends, and that is about it. If the publisher goes on to sell a million copies....oh well.

When you think about it....with FAQ 2...Mig wrote it for his own company AK....if anything because of that unique relationship...he probably didn't pay himself to write the 2nd book, but I am sure he is sharing in the profits from it sales.

 

[Black Sheep 1]

Companies like Osprey, Real Model (when they actually have a new book out) Tankograd, etc, etc. this is how they operate.

That's a pretty shady deal (in my book).
I had no idea that's how they worked.
Yet people still write books like this?
Unbelievable!

 

[Black Sheep 1]

Correction:
I should have said it's a raw deal (not a shady deal).
My bad.

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

Not sure what makes it a bad deal, if Osprey approaches you and offers $5,000.00 to write a book you can say yes or no. They are the ones shelling out production and distrbution costs on top of paying you, and if the book tanks, you got paid while they dont.


Royalties are only good if the book is, and remains popular, not so good if it remans on the shelf.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Really no different that writing an article for a magazine.

Pretty sure Ken got paid for his article recently (sorry forget which magazine it was) but I really doubt he gets a royalty for every magazine sold with his article in it. (that is unless he is using some of the people from The Shark Tank or Dragons Den as his negotiators)

Books are no different.