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Industry Truth 27 of 30

The "Agent" Paycheck: Taking a Cut of Nothing

Tales From A Harrogate Caravan

At a Glance

  • • Focus: The argument that agents take a permanent cut of an author's earnings for work that is often done once.
  • • Includes: Commission, subsidiary rights, backlist royalties, and the agent's ongoing percentage.
  • • Who it's for: Authors whose agent earns from their work long after the agent stopped working on it.
A hand reaching into a pile of coins.

The Industry Way

They take 15% (or more) of everything you earn, including advances, royalties, and sometimes even subsidiary rights. That's fine if they are actively working for you. But many agents take their cut of the "easy" money—the royalties that roll in without any effort—while doing nothing to grow your career. You are paying a permanent tax on your own success.

A hand giving, not taking.

Tales From A Harrogate Caravan Way

No 15% forever. Send it, we publish it, that's the deal.

The Full Story

The "15% standard" is rarely questioned, but it is an antiquated model. In the modern world, where authors are doing the bulk of the marketing and platform-building themselves, the agent’s role has shifted. Yet, the percentage remains fixed. It effectively creates a situation where the agent is a silent partner in your success, reaping the rewards of your hard work without putting in the equivalent effort. We want to rewrite that contract to reflect a true partnership.

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