authors/illustrators- have you got your PLR payment notification ?

[MaryAnnSingleton]

mine came today and was a lovely small bonus ! hooray !

[MaryAnnSingleton]

[Eliza2]

Yes--I discovered I'd earned five pounds from the libraries for the one month in the last period Playing with the Moon was out (it was published in June, not a good month for royalties or PLR!)

But better than nothing.

[snowleopard]

Ooooohhhh yes

I love it - and it's so well-timed. Mine equates to about a month's earnings so I'm planning to use it to take a bit of time off from my contracts and commissions to devote to my own creative projects (I always say that, but this PLR might make it happen...)

[MaryAnnSingleton]

I had to pester several authors to get my share -but it's worth it to have a bit of extra money...I'm surprised at what gets borrowed !

[MaryAnnSingleton]

snowleopard - are you an illustrator ?

[snowleopard]

As an author I always consult the illustrators and other contributors about shares - naughty authors if they had to be pestered!

I am just amazed that we get paid for borrowings at all. It's great for me as I don't get royalties, just fees, so it comes as such a special extra treat.

[snowleopard]

x-posted - no an author and editor, but mainly in non-fiction and to commission. I work with a lot of designers and illustrators though.

[quickdrawmcgraw]

I have only ever worked for a one off fee for my illustrations. I'd luuurve to be getting royalties.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

mm, I don't get royalties either, just a fee,so it is a nice treat ! I illustrate children's book btw, mostly educational,poetry and picture books but have done non-fiction - just in case you are looking for anyone in nr future !! (shameless touting for work emoticon)

[quickdrawmcgraw]

[MaryAnnSingleton]

that quickdraw is good snowleopard !

[quickdrawmcgraw]

Thanks Mary! I love your stuff too. Truly!

[MaryAnnSingleton]

aawww,thanks !

[stillaslowreader]

Yes, got it. Thank goodness.

How do people's most borrowed books compare with most sold books? Because mine are utterly different.

Why do illustrators have to ask for a share? I thought they could no register in their own right. I always split 50/50 will illustrators. Is that not standard?

[snowleopard]

I'm in children's non-fiction so I might have worked with you already! - I'm assuming those aren't your real names.

It's not usually up to me though - the publishers tend to choose the artists, though I can recommend people. Do you have websites?

[MaryAnnSingleton]

I think that you are entitled to it if you both appear on title page, but I was under the impression that you had to ask to share for some reason,probably because no author, apart from one,ever offered..I had no idea it existed until then,in fact.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

that would be funny ! I'm on my agents website - I am not MAS in real life though - if you might be interested I could email you some samples,or direct you to agent's website - though I don't believe all my work is currently on there,some technical hiccups apparently.

[snowleopard]

Yes generally speaking for a share you need to be on the title page. 50/50 is the norm if the illustrator has done the whole book - obviously less if they have done just the odd page here and there. But anyone claiming a share should consult everyone else on the title page before going ahead. I think you can retrospectively challenge allocations, for example if you should have 50% and the author has gone ahead and bagged themselves 100%, you can get it changed. PLR staff are very helpful about this kind of thing if you phone them.

[snowleopard]

I don't give out my main email on here but I can be emailed at [email protected]

[stillaslowreader]

Yes PLR staff are brilliant. MAS you do not have to be on the title page to claim- I had an illustrator who wasn't- perhaps you should check it out.
Don't think it can be done retrospectively though- I think the whole pot is shared out every year.

[snowleopard]

Yes slowreader is right that you can't backdate your claim - but you can get the shares changed if they are wrong, so that the new shares apply from then on IYSWIM.

And you can get a share if you are not on the title page, if the shares are agreed between all the contributors.

[quickdrawmcgraw]

I've never heard of PLR. I'm not sure if any of my stuff is in libraries but I can't be sure. Maybe it works differently in Ireland.
There's a cookery book that might though. I'll look into it.

(btw SL My page is www.square-balloon.com)

[stillaslowreader]

Quickdraw, I know an illustrator, resident in Italy, who claims PLR, so I don't see why you can't if your books are in UK libraries.

[quickdrawmcgraw]

hmmm very interesting-sasr. I'll make some enquiries.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

thanks for all that info everyone...
snowleopard - it's a fruitful day today -have just had email from a new agent who would like to take me on, so won't trouble you with current agent, but if you don't mind I shall send you a few jpgs, just in case !