The method of payment by royalty, when proposed, was eagerly welcomed by the majority of authors as a plan by which they would get something at least, while it also appeared to them to offer the great inducement of a return in proportion to the sales. As yet it had not occurred to any author to ask what was his just share of profits, and what, therefore, should be his royalty. He was satisfied to think that he would “get something,” and that the larger the sale the more he would get.

The royalty system has, therefore, been widely adopted; we shall see how far it has deserved its popularity.

There are three methods chiefly employed. They are:—

1. (1.) The publisher brings out the book at his own cost and offers the author a fixed royalty from the beginning.

2. (2.) The publisher produces the work at his own cost, and offers the author a royalty on every copy sold over and above a certain number.

3. (3.)The publisher produces the work at his own cost and offers the author a royalty on every copy sold, after the cost of production has been recovered.

4. It is proposed to give examples, one or more, of each method, with the agreements, and so show how the system, on each of its most usual methods, works from the author's point of view.

(1.) Where the publisher produces the work at his own cost, and offers the author a fixed royalty from the beginning.