[HUE]

Hi All,

Oxford contacted me to use/adapt a short activity in a TESOL training book. After I calmed down, I realize that I have no idea what to charge, apart from at least getting a copy of the book. The print run is 15,000 books.

Any ideas???

[EngliPatrick]

You can charge my right arm...that's awesome! Good work and best of luck!

[mesmark]

I have a friend who writes ESL materials. I'll ask him, but I assume you'll just get paid for your time (hours spent.) You're not writing the whole book so getting royalties is really out of the question.

Whatever you do get, make sure your name is on/in the book. That way if you are looking for Uni. work in the near future you'll have one (or one more) published work.

Anyway, I'll ask my friend.

[HUE]

Thanks, Mark. I appreciate it. I'll definitely get credit for the contribution in the book, but am at a loss as what else to expect.

[mesmark]

He said about $250 per activity.

[mesmark]

Sorry, about $300 per activity.

Here's his message:

Hi Mark

Firstly, your friend has done well to get interest from OUP.

A few years ago Pearson Longman included three one-page photocopiable activities (plus teaching notes) of mine in a book called "Top Class Activities 2". They paid GBP100 per activity. Converted to US dollars and allowing for inflation I reckon that would equate to something like $300 per activity.

If thinking about an hourly rate, OUP would expect to pay top international rates. That's not a cent less than fifty bucks an hour, and significantly more if it's for something which is going to be a big seller.

It's odd - fees for contributing to ESL publications are usually fairly good, while royalties for writing whole ESL books tend to be pretty low. I recently turned down an offer from CUP to write a teacher's resource book (of ideas and tips for conversation activities). I worked out that the royalties would have been very unlikely to be worth the time and effort involved, and it wouldn't have been a high-profile enough publication to get my name around.

Best of luck to your friend!

Congrats and good luck. All that hard work is paying off

[HUE]

Hi Mark,

Thank you for the info. That certainly helps, and I had no idea to expect so much! I'll send OUP an email tonight, and see how they respond.

Chris

[Whistleblower]

How does one get involved in piloting and reviewing material before it is to be published to assess if it works in class?