Submissions Guidelines: Post-Press

Distribution Channels:

Our print distributors are: Diamond Comics Distributors (for comics and graphic novels) and Partners Book Distributors (for graphic novels only). Our digital distributors are: Drivethrucomics.com, mydigitalcomics.com, iVerse Media, VELA Entertainment, and WOWIO.com. Our mobile distributor is Comixology (iTunes). If your book is available in all these realms, you will potentially have access to all our distributors. Nearly 90% of Alterna’s books are carried by all of our distributors. The remaining 10% is carried by at least 5 different distributors.

Digital and Mobile Distribution:
If you so choose, your title can be added to our digital and mobile distribution lines as well – although this is not mandatory and requires a separate contract. If you choose to distribute your comic digitally and through mobile devices on your own, then that is fine as well. Profit split is a flat 60/40 percentage through digital and mobile sales. 60% goes to the creator/creative team and 40% goes to Alterna. Admittedly, these technologies are relatively new so profits from these distribution lines can range from low to nothing.

Profit Split:
In the past, Alterna paid for print runs and then received print cost back per book sold PLUS 40% of profits made. With the new submissions plan, creators will pay for their own print run and shipping of books to distributors, but Alterna will still physically ship books and use our own supplies to ship. 50% deposits are required on all print runs, with the remaining 50% due at the completion and reception of the print run. Shipping charges will be invoiced/or taken out of the detailed royalty payment. Creators/creative teams will receive back their print cost money per book sold on each book that sells.
In the end, Alterna will only receive 12% to 15% of profits made. Profit splits are NOT taken from the top – they are taken after all other costs are factored. The difference between the 15% split and the 12% split is that with the 12% split Alterna is allowed to brand your book with the Alterna logo and barcode/spine wording. If you choose to keep your book “unbranded” then the profit split will be 15% to Alterna.
Representation, pre-press work, distribution, and website exposure are all included – same as before – regardless of which profit split you choose.

Here is an example of the average profit split on an 88 page graphic novel at Alterna:
Cover Price: $10
Print Cost: $1.50
Distribution cut: 65% to 62%
Profit before Alterna cut: about $2.00 (give or take a few cents factored in for shipping expenses)
Alterna gets 15% or 12%: about 30 cents a book
You get: about $1.70 plus print cost back for a total of about $3.20 per book sold

Keep in mind this is an average example – your profit might be different based on cost of the book and cover price as well as the amount of copies in the print run.

Royalty Payout:
Royalty payouts are on a quarterly schedule and go out on January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st.