Subscription book

“ It is difficult to make any generalization on the amount that should be devoted to publicity. Taking the $1.50 novel as a standard, it might be said that figuring in all kinds of publicity—newspaper, magazine, circular, literary notices, etc.—from ten to twelve per cent of the wholesale price on the first edition of 10,000 would be a liberal allowance. On more expensive volumes, handled as subscription books, a much larger proportion would be the rule. ”

“ The subscription price of The Century is $4.00 a year, and single numbers can be purchased of book-sellers and news-dealers everywhere at 35 cents each. All dealers receive subscriptions, or remittance may be made direct to the publishers by postal or express order, registered letter, bank check, or draft. ”

“ Works of limited issue are sometimes, but not always, nor indeed often, of especial value. It has been the practice for some years among publishers to issue works on what [38] is nothing more nor less than the old subscription plan; but, unlike the hungry poets of old, who trudged the streets taking the price of copies in advance, the publishers keep faith with their subscribers. The edition is limited to a given number of copies, after which the type is distributed, and the plates—if the work is illustrated—broken up. ”

“ I have other propositions for a book, but have doubted the propriety of interfering with good newspaper engagements, except my way as an author could be demonstrated to be plain before me. But I know Richardson, and learned from him some months ago something of an idea of the subscription plan of publishing. If that is your plan invariably it looks safe.
I am on the New York Tribune staff here as an “occasional,” among other things, and a note from you addressed to Very truly, etc., SAM. L. CLEMENS, New York Tribune Bureau, Washington will find me, without fail. ”

“ Subscription books are rarely worth anything like the money asked for them. If wanted they can frequently be bought from dealers in second hand books, or from jobbers in remainders and surplus stock.
Books should not be bought from traveling agents. ”

“ His charge is usually ten per cent. on the returns.
No. II. is the Bookseller who retails the work to the public. On the publication of a new book, the Publisher sends round to the trade, to receive "subscriptions" from them for any number of copies not less than two. These copies are usually charged to the "subscribers," on an average, at about four or five per cent. less than the wholesale price of the book: in the present case the subscription price is 4s. 2d. for each copy. After the day of publication, the price charged by the publisher to the booksellers is 4s. ”

“ Some of the obscure keepers of those books of subscription, contenting themselves with what they had got in the forenoon by the subscriptions of one or two millions (one of which the author particularly well remembers) , were not to be found in the afternoon of the same day, the room they had hired for a day being shut up, and they and their subscription books never heard of more." The utmost that appears to have been paid even on those projects that "had one or more persons of known credit to midwife them into the alley" was ten shillings per cent. ”

“ The two guineas for the poem, and the guinea and a half for the three-volume novel, are become things of the past.
Although in the last century many books were published and sold which could not be sold at the present time, it is probable that some of these books paid the publisher but badly, and it was therefore found to be a wise precaution to publish [100] certain books by subscription, and this plan was therefore frequently adopted.
Dr. Brian Walton’s Polyglot Bible (six vols. folio, 1657, £10) is often said to be the first book printed by subscription in England ”

“ Subscription-papers should only be offered by persons somewhat advanced in life, and of undoubted respectability—and then the application should be made, exclusively, to those whose circumstances are known to be affluent. People who have not much to give, generally prefer giving that little to objects of charity within their own knowledge. ”

“ The subscription is seven guineas for twelve nights, one ticket each, which introduces only one person, whether gentleman, or lady; but there are frequent subscriptions in the year, and two ladies may be admitted six nights on one subscription. No person can be admitted a Subscriber to this Society, but through the recommendation of a subscriber. Four ladies of quality, having each of them a book, have the joint management, direction, and choice, of the subscribers; every one's name must be entered in one of those ladies' books. ”

“ For more than half a century nearly all the great books were published by subscription; and the highest in literature felt no degradation in canvassing themselves with their "subscription receipts." It is easy to perceive, by the subscription prices, when the work was set on foot by an author, or his friends, simply as a more convenient mode of obtaining or bestowing money than begging or borrowing; and when there was a real market value given for the commodity offered. The scheme of levying contributions upon subscribers was as old as the days of Taylor, the Water Poet. ”

“ Every person procuring ten new subscribers, and forwarding $10, current money, shall be entitled to a paper and year, gratis. All letters to the Editor, or Publishers, must be —> POST PAID. <— No subscription will be received for a less term than one year, and no paper discontinued till all arrearages are paid, except at the option of the publishers. ”

“ But taking them at our own low price we actually give you, absolutely free, two dollars’ worth of splendid books to induce you to become a trial subscriber to GOOD LITERATURE. This is the most gigantic, the most startling offer ever made by any responsible and reliable publishing house in the world. We lose money on every subscription, but this we are willing to do, because we believe that those who take advantage of this offer will become permanent subscribers to GOOD LITERATURE, and our profit will come in the future. ”

“ I drew up the proposals, got them put into form by our great scrivener, Brockden, and, by the help of my friends in the Junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings each to begin with, and ten shillings a year for fifty years, the term our company was to continue. We afterwards obtain'd a charter, the company being increased to one hundred: this was the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so numerous. It is become a great thing itself, and continually increasing. ”

“ Books for Premiums may be selected from any publisher's catalogue, and we can always supply them at catalogue prices. Under this offer, subscriptions to any periodical or newspaper are included.
Take notice that our offers of premiums apply only to subscriptions paid at the full price: viz., $1.50 a year. We do not offer premiums for subscriptions supplied at club-rates. We offer no premiums for one subscription only. We offer no premiums in money. ”

“ AN ACCOUNT OF THE HARLEIAN LIBRARY. To solicit a subscription for a catalogue of books exposed to sale, is an attempt for which some apology cannot but be necessary; for few would willingly contribute to the expense of volumes, by which neither instruction nor entertainment could be afforded, from which only the bookseller could expect advantage, and of which the only use must cease, at the dispersion of the library [1] . ”

“ This is of course perfectly natural and was a point which we had fully in mind in formulating the plan of The Brochure Series. And this was one of the main considerations which influenced us in making the subscription price so low. At the price of fifty cents a year, if only a dozen out of the hundred plates are worth buying to a subscriber his year's subscription is justified and is a good investment. ”

“ We register packages going by mail if you send the registry fee, ten cents a package, in addition to postage.
What is a new subscription
We pay for new subscriptions; not for renewals. What is the difference? A new one is that of a family not on our list before.
We pay premiums in good faith. We expect them to be earned in good faith. A subscriber may stop one magazine and become a new subscriber to another; but change of a magazine from one name to another in a family is not a new subscription. Your own subscription (if new) may count with others (not alone) for premiums. ”

“ Amateurs should consider carefully what these different associations offer. If it is a subscription to some magazine, and he wants the magazine it is all right if he wants to pay the price asked, which is usually much in excess of the straight subscription price. ”

“ Every person sending $2 for a year's subscription to Liberty enjoys the privilege, while the subscription continues, of buying all books, periodicals, and stationery at wholesale prices. In April, 1893,
One Subscriber Alone Saved $30.37
by this privilege; very many subscribers save over $10 a year by it; nearly every subscriber saves more than the cost of subscription. This is the most valuable premium ever offered by a newspaper. ”

“ Two thousand copies, at two dollars a copy, which was to be the subscription price, would pay all the expenses, and if the number of subscribers rose to three thousand, of which there was not the shadow of a doubt in my mind, I would have a clear profit of $2000 the first year. And should it go to four thousand, as was most probable, my net income would be about $3400, for all increase would simply be chargeable with cost of paper and press-work—or about sixty cents on a subscriber. ”

“ This wonderful offer appealed with singular force to the class of readers of this particular paper, and they decided to take advantage of it. The advertisement appeared on Sunday, and Monday's first mail brought the magazine over eight hundred letters with ten cents enclosed "for a year's subscription as per your advertisement in yesterday's —." The magazine management consulted its lawyer, who advised the publisher to make the newspaper pay the extra ninety cents on each subscription, and, although this demand was at first refused, the proprietors of the daily finally yielded. ”

“ If you do, help us teach the people practical co-operation.
You can do this by acting as our agent.
Upon your request, we will send you a bundle of magazines and subscription blanks.
Get for us at our special rate of 10 Cents for 3 months, 100 subscriptions.
Act as our agent during these three months, and try to get as many renewals as possible, at the expiration of the subscriptions.
If you have any magazines left for which you cannot secure subscriptions, dispose of them singly, at 5 Cents each. ”

“ TO SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS A COMMISSION OF 20 CENTS WILL BE ALLOWED on all orders forwarded, with the stipulation that the first order for this magazine forwarded by an agent must contain at least TWO subscriptions for it. A single subscription will be accepted only at $1.00 unless previous orders for it have been received this season. Must not be taken in club with other publications, at cut rates, nor given as a premium. ”

“ In a multitude of cases decided in England and in this country it has been determined that a subscriber for the stock of a company is not released from his engagement to take it and pay for it by any alteration of the organization or purposes of the company which, at the time the subscription was made, were authorized either by the general law or by the special charter, and a clear distinction is recognized between the effect of such alterations and the effect of those made under legislation subsequent to the contract of subscription. ”

“ There were always extra subscriptions made for him."
"I never gave any thing more than my regular subscription and pew-rent."
"It is more than I can say, then. In presents of one kind and another and in money it never cost me less than from fifty to seventy-five dollars a year extra. ”

“ New Subscribers for 1876, whose names and money are sent us before December next, will receive the last two numbers of 1875 FREE.
We want a special agent in every town in the United States. Persons disposed to act in that capacity, are invited to communicate with the publisher.
SPECIAL NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
The number of the Magazine with which your subscription expires is indicated by the number annexed to the address on the printed label. When no such number appears, it will be understood that the subscription ends with the current year. ”

“ Attack the publishers yourself, without any intermediary. No paid one will help you. I was asked to subscribe to something of the kind not long ago, and among the advantages the subscription was to give me was the power to try for the acrostic and other prizes offered by a well-known weekly paper, which was open to everybody. ”

“ While The Evening Post admitted that subscriptions in amount had quad- rupled, it asserted that they were not sufficient to support a newspaper establishment, and frequently confessed that it was the advertisers who provided the paper for the subscribers, and went so far as to say that without a very extensive advertising support, a publisher of a newspaper received less reward for his labor than the humblest mechanic. While the subscription rates were scheduled for a raise, those of advertising remained the same as before. ”