1.05.19
Back in the day, Dal Stivens, Foundation President of the ASA, wrote an article in response to a member challenging the value of his membership:
He then calculated that the average benefit to each member = $54 in benefits & $80 in services
= 9 x the cost of membership
Contract Assessments: An experienced Intellectual Property lawyer costs from $350 to $650 an hour. On average, an assessment takes 4 hours to complete, so you’d be up for costs of $1,400 to $2,600 and still be none the wiser whether or not your offer is fair in terms of industry standards.
Our service costs a mere $195, giving you a full legal review and a comprehensive comparison of the commercial terms against industry standards.
SAVINGS: $1,205 to $2,405 per contract
International Access: Publishing Perspectives estimates that the average cost for a creator to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair is $5,500 - $12,500 AUD. A selection of independent representatives in Australia will charge between $500-1000 to showcase your book at a book fair.
We created the International Marketplace Catalogue; a full-page listing of your work marketed to hundreds of international publishers and agents for a total charge of $115.
SAVINGS: $385-$885 per book
Insurance: The requirement for authors and illustrators to carry appropriate insurance is increasing, particularly the need to cover for Public Liability and Defamation. The ASA partnership insurance offer provides two levels of package cover developed specifically for creators at 50% off average market price.
SAVINGS: Minimum $300-$800 per year
Resources: Special member-only prices for all of our in-depth resources e.g. Contract Template Packages only $59.99 to members.
SAVINGS: $140 per contract
Advertising: Advertising with the ASA reaches a national audience of over 6000 professional writers, illustrators, readers, editors, publishers and academics. Members receive 50% off all advertising rates.
SAVINGS: up to $275 per ad
Mentorships: The ASA offers mentorships for all published and unpublished writers and illustrators with a work-in-progress. The ASA only employs multi-published authors and illustrators or editors with at least five years of professional experience as mentors. Members receive 33.33% off all mentorships.
SAVINGS: $300-$1440 per mentorship
By using a mere 4 services in a year, you could SAVE up to $5,530
Award Mentorships: With arguably one of the most sought after and well established mentorship programs in the country, we are now able to offer 20 FREE 20 hour mentorships for the next 2 years, thanks to a generous grant from Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
Style File: Since we re-branded and re-launched the ASA Style File website for illustrators in October 2018, more than 75% of those members have received job offers directly through the site.
Distribution: Launched in April 2019, the ASA is now offering Indie author members access to distribution into bookstores and libraries for their NEW titles. in 2019 there were 1.5K units sold, earning participating members sales of $10K from John Reed Books distribution
Author Directory: All members can set up a free author listing on our website to share their availability for public appearances and work.
New to View: A free listing in a full-colour, digital, monthly bulletin that showcases your new books to booksellers, librarians and industry professionals.
Literary Speed Dating: This great service gives members the opportunity to personally pitch their book to publishers: only $25 a pitch for the chance to pitch to 3-4 publishers at the one event.
Rates of Pay: Over 16,000 people use our FREE Rates of Pay each year, increasing your negotiating position and raising pay levels across the industry.
Advice Queries: In 2018 we answered 308 VERY complex advice queries, a 140% increase on 2017. We also take at least 50 phone and email enquiries weekly. With close to 100 years’ experience in the industry, our team stand ready to help you when you need it most. This service is FREE and we ensure our time is spent saving YOU money and stress.
But if these savings and services aren’t enough to tempt you, we also advocate strongly and professionally on behalf of all authors and illustrators to protect their copyright, strive for fairer contracts and ensure that the creator voice is heard in Canberra. Without our efforts, you wouldn’t have PLR and ELR (worth $22.3 million 2017–18), and our fight for Digital Lending Right is more important now than ever before.
We have a committed team of staff, with the diverse skills needed to demystify the ever-changing publishing landscape – and we are only an email or phone call away.
Not a member yet? Why not take up our May Membership Deal and join today!
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