The Royalty That Never Came

 

A friend once asked how to choose the right publisher. She had options—several, in fact. But she felt uncertain, unsure what separated a solid publishing partner from a mirage built on promises and paperwork. That question came rushing back while reading about the recent bankruptcies of Unbound and Albert Whitman & Company—two cautionary tales for anyone who’s ever dreamed of seeing their name on the spine of a book.

The stories of these two companies couldn’t be more relevant—or more unsettling.

Unbound began in 2011 as a UK-based publishing experiment. They called it the “Kickstarter for books,” and for a time, that bold idea seemed to work. Authors pitched books, readers pledged support, and Unbound crowdfunded hundreds of titles over the next decade. But by 2024, the cracks began to show. Royalties went unpaid. Books disappeared from shelves. Authors’ emails sat unanswered. And in December, the company admitted the truth: it couldn’t pay what it owed.

Three months later, Unbound entered administration and was sold—through a pre-pack deal—to a company called Boundless Publishing. Boundless, helmed by Unbound’s former CEO and co-founder, was essentially Unbound by another name. They promised to continue with “most” of the existing book projects and pay back what was owed. But “most” doesn’t mean all, and “pay back” now came with conditions.

By May 2025, authors were told that future payments would be “goodwill gestures,” not legal obligations. In short: Boundless had no cash and no answers. The authors were out of luck.

The numbers tell the story: nearly 8,000 customers affected, 238 authors and agents owed money, and more than £2.4 million in unpaid debt. The administrators didn’t expect unsecured creditors—meaning the authors—to see any repayment. With only £200,000 in remaining assets and over £134,000 owed in administrator fees alone, authors stood behind a long line of creditors, empty-handed.

Then there’s Albert Whitman, a well-known name in children’s publishing. For years, agents and authors raised concerns about late royalty payments and ignored emails. Writer Beware received complaints dating back to 2019. Each time the issue resurfaced, Whitman issued vague apologies and pledges to “do better.”

In April 2025, Whitman entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Some authors were owed more than $60,000 in royalties. Others weren’t even informed about the bankruptcy meeting. The Authors Guild stepped in, hiring attorneys to help members figure out what rights they still had.

Here’s the hard truth: when a publisher misses one royalty report or one royalty payment, the clock starts ticking. Authors who delay action risk losing far more than a check. They risk their rights, their revenue, and sometimes even the books they labored years to produce. In many contracts, missing a royalty payment is grounds for termination. It’s not just a red flag—it’s a siren.

So what does all this mean for authors standing at the publishing crossroads?

It means authors must do more than celebrate a book deal. They must investigate. Ask hard questions. Talk to other authors. Demand transparency. If a publisher delays even a single royalty report, walk away. If they can’t explain their accounting clearly, find someone who can. And if they dodge accountability, understand this: you’re not in a partnership. You’re in a trap.

At Publication Consultants, we’ve never missed a royalty payment or a report. Not once. Not in more than 40 years. We pay our printers before the presses roll. We send author royalty reports every month, and a check if the royalty is more than $25. We’re debt-free. That’s not an ad—it’s a fact.

But this story isn’t about us.

It’s about the authors who now find themselves without answers, without books on shelves, and without the royalties they earned. It’s about the need for an industry-wide reckoning. A call for ethics. For integrity. For clarity.

Most of all, it’s about helping writers protect themselves.

Ask the uncomfortable questions. Demand written answers. Understand your rights. Know that once a publisher stops paying you, they’ve already broken the contract—not just legally, but morally.

Writers deserve better. And the next time someone asks how to choose a publisher, the answer will be simple:

Pick the one who never stops treating your work—and you—with respect.

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