Case Study: Census Books achieves 100% author royalty retention and 50+ retailer syndication with ZTABS Enterprise Solutions

Census Books launches flat-fee publishing with ZTABS, keeping 100% of author royalties across 50+ retailers

Census Books, a self-publishing platform, faced the challenge of traditional publishing aggregators taking a significant recurring percentage cut from authors' royalties. This model taxed an author's long-term success, as a successful independent writer could surrender thousands of dollars per year solely in distribution fees. They needed a flat-fee alternative built by ZTABS Enterprise Solutions.

ZTABS built the Census Books platform to operate on a flat-fee model. The solution included a publishing flow, manuscript review pipeline, and syndication to 50+ global retailers, allowing authors to retain 100% of their royalties. The results were a successful product that served 300+ clients and achieved a 4.9/5 verified rating, effectively replacing the percentage-take model for self-publishing authors.

Census Books