Who knows about publishers/royalties?

It sounds like a scam to me. Have you checked the name of the publisher out with the proper Writers Beware sites? Do you realize that a ghostwriter can get up to about 5 thousand dollars just to write the proposal? Check into this. Sounds like you are being scammed. Try Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write Water Cooler's Bewares and Background Checks and any other Writers Beware sites you can find. No professional publisher would do business this way. Pax-C

I worked for Lippincott Williams & Wilkins for a few years. (They are one one the largest publishers of educational/medical textbooks in the world.) You instincts are correct. A $500 royalty is extremely low. For authors of educational texts, the only money they make is off of the royalties. You should also get an advance/grant to help you with the writing of the book, and that is usually a few thousand, which you get after submitting receipts for materials, etc.

Royalties usually are a percentage of the book's sales, in several different forms: translations, electronic media, ancillary materials that may go along with the book, etc. 5 to 10% is about standard.

I would suggest doing a good amount of research before accepting anything. Also, when the publisher gives you a contract, it is standard to have a lawyer look over it and negotiate. You can also find out the publisher's main competitor, and see if they will make you an offer as well.

I hope this helped somewhat. Good luck with your book!

Understand that you don't immediately get the royalty, that would be an advance. A royalty is when your book sales reaches the royalty amount, then you get it. Get an agent, they will baragain and negotiate and what not. Look in Writer's Market where they list hundreds of agents to choose from. Query, or not, depending on their guidelines, and wait 4 weeks to 3 months for a response. Face rejection, it is inevitable.