I have a question for the authors out there. It has almost no bearing on my life; it’s just something I’m curious about.

When asked to speak on a topic, especially one on which you have written a book, what is the protocol regarding expenses? Do authors charge a fee to the group that invited them? Is a token fee expected? Are authors/speakers expected to pay their own way and hope increased sales cover the expenses? How does a book tour work? Do bookstores invite you? Do you ask for a time and table to sit at?

I imagine that authors with major publishing houses get the publisher to cover expenses, but smaller publishers or self-published probably don’t. I could be way off here.

My thoughts are that if it’s local, one could speak as a courtesy, but if it involved travel of a couple hundred miles at least a tank of gas might be covered, or a per diem rate for meals and lodging. Greater distances and I’m thinking plane tickets and now we are talking real money.
Further, my thoughts are that speaking engagements would not be viewed as profit generating activites.

I have given presentations at conferences (work related) and have never been compensated nor did I expect to be. I don't know why this thought popped into my head; it just did.

Thanks for any insight.