So there was a DA link to a cool blog (which I'm too lazy to find right now) with an author I never heard of sharing her sales numbers. She's making a living at writing (yay her!) and it was cool to hear her experiences.
Ann Aquirre chimed in with her numbers and I want to say that although I've had limited success reading Ms. Aquirre's titles (can't always like the writing even when one loves the writer) I really appreciated her adding her experiences.
Then came the comments from the readers that said basically I haven't written a novel yet but I intend to and now I'm so excited because I know I can make a living at it.
Ladies: this is for you.
My last payment from Amazon was $9.82. I also got a 36 cent payment for my British sales.
I have something like 19 titles available and if I'm lucky I can buy a Big Mac.
I'm not a failure. Far from it. Because writing sales aren't the only indicator of success. Having a publisher want to publish you is a success. Having strangers buy your books is a success. Having strangers leave reviews is a success. New views on your Facebook author page is a success.
If money is what matters then I'm a raging failure. But I don't think I am.What I am is a writer who doesn't have any titles that hit. It happens. And with all those non-writers who plan to write a book one day... I hope your numbers are as good as mine.
Oh, and to add more info: My best sales check was self publishing Yesterday's Headline which made about $120.00 in royalties the first week and hardly anything since then. My DA review of Surviving America's Sweetheart led to maybe 50 book sales but at 99cents and my cut of 34 cents per copy, I think maybe I got a cup of coffee out of it.
Writing isn't for making a living. It's for writing. Or as a wise man once said: don't quit your day job.
I won't. Quit, I mean lol. Isn't it funny how some people read a few blogs or posts on facebook and think it's so easy that anyone can do it? Or that they are going to be successful first time out?
ReplyDeleteIf I was the type of person to sit out on the porch with a coffee and cake to watch and laugh at these people, I would. But I'm not so I won't lol
As you say, writing is for writing. I don't dance like no-one is watching, I write like no-one is reading and it's been a freeing experience. The only way it makes me richer is that it's keeping my mind active and helping me to learn new cuss words...
Oh, btw... yay on the sales, small as they were. I hope you enjoy the Big Mac :D
I admire the people who a) have the talent to write shit people want to read, b) the cojones to put their writing out there, c) the savvy to expose their writing to that critical mass of readers which will expose that same writing to an exponentially larger number of readers.
ReplyDeleteBut for most writers is dumb luck, and even the very lucky ones may never make more than a modest living (if over $40K a year is modest--my mind totally boggled at that figure)
So with all the admiration to the people I described at the top? My DEEPEST admiration goes to those writers who continue writing and having the courage to continue putting their writing out there--whether they get read by millions or hundreds.
And this is why when people start with the crowdsourcing, I stare at the entitlement. I mean, seriously?
I don't even know what my books made. I just know it was less than yours, lol.
ReplyDeleteSad ...