Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

As I was sitting here thinking of how I could recieve a better chance at reaching my royalties goal it got me thinking about another question. What do you do with your royalties? Do you keep em in your savings or account? Take em out? Put them towards fixing up or helping promote the book? Just curious as to what some authors do, self-published or traditional doesn't matter. This would seem it only pertains to those who have made enough and make enough royalties but even if you haven't what would you do with your earnings when you do obtain them?

I reinvest my royalties in my books. It could be paying for the next cover, editing, advertising or financing giveaways.

Goes straight back into promotion.

I've never bothered to claim my royalties for my self-published books, which I'd estimate at a mighty £45 to date, but I used the income from my freelance writing as, well, income. I paid off a credit card bill with the proceeds of a travel writing gig, and a car review thing paid my broadband/electricity/etc bills for most of last year.

Income from my fiction writing tends to be pretty sparse, so I usually use it to buy nice things. My first ever published short story paid for Team America: World Police on DVD.

A bit like Andrew I tend to leave my small royalties without claiming them until there's enough there to treat myself.

I donate all my royalties to charity... more specifically to an orphanage in Gyumri town of Armenia where they take care of about 150 kids with disabilities.

FootSteps is hosting a Christmas lunch for our artists with some of them. The rest goes back into postage and promotion.

Vardan wrote: "I donate all my royalties to charity... more specifically to an orphanage in Gyumri town of Armenia where they take care of about 150 kids with disabilities."

That Team America DVD is starting to look a bit inadequate...

Andrew wrote: "Vardan wrote: "I donate all my royalties to charity... more specifically to an orphanage in Gyumri town of Armenia where they take care of about 150 kids with disabilities."

That Team America DVD ..."

Whatever makes one happy, Andrew. Working in the humanitarian field, I couldn't really imagine doing anything else with the royalties I receive. The objective here is not really making money but basically the pleasure of reaching out to people worldwide with my work, paving a path for other aspiring Armenian writers and doing something positive for the kids in the process.

I buy a cup of coffee at starbucks

At the moment, until 24/12 I'm donating approx 30% of royalties to the charity for the homeless, Crisis at Christmas, @CrisisXmas on Twitter. It won't be much, but I guess every little helps.

Loretta wrote: "At the moment, until 24/12 I'm donating approx 30% of royalties to the charity for the homeless, Crisis at Christmas, @CrisisXmas on Twitter. It won't be much, but I guess every little helps."

That's great Loretta!

Robert wrote: "I buy a cup of coffee at starbucks"

I love that answer hahaha! XD

Robert wrote: "I buy a cup of coffee at starbucks"

Coffee? You're living the high life. Mine get me a bottle of water :)

Right back into the business for me.

Vardan wrote: "Loretta wrote: "At the moment, until 24/12 I'm donating approx 30% of royalties to the charity for the homeless, Crisis at Christmas, @CrisisXmas on Twitter. It won't be much, but I guess every li..."

Thanks Vartan. I love what you do with your royalties. Merry Christmas to you.

I'm sorry; I shouldn't complain about the royalties. I'm just happy for the handful of non-relatives who have purchased my book, Riddle in Stone (shameless plug!) I suppose it's not about the money, is it? :)

Lots of good responses. Some put it toward their work, some buy coffee and some give it to charities. Very interesting.

Loretta wrote: "Vardan wrote: "Loretta wrote: "At the moment, until 24/12 I'm donating approx 30% of royalties to the charity for the homeless, Crisis at Christmas, @CrisisXmas on Twitter. It won't be much, but I..."

Right back at you :) In Armenia, we celebrate Christmas on the 6th of January so New Year comes first but still... thanks for the kind words, it's actually addictive, once you do something like that and see even the smallest positive change you're hooked for life :)

Vardan wrote: "Loretta wrote: "Vardan wrote: "Loretta wrote: "At the moment, until 24/12 I'm donating approx 30% of royalties to the charity for the homeless, Crisis at Christmas, @CrisisXmas on Twitter. It won'..."

Well, whenever your Christmas is, I still hope it will be a happy one. Best wishes.

Loretta wrote: "Vardan wrote: "Loretta wrote: "Vardan wrote: "Loretta wrote: "At the moment, until 24/12 I'm donating approx 30% of royalties to the charity for the homeless, Crisis at Christmas, @CrisisXmas on Tw..."

I certainly hope so and wish you all the very best as well :) 2013 was a tough year for personal reason mostly but there was still enough good stuff going on to keep the little optimist inside me alive and kicking - anxious for another shot in the new year

Well, whenever your Christmas is, I still hope it will be a happy one. Best wishes.

Well said, Loretta! Best wishes to everybody:)

Starbucks and bottled water? LOL!

What there is of it I save.

Here's to everyone having Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year!

I used the proceeds from my first book to pay for the cover for my second book; it has also paid for some promotion.

Can't wait until I can do more with it!

Robert wrote: "Well, whenever your Christmas is, I still hope it will be a happy one. Best wishes.

Well said, Loretta! Best wishes to everybody:)"

:)