THE Group for Authors! discussion

The most recent quarterly sales report from the publisher provided the following data:

April 1, 2016 through June 30, 2016
Units Sold: 6 (1 paperback book, 5 e-books, 0 audio books on CD and 0 audio book downloads)
Total Royalties Paid: $9.23.

Year-to-Date (Aug.9, 2011 through June 30, 2016)
Units Sold: 1,008 (480 paperback books, 464 e-books, 36 audio books on CD and 28 audio book downloads)
Total Royalties Paid: $2,315.90.

Writing a novel has proven to be the most unsuccessful and unprofitable endeavor I have ever undertaken. Writing a novel has also proven to be one of the most personally rewarding and satisfying learning opportunities I have experienced during my lifetime. I consider the time and effort expended during the process well spent.

Well said, Jim. I echo your sentiments.

Promotion is the key to profit or not. If you are consistently promoting and have new books coming out you have fan readers that also promote. With a publisher as in traditional publishing you only have so much control and if they really like you and know there are possible future sales you may be able to get them to really promote. I do agree that writing is the most rewarding part but as a new indie publisher I have done a lot of research and hope that by my third book being published, I am satisfied with profit as well.

Joy wrote: "Promotion is the key to profit or not. If you are consistently promoting and have new books coming out you have fan readers that also promote. With a publisher as in traditional publishing you only..."

Joy,

I applaud your serious and optimistic approach to your writing career and goals. Adequate research, continuous skills improvement and aggressive promotion are the key ingredients for success in any endeavor.

In my particular case, writing a novel was just one of four items included in a bucket list that my late wife insisted I create upon retiring in 2001. As inferred in the original post, writing a novel was an interesting and enjoyable experience. That said; there are so many other interesting and enjoyable things I wish to experience. Therefore, my first novel will probably also be the last.

I hope that your perseverance and efforts to achieve commercial success in the literary field, along with the financial rewards that accompany it, prove successful.

I envy you. My bucket list has a lot of expensive travel. lol
I have wanted to write forever and these days it is more like branding and selling yourself. I love to read a lot myself so I am happy to make expenses and start saving.
Most importantly I am finally letting all the creatures and characters loose to paper for stories that I can share. Thank you!

Not every well-selling book starts publication with a splash. Give it time (and some promotion). And remember, even at a piddly 30 sales a year, that's $50-60 you wouldn't have otherwise.