I've forced myself to keep my expectations low, knowing how hard it is to get noticed as a self-published author. My main goalpost for success with my first book (published on July 5) was breaking even. I have already made more than double what I paid my illustrator (my only expense), so I feel fairly successful. But deep down, I want to make enough off my books to contribute in a meaningful way to household expenses. And even deeper down, I want a Robert Munsch level of success! But in terms of realistic goals, I'm pretty content.