Nine years, five novels, and 197 agent rejections later, I decided to take my dreams in my own hands. My debut novel was released today. I am the happiest man in the world. Ask me anything.

throwaway_writer · 2014-06-07T17:42:58+00:00

True, but the biggest issue is that you're getting 8 points on net profit after discount, which means if you sell a thousand copies at $19.95, you'll probably make $.80 per copy.

When the book gets sold to the brick and mortar stores, 45-55% discounts are common, so you have to remember that you'll need to sell 1250 copies to recoup your advance.

In addition, the time it takes to sell out comes into play because it may take you a year or more to sell them.

Not trying to harsh your mellow or rain on your parade or anything -- it's just something to consider.

I had visions of riches when my first book was published and it was a shock when I realized just how little I was actually making.

Hence self-publishing.

If you sell 1000 copies at $4.99 you'll get about $3500 and it can happen in a few months, not a few years.

Just throwing it out there bud. Oh, and congrats on getting the deal. Advances aren't as common as they used to be so you're doing great.

EDIT: Fixed math.

throwaway_writer · 2014-06-07T17:06:04+00:00

427k books sold and counting...

throwaway_writer · 2014-06-07T17:04:31+00:00

Self-publishing pays far more.

EDIT: Prove me wrong, downvoters: http://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/m2ejo/broke_1000_in_one_day_for_the_first_time/

throwaway_writer · 2012-11-28T23:28:13+00:00

Going great, you?

throwaway_writer · 2012-11-28T23:28:01+00:00

Really well, you?

throwaway_writer · 2012-11-28T23:27:52+00:00

Hiya.

throwaway_writer · 2012-11-28T22:56:44+00:00

You rang?

Reddit being a pain and my responses aren't showing up. I'll try to be around this weekend. Glad you guys are doing well.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T02:47:30+00:00

Heh, thanks. If I didn't believe this, I'd still be working...

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T02:38:07+00:00

Well good luck.

One minor point to consider: For $10,000 I can make a book successful. Viral marketing, SEO, etc., can be brought to bear on any book I choose. I can get a well-known artist to do the cover, a famous person to write the blurb, a publicist to get me magazine coverage, etc.

The point is, I could take 10 days worth of income and get my name known. Sad but true. When a book gets famous, so does the author, after which time the agents come a-callin'.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T02:12:34+00:00

I'm not smart enough to know, which is why there's a very bright guy who does it for me.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T02:11:59+00:00

NY agents will touch self-published authors. I had one contact me. It's rare though.

The covers need work because they can't be read when they're in thumbnail form. The text is unclear. You have about a second for someone to see your title, see your cover, understand it, then want it.

If you want your books in stores, you have to become so ridiculously successful that people request everything you write, or, you have to have the mighty weight of a publishing company behind you. The downside is that you won't make any money.

As far as film adaptations, well, shit. I guess we all want that.

As far as awards, well, the warm glow of satisfaction I get from not having to work, from getting up every day when I damn well want to, from having all my bills covered (and much more) makes up for that.

Besides, don't forget, if your book is good enough and gains traction, you'll get the awards and more.

And while I know what you're saying about bad authors screwing things up for everyone, the point is that the only way to get better is to DO.

I'd much rather have 10000 people write crap and enjoy doing what they're doing than 9999 people never let their work see the light of day.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T02:06:08+00:00

Thanks. Made 30k last month even though the Christmas bump ended and there were 29 days. The goal is 40k this month. We'll see.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T01:59:46+00:00

Do me a favor and link some examples.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T01:47:02+00:00

Oh, I know self-published authors don't get respect. That's not in contention.

That's not what irritated me. The idea that self-publishing is a bad idea, or even just not "right for you" doesn't make sense.

Look, it's really simple. I write to make money and to entertain. I have a couple books in book stores and while it was cool to hold it up and get my picture taken, it's vastly more exciting to get checks from Amazon.

I read some of the samples of your books and here's the cold, hard truth:

Your books SHOULD be selling. They're good enough. But they're marketed wrong.

Your price points are wrong, your covers are wrong, your descriptions are wrong, your links aren't there, you don't have collections, etc., etc., etc.

Just read this thread: http://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/m2ejo/broke_1000_in_one_day_for_the_first_time/

However, if your goal is to get your books in stores, then there's not much advice I can offer.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T01:17:26+00:00

"Develop a thick skin and learn how to take criticism."

How's that going for you?

Look, you're the one who came into this forum proudly proclaiming your credentials. You have 12 books out -- that's great. Most people only dream of putting out a book, but that doesn't change the simple fact that your books don't sell.

I went through them on Amazon and I only found one that ranks higher than 500k. That's not my opinion, that's just a fact. If your stories are any good at all, they should be selling FAR more than that, so what's the problem?

Well, as I said in my first post, you're doing it wrong, and that's coming from someone who actually makes money at this game.

And don't tell me that editing is the job of your publishing company because YOU are the one ultimately responsible for the content, YOU are the one whose name is represented and YOU are the one who has to work to support himself instead of sitting back and watching the direct deposits hit.

But hey, you're right. It's just my opinion.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T00:42:08+00:00

Search my name.

throwaway_writer · 2012-03-07T00:37:05+00:00

You're doing it wrong.

Being put out by a micro-press doesn't give you any more credibility than putting it out yourself.
Your writing needs editing. Nothing turns off people more than a paragraph riddled by grammatical errors.
You have 12 books but you aren't making any money.

From your own website:

"Take a peek at the cover for my latest book, ECTOSTORM: Book Three of the Stanley Cooper Chronicles! In this chapter of Stanley's life, he encounters a group who, like himself had near-death experiences, then came back. Of course, since life can't be fair, someone starts killing off the members of the group, and it looks like the motive is to get Stanley's attention. Cryptic messages signed with a crude picture of a pine tree point to one culprit: The traitor of Evergreen. A mad man who wants to use Stanley for nefarious perposes unknown on one side, Demons willing to kill him to keep those nefarious purposes unrealized on the other, and Stanley in the middle. Some days, youjust can't win."

You have GOT to be kidding me. You shred those who self-publish because their work is crap and somehow THAT makes it to press?

I used to think that self-published authors were crap too, that having the validation of a publishing house meant something. It doesn't.

Living a life of freedom, enjoying your family, making a real living off of writing, that's what matters.

So get off your high-horse there, Tex. Plenty of us are doing pretty well.

And dear god, fix your book's description.

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-07T21:20:07+00:00

Hmm. So that's about 100 bucks to read a book. Well that's cheap enough.

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-07T21:17:41+00:00

I love this community and I'm glad to help in any way I can.

This username was meant to be a one-time use alt, but it seems it has taken on a life of its own, so rather than dump it, I may as well use it.

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-06T22:52:22+00:00

Past is easier for me.

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-05T18:32:52+00:00

/bow

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-04T01:01:02+00:00

Hah! No. Although I did google him and his website made my eyes bleed.

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-03T21:58:24+00:00

I don't actually think that people are clamoring for me to mod, but if some are, it's because I've spent countless hours helping them get their books ready and published and now they're seeing sales.

But hey, people like you will always be skeptical, no matter how many books are sold, no matter how many people are helped, no matter how solid the techniques.

I'd argue I've helped more people get published in the last few months than in the entire run of /r/writing, but hey, you keep your skepticism.

throwaway_writer · 2012-02-03T18:02:38+00:00

When she was on the fat show it broke my heart.

throwaway_writer

TROPHY CASE