So many figures to get my head around. 70% is 70% - except when it's 35%! One ebook is registered for lending so that is another column of figures. And then there is separating out book one from book two. Not to mention last year's promotion and who the fuck returned my book in November?!!
So, I got out my trusty highlighters and calculator which isn't so trusty. One hour later - when I should have been doing revisions for my agent (sorry, Beth!) - I had 2012's figures sorted.
One thing became obvious: writers earn next to nothing for publishing! We do it for love. Love of writing, love of books, love of escaping into a different world.
While I am thrilled with the response to my ebooks, I can categorically say I would earn more working here:
Although I like filet-o-fish too much and would probably end up dead from a cholesterol-inflicted heart attack before the end of the first month!
If I could hold a tune I could become a muso:
But I have the musical talent of a banana, so that isn't going to work!
I would even possibly earn more money from this:
Although let's face it, not much! Plus my mother would not approve - or my husband for that matter!
So, my blog will continue to be called MUSINGS OF A PENNILESS WRITER, and yet I can't say that I'm that upset. I write for love. Simple as.
12 comments:
If you write for money, you'll never make it! But nice you got more than working at McDonald's.
Thanks for keeping all of us not-yet-published writers grounded. Keep writing, and it will add up eventually (that's probably not true, but keep writing anyway because you love it).
Great post! Love your sense of humor. Hub and I went to a party Saturday and met a guy who'd written a book (political type; it's D.C.) that was quite popular. He said he figured out that he actually earned ten cents an hour! Yep, he's got a day job! It's all for the love of what we do.
Aspiring writers sometimes don't understand when I say I'm not in this for the money. It's a good thing. :D
I laughed at your post title because IT IS SO TRUE!!!
Writing for money just doesn't cut it, I agree. Unless you're, like, J.K. Rowling or something. But for the rest of us...it's just for the love of it. Or in some cases the fact certain characters would kill us in our sleep if we didn't tell their stories.
Doesn't it drive you crazy when someone returns one of your books? Mine was 99 cents. 99 cents! Wow, was that reader underwhelmed with my prose!!
Loved your post, Roland
Okay. So there's a serious point behind this post - if you're writing for money, don't! But this post did make me chuckle. Brilliant.
Great post. Of course you write not for money but for the love of writing but it would be nice if you would start making millions from your books!
All the best!
Yep, if it's money you're after, I'd definitely recommend banking or something over writing. Still, if you have to write you have to, and that's that.
Someone once said, "There's no money in poetry ... but there's no poetry in money, either". Not sure who, but it's a sentiment I like.
Like. :)
I think it is clear that no writer earns money from writing!
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