tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post6655231678181096752..comments2024-03-14T18:09:09.667-05:00Comments on Do Some Damage: Want to make a million dollars? Go write a book!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-43914590592803621852011-02-27T19:50:52.883-05:002011-02-27T19:50:52.883-05:00Great blog, Joelle! I'm about to go the self-p...Great blog, Joelle! I'm about to go the self-pub route, and if I can sell enough to cover direct costs, I'll feel like I'm ahead of the pack.<br /><br />I did the NaNoWriMo and Breakthrough contest from Penguin, but I'm not in a genre Penguin cares for much. <br /><br />If my writing pleases me and manages to please somebody else, that's the main thing, I guess. If it ends up sending the odd buck my way, so much the better. Oh yeah, if in the meantime, I'm allowed to fantasize about selling a million copies of it, what's the harm?Bruce Schindlernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-52442319871378038412011-02-27T17:03:38.466-05:002011-02-27T17:03:38.466-05:00Linda and Bonnie - You are both right! Most peopl...Linda and Bonnie - You are both right! Most people don't realize that the work only begins when you hit the end.<br /><br />John - writing is way more fun than golf - or maybe that is because I am so bad at golf!<br /><br />Keith - The fun factor is the thing that is true about acting and writing both. The money isn't that great, so you'd better have fun at what you do otherwise it just isn't worth it.<br /><br />I'm not sure who our anonymous poster is, but while I agree that the money you make from traditional publishing isn't fabulous, I would also argue that the non-traditionally published authors aren't making money hand over fist either. In fact, the authors I have talked to who are making the most money at self-e-pubbing are the ones that are traditionally published and leveraging that fan base. It is all a tricky business right now. The one thing that is true no matter which publishing route you take is that you better enjoy the process because unless lightning strikes the money is never going to be life changing.Joelle Charbonneauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13608552691748018256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-11783028227097060662011-02-27T15:33:19.500-05:002011-02-27T15:33:19.500-05:00Apparently this years Breakthrough Novel Contest a...Apparently this years Breakthrough Novel Contest at Amazon, where the winner gets a publishing deal with Penguin, had a record low number of submissions. People aren't clamoring over themselves for traditional deals anymore because they realize they're being ripped off. It's no wonder. Traditional publishers have lost site of their own industry. They can't figure out how to sell books, and they're losing more and more outlets in which to sell their books every day. They've already missed their window with ebooks, and now they no longer have the power to set a price point. <br /><br />Traditional publishing's power was always in their distribution, but it's becoming obvious that that's dying. Now anyone can publish and make money. You don't need a big publisher to reach readers. No one wants to be stuck in a traditional book deal for pennies when they can publish their own work and make a lot more money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-66797946680935356882011-02-27T14:32:25.534-05:002011-02-27T14:32:25.534-05:00Great post, Joelle! A lot of people don't unde...Great post, Joelle! A lot of people don't understand how many hours go into writing a novel, editing it, submitting it, revising it for the agent, revising it for the editor, checking the galleys and then organizing all the promotions for said book. Whew! Acting sure sounds easier!Bonnie Staringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15617661715759556106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-10503989194196576532011-02-27T12:53:48.715-05:002011-02-27T12:53:48.715-05:00I teach a fiction writing workshop to teens, and t...I teach a fiction writing workshop to teens, and they're always blown away when I explain the biz end, and money. I usually say that if you want to make money, you're better off working at Wal-Mart...YA Sleuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12371132883359264412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-17921587268745261862011-02-27T12:15:46.314-05:002011-02-27T12:15:46.314-05:00I came in (and continue) with my eyes wide opn. Fi...I came in (and continue) with my eyes wide opn. Fiction writers on average earn far less than minimum wage. But damn it's so much funAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06827652636843928373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-29861249019933287952011-02-27T12:12:20.600-05:002011-02-27T12:12:20.600-05:00I don't have this problem as much, mostly beca...I don't have this problem as much, mostly because my grandmother has told anyone who will listen exactly how much my first contract was (and then can't understand why that would upset me--after all, she's just so proud of me!). This is a by-product of famous people (everyone from Snooki to Hillary Clinton) getting well-publicized advances in the eight digits.Sarah M. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14058833643184375985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-59064023433983798652011-02-27T12:03:45.755-05:002011-02-27T12:03:45.755-05:00Forgot to add how many well-published authors I kn...Forgot to add how many well-published authors I know who can't afford to quit their day jobs, this after nine or ten books.Donnell Ann Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07943037206984648849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-53721804849239819732011-02-27T12:02:59.885-05:002011-02-27T12:02:59.885-05:00Joelle, thanks for telling it like it is. And that...Joelle, thanks for telling it like it is. And that's a great comparison about the struggling actor and struggling writer. Very similar, indeed! Great blog!Donnell Ann Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07943037206984648849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-85467867649998019242011-02-27T11:15:55.289-05:002011-02-27T11:15:55.289-05:00I'll admit I thoght would make more money at t...I'll admit I thoght would make more money at this. Still, I keep telling myself I enjoy writing books more than I would playing golf. So when I end up spending more on research than I make on a book I look at my brother and all those guys taking golf vacations and I think I made the right choice for hobbies.John McFetridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09442198820998606682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-69846301665032854052011-02-27T02:36:37.117-05:002011-02-27T02:36:37.117-05:00Not only do a lot of people not understand about t...Not only do a lot of people not understand about the money, they don't have a clue as to how much work goes into writing a book. And the work doesn't stop when we write -the end- <br /><br />That's only the beginning. :-)Linda Pendletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333787752335329007noreply@blogger.com