(the challenge of getting a book in the hands of readers)

It was a novel-writing class that started me down the path to completing The Book of Answers, my first mystery novel. Our teacher, the amazing Melodie Campbell, told us early on that she’d been writing, and getting published, for decades, and still needed a day job.

Here are some sobering statistics about the “business” side of being an author:

• The average self-published book sells 250 copies.
• The average self-published author makes $1,000 per year from their books.
• 33% of self-published authors make less than $500 per year.
• 90% of self-published books sell less than 100 copies.(https://wordsrated.com/self-published-book-sales-statistics/)

Melodie was letting us know that writing fiction in Canada, actually, anywhere, is not a get rich quick scheme. In other words, if we weren’t writing for the joy of writing, it could be disappointing.

I know I am quite privileged to have the luxury of time, energy and resources to have creative hobbies, and interests, as well as work that I find meaningful.

I’m also into the numbers. Partly because most months I choose a cause or charity I care about, and give them half the royalties from sales.

(In November, half the proceeds from sales will go to Five Oaks, a retreat centre on the Grand River near Paris, Ontario.)

http://www.fiveoaks.on.ca

It’s also pretty cool to have put a book out into the world, and know that people in four different countries are buying and presumably, reading it.

I have been hearing back from folks who’ve read it, and I love that.

As of today, total confirmed sales of The Book of Answers in all formats, including e-books for Kindle and Kobo, and paperbacks and hardcovers sold through Amazon and a handful of independent bookstores, is 416 in just under 5 months!

The number sold does not include the ones I have on hand for my mini-book tour. I will have copies to sell, and sign (for those who want that) at these exciting events next month:

Sat, Nov 18 1-2 pm Storyteller’s Bookstore, 1473 Ottawa Street, Windsor

Sun, Nov 19 8:30-10:30 am Breakfast Talk at Jarvis Community Church, Jarvis, Ontario

Sun, Nov 26 10 am-3 pm Windsor-Essex Local Authors Christmas Book Show, Tecumseh Legion, 12326 Lanoue Street, Tecumseh, Ontario

(For the events in Windsor and Tecumseh there will also be homemade chocolate chip cookies!)