I am pleased to announce that I have received my first check from Amazon Digital Services for sales of my two novels. A little celebratory music please!
Okay, that’s enough.
Now that the music and cheering across blogosphere has subsided, the reality of the first payment sets in. After more than seven months, my earnings are enough to buy me a six-pack of decent domestic beer, but nothing special. With that said, I’d hate for you to think that I regret self-publishing. I don’t. Since I do have a day job, I can safely say the following:
Self-publishing is as much about having a creative outlet― one free from the restrictions imposed by genre du jour and the whim of marketability ―as making money.
Self-publishing is more than that, it is the freedom to determine my own subject, genre, style, format, and rules.
Self-publishing is the ability to have the value of my work validated by the readers rather than a publisher or agent.
Self-publishing, at least in the eBook format, is free, which allows me the luxury of failure without real consequences.
Self-publishing allows me to invest the only capital that is truly mine― my own time, intellect, and ego ―which means that whatever profits are generated are completely mine.
So there it is. I am okay with getting whatever profit is generated from the sales of my novels. Profit is the gravy on the potatoes. Meanwhile I will keep writing, keep creating, and keep waiting patiently for my work to be ‘discovered’ and, perhaps someday, enjoy the security of the fabled ‘rich and famous contract’.
And when I get mine, I hope to see you there, too.
If you have would like to share your ideas about what I’ve written, feel free to contact me either on the blog or using other social media. Thanks.
© Copyright 2011 by Kevin Fraleigh.
I completely agree with you on the self-publishing route. When I first retired down here in Panama I got a gig house sitting in the mountains near the Costa Rican border. The owners asked me what I was going to do while they were away in the States for six months. I said, “I’m going to write a book.” And I did, and I put it out on Smashwords and Amazon. It’s a fictionalized account of Columbus’s tragic fourth voyage to the New World. It, along with a short story and three public domain books that I essentially rewrote so they’d read like something written in the 21st century are all selling, but I’m sure not getting rich off them. I don’t do much marketing of them, but if things keep going as they have been I’m on track for the sales to pay two or three months rent here. (I am now renting a nice, completely-furnished house for $175/month.)
One thing about my Columbus book, two young girls here at the Universidad Latina de Panama have translated it into Spanish as their thesis for their degrees in English. I don’t know how many self-published authors have their works translated, but I’m pretty proud of it.
Costa Rica! I am so jealous! I work with a fellow who flies down there two to three times a year to go surfing and just raves about it. Now that that’s out of my system, I’m glad to hear that things are going so well with your writing. How do you market your work? Do you use social media like Facebook, Twitter, Gather, or Google+? Do you have a presence on Goodreads? How about a blog? If not, these might help to get an even broader audience. The account of Columbus’s voyage sounds like it should be a great read. I have real passion for incorporating historically accurate detail into my fiction. Thanks so much for your comments and great story, I’ll have to keep an eye out for it.
Hey, Bert, yes I have a Facebook page, however I hate, loathe and despise Facebook. I do have Goodreads and I have a blog…three, actually. The main one is: http://oldsalt1942.wordpress.com/
I call it “One More Good Adventure: Growing Old In Someone Else’s Country.”
I actually live in Panama, NOT Costa Rica, in a small pueblo called Boqueron. It’s about 35 miles or so from the border with Costa Rica. Panama is much more open to retirees than CR. I have what is called a “Pensionado” visa which grants me, and about 40,000 other expats from the States, permanent resident status here and all kinds of discounts on such things as medications, meals at restaurants, travel, hotel stays, and on and on. I’m the ONLY gringo living directly in the pueblo though there are others on the outskirts.
My book is titled “Despair: The Ill-Fated Fourth Voyage of the Admiral of the Ocean Sea.” http://www.amazon.com/Despair-ebook/dp/B004LLIXT4/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1323394421&sr=1-4
Much of that voyage took place here in Panama and two of the four ships Columbus started with were abandoned here, so riddled with ship worms that they were no longer seaworthy.
Now, PLEASE DON’T HATE ME, but saying you’re “jealous” about Costa Rica is just one of those things that gets me WORSE than fingernails on a chalk board. You’re “envious,” not “jealous.” Jealousy is the emotion when you fear something or someone might be taken away from you. Envy is the emotion when you want something that someone else has. I know it’s a common mistake, but as writers we need to do our best to be precise in our usage of the language.
oldsalt – It sounds like you’ve got the good life. When I was in the AF I knew a couple of guys that were stationed at Howard AFB and spoke very highly of life in Panama. In a little bit I’ll add your blog to my “You might also like” list. And I agree that Facebook is a terrible waste, I much prefer Google+. The problem is that on my established networks not everyone is willing to transfer to Google+ so I have to monitor both.
And, yes, I am very envious. You’ve done what the rest of us only talk about. Best of luck!