Indie writer trend benefits Battle Creek author Tracy Falbe

[kb7uen Gene]

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20110301/NEIGHBORHOODS02/103010330/0/PluckForum/Indie-writer-trend-benefits-Battle-Creek-author-Tracy-Falbe?odyssey=mod_sectionstories

[Me and My Kindle]

What's frustrating about that article is they never say how many ebooks she's actually selling. But I still found this part very inspiring.

"I spent four years seeking a publisher for my first novel. One company claimed to have actually read it and was considering it, but then I never heard back despite repeated queries," Falbe said. "So I decided to stop wasting my time and go into business for myself."

And it also describes Brian S. Pratt, who I hadn't heard of, who claimed to earn $18,000 in just one month (last year). It makes me wonder if we're only hearing about a few isolated success stories -- or if it's really just surprisingly easy to earn big money selling ebooks.

[Joseph Robert Lewis]

I don't worry about how many books indies are selling, or how much money they are making. If you want to assess the viability of the market, just look at the bestseller lists on Amazon in any Kindle category. You will find lots of indies in the top 100s, if not the top 20s. Indies are bestsellers. The odds of success are no worse than trying to succeed by the traditional publishing model. Most probably won't succeed, but some will. But at least in this model, everyone can honestly try.

[billie hinton]

Yes, the playing field is level - which I love.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

It is the readers who are now deciding the bestsellers, not the publishers with all their hype (and book covers printed with 'bestseller' before the book has even been launched - supposedly because of pre-orders). 

[KerylR]

What's frustrating about that article is they never say how many ebooks she's actually selling. But I still found this part very inspiring.

And it also describes Brian S. Pratt, who I hadn't heard of, who claimed to earn $18,000 in just one month (last year). It makes me wonder if we're only hearing about a few isolated success stories -- or if it's really just surprisingly easy to earn big money selling ebooks.

That's really the story with all writers.  Even the traditionally published who make 18k a month are well into hen's teeth territory. 

It's surprisingly hard to make big money in writing, no matter how you do it.  What's really surprising is even with the tiny payouts is how many of us keep doing it. 

[kathieshoop]

Thanks for saying what you did below! I agree, hearing traditionally pubbed authors say succeeding in self-pubblishing is like winning the lottery makes me laugh. I feel like being the right needle in the right trad. publ. haystack is as much a lottery win as selling well. For the first time in since getting an agent five years back (she couldn't sell my book and then turned two others down for marketing concerns, not story/writing/etc. concerns) I feel optimistic about publishing again. And, it makes me nervous (I think publishers have the upper-hand in editing) to be in control of everything, that's the very thing that makes me feel I have a shot.  Thanks for your thoughts!

I don't worry about how many books indies are selling, or how much money they are making. If you want to assess the viability of the market, just look at the bestseller lists on Amazon in any Kindle category. You will find lots of indies in the top 100s, if not the top 20s. Indies are bestsellers. The odds of success are no worse than trying to succeed by the traditional publishing model. Most probably won't succeed, but some will. But at least in this model, everyone can honestly try.

[Joseph Robert Lewis]

Yeah, at least this way, if we fail then we fail for real and won't have any regrets.

Failing in the industry means getting shot down by a gatekeeper for any one of a million arbitrary or subjective reasons. And then you're left wondering "What if" for the rest of your days.

[LiteraryGrrrl]

It is the readers who are now deciding the bestsellers, not the publishers with all their hype (and book covers printed with 'bestseller' before the book has even been launched - supposedly because of pre-orders). 

This is the  most important thing, as far as I'm concerned.

Shana