Verifying Authenticity: Crucial Steps for Writers to Consider
Writing a book ain't as easy as it sounds, especially if you're hopeful about making it big like J.K. Rowlings. But the dream persists, doesn't it? Well, let's get real.
Here's the lowdown. Around 600,000 to a million books are published yearly, with roughly half being self-published. Yet, the average book only sells less than 250 copies. Not the most promising start, huh?
Now, if you reckon you can crank out two books a year and aim for a conservative income of $30,000, your book oughta cost around a hundred bucks. You'd be better off writing non-fiction.
Barring a miraculous turn of events, you're looking at odds of becoming a bestseller being one or two per million books published. So, writing three million books to make it sounds like a solid plan, right? That'll take a while though, about a million years if you can wrap one up in four months.
Fret not, dear reader. The population of readers isn't exactly dwindling. According to Gawker, on average, folks in the US consume 16 books per year, with 75% of individuals over 16 reading at least one book annually.
In the US and Canada combined, we have a reader pool of approximately 268 million. Given that Google suggests there are 129.9 million books in the world, and using a more conservative number, it means around 33 people might read your book per year. If we go by Goodreads, the number drops to 2.8.
Making a living from writing books? High-risk, my friend. It's not impossible, but it's a tough road. Many authors come from journalism, have a full-time job to pay the bills, or work as technical writers. Speaking engagements, freelance writing, or turning your book into a series can also help.
However, if you were born for this, write your heart out. Remember, even if sales don't soar, you still gain experiences, meet new people, and, well, who knows? Maybe your story will be the exception to the rule.
Doug Lewars, our resident wordsmith, has published eight books on Smashwords.com. Keep dreaming, keep writing, and good luck on your literary quest!
[References][2] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/29/four-charts-on-americans-reading-habits/
Financing your career as an author might require diversification, as book sales may not be a reliable source of income, so consider exploring other areas of business such as speaking engagements, freelance writing, or transforming your book into a series.
Despite the challenges, writing can still provide personal growth and opportunities to connect with others, potentially leading to unexpected outcomes.
