Draft book feed back (not lifting related)

[zappey1]

Well it looks like it is time for an update
As of today
643 Volume 1 (first book) 281 Volume 2 = 861 total

July was the best month I had with 78 books sold. That was with no events and just distribution to the now 11 local stores I'm in.

I just had my best event ever one day sales last weekend where I sold 46 books in 4 hours at a book fair where I did not have to pay for a booth.

I guess the mian question is: Are those good sales? I have most of volume 3 written and the local stores bug me all the time to get it done as my book is usally a best seller at their stores. I do whole sale at 45% for me 55% for the stores. I make an average of about $6 dollars on each book.

Youtube is feeling like a bust although I'm getting close to the 1000 subs it is a TON of extra work with literaly no pay. I wonder if I ever do monetize how much money I will make a month? It has not been very motivating.

My wife is finishing up a childrens book. If those book sales are better we might just switch to that.

I have been thinking about using AI for the images in my third book but am still on the fence. I would proably be looking at 1500 in illistration costs for a person as apposed to about 50 for an AI subscription for a month. I have also been thinking about using the AI to see if it can make my writing better. My wife and I have been messing around with it for love novels and it is VERY promising.

All you Exodites that read this let me know what you guys think? Is book writing lucrative enough to keep going or should I just get a part time job somewhere? Should I keep grinding on YT? Should I use AI for illistrations and content sugestions? I know my books have been doing WAYYYYYYYY better then most self published books but I always have very high expectations.

[DCR]

@zappey1, I don’t know the first thing about selling books, but some thoughts:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m assuming that you have a full time gig and this is an issue of supplemental income - stick with writing or get a part time job. I would stick with writing. You obviously really enjoy it and it’s a blessing to be able to put real time into, and potentially even profit from, something that you love.

I would stick with youtube if you’re that close to monetization.

If you’re making $6 per book, the art question is a no brainer - use AI rather than paying anyone $1,500.

Congratulations on the sales thus far!

[zappey1]

Thanks for the thoughts.

Yes I have a full-time job besides writing. I do enjoy the writing aspect but I am not a fan of all the events and people I have to meet to make decent book sales. Hell even to get the books into stores I have to approach the owners myself and give a book pitch. It is hard as I can be a reserved person when I'm around people I don't know.

The AI is an interesting conundrum. Lots of people I talk with (Artists and other writers) hate it. I wonder if I would get blacklisted in some manner if I embraced the future. I don't even know if they could tell. I'm definitely going to mess around with it

Thanks for the thoughts. Ill keep grinding on the YT when I get some more motivation

[zappey1]

Well some good news! I reached the 1000 books sold this Sunday! I feel accomplished but am still a little unmotivated to finish my third book.

Book sales at local stores is great. Book sales online suck. Distributing the books myself has become a major issue. Most books stores want maybe 3 copies of each (6 total). I make roughly $30 off that amount. If the bookstore is not somewhere I was going or on the way to where I was going it simply is not worth the gas money and drive time. Most stores sell all 6 in a month and want me to drop off more books each month.

Right now I'm not seeing a way around this other than to direct them to order wholesale online. Where then I make less money and the stores suck at following through on purchases.

Any thoughts?

[DCR]

Right now I'm not seeing a way around this other than to direct them to order wholesale online. Where then I make less money and the stores suck at following through on purchases.

Any thoughts?

Congrats on the 1K books sold. Is you personally mailing the books an option? What’s the cheapest postage that you could get, versus the cost of gas / drive time?

[zappey1]

Right now I'm not seeing a way around this other than to direct them to order wholesale online. Where then I make less money and the stores suck at following through on purchases.

Any thoughts?

Congrats on the 1K books sold. Is you personally mailing the books an option? What’s the cheapest postage that you could get, versus the cost of gas / drive time?

Thanks! It took some time but it is a big mile stone to reach. The local stores bug me every time I'm in to write volume 3. As I said locally it is one of the best sellers in every store.

I have put some thought into mailing. To mail 6 copies would be roughly 10 dollars using the cheapest option. So again now instead of making $30 I would make only $20. Is it worth my time to mail those copies to make $20? Then I also have to worry about getting payment.

I wish there was a better option. It really sucks. The only thing I can think of is to have the stores order online then I make about the same as me mailing them myself.

I got some hints from a full time author. He told me that I need books that are more then just regional interest. That way the market is much bigger. He also suggested looking into getting and an agent. That might be the best option.