According to a recent poll, the odds of an author getting their work published in the book publishing industry is around 1%. So, for example, the Hatchett Book Group published around 2100 books last year. Using the poll’s calculation of 1%, that would be just 21 authors who had their work published or at least accepted by the Hatchett Book Group in 2022.
It’s no wonder that many authors today choose the self-publishing route, but the statistics are not that great. The average self-published book only sells around 250 copies. 33% of self-published authors make less than $500 a year. Self-publishers have less than a .005% chance of having their book stocked in a bookstore. The book marketplace is oversaturated. The book publishing world is in a never-ending state of change.
Here is a tweet from an editor I received this morning:
Querying writers are so professional that they have better spreadsheets than I – an editor – have. They are their own agents before they get an agent. They do their own sales and marketing while querying. And they choose to do it over hobbies because it is a business.
Writing is self-expression. Publishing is a business. It’s that simple, yet that complex. It’s been one of the biggest learning curves of my life, especially the never-ending part. I had naively thought that once my books were published, I could relax, and things would somehow magically fall into place. Wrong.
As an independent author working on my third book, I am constantly finetuning my craft, interacting with the writing community, researching book marketing strategies, engaging with other authors, listening to podcasts about social media and book trends, updating my website, and other never-ending tasks. I’m not complaining. I just feel fortunate that I’m retired so I can work.
Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. Anonymous
Enjoy the passage of time.
Sharon
© 2023. Sharon Kreider. All Rights Reserved
