How much do authors make, anyway?

The answer ranges, obviously, from “zilch” to “I can’t talk now, they’re delivering my daily bags of money.” But here’s an inside look at this little indie author’s experience.

I’ve done five book events now, and this year’s Indie Bookstore Day was my best yet. I really enjoyed selling alongside other indie authors, including the wonderful Dani Keen (immediately to my left, presumably closing another sale). Check out Keen Musings, her stellar newsletter on the creative spirit.

This was also my first event since the release of Threads of Light, which meant I now had two books to sell! Here are the numbers:

Sales
Books sold: 15 (11 paperback, 4 hardcover)
Most popular: Marrow and Soul paperback (9 copies)
Series sold: 3 (1 paperback, 2 hardcover)
Foiled bookmarks sold à la carte: 1
Newsletter signups: 6

Prices
Paperback: $20 (comes with standard bookmark and sticker)
Hardcover: $25 (comes with standard bookmark and sticker)
Paperback series: $40 (comes with 2 foiled bookmarks and sticker)
Hardcover series: $50 (comes with 2 foiled bookmarks and sticker)
*All books signed and personalized.

Revenue
Gross revenue: $323.00 ($303.00 via card, $20.00 via cash)
Square fees: -$9.53
Table fee: $0 (which is one of the things I love about most of Spellbound’s events)
Net profit: $313.47

You may be thinking, “What about the cost of printing the books and bookmarks and things?” Great question—because the books I sold probably cost me somewhere in the range of $150, which nearly cuts my net profit in half, and that doesn’t include the books I didn’t sell this time (maybe another $80).

But…all of my current stock was paid for by my Kickstarter campaign for Threads of Light, which means they don’t cost me any additional revenue.

What’s the takeaway? Events and Kickstarters are awesome. They’re my favorite ways to connect with readers, period.

And you can now follow my next Kickstarter campaign, which launches later this year:

Next time, I’ll unpack the lessons learned from this event!

STORIES THAT BLEED // I’m itching to start the beta read now—but I wanted to give you one more chance to jump in. Apply to become a beta reader!

SPOOKY FINALE // The draft has started. After spending the last few months writing cozy fantasy, I was honestly a bit anxious about diving back into Safran’s mind for a very different world. But after finishing Chapter 1, I can already see and feel so many of those elements that makes her story so fun to explore. This is going to be the most epic series finale I’ve ever written. (Sample size of one, but who’s counting?)

THREADS OF LIGHT // Selling in local bookstores is one of my favorite ways to reach readers—and fresh copies of Threads of Light are now available at Spellbound Bookstore! You can request any of my books at any bookstore in your area, and they can order them for you.

P.S.—I just launched a newsletter to help authors revise their stories one bite at a time. Quick reads, no fluff, three times a week. Join us at Avocado Bites today!

Read More Books!

Marrow and Soul: Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Threads of Light: Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads