This was a long year.
Most will remember this year as the year of the epidemic, that George Floyd was killed, that Biden was elected president.
There were many good and bad events, although many died, many married, many soulmates found each other, many were born.
I expected writing to make my life easier. I could see no downside to getting an idea out of my head so it could bother someone else instead of me. I found myself writing long after publishing my first book. I waited to take it out of KDP Select, I got the second book published, and made both available in both paperback and ebook formats globally through several stores. I may have been the pushing force in this reaction, but I was helped every step of the way by a community dedicated to the craft of books. Readers. Writers. Customer service assistants. Friends.
I thought I would be done writing soon. I now write everyday of my life. Whether it's a book, a screenplay, or a message to check on a friend, a romantic comedy or a dramatic thriller, I now have a new way to express myself that feels intimate. I won't be an author forever, but I will always have my books, and my fingers shall always be eager to write.
The Numbers
As a self-published author, I know a lot of people want to know exactly how successful I've been, and I don't mind talking about marketing. Keep in mind that 95% of authors earn under £30,000 per year according to the Royal Society of Literature, so don't expect anything mindblowing!
The Books
Overall I've published two books, Rule Two-Fifty and then My Wife Sucks, but my popularity didn't really spike until the latter was released in Spetember.
Now I drive 60-70 people to my Google Books store per month (without advertising anything), 80% of which want to read more about My Wife Sucks. The average person reads 3-5 pages, which doesn't even include the first page of My Wife Sucks. I've spent less than £3 on advertising this year.
Ironically, Rule Two-Fifty still sells more.
So am I swimming in cash? No. Will I be swimming in cash soon? No. Will all my Twitter followers buy my book because I ask nicely? No.
I'm really not writing for the money (as indicated by writing a romance novel for men) and I'm just glad the world now has a comedy book that's actually funny. Yeah, I should probably market Rule Two-Fifty better and "improve my buy to browse ratio", but for now I'm just gonna keep writing. Not for men, not for the ladies, for me, and if that means my interest will align more with a male fan base, then the other genders are missing out.
Without further ado, please take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and even your unloved ones this winter. Here's to a Very Happy New Year with brand spanking new books.
Happy Holidays!