How it really works.

It might surprise you to know how it really works for us authors published by smaller publishers. But just in case you thought I was making any kind of money I'd thought I'd clarify. :)

I've no real idea just how much I've made. I can tell you that I can't earn a living off the proceeds from my debut novel as my publisher went belly up and sold all of her books to a liquidator. I was able to republish my paperback through Lightning Source (and subsequently had Never Ceese deemed socially acceptable to the Christian market) but Lightning Source is a POD and as far as bookstores go, my traditionally published, Bram Stoker Short-listed, ACFW book club choice for the month of April 2997 falls back into POD status meaning Bookstores won't shelve it unless you ask them to--maybe.

Forever Richard is certainly selling better, or so I've heard, but booksellers don't have to pay for books that sell until like six months after they ordered them AND if the books they bought didn't sell and they don't want them anymore because they're damaged and unsellable, they can send them back to the publisher who has to pay for return postage etc. . .

To date, I received my advance, the standard and enough to live off of for half of a month, and nothing else. But not because my publisher isn't operating the way all small publishers operate, that's simply the way it is. Small publishers don't get paid for books that sell for quite some time and when they do get their money any profits will probably be eaten up by returns from bookstores who decided they over bought or the let the books get wet and want new ones or whatever. The only way for a small author to survive these unrealistic circumstances is for readers to buy books and a lot of them.

Just wanted to share in case you thought writing was doing it for me. It isn't and it probably won't for some time. This is why so many small authors stop before they even get started good. This is why they put so much time and effort into promoting. At some point the balance tips and they can't do it anymore.

I'm standing in the middle at this point.

I've no control over what happens next.

Maybe you can help. :)