Can Writing be Profitable?
Friday, May 27, 2011 @ 12:57 AM
It is difficult for new authors to evaluate the costs of bringing their story up to retail standard. After all it isn’t a buying decision we are used to. If it is to be published in conventional form the total costs incurred will be about 50 percent of the cover price. For example 1,000 paperbacks at €7.95 each will involve an outlay in the region of €1,600 for ghost-writing; about the same for publishing. There are marketing costs too but the profit isn’t to be sniffed at; and there is the fame too. Can you handle it?
These days publishers like Google, authorhouse.co.uk and lulu.com do the lot including marketing . All you do is cough up and then watch the bunce rolling in. Customers even pay with their plastc. It is getting easier all the time. Sure there is an outlay but remember; if you were to find a publisher you would receive only about 10 percent of the cover price.
If your book is a small guide it can be marketed through local advertising, online forums, free classifieds and blogs like this. Perhaps you have skills or experiences that can be passed on? It is useful if your story is likely to appeal to a community or profession. If so you have a ready market.
You might write about your experiences as a police officer, a midwife, armed forces; or you might have marketing skills. Such booklets can be sold through in-house publications. Humour sells well.
One of my writing assignments was for a dog; no kidding: ‘Polo. My Story’. This was a puppy dog’s tail (sorry) about his awful experiences in a dog’s home and his eventual rescue. The lady author planned to sell it through animal charities. Her outlay was just €90 ghost-writing and I suppose 1,000 copies €200 but she sells them at €2.95 each. If she gives sellers a euro each she has made €1,700.
I am a bit out of touch on prices but let’s say 1,000 booklet guides or professional recollections at €1,000 but they sell at €4.95 each. Not bad! Sure beats loitering on roundabouts.