i hope this doesn't come off as whiny, but i just wanted to share some information on the pushing-the-rock-up-a-hill struggles of being an author these days and especially a self-published one.
i found out over the weekend that the bookstore closest to my home (and quite a good one) has shelf space for "local/self-published authors." huzzah! i thought -- that's me!
so i just went into the shop with a small bunch of my books in the bag on my shoulder and inquired as to how a local/self-published author gets his/her book on that shelf. i was directed to their website. oh, okay -- i wouldn't have to be as local as i am for that, but i'll play along...
so this is what i found out: they accept book submissions with a non-refundable $10 fee. if they accept your book, they will take 3 copies on consignment, paying a standard 60% back to the author. now, on my $14 book that's $8.40 p/copy back to me. sorry for all the math, i know this is a monday morning.
but now if you subtract the $10 fee plus the fact that each book costs me nearly $4.50 what this finally works out to if they sell my 3 books is 59-freakin'-cents per book. i feel a little like Mojo Nixon saying "Where the hell's my money?!" so you mean like 2 quarters and a nickel and four pennies for my book. yeah... great... thanks
the local coffee shop (now next door following the fire) has a program for local writers called coffee & books. they just changed their policy: it had previously been $100 non-refundable fee to submit for consideration. now their program for books like mine involves sending them 100 copies on consignment (although they claim industry standard is a 55% royalty) and an initial $699 1-year term cost. thanks, but um, no thanks...
i appreciate you reading this far: no fee...
thanks,
Brian