rambling about the business of writing

books are one of the least profitable retail items in the business

part of it comes from the publishing model of paperback books, which is more than a century old and needs an update. Part of it is the cost of production. Paper is more expensive than ever, and shipping options are narrowing, not expanding. Bookstores will only carry books for 6-8 weeks unless it's a bestseller or unless you're Stephen King with a backlist that sells. And if you write m/m, you know that bookstores often won't carry you at all.

Which is where ebooks come in, right? Low production cost, a growing market of eraders, and an ever-larger number of distributors ought to make it easier than ever for an authors to make a living.

Well, yes and no. I have to admit, I am incredibly grateful that I was one of the first authors to jump on the m/m and ebook bandwagon. My readers are truly wonderful, loyal people, and I appreciate that I'm able to make a living off what I do.

On the other side of the coin, though, there's the fact that with so many books coming out every week now, it's easy to get lost. And with sites like Astatlk gaining popularity, some of us have seen a chunk of sales disappear with every new release.

Trends change a lot faster than they used to, as well. The world moves faster, and the days when you can write in the same genre for 20 years and be successful are over.

So, what's a writer to do?

I think the answer to that is the one thing that hasn't changed. Write what you love. Write it as well as you can. Hope someone loves it. Go out and tell people about it. If you change what you write to fit an audience, it will show in your words.

No matter what the market looks like, it's the best job in the world.