I've decided to join that crowd, sort of.
No, I'm not ghost writing or joining the legions of writers who pen media-tie-in novels. I've not sunk that low yet. Okay, okay, I take that back. Some media-tie-in novels are pretty darn good, and it's a great way for many fiction writers to make a living while also gaining experience.
And now that I've shot my chances of ever selling a Star Wars novel or working for Wizards of the Coast ...
No, I've decided to whore myself in another way. My Kobalos Trilogy is my best-selling e-books of all my e-books. In fact, I'm feeding my family and paying the bills on those three e-books. I think part of what draws fantasy readers to my series is that I only charge 99 cents for the first novel, but then I charge $2.99 for books two and three.
I'd really like to charge more for that first novel because ... well, it's a novel. And I'd kind of like to make more money from it, to be blunt about it. The few times I've temporarily raised the price on that first novel, my sales start to plummet right away.
So, I've got this idea. I wrote an 11,000 word short story a while back that is a prequel to the Kobalos Trilogy. My thinking is that I'll put up the short story for 99 cents, see how well it does, and if it does really well then I can raise the price to the first novel in the series.
If it flops, well, then I've not lost anything.
The cover I'll be using for the short story is up top at the right. I've just a few minutes ago started editing the first draft of the tale, so hopefully I'll be finished with it and ready to upload it within the next day or two.
That doesn't seem too whorey.
ReplyDeleteI agree with David-- that doesn't seem very whorey. It seems more like a smart business decision.
ReplyDeletePlus, readers love fantasy trilogies. I know that I do. So you know that the next step is to write another one.
Congrats on your success.
I don't think it's very whorish, either, but I've talked with far too many readers who seem to think otherwise, that anything at all that strikes of an author making money (even pennies) is just whoring oneself out.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea. So far if I'm whoring myself out to sell my work I must not be a very good whore because the money hasn't been very good.
ReplyDeleteWell, as a writer who has made a living ghostwriting some really interesting non-fiction stuff and writing marketing/ad/website/collateral copy, I guess I'm the ultimate writing whore. ;-) I always figure that if I'm making a living stringing words together, then all is right with the world. :)
ReplyDeletePeople have funny ideas about what writers should/shouldn't do to earn money. Just publish your stuff. Let people have their opinions. :)
I think it's a great plan.
Amy