I can hire out for editing, proofreading, formatting, and cover design, and those are fixed, sunk costs. Once those are paid, I can earn 70% on a self-pubbed ebook.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The money can be decent, but I really don't recommend the work-for-hire route as an entry into publishing. Too many things can go wrong.
I sell a lot of ebooks from my website and encourage authors to set up their own stores.
I've devoted a lot of my time and effort during the past few years to developing my advertising copywriting business to the point of where I can support my family and don't have to depend on writing fiction for my income.
Somebody has to pay our editors, writers, journalists, designers, developers, and all the other specialists whose passion and tears go into every chunk of worthwhile web content.
I have no problem selling ebooks for authors directly as an agent, but partnering with them is another matter.
If you're going to write a book that might, in its very best accidental career, sell 30,000 copies, you've got to have a day job.
I want to be a writer. I do not want to spend 40 hours a week handling e-mails, formatting covers, finding editors, etc.
You have to remember that in addition to running a literary agency, I am also an ebook publisher.
I maintain an ongoing survey of Internet Publishing and self publishing, so that it is now possible for any writer with a book to get it published at nominal cost or free, and to have it on sale at booksellers like Amazon.com.
When a single author uploading his own books to Amazon can earn more money than a large N.Y. publisher exploiting both print and e-rights, there's something amiss.
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