There are some spectacularly successful authors out there, enjoying deserved success both critically and in respect of book-sales (always a reliable factor in assessing an author’s appeal in different markets). Back in September a fellow writer posted in a Facebook authors-and-readers group (called “Books and Everything”) an interesting set of statistics about both traditionally-published and self-published books. Drawing from an article at https://tinyurl.com/y7p3l2u3 he drew our attention to these statistics from a Publisher’s Weekly analysis in 2006 (now very dated, given the burgeoning of self-publishing success stories):
“… the average traditionally published book sells 3,000 copies total over its entire lifetime…”
“… the average author-published book sells 250 copies total in its entire lifetime…”
In the light of this I’m very happy with my own slow and fairly steady progress. I’m unable to disaggregate count-down price purchases (i.e. $0.99, $1.99, $2.99 in a typical Amazon countdown promotion), but my sales figures were as follows at the time of the Facebook discussion in September (which was exactly three years after the launch of my first book):
Total downloads: 50,399
Total sales: 1,545
This “sales” number excluded free-promotion downloads and included only advertised-price digital, print & audio purchases. This total number of actual priced sales comprised individual title sales as follows:
Devil Dealing: 374
The Ryder Quartet: 319
The Mashego File: 211
Plain Dealing: 203
Gun Dealing: 197
Death Dealing: 156
Behind the Lines: 85
This is not going to pay the mortgage, but I’m immensely grateful to my readers for going on this journey with me. I hope the trickle of sales (and the associated Amazon Kindle page-read count) continues growing for years to come…
Strength to your arm. I just read The Ryder Collection. Very good. Keep it going. I love the subtle comments on the corruption that is taking place even now.
Well done Ian. Your local knowledge of crime scenes in Durban South Africa is impressive. Whens the next book out?
Sorry, only saw this comment now. September is the plannned date for Mashego II: provisionally entitled “Mashego Calling”.
Very interesting. I thought you guys were rolling in money but obviously not. I’ve read three of your books, by the way. Liked them a lot. Keep it up and maybe one day you’ll win a movie contract.
From your lips to Hollywoood’s ears, Nigel. Thank you.