Cash from eBooks and Best $elling Authors
The conventional wisdom in the eBook publishing world is that the way to make money in publishing is to write pithy, useful non-fiction title.
Everyday I get at least one email or Google alert telling me that I can ensure my financial future, or make big money, or even thousands of dollars by writing and promoting an eBook. Preferably theirs.
At least once a week I get an email from someone telling me about their great eBook idea and how it will make thousands of dollars, just as soon as they can get it written. . .
More often than I would like, when I search for a specific piece of information I stumble on to a site that has clearly been put up by the author in an effort to make his fortune. Occasionally I even bite and buy the book. I can only think of once case where I was not disappointed.
So it is with great interest that I study the annual Forbes list of the top selling authors and an estimate of their earnings. Here they are for this last year (June 07-June 08) :
- J.K. Rowling, $300 million
- James Patterson, $50 million
- Stephen King, $45 million
- Tom Clancy, $35 million
- Danielle Steel, $30 million
- John Grisham, $25 million
- Dean Koontz, $25 million
- Ken Follett, $20 million
- Janet Evanovich, $17 million
- Nicholas Sparks, $16 million
Not a non-fiction author is sight! We have one YA (young adult) author, two horror and three romance writers and four suspense novelists.
Also missing is anything close to an author who write literary fiction.
What they have in common is that they are all authors with multiple titles, often in a series or two. And with the exception of Rowling have at least their new titles in multiple book formats including eBook and audio book.
But most importantly (IMHO) is that they all provide the reader (you and I) with an escape from ordinary, daily life. I know I have contributed to several of these authors earnings. How about you?
If nothing else, this list is fascinating for what it says about popular culture and the reading public.
1 comment:
My sentiments exactly - and long may it reign.
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