Print Books and Royalty Rates - Authors (or Readers?) are LOSING

Welcome back, good people of the blogosphere! I'd say happy Friday, but it's been a challenging day so far. Today, I'm going to show SO many of you a side of Indie publishing you may not be aware of and what the current economy has done. I invite you all to join me on this adventure with your warm coffee and sunscreen, because it's HOT outside, and I don't want you getting skin issues. Now, let's dive RIGHT on in.

This should piss EVERYONE off. My issue: I have several books that I make very little on when they sell in print. Here's MY list, but I also have some printed through a different account (one of the other collaborators). I'm sure she hasn't logged in recently, so she probably knows nothing about it.

Right now, let's focus on The Indie Author's Guide. That book is currently listed at $2.99 for an ebook and $6.99 for a paperback.

When I sell an ebook, I make $2.07. Delivery costs are low because the book is small (around three cents), and I get 70% of the profit. Now, when I sell a paperback priced at $6.99, I make $0.50 as of today. That's right, FIFTY CENTS. I kept that number small to keep the cost for other authors LOW. Most people want the print book because you can write in it. Today, I log in and see this:

So either I raise my price for YOU, or I make nothing. How is this okay? As you can see, the book is only 54 pages, because I wanted to keep the fluff to a minimum and sell you a book you can actually use that has relevant information in it that doesn't cost you a ton of money.

My at-cost price has also increased, so I'd have to charge $5 minimum in person just to recoup what I paid to have the book printed and shipped to me.

You don't see them on the list because they're not published under me, but this will also impact the War and Pieces ~ Frayed Fairy Tale series books. Those are also priced as low as possible so you guys don't have to spend so much to get a copy with pretty artwork that I literally spent MONTHS on creating.

So, my solution is: You can just get the information FREE right here on the blog. Yep, that's right, we'll bypass the Zon completely, and I'll post each section of the book here for you to read as you wish. I'm already giving it away after June 10th, so why not?

If you guys can't tell, I'm angry. Grr.

I feel like I need to buy at least one copy of each book just so it doesn't cost ME an arm and a leg to shelve them in my own library (which I haven't done yet). I keep giving them to friends. I know. Don't lecture me.

Readers should be pissed, too. After all, when we start losing money, we have to raise prices or not get paid for our craft. That falls on y'all.

What do you guys suggest I do about the others? All of these are only $6 for a print book right now because I wanted low costs for my readers.

I'm ready to scream.

Deep breath. Release. Cripes on a cracker.

Drop me a comment below with your ideas, so we can all benefit from them, and keep an eye on the blog for that book. ;)

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Serials - What Now? 7 Ways to Repurpose Your Serial Novels

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! I know it's been super quiet around here the last TWO times I was supposed to be here, BUT I have the best reasons ever. 

My house is now packed and ready to move. That's the first thing, and it happened over the last five days. We were so close, but we were also so far away. Our movers will be here Saturday, and then it's on to Florida. Goodbye weird Georgia weather! :D 

Second, my buddy from NZ was in Atlanta due to a layover on her flight home. If you haven't read any of Tee Ayer's books, you simply MUST. Find her on Amazon here. I spent the day with her. How often do you get a friend in town from halfway around the world? Exactly. My schedule was cleared right away when she told me she'd be here.

Those things meant no blog posts. Talking about those serial novels you have scattered all over your computer that have now gone the way of useless is what was planned, so I'll be diving into that now. I've wasted enough of your time up here. Let's get into the nuts and bolts. Grab that coffee and get to scrolling!

We all heard the collective sigh when Kindle Vella decided to shutter. Now there are all these authors with all these serial novels screaming for a place to go. Here are some ideas to get your novel repurposed and out to the world:

1. Hire an Editor and Package It as a Full-Length Novel or Novella

Combine your serial episodes into a cohesive standalone eBook and/or print edition, save a few of those, and offer the chapters as exclusive bonus chapters or new content to attract previous readers.

2. Host It Independently on Your Website or Blog

Offer chapters one by one via your website or blog to build direct reader engagement. You can monetize through reader donations, subscriptions, or membership tiers (like Patreon or Ko-fi).

3. Create an Email Newsletter Series

Serialize your novel via email, offering weekly episodes to subscribers. This options would build your mailing list and reader loyalty simultaneously.

4. Podcast Serials

You could record and release episodes (chapters) weekly or monthly in audio form via podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Audible, and you can monetize them with sponsorships, donations, or ad revenue. You can also do this with the first book in a series and offer a discount code for the others by selling direct to consumer from your website.

5. Publish on Alternative Serial Fiction Platforms

• Wattpad: Yeah, it's still there! Crazy, right? You can leverage their large user base and active reader communities via Wattpad though.
• Radish: It seems great for monetizing romance or drama serials through reader micropayments.
• Royal Road: New to me, but this one is more for fantasy, sci-fi, or litRPG serials.
• Ream: Ream is specifically designed for authors offering serialized fiction and supports direct reader subscriptions. It seems to be the replacement platform for Vella.

6. Exclusive Content on Patreon or Substack

Offer serialized chapters as exclusive content for paying subscribers, or provide additional incentives like author Q\&A, behind-the-scenes, early access to content, or special editions of other books.

7. Interactive Fiction or Game Adaptation

Turn your already serialized novel into an interactive narrative! I just found out this is possible by using platforms like ChoiceScript or Twine. Pretty cool if you ask me. It might be better if the story isn't done yet, but what have you got to lose? You can engage readers by letting them shape the story as it unfolds.

Many of you might've already uncovered a lot of these, but I truly think it sucks when they yank a carpet you've been riding out from under you. I thought this might be a helpful post, anyway.

Did you get anything out of it or find something you didn't know about? Was there something in there you hadn't considered doing? Do you have something else that's working? Drop a comment so other readers can find it. A rising tide lifts all boats!

Well, that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo