(The Telegraph) Millions dream of quitting the grind and replacing their income through a rewarding, creative endeavour.
And what could be simpler – and more glamorous – than writing a bestselling novel?
Thriller writer Mark Edwards struggled early in his career to find a publisher. After years of not knowing how the next month’s bill would be paid, Mark Edwards is among a new and growing elite of high-earning authors who broke away from traditional publishing routes and self-published online.
The average British author earns just £12,500 a year, according to the Society of Editors, while Mr Edwards now takes home a comfortable five-figure income. And the advent of ebooks played a major part in his success.
Publishers rejected me, but I went on to earn six-figures selling 1,000 books a day.
“When I started writing at 23 and trying to get published, no-one had heard of Amazon.”, says Mr Edwards, now 46 to The Telegraph.
“I wrote four or five novels over the next five years and spent all that time trying to get an agent. The internet barely existed. You be constantly getting these brown envelopes coming back with rejection slips.”
Then, as today, writers need agents to put their work in front of the publishers who hold the keys to bookshops. Edwards has, by now – sold over two million books, mainly through Amazon.
“By 2007 I’d pretty much given up on being an author. I had a career and started having children and I didn’t have the mental energy any more. My day job and family took over my life. I thought ‘well I’ve given it my best shot, it didn’t work out’ but I could go away with some pride at having tried.”
How ebooks changed the game. Then, in 2010, Amazon launched its successful ebook reader, the Kindle, in Britain. Hundreds of thousands of new book were suddenly available far cheaper than traditional paper and hardback copies. Over a million out-of-copyright titles could also be purchased, often for pennies.
The launch fuelled a boom in self-publishing. For the first time there was a route for aspiring writers to circumvent agents and publishers and release their work at minimal cost. Read the whole article here.
This really is an inspiring article, is it not? Both for people who wan`t to write and those who wan´t to read – and I am both! I am also one of the first authors in Norway that broke away from traditional publishing routes and went for self-publishing online.
I did this because the publishers didn`t do anything for me or my books, even though I sold over 6.000 of my debut novel Sannheten om Lotte-Marie, Usensurert in 2006.
I also found it very unreasonable that I only earned 15% and was paid only once a year. So in 2012, I decided to be Norway’s first Indie author and published online without a publisher. Now I have published nine books, both novels and documentaries, and two more are ready to fly.
But still, it took me five years before I even started to read ebooks myself, because I was one of those who for some reason preferred paper – and believe me, I’ve read a lot of books! When I was little, I only wanted books for Christmas and birthdays, and I have next to my work as an author – been a book reviewer since 2003, so I read a few books a week.
But my references have now changed for some good reasons. Now that I’ve started Feather Books Publishing, helping other authors and having my own bookstore, I’ve even started reading ebooks – and what I’m just saying – it has opened a whole new world for me.
So here are seven reasons why I now prefer e-books.
1. I access thousands of exciting and skilled authors like Mark Edwards, authors who doesn´t get through because they don`t fit into the publisher’s profile or release plan etc.
2. I access unique books from all around the world – books that I would never discover if it had not been for online books.
3. Ebooks is exceptionally convenient to read on your mobile, tablet or iPad. It only takes a keystroke, and I am right back the page that I left.
4. With this, I can read books everywhere and at any time.
5. Ebooks are much less expensive than printed, and more environmentally friendly.
6. Ebooks don´t take up space in your suitcase or at your home, and are easy to carry. 🙂
7. And finally – ebooks are very easy to get, I have access to thousands of exciting books from my couch or from my sun bed on holidays.
So now you probably see why I simply love ebooks. Yes, I know – the world is changing, and sometimes for the better. 🙂 You will find my book store Feather Books right here, and you will also find me at Amazon, where my books eventually will be published in English. With this I wish you all a great weekend.
Trude Helén Hole
If you wan´t to go to Croatia, read good books or learn about wine – have a look here. If you wan´t to follow this blog, please press FOLLOW up to the right.
Do you wan´t to join me at YouTube, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter or Facebook, or buy my books or wine courses – please do so:-)
(The Telegraph) Millions dream of quitting the grind and replacing their income through a rewarding, creative endeavour.
And what could be simpler – and more glamorous – than writing a bestselling novel?
Thriller writer Mark Edwards struggled early in his career to find a publisher. After years of not knowing how the next month’s bill would be paid, Mark Edwards is among a new and growing elite of high-earning authors who broke away from traditional publishing routes and self-published online.
The average British author earns just £12,500 a year, according to the Society of Editors, while Mr Edwards now takes home a comfortable five-figure income. And the advent of ebooks played a major part in his success.
Publishers rejected me, but I went on to earn six-figures selling 1,000 books a day.
“When I started writing at 23 and trying to get published, no-one had heard of Amazon.”, says Mr Edwards, now 46 to The Telegraph.
“I wrote four or five novels over the next five years and spent all that time trying to get an agent. The internet barely existed. You be constantly getting these brown envelopes coming back with rejection slips.”
Then, as today, writers need agents to put their work in front of the publishers who hold the keys to bookshops. Edwards has, by now – sold over two million books, mainly through Amazon.
“By 2007 I’d pretty much given up on being an author. I had a career and started having children and I didn’t have the mental energy any more. My day job and family took over my life. I thought ‘well I’ve given it my best shot, it didn’t work out’ but I could go away with some pride at having tried.”
How ebooks changed the game. Then, in 2010, Amazon launched its successful ebook reader, the Kindle, in Britain. Hundreds of thousands of new book were suddenly available far cheaper than traditional paper and hardback copies. Over a million out-of-copyright titles could also be purchased, often for pennies.
The launch fuelled a boom in self-publishing. For the first time there was a route for aspiring writers to circumvent agents and publishers and release their work at minimal cost. Read the whole article here.
This really is an inspiring article, is it not? Both for people who wan`t to write and those who wan´t to read – and I am both! I am also one of the first authors in Norway that broke away from traditional publishing routes and went for self-publishing online.
I did this because the publishers didn`t do anything for me or my books, even though I sold over 6.000 of my debut novel Sannheten om Lotte-Marie, Usensurert in 2006.
I also found it very unreasonable that I only earned 15% and was paid only once a year. So in 2012, I decided to be Norway’s first Indie author and published online without a publisher. Now I have published nine books, both novels and documentaries, and two more are ready to fly.
But still, it took me five years before I even started to read ebooks myself, because I was one of those who for some reason preferred paper – and believe me, I’ve read a lot of books! When I was little, I only wanted books for Christmas and birthdays, and I have next to my work as an author – been a book reviewer since 2003, so I read a few books a week.
But my references have now changed for some good reasons. Now that I’ve started Feather Books Publishing, helping other authors and having my own bookstore, I’ve even started reading ebooks – and what I’m just saying – it has opened a whole new world for me.
So here are seven reasons why I now prefer e-books.
1. I access thousands of exciting and skilled authors like Mark Edwards, authors who doesn´t get through because they don`t fit into the publisher’s profile or release plan etc.
2. I access unique books from all around the world – books that I would never discover if it had not been for online books.
3. Ebooks is exceptionally convenient to read on your mobile, tablet or iPad. It only takes a keystroke, and I am right back the page that I left.
4. With this, I can read books everywhere and at any time.
5. Ebooks are much less expensive than printed, and more environmentally friendly.
6. Ebooks don´t take up space in your suitcase or at your home, and are easy to carry. 🙂
7. And finally – ebooks are very easy to get, I have access to thousands of exciting books from my couch or from my sun bed on holidays.
So now you probably see why I simply love ebooks. Yes, I know – the world is changing, and sometimes for the better. 🙂 You will find my book store Feather Books right here, and you will also find me at Amazon, where my books eventually will be published in English. With this I wish you all a great weekend.
Trude Helén Hole
If you wan´t to go to Croatia, read good books or learn about wine – have a look here. If you wan´t to follow this blog, please press FOLLOW up to the right.
Do you wan´t to join me at YouTube, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter or Facebook, or buy my books or wine courses – please do so:-)
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