A few days ago, there was a number flashed all over the internet.
That number was 1,000,000. That's how many ebooks James Patterson has sold.
Pretty impressive, huh?
Yes, and no.
Yes, because a million is a big number.
No, because compared to his print sales, it's tiny.
There's also another reason it isn't impressive. A personal reason.
I've sold 60,000 ebooks. By the end of 2010, I'll have sold over 100,000.
In June, I earned $12,000 on ebooks that I self-published on Kindle. I'm currently selling about 8000 per month.
And this is just on Kindle. Patterson's numbers seem to include all ebook platforms.
I did it in 15 months. Patterson's numbers probably have been accruing for many years, since ebooks first started being sold.
Plus, he's freakin' James Patterson, and I'm a midlist little fish. He's got many more titles (65) than I do (17), he's a #1 bestseller, and he's a name brand with movies and TV shows and huge advertising budgets.
And yet, on my own, I've sold 1/10th of what he has. In far less time. With fewer titles. On Kindle only. With no advertising. No TV commercials. No name brand.
I'm happy Mr. Patterson has reached this historic milestone. I'm sure he'll have another million or two sales in his future.
Just as I'm sure I'll reach a million as well.
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211 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 211 of 211The indie crap is here to stay. Just think of it as democracy.
Pile it high and deep I say. The more crap that gets published by indies the more your average readers will rely on reviews and rankings to help find the ponies...
What's your point Ellen? You're splitting hairs, IMO.
My statement stills holds true. If you price it cheap enough, people will grab it up whether it's good or not. Maybe not in droves, but you will get sales if you put the thing out in front of people.
Because the truth is, when they buy your ebook for a buck or two they have no idea if it's good or not. They won't know that until they read the book, if they ever do.
Maybe they've read your work before and weren't too thrilled, but figured for 2 bucks they could take another chance on you. Maybe they never read you before but bought into that sexy cover of yours with the chick's hands all over the hot dude. Or maybe they just liked the synopsis.
But the lure is still 2 bucks.
How can you go wrong for 2 bucks?
And if you do go wrong, 2 bucks is only 2 bucks.
No biggie, right?
And more than likely the reader had extremely low expectations of the book anyway. Because after all, the author only charged 2 bucks. That's practically giving it away. The big boys don't sell their work that cheap, now do they?
See where this is going?
But for many of you it's all good. Because you're part of a revolution. You guys are gonna show those big boys how it's really done, and how you don't need them for shit.
As I said earlier, IMO, that's a revolution we don't need. Wannabes calling themselves published authors because Amazon has made it fast, easy and painless will only serve to drag down the serious writers out there. And making money doesn't make it good. Period.
Right now Joe is the exception when it comes to his level of success. I'm not talking from the standpoint of established A-list authors. I'm talking indie success. And Joe isn't really an indie author, is he?
-jt
"My statement stills holds true. If you price it cheap enough, people will grab it up whether it's good or not. Maybe not in droves, but you will get sales if you put the thing out in front of people."
I'm saying that in my opinion, your statement does NOT hold true. There is plenty of drivel on Amazon that does not sell AT ALL. Indie books in the top thousand or so, on the other hand, tend to be pretty well written, in my experience. The really bad stuff could be priced for a penny and still not sell.
At any rate, I don't think we're going to come to an agreement on this, so at this point I think I'll agree to disagree with you, because people don't come to Joe's blog to observe the Ellen vs. Anon Show:-).
That is why ghost-written books like James Patterson's dreck and Glen Beck's The Overton Window sell millions of copies -- the average consumer isn't smart enough to know a good book from a bad book and the average reader probably isn't smart enough to enjoy a good book -- which is why the market is flooded with D-List thrillers and YA Vampire porn.
I'm so thrilled you're around to enlighten us about which books are good and which are bad, as we are much too stupid to figure it out on our own.
With your wisdom, I'm sure your good books sell millions...oh wait...
Moron.
Wannabes calling themselves published authors because Amazon has made it fast, easy and painless will only serve to drag down the serious writers out there.
I'm sooo glad you are here to make the distinctions between the serious writers and the wannabes. Please mark the line-ups so we can organize ourselves accordingly.
Let me guess -- you happen to be in the camp of the "serious" writer.
The arrogance of some people is just stunning.
I hope I'm never considered a serious writer just to avoid being in the same category as you.
That's amazing. I'm glad authors who have trouble getting an agent can sign with Amazon and have prosperous success. Patterson's numbers are even more encouraging. Good show!
I hope I'm never considered a serious writer just to avoid being in the same category as you.
I don't think you have ANYTHING to worry about there, son.
One reader's Patterson is another reader's Hemingway.
Who am I to judge my neighbor's reading habits?
This is so ridiculous and holds the reader in contempt. I have a lot more respect for readers.
Fair enough.
Just to clarify:
Current bestsellers:
#7: The Obama Diaries (by Laura Ingraham- yummy!)
#10: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (a Twilight Vampire/Eclipse Novella!)
#15 Sliding Into Home (By Kendra Wilkinson-- one of Hugh Hefner's Ex-mistresses)
#16 The Overton Window! Truly, an American Classic-- (outselling To Kill a Mockingbird, by the way, when I checked. This actually made me very, very sad).
All the Twilight books are still in the top 50.
Atlas Shrugged is still up there, too... #83. Ayn Rand is still wildly popular.
You know, I bought some of Rand's more esoteric works at a used bookstore in LA many years ago. It was a goldmine-- shit that would make your eyes pop.
JT,
By all means publish here.
Please re-read my advice on how to find *excellent* e-books. You seem to have had bad luck finding good ones. #1 advice is to read the reviews and find reviewers you share a similar interest.
In certain genres, I've found works that the big 6 haven't matched that quality in two decades.
There is so much to be excited about in e-books. When a series is no longer popular enough to 'rent shelf space,' it will live on as an e-book.
I'm most excited about that a limit in shelf space no longer limits the variety of good fiction available.
Instead of focusing on the negatives of e-books, enjoy what they now bring to the plate!
Now the question is, when will e-books attain 20% market share? That is when something new goes from 'technology' to 'an appliance.'
I do share your hope that fewer indie authors publish poor works. They should buy KA's "Newbie's guide to Publishing." ;)
I think all the advice on how to write a good book is there.
Neil
"I'm so thrilled you're around to enlighten us about which books are good and which are bad, as we are much too stupid to figure it out on our own."
Happy to be of service!
A shame you were too wrapped up in jealousy and snark to post under your real name because I would have been happy to share a list of excellent books by authors instead of ghosts.
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