Booky Things

Excited about this weekend.

First, on Friday I'm leading another self-pub workshop for a few people who want to get their manuscript in print form. Hobbyists. Which is super! Anyone can participate. It is a great thing that self-publishing sites like Lulu and CreateSpace have done for the average bear. Now you can publish that memoir, that children's book project, that genealogy tome, that collection of poetry, giving it physical form for friends and family - and even put it up for sale!

Who knows? Launch it into the new slush pile and let readers decide if it's something they want. So self-pubbing is great for hobbyists. But it's also great for part-timers and a bunch of us who are wanting to learn to be in business for ourselves. Those who know me know that that's been a long-time ambition of mine (and no, it wasn't Amway, but you get the idea). This allows someone like me to learn a business with almost no upfront cost. Heh.

Then, of course, there are those who want to self-publish because it's a strategy to reach readers with great stories and make a living at the same time. This is where I'm heading. And for those who want to read some sales numbers, go here. I'll be updating you at the end of the month with my sales #s for The Last Prayer, but so far mid-month, I've sold over 300 copies (about 21 a day) which translates to about $7 a day. Not get rich quick, but I've earned over $100 so far which means a nice night out with mi esposa. :)

Toward that end (of going full time as a writer), the second exciting thing I'll be doing this weekend is heading to our Renaissance Festival with a bunch of other local authors, including T. M. Hunter, to participate in the Author's Pavilion. Great opportunity to mingle with the crowd and rub shoulders with other writers and sell a few books. Last year I made enough to buy that turkey leg (a RenFest favorite!) that is always so tempting. Okay, so another not get rich quick opportunity. But a fun one nevertheless.

So if you're out and about this weekend, drop by! And tell me about some of your booky things.