What Are Your Chances Of Being A Successful Author?

The majority of writers would love to find success as authors. However, we know that the odds are stacked against us. It was always tough to get a book publishing deal, and while the rise of self-publishing meant that authors were able to get their book out into the public domain regardless, without proper marketing it is hugely challenging to find your readership and get them to buy your book.

So, realistically, is there any point? What are the chances of becoming a successful author in this day and age? Let's take a look at some of the facts.

The average indie author only sells around 250 books (ever). But that figure is skewed by those few that are selling hundreds of thousands of copies of their novels. So the real number may be a lot lower than this. This makes for some pretty depressing news for those who are looking to self-publish, though naturally there are reasons why some books do better than others.

There are success stories from self-published authors. It's also important to focus on the fact that there are those indie authors who become famous and enjoy success. Some indie authors can make a modest living from their books. Others make millions and millions of pounds. Take E.L James for example. She started as a self-published author and went on to top the Forbes' list of the highest-earning authors in 2013.

Those who have a marketing budget are likely to do better. If you want your novel to be successful, there are several things that you can do to give yourself the best chance of success, and one of them is have a budget to publish and market your book in the most professional way possible. While authors have varying success from different marketing methods, the truth is, the bigger your budget, the more likely you are to ensure that you book reaches the right people and that they are persuaded to buy it.

If you get an agent or publisher, you'll have less control and have to pay a percentage of the money you make to them - but at least you'll get a professional team backing your book. However, the truth is that if you aren't offered that much money in your book contract, you're not likely to have a large, professional team working hard to make sure your book sells. If they only offer you a 5-10k advance, warning bells should ring. If that's all they can give you, how much are they going to invest into marketing your book - you might actually be better off self-publishing and keeping all of the sales proceeds yourself - if making money is your number one priority that is.

Persistence is key. There are many famous novelists who, had they given up too early, would never have made it as a successful author. Multiple rejections and poor book sales didn't hold them back, so you never know when you might experience the same change in fortune!

The stats say that around 80 percent of Americans fancy themselves as an author, and with over 1 million self-published books published on Amazon, it has never been easier to make the dream of becoming an author a reality. However being a successful one is a mixture of hard work, good luck and never giving up.

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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