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I'VE DECIDED THAT IT'S TIME FOR ME TO STOP BEING AFRAID TO FAIL AND STEP UP INTO THE SELF-PUBLISHING GAME AGAIN. THIS FIRST POST WILL BE LENGTHY, BUT IT WILL GIVE YOU INSIGHT INTO MY JOURNEY THUS FAR.
===
I STARTED WRITING AND PUBLISHING IN 2006 - KINDA.
After a bad breakup, I joined an old forum based on a video vixen. She wasn't as participatory as we would have liked, but the community was strong. Lots of laughs and like-minded people. One of the members decided to launch a magazine and with my flair for interviewing people and community engagement, I landed a role as Editorial Assistant, and later, Associate Editor.
After several years, my writing has been featured in a few places, but mainly my own sites/blogs and that magazine. I leveraged this skill into niche blogging, which I dived into in 2009. I was an Air Force wife at the time, graduating from school with my BS (Management) and finding it tough to find a job that respected my loan payments. In fact, I thought it was hard to find work because of the "military wife" stigma (you're not going to stay long, you're flaky, lazy, etc.)
Affiliate marketing through my blog was cool but I never made the profits my friends did. I cared too much about what I was promoting. I couldn't promote a $50 ebook I hadn't read. What if it was low quality and crappy? Then the customer would refund their money and nobody could trust me!
In addition, the need for money pulled me into scattered action. I had "Bright Shiny Object" syndrome chasing the perfect niche, but I noticed it wasn't until I wrote about a sex ebook I read on Clickbank that I started making some money. Even still, I didn't take the sign. I thought the book could be written better, but I wasn't prepared to do anything about this - not right away at least.
AMAZON, WSOS AND MAKING MONEY OFF THE INAPPROPRIATE
By 2011, I'd interviewed and profiled all types of individuals, gotten a Master's in Internet Marketing and had still been struggling with consistent affiliate income. I had a lot of drive and talent, but I wasn't profiting. I didn't know what to do next.
I spent lots of time on the Warrior Forum, in and out of different threads, trying to figure out what I was missing. I stumbled across a WSO about making $700 a week on Amazon Kindle. You didn't need a website. You didn't need to market. You just needed this guide. The screenshots displayed royalties and sales around $700 a week. I lived at home, and mainly made money mystery shopping, so that would have gone a long way.
I bought the WSO ... I Think it was like 7 bucks. Gobbled it up, and started experimenting. I wrote a mini book under a pen name following its formula. It made about $6. The next month, I expensed some "energy" I had and wrote a sexual instruction book. I didn't think too much of it. I just wanted to see who would buy into my horndog tendencies. But to my surprise, it was that book - the one I wrote from sheer kicks (and horniness) that ended up making me about $8k in 2 years - without ANY marketing.
My friends were impressed, because they were always warning me against talking about sex or inappropriate things. They said it would hurt my chances of getting a real job ... and the underlying message was that sex didn't make money... but when I "struck gold" with this, they supported me. Hell, even my dad (who is now a pastor) said he was proud of me. He tells people I'm a great writer, but he just won't tell them what I write. My family thinks it's crazy but in their own way they're proud too.
So serious.
LAZINESS... AND DISCOURAGEMENT
For about 1.5 years, I literally enjoyed the joy of sitting on my a$$. I bought what I wanted - in my case, not much, and paid personal bills with that money. To supplement, I was retail auditing on the side. The retail audits weren't paying the best, but they did enough and allowed me to travel. But overall, I was really sitting on my behind. I didn't strategize for keeping the funds. I had published about 3 or 4 books, and thought publishing more books would solve my issue in terms of increasing funds.
Hurricane Sandy hit the NY area last year. Staten Island and Brooklyn, where I'm from, were devastated. At this time, my earnings tanked. It took me 6-8 months to realize that it wasn't the weather, or the pricing (I upped the prices), but the Amazon Adult Filter that did me in. Selena Kitt talks about it on her blog, but basically, the filter removes explicit Kindle material from the general search results. The "big secret" is that Amazon Kindle makes a lot of money through sex/erotic/romance books, but they don't want to be seen as smut peddlers. So, you have to watch your book and your content and/or create an independent strategy for marketing it outside of letting Amazon's internal SEO work for you.
I was so upset at the system. I tried everything to get around it, and didn't get much of anywhere. I tweaked my titles. Created new covers (myself). But I wouldn't market, and I wouldn't get off the idea that I needed "my money back first".
THE LEAP... TO NOW
I suffered a bit of depression and anger for a good while, because not only had my publishing taken a hit, but the retail job was shut down. So I really had to scramble for some source of income.
I took a part time gig doing Internet work for someone who basically belittled my skills to justify limiting my income. I did way too much work all the time. Then, on paydays, it was difficult to find him until late in the evening. I ended up going to get a retail gig at a lingerie store and mystery shopping again to tide me over.
Retail hours died after Christmas. And on my birthday, I got an email saying I was fired from my main mystery shopping gig. Royalties were still down. Depression set in again.
From February to almost May of this year (2012), I was low. I didn't know what to do or where to turn. I had decided to get my MFA to avoid student loan payments and strengthen my employability in marketing or as a freelancer (design/marketing hybrids are in demand, but even then the field is competitive).
I called a friend, and asked about her gig. They paid alright. Thing was, they were in Kansas City, MO. I tried to get the job before I got there, but they basically said I was a 'flight risk' until I was there. I was told to come to KC and then I'd get an interview, and possibly a position. I transferred my retail position and left with the last $2k in my pocket. When I got there, management told my friend my resume was intimidating. They also stalled on the interviews.
I worked at a massage place and the retail gig, from 6a - 9p some nights... almost never having off. I took time off school. And I started to burn out quickly.
TURNING POINTS
By August, I wrote one more book, but STILL wasn't making money. The adult filter was swift. I gave up trying to game it, or argue with Amazon.
I realized that I needed to put hustle and soul into marketing the book - the main book that had made 95% of my money - and possibly invest more into it before I got anything out of it. I had a bunch of resources, taken several classes and realized I needed a job to take care of my expenses (I was miles away from home, no family)... while I finished my degree and leveraged something.
In August, right before I was set to come home to NY and literally start from 0 again, my friend offered me a guaranteed position in Dallas. It wouldn't pay much, but there was overtime if I worked hard, and it would be a good headstart. I also would room with this friend (she had an extra room) so finding a place wasn't going to be an issue.
Having lived by the seat of my pants before, I took the leap and jumped. I finished my degree, and pursued a few opportunities that seemed promising but went "nowhere." Marketing manager at a publishing company, search marketing at an agency, SEO specialist, content writer... blah blah.
I would get feedback that basically indicated my experience, while great, wasn't a good fit. Speaking with a few friends in HR, they revealed that having been a freelancer makes me look way to risky - and even a threat. (But in my opinion, shouldn't it at least speak WELL on my part that I put myself out there and stayed proactive? Whatever...)
After two very painful interviewing experiences in the last 2 months, I decided F*ck running after another interview. If I pursued any job, it would be very specific to my needs/desires, and since I'd still need a proven record of success for them, I'll just chill where I currently am and stop running from the work that needs to be done with my publishing empire.
I'm still making money, but I miss the large paydays Kindle and Nook brought. I won't see these paydays from a job, and if I did, it wouldn't be the same because these are perpetual, whereas my effort and "working" would justify someone else paying me.
So with that said, I've recently started to focus and streamline my attention to focus on the books.
*DEEP EXHALE*
===
I STARTED WRITING AND PUBLISHING IN 2006 - KINDA.
After a bad breakup, I joined an old forum based on a video vixen. She wasn't as participatory as we would have liked, but the community was strong. Lots of laughs and like-minded people. One of the members decided to launch a magazine and with my flair for interviewing people and community engagement, I landed a role as Editorial Assistant, and later, Associate Editor.
After several years, my writing has been featured in a few places, but mainly my own sites/blogs and that magazine. I leveraged this skill into niche blogging, which I dived into in 2009. I was an Air Force wife at the time, graduating from school with my BS (Management) and finding it tough to find a job that respected my loan payments. In fact, I thought it was hard to find work because of the "military wife" stigma (you're not going to stay long, you're flaky, lazy, etc.)
Affiliate marketing through my blog was cool but I never made the profits my friends did. I cared too much about what I was promoting. I couldn't promote a $50 ebook I hadn't read. What if it was low quality and crappy? Then the customer would refund their money and nobody could trust me!
In addition, the need for money pulled me into scattered action. I had "Bright Shiny Object" syndrome chasing the perfect niche, but I noticed it wasn't until I wrote about a sex ebook I read on Clickbank that I started making some money. Even still, I didn't take the sign. I thought the book could be written better, but I wasn't prepared to do anything about this - not right away at least.
AMAZON, WSOS AND MAKING MONEY OFF THE INAPPROPRIATE
By 2011, I'd interviewed and profiled all types of individuals, gotten a Master's in Internet Marketing and had still been struggling with consistent affiliate income. I had a lot of drive and talent, but I wasn't profiting. I didn't know what to do next.
I spent lots of time on the Warrior Forum, in and out of different threads, trying to figure out what I was missing. I stumbled across a WSO about making $700 a week on Amazon Kindle. You didn't need a website. You didn't need to market. You just needed this guide. The screenshots displayed royalties and sales around $700 a week. I lived at home, and mainly made money mystery shopping, so that would have gone a long way.
I bought the WSO ... I Think it was like 7 bucks. Gobbled it up, and started experimenting. I wrote a mini book under a pen name following its formula. It made about $6. The next month, I expensed some "energy" I had and wrote a sexual instruction book. I didn't think too much of it. I just wanted to see who would buy into my horndog tendencies. But to my surprise, it was that book - the one I wrote from sheer kicks (and horniness) that ended up making me about $8k in 2 years - without ANY marketing.
My friends were impressed, because they were always warning me against talking about sex or inappropriate things. They said it would hurt my chances of getting a real job ... and the underlying message was that sex didn't make money... but when I "struck gold" with this, they supported me. Hell, even my dad (who is now a pastor) said he was proud of me. He tells people I'm a great writer, but he just won't tell them what I write. My family thinks it's crazy but in their own way they're proud too.
So serious.
LAZINESS... AND DISCOURAGEMENT
For about 1.5 years, I literally enjoyed the joy of sitting on my a$$. I bought what I wanted - in my case, not much, and paid personal bills with that money. To supplement, I was retail auditing on the side. The retail audits weren't paying the best, but they did enough and allowed me to travel. But overall, I was really sitting on my behind. I didn't strategize for keeping the funds. I had published about 3 or 4 books, and thought publishing more books would solve my issue in terms of increasing funds.
Hurricane Sandy hit the NY area last year. Staten Island and Brooklyn, where I'm from, were devastated. At this time, my earnings tanked. It took me 6-8 months to realize that it wasn't the weather, or the pricing (I upped the prices), but the Amazon Adult Filter that did me in. Selena Kitt talks about it on her blog, but basically, the filter removes explicit Kindle material from the general search results. The "big secret" is that Amazon Kindle makes a lot of money through sex/erotic/romance books, but they don't want to be seen as smut peddlers. So, you have to watch your book and your content and/or create an independent strategy for marketing it outside of letting Amazon's internal SEO work for you.
I was so upset at the system. I tried everything to get around it, and didn't get much of anywhere. I tweaked my titles. Created new covers (myself). But I wouldn't market, and I wouldn't get off the idea that I needed "my money back first".
THE LEAP... TO NOW
I suffered a bit of depression and anger for a good while, because not only had my publishing taken a hit, but the retail job was shut down. So I really had to scramble for some source of income.
I took a part time gig doing Internet work for someone who basically belittled my skills to justify limiting my income. I did way too much work all the time. Then, on paydays, it was difficult to find him until late in the evening. I ended up going to get a retail gig at a lingerie store and mystery shopping again to tide me over.
Retail hours died after Christmas. And on my birthday, I got an email saying I was fired from my main mystery shopping gig. Royalties were still down. Depression set in again.
From February to almost May of this year (2012), I was low. I didn't know what to do or where to turn. I had decided to get my MFA to avoid student loan payments and strengthen my employability in marketing or as a freelancer (design/marketing hybrids are in demand, but even then the field is competitive).
I called a friend, and asked about her gig. They paid alright. Thing was, they were in Kansas City, MO. I tried to get the job before I got there, but they basically said I was a 'flight risk' until I was there. I was told to come to KC and then I'd get an interview, and possibly a position. I transferred my retail position and left with the last $2k in my pocket. When I got there, management told my friend my resume was intimidating. They also stalled on the interviews.
I worked at a massage place and the retail gig, from 6a - 9p some nights... almost never having off. I took time off school. And I started to burn out quickly.
TURNING POINTS
By August, I wrote one more book, but STILL wasn't making money. The adult filter was swift. I gave up trying to game it, or argue with Amazon.
I realized that I needed to put hustle and soul into marketing the book - the main book that had made 95% of my money - and possibly invest more into it before I got anything out of it. I had a bunch of resources, taken several classes and realized I needed a job to take care of my expenses (I was miles away from home, no family)... while I finished my degree and leveraged something.
In August, right before I was set to come home to NY and literally start from 0 again, my friend offered me a guaranteed position in Dallas. It wouldn't pay much, but there was overtime if I worked hard, and it would be a good headstart. I also would room with this friend (she had an extra room) so finding a place wasn't going to be an issue.
Having lived by the seat of my pants before, I took the leap and jumped. I finished my degree, and pursued a few opportunities that seemed promising but went "nowhere." Marketing manager at a publishing company, search marketing at an agency, SEO specialist, content writer... blah blah.
I would get feedback that basically indicated my experience, while great, wasn't a good fit. Speaking with a few friends in HR, they revealed that having been a freelancer makes me look way to risky - and even a threat. (But in my opinion, shouldn't it at least speak WELL on my part that I put myself out there and stayed proactive? Whatever...)
After two very painful interviewing experiences in the last 2 months, I decided F*ck running after another interview. If I pursued any job, it would be very specific to my needs/desires, and since I'd still need a proven record of success for them, I'll just chill where I currently am and stop running from the work that needs to be done with my publishing empire.
I'm still making money, but I miss the large paydays Kindle and Nook brought. I won't see these paydays from a job, and if I did, it wouldn't be the same because these are perpetual, whereas my effort and "working" would justify someone else paying me.
So with that said, I've recently started to focus and streamline my attention to focus on the books.
*DEEP EXHALE*
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).
