I know that writing fiction does not generate much income. I know that most novelists do not support themselves on their royalties and advances. Then I read articles like this one and I really know it.
It’s not the lack of money more than it is the lack of readership that bothers me. My husband says that it’s a pride thing instead of an avarice thing for me. Darn right. If I’m spending all this time crafting and polishing my stories, I’d like to have lots of readers, please. Preferably tens of thousands of them.
That said, I got a thousand words on the last story of this month. So, despite my pessimism, I’m still planning on inflicting my work on the unsuspecting populace. Oh, and ALSO, I got my contributor copy of Neverlands and Otherwheres which includes my story Second Sight (written as R. A. Gale). I got a real kick out of watching my husband read my story in its published form. Hee.
The readership question: look at it this way: at least the publishers/reviewers have to read every one of your stories, whether it gets published or not, so some readership is inevitable 🙂 As in, at least 16 people have read my research paper that has been rejected four times. Not bad, eh? Or maybe I’m trying to focus desperately, pathetically, on the positive.
*nods* sad but true. I’d like to be able to earn enough money from my writing so I can eat and have a roof over my head while I write more, but I’m well aware I will probably need to continue to work. 🙂
Heh. In the sf/f world, the powers that be often reject after reading the first page. So there’s no guarantee that your opus will actually be read all the way through. Bummer. 😛
Jo, David says that he’s quite happy to be the sugar daddy. I guess that’s a good thing…
HI Rabia,
I’m in the Neverlands anthology too, my first one, which is a real if not financial thrill – I’m losing more money than I’m making even with a couple of novels in print.
However, if you want readers directly, consider joining Book Glutton, which has an upload facility for your own stuff, and lots of readers. I put up a several times rejected short story there Sunday before last, and since then it’s had over 80 readers – more than the short fiction I actually have in print, I bet.
Dunt have the URL for Book Glutton, but just google it.
And congrats on getting into the antho. I plan on giving copies to all my rellies, and hope to watch a few faces as they read!
Best wishes
SK
Hi, Sylvia!
Thanks for dropping by. I’m reading the other stories in the anthology and am pleased to be in such good company. 🙂
Thanks for your tip about Book Glutton. I will look into it.