What it means to be an author in 2024-2025

It's been a few weeks since my last newsletter--my move back to the US, plus a conference, plus a holiday, plus writing a book has pulled me in quite a few different directions.

But today I'm excited to share some thoughts about the state of publishing and what it means to be an author in 2024 and 2025. I'm also a bit nervous to share, because there is some tough love in here, and it's not going to be what all of you want to hear.

Specifically, I'll be adding some commentary to Written Word Media 's Indie Author Survey, as well as sharing some comments on my experience at Author Nation.

Let's get started...

My thoughts on the Indie Author Survey

I love when WMM shares this survey! I think it provides a lot of clarity for authors and can help more authors set realistic expectations for their own journey.

Here below I'm sharing some commentary on the findings:

42.7% of authors want to make money from their books

If financial gain is your main motivation for writing a book, you NEED to invest in creating a sellable product and then invest in promoting it.

The article says, "[The data] suggests that treating writing like a business and prioritizing financial success can directly impact income levels. Authors with financial goals may approach the process more strategically, investing in marketing, editing, and other areas that help boost sales."

Please, please, please understand this: If your top priority is to make an income that can support you, then writing needs to be treated as a business with your book(s) being your product(s).

You can't say, "I don't want to do marketing, I just want to write." Because like it or not, marketing is part of business.

46% of authors earn $100 or less per month

This tells me that almost half of the authors out there are in need of help/guidance, whether it's in a developmental edit, professional cover design, marketing advice, etc.

If your primary goal is to generate income, you need to understand which genres will aid you, because certain genres offer a higher earning potential.

The fact is that some genres (or books that fall outside of genre norms) just don’t generate much income (you might develop a loyal readership with these, but that doesn’t always equate to top dollar income).

Again, if financial gain is the priority you need think like an entrepreneur and do market research so you can set the proper expectations.

More books published tend to correlate to higher income

This should help set the expectation that a first book might not make you rich.

It's important to note that your first few books might be a stepping stone for you if your primary goal is to maximize income.

If you plan is to only write one book, it is probably not wise to put all of your hopes and dreams in this single book replacing your monthly income.

High-earning authors are spending between $500-999 on cover design

I can't say this enough: investing in cover design is imperative!

Even investing $100-499 can give you a leg up for your book. Readers absolutely judge books by their covers, so you must make sure that you're giving your book a cover that fits the genre and has a professional quality to it.

78.5% of authors say marketing is the hardest part of self-publishing

In the survey results we can see a clear correlation between low marketing spend and lower income. Again...if income is your main goal, marketing is an unavoidable part of business!

The average marketing budget is $700/month, which is a number that scares a lot of authors (especially first-time and indie authors). But if you want to maximize the visibility of your book it's a number that is helpful for getting thousands (and even hundreds of thousands) new eyeballs on your book.

The average time spent marketing is 8 hours/week. This is just over 1 hour per day. When you break it down like that, it's easier to think about factoring it into your day. And again, it's an average! If you can even start by planning for 20-30 mins a day for marketing you are on a good path.

Authors ranked social media as overrated

Many authors struggle to turn social engagement into actual book sales.

Here's the truth: social media is good for building an author brand, but doesn’t always generate immediate sales unless used in conjunction with other tactics. On a platform like TikTok, however, there are lots of authors finding great success with immediate book sales, but this requires a good amount of time, consistency, and creativity.

Remember, social media is the FIRST wrung on the customer journey ladder, meaning it's often a first touchpoint for readers. Don't expect people who find you on social media to be fast customers. Instead, do what you can to get your followers over to an email list and continue the customer journey.

My thoughts from my week at Author Nation

A lot of my comments around Author Nation align with a lot of the above, which I think reinforces some of the misconceptions many authors have about publishing.

Let's dig in:

Marketing starts in the mind

I had a lot of conversations with authors during the industry expo day, and one of the biggest themes that kept coming up was the mindset around marketing.

It's hard. It's scary. It's overwhelming. It's too expensive.

No, it's not. You might think it is these things, but that is because you hear other people say them. I truly believe that if more authors sat down with a marketing expert (one that isn't trying to bullshit them) they'd be shocked at how approachable marketing can be.

If you think negative things around marketing, you will no doubt have a negative experience. But what would happen if you adjusted your mindset around it?

There is a lot of BS out there

I talked with authors who were told by certain things by other "experts" and agencies that are simply not true.

There is not one single magic bullet that works for every author. If there was I'd be a rich woman. But I'm still here paying off a mortgage and car lease.

Just because one author or expert swears by Facebook ads doesn't mean Facebook ads are the right thing for you. Maybe they are, and it's always worth testing, but if they don't work for you don't just throw in the towel and say marketing isn't working for you.

You can swap out Facebook ads with any marketing initiative and it's still true.

Get multiple opinions. Fact check. And don't take one person's word as the Bible.

Authors want a quick solution and a quick outcome

But (sadly) that’s not possible with marketing.

Anyone who promises a quick solution to you is only offering you a bandaid?hidden inside a prescription bottle. Or they don't actually know what they are doing.

There is always a possibility that something you try will work faster than expected, but never assume this will happen. Always be prepared for the long road.

Going viral is great! But it doesn't equate to long-term success. Anyone who goes viral and stops working will disappear forever. It's just not a legitimate solution.

Long-term success can only come from hard work and consistency.

Turning your writing into a BUSINESS is hard work

There's no sugarcoating it. If you truly want your books to be your primary source of income it's not as easy as writing one book, hitting publish, hoping it will sell, and then going to write your next one.

You need to go through the stages of ANY business.

• Market research
• Product development
• Product testing and re-designing
• Product launch
• Product sales and marketing
• Seeking product feedback

And the harsh reality is that most authors--especially when they are just starting out--are a one-person business. It is hard. And I know from my conversations that most authors just want to write and not have to worry about the rest.

If that is what you want there is nothing wrong with that, but if you aren't able or willing to devote the time needed to make your writing a business, then your main goal shouldn't be financial gain.

Final Thoughts

I'm on your side. I'm fairly confident that all of my clients would say I'm their biggest cheerleader. I want you to succeed, truly.

And that is why I share newsletters like this one. Because I want you to have all of the information you need to be encouraged, to have fun, and to feel like a rockstar.

If you look ahead to 2025 and see a need for marketing help, I'm here for you!

You can book a single consultation session here and we can work together to set some plans and create a strategy that works for you so you can go into 2025 with clarity and confidence.

If you want more hands-on help, let's jump on a free discovery call to chat about my 1:1 VIP Experience. It's been an invaluable package for my 2024 authors, and I believe it will help you, too.

Keep rocking!

Aryn Van Dyke

Founder, Book Rockstar