Writer’s Life

When I was young, maybe 7 or 8 years old, we had a family friend, who I absolutely idolized. She was older, about 13, with long, dark, curly hair and full lips. Even though I was beautifully innocent at that age, I thought this girl was it. She wrote love stories on her typewriter and because of that fact alone, she was the most amazing person ever I’d ever met. She was a writer! And when she was done writing her beautiful stories, she would let me read her stories. I thought they were the most wonderful things I’d ever read.  

To this day, I could not tell you her name.  She shattered the bubble one day when I showed her a story I had written. Remember, I was still just a baby. My stories were sweet and simple. I was so proud of my story. This girl’s feedback horrified me. She ripped the paper in long strips, my heart feeling every tear, as she cackled at how lame it was. This girl was a nasty piece of work who was clearly in the category of ‘mean girl’. Her words scarred me while her disregard haunted me. It’s no wonder I don’t remember her name.  

The idea of being a writer at that point was my dream. Something I thought I would someday do. I didn’t let the mean girl get in my way. I persevered. My parents eventually gave me a typewriter for Christmas and, now that I’ve been a parent to a writer, I know I probably drove them bat-shit crazy with the tap-a-tap-tap as I cranked out those stories. 

The mean girl was right in a way. My writing was not good as a kid. But, no matter how bad I was, the idea stuck in my head that one day, someday, I was going to be a writer.  

It may have taken 50 years, but here I am. I’m finally doing it.  I can finally say I’m a writer.

Being a writer is not what I imagined it to be. Not in the way that little girl dreamed anyway.  The process is not as simple as sitting down and writing a nice little story. It’s damn hard. I’ve taken course after course, banging my head against the wall, trying to piece together the elements of writing over and over. (It’s possible that bitchy teenager hit me in the head with her typewriter to accentuate her point.)  

Things like point of view, dialogue, setting etc eventually stuck. Now I’m the writer who, when reading a book for pleasure, will notice slip-ups the author has made. You know, stuff their editor didn’t catch. It’s annoying as hell once that pandora’s box is open, let me tell you. I’m sure I’ve driving my husband insane with the comments I make when shows drop obvious clues (to me) in mysteries or when the timelines aren’t correct.  

But getting back to my writing, as I do have a point here.  

When I finally wrote a book, it came with an interesting story: It came to me in a dream. I woke up thinking ‘wow, that would make a great scene for a book.  I should write that one down.’  And I did. I was still writing 18 hours later.  (My husband saw the drive in me and kept bringing me food and drinks. He’s a supportive one. A good egg.)

That was in 2014. 

I took myself on self-writing retreats to get the book finished. One time I went to an old stomping ground, because it got me back in touch with the girl within, so I could finish it. I rented a cabin at the beach and, in the morning when I was due to check out, I went to the office to ask if I could extend the stay one more night. I explained I was so damn close to finishing the draft of my book, I thought I could do it with just one more day.  They told me they would give me the cabin for free for the night, if I finished the book. And I did!  

When that novel was finished, the first draft sat at 82k words. I had it professionally edited. Not a cheap thing to do, but necessary. My then editor told me it was “an impressive coming-of-age novel (with)… great location details, terrifically relatable characters…The mystery at the heart of who she is compelling, and the twist is heart-stopping. You should be very proud of this.”

And I was proud of it. I’m STILL proud of it. That book was BENEATH THE SURFACE.

But I was scared shitless of publishing it.

Writing it was one thing. Publishing it was another. I was scared of that next step. (You can read about my publishing path here.)What if I failed?  What if the book was shit? What if the editor was just being nice to me because she had seen how far I’d come, since I took her writing class many moons ago?  What if that mean girl was right?! 

The biggest fear –  and one that remains even today. What if I publish the book (or books) and no books sell?  

The thing is, no matter how many books I publish, hitting publish is still one of the scariest things I now do. It puts my heart into my throat every single time.

The fear of failure is real.   

There’s a bit of a discussion floating around the internet lately as to whether authors get paid when books are bought through charity shops, second-hand book shops etc…and how readers feel about that.

The short answer to that question is: No, we don’t get paid when readers buy second hand books. 

So how do I feel about it? Hmm… that’s a complicated answer.

As an author: I cringe. The work an author puts into their novel isn’t rewarded when people buy books this way.

As a reader: These places are a great place to find new authors. But when I buy a book through a second-hand bookshop or a charity shop – and I do – I always post a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon afterwards. I do this because any review, good or bad, helps the author gain traction through the sales channels they use. As the old adage goes, ‘Any publicity is better than nothing at all.’

We want to support the charity selling the book, but we want to keep food on our own table too.

So how do authors get paid?

Royalities – Traditionally Published

For those who publish through the larger publishers like Simon and Schuster, Little, Brown and Co., Harper Collins, etc, it is a long and arduous process. Authors have to first submit their manuscripts through a literary agent, who then pitches the manuscript to publishers.

When a publisher accepts the contract, which may take months or even years, the contract may or may not include an advance. The publisher determines how many copies will be printed based on how many copies they believe will sell. New authors may not receive an advance at all and, if they do, it may only be a few hundred dollars. Famous authors, such as Nora Roberts and Kristen Hannah, may receive five, six, sometimes seven figure advances. An advance is not free money, but rather money that is earned. The author does not receive any additional royalties until the amount of the advance is reached.

With the traditional route, an author’s royalties will be anywhere from 5-10% of the recommended retail price of the book. And that royalty may depend on where the book is sold. Some contracts may stipulate lower royalties for discount markets (like Walmart or Big W) and a higher royalty for high-end bookshops (like Barnes and Noble or indie bookshops). The author may receive their royalty cheque once a quarter or it may be once a year, depending again on the contract terms.

The traditional publisher owns the rights of the book for the contracted period of time, which may be three to five years.

Royalities – Hybrid Published

It’s still a long process for Hybrid publishers, but the author pays the publisher money up front to publish their novel. Yes, you read that correctly.  The AUTHOR pays the PUBLISHER to publish their book. The publisher owns the rights of the book for anywhere between one to five years, and the author doesn’t get paid until after a six-month holding period when the book is published. Royalty payments from there vary. They may arrive quarterly. They may be annually. It’s all dependent on the hybrid publisher.

Do you see the red flags with the Hybrid model? I do. My advice? Run. Run away as fast as you can from a Hybrid publisher.  An author should never pay what can be thousands of dollars to have their book published.

If you’re tempted to go the Hybrid route because it’s ‘easier’ and find yourself too nervous to take a different route, I urge you to do more research. I’ve heard of authors paying thousands of dollars to a hybrid publisher only to find themselves ghosted, wondering where it all went so wrong If self-publishing is attractive to you, there is information everywhere on self-publishing and it’s really not as daunting as it seems.

Which brings me to…

Royalities – Self-Published

This is my area of expertise.

Self-published authors do not get advances. They manage all parts of the publishing process themselves which is one of the main reasons authors like to self-publish. They keep control of their book, as well as the rights. Self-published authors receive royalties on a monthly basis, with a delay of about three months on the sale. eBooks bring in more royalties than print books, so you may find a lot of self-published authors only offer that format. (Did you know you can buy eBook formats of my published novels, directly from my website?)

Most self-published authors will publish on Amazon via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) at a minimum. It’s by far the most accessible for most writers. But if authors want to sell their books in bookshops, they need to go through a distributor like IngramSpark. There are are other distributors, depending on locale, but IngramSpark is the largest distributor in the world, and the one most bookshops purchase through.

Yes, the royalties are higher than Hybrid and Traditional publishers, as there is no middleman, but this is where I burst the bubble. The amount self-published authors receive is not significantly more, especially since printing and distribution costs have dramatically increased over the last few years. As much as we would love to increase the price of our books to cover these increased costs, that puts us out of market range. The printing and distribution costs make up the majority of the fixed expenses we incur, but there are other costs to factor in: editing, proofreading, cover design, copywriting, typesetting, marketing, advertising, and publicity. You don’t want to know what I make on an hourly basis right now.

Other ways authors make money

Because we can’t rely solely on book sales as our only means of income, authors have to get creative in other ways. 

Public Lending Rights
Who doesn’t love the library?! I’d be lost without mine.

Libraries buy the copies of books to put on their shelves. They do not get these for free.  The books are purchased either from local bookshops, or through distributors.
Authors can get paid when you borrow a novel from the library IF the author signed up to receive this payment (it’s not automatic). These payments are paid to the author and publisher annually.

There are two very important points to be made here – and this is where you can help.

1. Authors and publishers do not get paid for eBooks or audiobooks, only print books.
2. Authors (and publishers) are only paid if they have a certain number of books in the library system, and if their book was borrowed a sufficient number of times. That means, if the book you want is not showing in your local library, request they order it in. 

Special Events

Some authors can make money through special events, like writer’s festivals or library tours. This isn’t common, but the more popular authors do get paid appearance fees. The Australian Society of Authors recommend authors get paid over $300 for interviews, over $200 for a panel discussion and almost a $1000 for workshops, but I have not met an author yet in the self-publishing world given this type of respect.

Writing Classes/Workshops

Some authors may create writing classes or host workshops on their own and publicise these in their local communities. There is significant time and effort that go into these, and they aren’t profitable timewise, but if it helps to pay the bills, we will happily share our knowledge. I’ve known a few authors who do this to supplement their income.

Freelance Writing/Selling Short Stories

Many writers work freelance. They may write for magazines, websites etc. Others sell short stories and sell them as part of anthologies or direct from their website.

Affiliate Sales

The dreaded commission. I have these on my blog because it’s a way to earn a passive income.  Any time someone signs up for a writing/publishing/marketing tool like Scrivener, Vellum or StoryOrigin via my website, I get a small commission. But for all of these, we’re talking pennies. Certainly not enough to buy a cup of coffee.  Which brings me to… 

Patreon, Buy Me A Coffee etc…
Services like these give readers a simple way to support their favourite authors to keep them writing.

Some authors offer Patreon to their readers and deliver behind the scenes insight into their writing in exchange for sponsorship.

You’ll see ‘Buy Me A Coffee’ on my webpage as a way for readers to ‘tip the author’ as my blog posts share (hopefully useful) information without making any income from them.

A reality check about how much author’s make.

Last financial year, I sold about 1100 books. I’m hoping to double that number this financial year. But if you break that figure down, factoring in I work six days a week, seven hours a day, I make less minimum wage – AND that doesn’t account for expenses.

A 2015 survey* of Australian authors conducted by Macquarie University revealed that the average Aussie author earns less than $13,000 per year from their writing. I wish!  But the fact is, most authors earn less than the minimum wage. *A new survey was conducted in early 2022, results are pending.

I can hear that question screaming in your head: So why do publish books at all?

Here’s the easy answer: Because we LOVE what we do.

How you can help an author:

• I am fully aware that buying new books is a privilege, especially considering books in Australia can retail for $30 or more for a paperback. Joining your local library is a great way to save money and discover new authors.
• Consider borrowing from your library instead of buying from a second-hand shop.
  If there’s a book at the second hand/charity shop that you love, one you can’t resist, take the time to write a review of the book afterwards. You can share your thoughts on Amazon or on Goodreads. Goodreads is the largest free website for readers, and you can find some amazing recommendations there. Reviews do not have to be long. Two sentences work just as well as two paragraphs.
• Share the book on social media.
• Tell a friend or suggest it for a book club.
• Buy new books from new authors and borrow the blockbusters.
• Sign up for your favourite author’s newsletter. You may receive some special promos, gain information on a new release, or even learn a fun new fact. By having a strong following, this allows the author to gain more credibility with bookstores, as well as with podcasters and magazines etc for interviews.
• Pre-order books. Authors do not get paid more for pre-orders. They are set up only to create interest. If the author sells a high number of books before the day of release, that may bump the book up into the best-selling category, which garners more interest.
• The more books are seen online (and become popular), the more likely bookshops will order more books. That’s why authors love readers who share the books they read on-line and social media influencers. #Bookstagram is a serious business and if a popular ‘bookstagrammer’ touts our book, that helps increase book sales.

Here are some other ideas:  31 Ways to Support Authors in a Month

Ten years ago, I worked for a large corporation, working up to seventy hours a week. My mental and physical health suffered considerably as a result. When I left that role, I promised myself that I would never put myself in that position again. 

I work just as hard today but I kept my vow. I’ve learned to listen to my body and work when I’m most productive.

But here’s the crackpot thing:  I work about the same number of hours. 

The stress is different now. I don’t have seven bosses breathing down my neck. I don’t have to do (stupid) status reports that are never read. The ridiculous deadlines are now of my own volition. (I’m really trying to get better at this one). And when I feel like I’m approaching overload, I take a break. It could be for 10 minutes or ten days. But there is not a day goes by that I’m not working on something. That’s just part of the writing life. 

Call me a workaholic but this works for me. 

When I sat down at the end of the year to evaluate the year’s work, I was shocked at what I had accomplished in twelve months. I had written three books, published two. I had set up a publishing company. I had taken on a few side projects. I had set up a separate business, then closed it. I had learned a lot about marketing – what to do and definitely what not to do. Not to mention the short stories and blog posts I’d written throughout the year. My list of accomplishments was long. 

Then I remembered that working successfully as an author is a long game. 

The brain needs time to process. The characters need to evolve – and mine certainly like to evolve on their own timeline. You need to test and revise, then be flexible and  adapt as the images floating around in your head zip around like fire flies.

When planning out the year, I decided to slow things down a bit. I’m continuing with a lofty goal of publishing a new book every 6-8 months . But I need to find balance between work and play. I need to listen to my heart, as well as my mind.  I also need to tap into what I already know and leverage my resources better, in a more productive way. (I’ll have more on that in a future blog post)

Sounds like I’m trying to convince myself of all this, doesn’t it? Not the mindset at all of a workaholic! 

Maybe that’s part of it. This is a challenge for me as I feel like I have a deadline against myself. I wrote about it in this post: How Grief Has Guided My Writing. 

I read somewhere that Nora Roberts writes 6-8 hours every day. Alice Munro writes seven days a week. Stephen King writes for about four hours every single morning, vowing to write two thousand words. Ernest Hemmingway wrote in the mornings until ‘you still have your juice and know what will happen next and you stop and try to live through until the next day when you hit it again.’ Now you can’t tell me that those authors aren’t workaholics!

So, it’s not just me who feels the compulsion to keep writing. Just as each writer has a unique method for getting words on the page, their practice is just as dynamic. Whether an early bird like Hemingway or a night owl like President Obama, the difference for me is that I keep working when my juice glass is empty. And that needs to change. 

It’s a different game for an indie writer compared to those that want to be traditionally published. I wear all the hats. I’m the writer, the media specialist, the promotor, the admin. The list goes on and on.  It’s a never-ending cycle, but I’m not complaining. 

I have the privilege of creating work that people are enjoying, and I’m living my life on my terms now. For me, that means creating SMART goals (thank you, corporate life), outsourcing what doesn’t bring me joy, so that I can focus on the things I love.

PLEASE NOTE: Affiliate links were used in this post. I do not promote anything I have not used or experienced myself. All opinions are my own. Please follow our advice at your own risk. By clicking these links allows me to receive a small commission, which in turn keeps website running. For that, I thank you. 

Most writers love nothing more than to hole up in their special space and simply write. It may be at home, on a writing retreat, or surrounded by the sound of coffee machines and chatter in a café. While we love writing, most writers have an aversion to anything related to marketing. And public appearances? Book signings? Ooh, that’s a form of torture all on its own.

Unfortunately, the reality is we have to get out of our comfort zones once in a while and (*gulp*) … sell our books. Indie authors and the traditionally published all have to tackle the marketing beast at some point. We need to connect with our audience and continue building it if we want to earn a living from our craft.

This year, with that in mind, I decided to contact some local booksellers and ask if they would be interested in stocking my paperbacks.

Some authors offer their books solely in digital format but for me, it’s been my dream to see my books on the shelves of a bookshop. I love a fresh new paperback. The weight and feel of it nestled in my hands brings me joy. And the aroma of those fresh pages? It’s like the book is begging you to indulge in its juicy words!

To say I was excited when the first bookshop said yes is a major understatement. I did a happy jig around my office. But the bubble was quickly popped when they asked if I would come in and do a book signing as well. Well, shit. I hate speaking in public.

I may be completely comfortable with whatever subject I’m discussing, but my body contradicts me.

A lovely ruddy rash sprouts from my neck and plants itself boldly in my cheeks. I end up looking like an old Irishman with too many whiskies in his system.

We’ve all heard the horror stories of writers sitting for hours at a signing watching a distressingly high percentage of patrons pass by with casual indifference. How do I avoid looking like a raving lunatic with a goofy smile plastered across my face, eager for the attention of someone to show interest in my book? You feel like a lame duck, ready for the slaughter. It’s especially terrifying for the first book. That’s your baby people are judging you on.

With my first signing, I arrived with sweaty palms and a racing heart. It was like going on a first date with your first crush.

My goal was to be approachable and professional, avoiding any hint of smarminess. No raving lunatic here. I’d wait for people to approach me. It would be fine. After all, I have one major thing in common with people who visit bookstores: we all love books. Yes, it would be fine. F.I.N.E.

Except that first signing coincided with a torrential rainstorm and the after effects of a snap lockdown. In other words, it was a great day to stay home. And people did. Very few visited the bookshop. As embarrassed as I was, squeezed into the back of the bookshop, the only space available inside for my signing, I felt equally bad for the owner who kept apologizing for the lack of traffic. It wasn’t their fault. In normal circumstances, both the city and the bookshop would be buzzing on a Saturday. Still, standing there, waiting for someone, anyone, to walk to my table…Well, it gave me a lot of time to think.

I thought of the photos I’d seen of famous authors with hordes of readers stretching out the door. I felt like a failure. I began to second guess myself. What do I need to do to have that kind of experience? My mind whirred. If I don’t have lines out the door, that means I’m not doing something right. I’m not getting my book in front of the right readers. Maybe I wasn’t doing enough marketing, enough advertising. Then it hit me. I would have to put myself out there even more. It meant I had to do things like …. interviews. And that’s a WHOLE other nightmare. Nightmare scenarios began racing through my head. (Remember that rash I told you about?)

And that’s when someone walked to my table and asked me to sign my book before they purchased it. In that moment, everything was great in the world again. My racing heart quietened.

Between the signings I’ve done since that first time, I haven’t had to experience an empty table for too long. I usually have someone who has walked the Camino de Santiago or knows someone who has. Sometimes someone approaches who is trying to write a book themselves and is curious about my writing processes. And now, with Beneath the Surface out in the world, I have people telling me how much they ‘love a good thriller’ and they’ll ‘give it a go’ Most of all, I am lucky to have amazing book shops who’ve opened their doors to me, promoted my books, but best of all, kept some of that stock to sell later.

So, my goal in the end has been accomplished despite my initial anxiety attacks. My books are stocked on bookshop shelves, and I sell more books at my signings. Now I just hope that those buyers will leave reviews (!!!).

It’s a great reminder that we writers need to come out of the woodwork every once in a while. Even if we go kicking and screaming.

Here’s what I’d like to ask you:

If you’re ever at a bookshop and there’s an author sitting alone at a table, please go talk to them. You don’t have to buy their book if it’s not your thing, but talk to them. What I’ve found is this: having one person at the table piques other people’s interest. Others want to know what’s so interesting, so they will come over and casually look at what’s on the table. So while you may not be the buyer, that curious person may be. And maybe you’ll meet a very interesting introvert who is just hap

I write a lot about my writing process on this website and one of the key parts before writing ANY story for me is knowing who my characters are. And I realised, maybe you don’t know THIS character, Me. The Crackpot Writer.

I’ve written only a little about myself so I thought I’d share a little of my own backstory.

So here goes…

I am an Aussie ‘girl’ who was born and raised in New South Wales (Australia). As an army brat, I spent much of my childhood moving around. Usually every eighteen months or so. When my Dad finally retired from the army (after twenty years in the service), we moved to the Upper Hunter Valley, to live on a 140 acre farm. The school I attended from Year 9 onwards was (is) small. So small that my Year 12 graduating class had eight students. 

After a short stint living and working in Sydney, I moved to America in my early 20s. I wanted freedom from the small town life and I wanted, more than anything, to travel. I started out in California, but quickly moved to Austin, Texas. The plan was to stay in the U.S. for five years. It ended up being twenty.  

For the majority of my time in America, I worked for a large corporation. By the time I was forty, I was spending 70-80 hours a week in a job I liked, but didn’t love. To be honest, I think it was the people who kept me there (and the regular paycheck). 

Given that my management team was scattered all over the world, I was constantly working. I’d often respond to requests from my family with “give me five minutes. Usually I’d get back to them HOURS later. When I finally found my ten-year-old, bawling her eyes out because she wanted only five minutes of my time (and my husband confirming I’d been too distracted with work to see she was missing me), I knew something had to give. 

So, I took a 13-day, 11-state road trip with my daughter Natalie in 2010, and my life changed completely. My eyes were opened to what I was missing. I looked at my daughter and saw a young woman beginning to emerge and I didn’t want to miss any any of it. 

That road trip changed my life. Possibly even saved it.

I was experiencing some health issues, both mental and physical, and I realised I was failing at living my life. I knew I wasn’t living. I was existing. And barely existing at that. But I didn’t do anything about it at that point. I kept soldiering on, telling myself I’d make changes.

In 2012, my father-in-law and my Dad died within three months of each other. I was close to both of them and I realised then – smacked-in-the-face kind of realised – how short life is. I discovered the time I was giving to myself and to my family was non-existent. I decided it was time to get off the corporate ladder and take my life back. On MY terms. So, I ditched the desk and became a freelance travel writer and photographer.

In 2013, I moved home to Australia with my husband and daughter. It wasn’t quite what we expected, but we made it work. I continued with the travel blogging, branching out into freelance writing and side gigs to keep the wolf from the door.

In 2017, when the nest became empty, my husband and I decided it was time to donate all of our worldly goods and fly the nest too. We packed up the car and began to travel full time. We liked to say we were ‘keyless’.

After a 10-month road trip through Australia, I left Australia again in early 2018 to wander the world on my own. I needed space to work out what I needed moving forward. I spent the first three months road-tripping through New Zealand and the U.S., before to I flew to Iceland for five incredible days. From there, I continued on to Europe.

To begin, I reacquainted myself with England. Then I headed to France to walk the first of two Camino wanders. After that, I hid out in England to get used to the world again. (Seriously, it was hard after living in a bubble on the Camino Frances for two months!). Eventually I flew to Japan to meet my daughter for her dream trip.

(Side note: my daughter is now in her twenties and living her own life on the mainland of Australia. I’m happy to say my daughter and I are now as thick as thieves. No matter where we are in the world, we text/talk every day. I’m not kidding when I say that 2010 road trip saved my life. It saved the relationship with my daughter at the very least.)

I returned to Australia in late 2018 and by early 2019, my husband and I were back in Northern America, housesitting. By then the fictional writing bug had infected me. Before it really took hold, I managed to get back to Spain and walk another Camino. This time with my husband.

Now, we live on the east coast of Tasmania. Travel is still part of our lives, but we’re happy to be based here.

So, did I win the lottery or something to live this life?

Ha! No. I wish! I managed to do the full-time travelling by housesitting mostly. I’ve housesat all over place – all over Australia, England, the U.S. and Canada. It’s an incredible way to meet new people, make new friends (both of the human and animal kind), and save a ton of money while travelling. It’s something I would recommend to anyone doing a long term travel experience. 

Finally, in July 2019, my husband and I found a place to live in Tasmania. Of all the places we’ve been in the world, Tasmania is the one place we both really love and feel most at home together.

It’s also where I find I’m most creative. 

Granted, I’m back to constantly working again, but now it’s because I want to. I feel compelled to write these stories I keep dreaming about. I have a constant buzz in my head, with characters chatting to me, while I think of new ways I can add some mystery into the story.

The best part? I can walk away at any time and take a nice long wander. Or whatever it is I want to do.

I think the one thing I’ve learned over the years is I need to experience life slowly and on purpose.

And now, with the pandemic around the world, I feel (and I’m groaning as I say this) blessed. Lucky. To have found a spot in the world that is mostly unspoiled and mostly unaffected by the pandemic, I wonder somedays how this all lined up. Through hard work and planning, of course, but somehow it all came together. And I’m living the life I always dreamed of. Well, almost. There are still a few things I want to do…