So...what next?

So, yeah, life changing stuff in the past week – whether it’s for the better or the worse remains to be seen!

I can say that right at this moment in time, I’m a lot happier than I was. If that’s still the case months from now then I’ll call it a success.

Basically, I’ve abandoned the world of full-time employment in a bid, perhaps foolhardy, of making it as a writer (and possibly occasional furniture restorer, landlord and maybe French guesthouse owner – I’m nothing if not filled with wild ideas and terribly indecisive).

It’s not quite as mad as it sounds. Over the last four years there has been a certain amount of…let’s say loss, in my life.  Though it in no way makes up for what isn’t there anymore, it has left me with enough money in the bank to chase my dream and try to make a go of this whole writing business, much to the relief of my former colleagues, I suspect, who were probably getting rightly pissed off with the grouchy, misanthropic bear in their midst.  

So here I am, wondering if I can make a living from my books.  And also this website and my other blog (A Thousand Words) – those of you who’ve visited my sites before may have noticed that adverts have suddenly appeared, the result of a money-induced panic attack.  The timing is not a coincidence.

Now, I’m not saying you have to click on them or anything (suggesting that might even be against the terms and conditions), nor am I saying that you have to buy my book (Crystal Eyes, a sci-fi adventure, available at all good eBook retailers – ahem), but I certainly wouldn’t object if you did.

Passive aggressive marketing, it’s the way forward!

Time to stop blathering on and do some actual writing – I’m working on the sequel to Crystal Eyes and doing final polishing on a fantasy novel called Heroes Wanted, which should hopefully appear in the new year.

Until next time,

Allen.

P.S. Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback about the covers (the blog post below this one) - number 1, with the red background, emerged as a clear winner.

The Price is Ri...Wro...oh hell, I don't know

Money.  A discomfiting subject, crass and unsavoury, yet a necessary one.
The reason why money is on my mind (and I got my mind on my money) is that I'm trying to work out what the hell I ought to be charging for my first Novel (Crystal Eyes, now available at all good eBook retailers!).
There are several things to balance: how much do I think it's worth? What's the market rate? How low can I price it without seeming to devalue it? How high can I price it without putting people off?

There is no guide out there that says "Yes, this is the correct price!", you just have to try and make it up as you go.  I'm guessing, in other words.
On the one hand, I want people to read and enjoy it, that gives me satisfaction, but on the other hand, I dream of making my living writing novels and a lot of work has gone into the creation of Crystal Eyes.
The thing is, away from the headline grabbers like Rowling, Pratchett and Martin, the marketplaces of the Kindle and iBooks are flooded with other authors just like me and we're all trying to get our books read and, maybe, if we're lucky, get some cash.  It's a minefield and I have no idea what I'm doing.  I have the horrible feeling that no one else does either, despite the number of Guides to Selling Your eBook that are available!
And all of this is before you get into the whole Amazon KDP Select business - I really don't know what to make of that.  Not convinced it's a good thing for a little inde author like myself.
Also, my book's just gone live on iTunes, which I'm thrilled about, except iTunes seems to be entirely ignoring exchange rates - it's 99 cents in the US and 99 pence in the UK.  This means that anywhere else that sells Crystal Eyes in the UK is effectively undercutting Apple and I have no control over how Apple set the price - it's sent to them through an intermediary company called Smashwords.

It's all terribly confusing so, rather than try to puzzle it out, I'm going to make a coffee and Baileys (mmmm) and play Star Wars: The Old Republic (short review: meh. Good, not great, doubt I'll sub to it)