Is “Profitable Author” an Oxymoron?

We’re all supposed to chuckle, then groan and despair, but wait…

Photo by kerry rawlinson on Unsplash.

Since my book with the Profitable Author title came out a month ago, more than one person has suggested to me that profitable author is an oxymoron. Har. Har.

Yes, that’s hilarious. Let me have a quick chuckle then get back to moaning, groaning, and despairing with you…

It’s so oxymoronic I wrote a 500-page book on the topic just to twist the knife in further.

Haha. Just kidding. I’m used to the skepticism and cynicism and the haters and the snooty literary gatekeepers too and happily take on the task of convincing authors that there is a way. And it’s entrepreneurship. Or entrepreneurial. Or, at a bare minimum, applying a few business tricks here and there to keep oneself in the game of being an author and living the dream.

Prepare your next groan

First, you — everyone — anyone — can be a profitable author from your next batch of author income. Whether that $1,250 or $320 or $140 or $38.59 in Kindle page-read royalties.

1. Declare your profit rate. Start with 5%.
2. Multiply your income by 5% (that’s .05).
3. There is your profit! Set it aside.