Well, it's all over the place of course, but one thing I have noticed from reading blogs lately is that the more books you publish, the greater your odds at making big money. I'm talking about publishing over 4 - 5 books a year. One guy who is doing really well publishes one book a month! For another perspective on this, please click on the link below:

http://iainrobwright.blogspot.co.uk/

Looks as if he's doing well, and good for him!

Along with his novels, he has a serial running, just a quick perusal, looks like between thirty and fifty-page stories, 99 cents a pop. And I've always wondered how a serialized story would sell.

Writing a novel sucks the life out of me for months at a time. I can manage a first draft in three, but it really is a lump of clay at that point and needs kicking into shape.

Could I write leaner, faster? I sometimes wonder if I should shift gears and go for broke...

I know I can't shift gears. I've been stuck on this one story for-freaking-ever. I can't get past 1000 words, I keep editing and editing and editing it. It's driving me crazy, but I think I know why.

I usually have no idea where a story is going, it just leads me on until its finished. The same with this story, only, for once in my life I'm stuck as to where it wants to lead me. It's like I hit a wall. I'll figure it out...soon...

Tim Waggoner posted a link some time ago on Facebook concerning different things about self-publishing. One item it mentioned was that it typically took three novels being available before an author truly started making any money.

I'll try to find the link later today.

Regardless of whether it's trad. or self-pubbed, there's such a lot to think about and worry over. Just being patient and trying to get it right is like sitting on the edge of a super-highway where others are howling by at high speeds. Grrr...

Without wanting to denigrate anyone, I'd be suspicious about the quality of work by an author who consistnatly published so many books a year...

For me, the first thing to do is define what success is to *you* - is it just money? is it number of readers? is it building up a long-term reputation as being a gifted writer? is it x, y, z?

Then focus on what you need to do to achieve that specific thing; no point in worrying about those writers who are pursuing different things than you.

_________________
Scattershot Writing:

Another article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sara-sh ... 36859.html

Good article, and some good points in the comments, too. Especially about having a portfolio split between trad and self.

As for churning out novels at a high rate of speed, I wrote the first draft of The Only Red Is Blood in early 2012 (I think it was), and I finally turned in the manuscript this morning.

Yay, Janet! Knock em dead and sell a couple hundred thousand copies while you're at it! Gee...I have a friend who is writes horror novels...too cool!