Last year, I wrote 18 short books on Amazon under a pen name and made over $3,000.
This year, I am already on track to top that number.
When I figured out that I could make money writing short romance reads, I was thrilled. When I watched the numbers climb, it was the first time that I realized that with enough effort and time, I could make something of this.
And you can, too.
But, if you are considering getting into the short story game — whether that be with romance, nonfiction, sci-fi, or a little bit of everything — there are a few things you need to know first.
You will not make money unless you publish regularly.
Short books do not operate by the same rules as full-length books. While you can sell a full-length book without immediately turning around another one, you won’t have that kind of success with short books.
You need to publish at least once a month to make money with short books.
Sure, you can take a break now and then — see how I made $647 on a two-month break — it will affect your sales.
So, before you start thinking of writing short books, ask yourself: can I do this on a regular basis? Or would I rather write longer books at a less frequent publishing speed? Did I pick a genre that excites me? Did I pick a profitable genre?
It is a commitment, but it is worth it.
You may not make much from your first book alone.
As with any publishing journey, remember to look at your royalties as a long-term game. With every book, there is the potential for more money. Look at a year-over-year profit, rather than month-to-month.
Your first book may not make you hundreds or thousands… at least not right away.
Think of your first book as an investment in your backlist.
Every time you release a new book, if you capture your reader’s attention, the chances are higher that they will pick up another one of your books.
You can make money over time with your first book. Just know that it may not hit that big in your first month. Ask yourself — am I willing to be patient? Can I afford to put out a book that may not make too much money upfront? Can I take a loss if I invest in editing and cover design?
You need to make it very clear what your book is about.
When you decide to write your first short book, know your audience and make sure that you get your book in the right hands. For example, if you are writing a spicy read, you do not want to market your book as a clean romance.
So, how do you do this? Cover design and book description.
Look at bestselling books in your genre. How are they conveying what their book is about? If it’s a thriller, you may see blood droplets on the cover or creepy writing. If it’s a nonfiction guide to fishing, you may find a very direct title like, “A Beginner’s Guide to Fishing in Lake Tahoe.”
(I don’t even know if you can fish in Lake Tahoe, but you get it.)
Your book description can make or break a sale.
If a reader clicks your book’s link based on your cover and title, the book description is what will make their final decision for them.
If you are writing romance, you want to introduce them to your characters and give them a reason to want more. Is it enemies to lovers? Is it a second-chance romance? Whatever trope you write, make sure that you portray that.
Ask yourself — am I niched down enough to sell my book well? Do I know who my ideal reader is? What can I do to make sure I succeed?
You need to price your book to maximize your earnings, but still, be fair.
Pricing is a big deal, obviously. And short books make it tougher.
For Amazon, if you price above $2.99, you will receive a 70% royalty. If you price below, you only receive 30%. At first, I priced under $2.99 because I felt that my books were too short for more.
But then I realized that I did not need to undercut myself.
Now, I price all of my books at $2.99 and then when I bundle them into a boxset, I price them at $5.99. That way I am getting a 70% royalty, but my readers can get a deal on the price per book.
Ask yourself — what is my best pricing strategy? Will I experiment with lower prices and then raise them later? Will I create boxsets?
You should definitely enroll in Kindle Select.
I know that there is a big debate over publishing with Amazon only versus going wide, but for me, Amazon only is my best seller.
Over 80% of my sales are from Kindle Select.
This means that readers are borrowing my books as part of the Kindle Unlimited program. It is a great way to get discovered by readers, instead of relying on them to buy your book blindly.
Also, you can go wide with print books while staying Amazon-only for ebooks.
Depending on the kinds of books you write, you can turn them into a boxset print book. Even if you enroll the ebook in Kindle Select, you can go wide with the print books for more discovery.
For me, Kindle Select makes the most sense for my short books. There is a huge romance reader community in that program. But for non-fiction, maybe try going wide and testing your success.
Ask yourself — what do I believe will work for me? Am I comfortable with being exclusive with Amazon or would I rather go wide? Can I do a hybrid of Amazon-only books and wide books?
So, are you ready to start writing?
After all this consideration, are you ready to jump in with short books? Or do you believe that longer books are more your speed? Or maybe both?
Whatever makes sense for you, I encourage you to jump in and get started.
It can be very easy to dream about writing, but it is much harder to actually do it. Set aside dedicated time to write and go for it! I believe in you.
