Famous Self-Published Author, or Famous Author Who Self-Published?

AW Admin

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My question is, how many self-published authors are making a living from their self-published books right now?

How do you define "making a living"?

Because increasingly writers whether self-published or not in the U.S. need to either have a "day job" a spouse with a job, or retirement income, because of the high cost of health care etc. Self-employed people need to pay for their own health insurance, and a much large amount for social security etc. because if you're self-employed, you pay your part of social security and the employer's part.
 
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Twenty-Eight

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Hey, so I'm just wandering around this site absorbing the info and slowly reading the stickies and I read this one. Sorry if it is too old or my comment is wrong.

It just came into my head and I got thinking about her and how she might fit on this list and I'll share because it's interesting.


Dewi Lestari


This is the story as I remember it.


Before she published Supernova she was already a singer in a successful band.

She asked someone how many copies she could publish with a certain amount of money and paid to have that many printed.

Her books came back from the publishers with the footnotes wrong and she didn't know that she had printed thousands more copies than a normal bestseller usually has printed in its first edition.

She then paid to have that many copies published again with the footnotes set correctly and dumped the entire load of books with messed up footnotes in the second hand book shops near the campuses. (Giving them away for free???)

She then had a book launch / concert at a big shopping centre selling the copies with the good footnotes.

Result: Her book was incredibly popular and she wrote a sequel and more and she is now one of the most famous authors in Indonesia.

In theory, her self-published book became incredibly popular because it was everywhere overnight and cheap and she already had music fans
BUT ALSO because it appealed to a new young generation emerging from harsh Suharto-era censorship in a country with a huge population but very few stories to buy that spoke to them.

I have found her in her own words in English here. (Scroll down quite a bit. Not sure how much I can post.)


I had to write an essay on her in Indonesian and at the time this ignorant first time author failure to success story was everywhere but now it is quite hard to find. I wonder if she is so famous now as a thinker that it doesn't fit.
 
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Aquero

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Self-Publishing and Today



I don't see anything wrong self-publishing, and any stigma is fading fast due to the reality on the ground. The landscape in publishing is changing very, very fast, and self-published authors are going to be a major force in the emerging publishing climate. The emerging publishing climate involves a new model, with new methods, new ways of doing things, and as with all things there will be those resistant to the change. (So you'll probably see some barbs thrown about regarding self-publishing in general).

So while some authors may still be hesitant, the self-publishing route is going to continue to show tremendous success stories and grow as a share of an eBook-centric market.

I just feel that authors who choose to take this route need to approach their project as a publisher would, and apply the same elements along the way (I.E. Secure a professional editor, professional layout/cover art, develop a realistic marketing/publicity strategy, etc.) If the self-published project is treated with the same steps a solid publisher would take, then I think the end result stands to do very well.
I couldn't agree more. IMHO, the stigma of self-publishing has died.
 

Brigid Barry

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Hey @Aquero there's a Newbie FAQ that advises against reviving old threads. This one is over six months old and the OP has probably moved on. If you go to "New Posts" it will float the new ones to the top.

Welcome to the boards.