Writing a Novel - One of My Most Unsuccessful, Poorest Paying, Rewarding Endeavors

When I retired in 2001 my late wife insisted that I create a bucket list of things I always wanted to do, but seldom had the time. It included four items: 1. Spend more time with the children and grandchildren. 2. Visit each of the 50 United States. 3. Read at least one book a month. 4. Write a novel. My wife added one stipulation. We would fulfill items 1 and 2 together and they would be given precedence over items 3 and 4.

We spent a lot of time with the kids and grandkids and drove all over the country, visiting 43 states. In 2005 my wife lost her battle with cancer. In 2009 I started to write a novel.

It took six revisions and 14 months to produce a completed, polished manuscript. After being convinced by professionals that the manuscript was neither complete nor polished, it took another 11 months, working with and learning from a copy editor, conceptual editor and layout design artist, to convert it into a commercially viable book. It was published Aug. 9, 2011.

The most recent sales report for the quarter ending December 31, 2015 revealed that a total of 986 units have been sold to date. Royalty checks total $2,281.27. This breaks down to only 19 books sold per month since published and $91.25 for each of the 25 months spent writing, revising and polishing the manuscript. Writing a book is the poorest paying, least successful endeavor I have ever undertaken. It is also one of the most enlightening, rewarding and worthwhile.