By what metric? What is encompassed in “break even”? are you just talking about cover, editng, and production costs? Or is there anything else, like your time, or assistant fees? How do you determine when something breaks even? Also, across what time horizon? 1 year? 10 years?
Mostly financial, including what I've put into the book (editing, design, shipping..). Timeline is rather more iffy and I'm not sure beyond a vague understanding that until I break even, I'm less capable of publishing another.
But that's also tricky, because having more in your backlist helps with that, considering exactly what you mentioned about most books flopping.
And how many modalities are you doing a launch? Kickstarter? retailers? Direct store? Are you bundling it with something extra for "true fans", like a Q and A, or the opportunity to be written into the book, or for you to write a short story for them? Or are you offering Tuckerization on any level?
Special edition with annotations or audio commentary?
Serialized for paid members? If so, does that defray the costs?
All of these are ways to make more money per buyer. If you rely on just copies of your retail book, that's a hard ask, but "breaking even" can mean so many things, and how you break even can happen in so many ways.
Starting with Kickstarter, then direct store, then retailers. Special edition hardback (only for the Kickstarter), paperback, ebook, and audiobook. Annotated story of their choosing at one of the higher tiers, included automatically for paid subscribers. I've serialised it already but the early draft and it was free. I was playing with the idea of a Q&A, so thanks for that confirmation.
you're adding audio commentary to the audiobook? That's a dangerous game. I would make a straight audio commentary track and an audiobook as two separate things, and make the audio commentary a higher ticket item as it's for the biggest fans. Same thing with a special thanks page. That's the easiest way to increase your spend as it takes about 15 minutes ot set up and it's infinitely scaleable.
Honestly, I would be very happy if I just broke even on my next book lol.
By what metric? What is encompassed in “break even”? are you just talking about cover, editng, and production costs? Or is there anything else, like your time, or assistant fees? How do you determine when something breaks even? Also, across what time horizon? 1 year? 10 years?
Mostly financial, including what I've put into the book (editing, design, shipping..). Timeline is rather more iffy and I'm not sure beyond a vague understanding that until I break even, I'm less capable of publishing another.
But that's also tricky, because having more in your backlist helps with that, considering exactly what you mentioned about most books flopping.
And how many modalities are you doing a launch? Kickstarter? retailers? Direct store? Are you bundling it with something extra for "true fans", like a Q and A, or the opportunity to be written into the book, or for you to write a short story for them? Or are you offering Tuckerization on any level?
Special edition with annotations or audio commentary?
Serialized for paid members? If so, does that defray the costs?
All of these are ways to make more money per buyer. If you rely on just copies of your retail book, that's a hard ask, but "breaking even" can mean so many things, and how you break even can happen in so many ways.
Starting with Kickstarter, then direct store, then retailers. Special edition hardback (only for the Kickstarter), paperback, ebook, and audiobook. Annotated story of their choosing at one of the higher tiers, included automatically for paid subscribers. I've serialised it already but the early draft and it was free. I was playing with the idea of a Q&A, so thanks for that confirmation.
The audiobook will include commentary from me. Is that what you meant?
you're adding audio commentary to the audiobook? That's a dangerous game. I would make a straight audio commentary track and an audiobook as two separate things, and make the audio commentary a higher ticket item as it's for the biggest fans. Same thing with a special thanks page. That's the easiest way to increase your spend as it takes about 15 minutes ot set up and it's infinitely scaleable.
It's more like, the stories have a "behind the scenes" author note, and I'll be reading those parts of the book. Which is like an audio commentary?