Publishing a Book Does Not Guarantee a Monthly Source of Income
Plus, book reviews, calls for submission and an excerpt
Authors who have been published for some time have often had to let other wannabe authors know one truism about what it’s like: Becoming an author is not the best way to make money.
Sure, some first-time authors may manage to get an advance, but that means you won’t receive any royalties on your book until the book sales surpass the amount you were paid in the advance. So, for example, if you receive an advance of $2,000, then you won’t receive any money in book royalties until after you have sold $2,000 worth of books.
There have been occasions when some first-time authors do get lucky in authoring just the right kind of book and sold millions of copies. I know one author who built a platform through her business in book marketing and after her book on the topic that shared everything she knew about book marketing was published, her book sales took off. She had a platform, she was known for her work in the field, and she had not only the expertise but also the experience to support her book. Another author is a martial arts instructor, and when he published a book on martial arts, that, too, sold really well.
However, these examples are not meant to be proof that every single person who becomes an author will get rich or that every single book that is published will sell really well.
Book publishing is a gamble. It always has been and always will be. There is no guarantee a book will sell, nor is there any way to predict how a book will do once it’s on the market.
We can only hope for the best.
Even so, if you do want your book to sell, it will require some effort on your part. This is especially true if you are a first-time author with no previous experience as a writer and you don’t have a platform.
If you want your book to sell, you will need to get out there and tell the world about it. Network, start a blog, read books on being an author as well as books on book promotion. Get on social media, arrange book signings, give readings, contribute articles, etc.
The above methods for promoting your book also do not guarantee that it will sell, though it will encourage some sales of your book to come trickling in.
Ultimately, what matters most is that you are passionate about your book. Without the passion, your book’s chances of getting and staying on the market are low. You need to be so passionate about your book that you are tirelessly sharing all about it with everyone.
Passion is what drives the author. Passion is what you need to write your book, do the work in getting it published, then do more work to promote it. As long as you are passionate about your book, whether or not it makes any money won’t matter. And that’s actually a good thing, because there will be days and even months when there won’t be any money coming in from your book at all.
I am an author whose books do occasionally sell. However, I have yet to receive a royalty amount that is enough to pay my bills. There are other authors out there who have told me the same thing. The royalties are still nice to receive, no matter how small they are, because they tell me someone out there bought my book (or, in the case of Kindle Unlimited, read a certain number of pages of my books).
My experiences in receiving book royalties have helped me to understand that an author cannot rely on book sales for a source of a monthly income. I know I am not alone in this.
And I know that other authors in the old days still had to work a day job because their book sales were not enough to live on.
Don’t believe the hype that getting your book published means you’ll be rolling in money. And I would suggest that if it’s money you are after, consider looking into another line of work.
You want another truism about being an author? We’re not in it for the money. We do what we do because it is our passion. It is who we are and what we are. Yes, earning some money from our books is nice, but that’s not how it always is when it comes to book sales. We know we can’t rely on book royalties as an income. That’s why we’re working a day job in addition to writing books (or, in my case, working gigs).
And even if our books don’t earn any money at all? We’ll keep writing them anyway!
What’s New This Week
My article about blind gamer Ross Minor has been published in the November issue of Able News. It is on page 14. You can click on this link to download the full issue. Thank you, Able News!
Book Reviews
I recently reviewed the YA horror novella The White Ball by Angie Gibson at Goodreads
I recently reviewed the poetry book Cancer Courts My Mother by LindaAnn LoSchiavo at Dawn Reviews Books
I recently reviewed the poetry book Cardinal or Crow by Molly Myriah at Reader Views
What’s New at SPARREW?
Check out my interview with the hybrid author Kealan Patrick Burke here.
Read the full issue here.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!
Week of Terrors Anthology series
Twisted Dreams Press is now accepting submissions for a new anthology series! It is seven books with ten stories in each book.
The first anthology will be published in June. The others will follow in the subsequent months. Submissions of stories for all anthologies opens the beginning of April.
Open until each anthology has ten stories. We will announce when an anthology is no longer accepting submissions.
Series Name: A Week of Terrors!
Here are the themes:
Monster Monday: Creature Horror Stories
Terrifying Tuesday: Evil Clowns
Werewolf Wednesday
Thriller Thursday: Zombies
Frightening Friday: Mix of horror subgenres: psychological horror, eco-horror, cyberpunk horror, erotic horror, etc.
Slasher Saturday: Slasher horror
Spooky Sunday: Ghost stories
Payment: One print and digital copy.
Submit your stories today!
Length: 3K-10K words
Reprints welcome! Simultaneous submissions welcome but please let us know if your story is accepted elsewhere.
Email your stories as a Word .doc or .docx file. Google Docs are okay as long as you grant Dawn permission for access.
No PDF submissions, please.
Stories written with AI will NOT be accepted!
When you submit your story, please put the following in the subject line:
Submission: WOT Anthology, (Title), (Day of the week your story is for)
Please include in your email if the story is a reprint as well as your bio.
Please send your stories to Dawn at submissions@twisteddreamspress.com
We look forward to reading your story!
Friday the 13th Summer Camp Horror Anthology
It’s that time of year again! Time for writers everywhere to start writing some summer camp horror!
At Twisted Dreams Press, however, we horror fanatics just can’t get enough of Friday the 13th!
We are announcing a call for summer camp horror stories that take place on a Friday the 13th for our anthology: Friday the 13th Summer Camp Horror! This anthology is scheduled for publication on Friday, March 13, 2026!
Start submitting your summer camp horror stories now!
The deadline is December 5, 2025. Which gives you plenty of time to cook up a story that will knock our socks off!
Check out the graphic above to get the deets! Send us your Friday the 13th summer camp horror stories to get in on this!
NOTE: A tie-in to the movie is not required. No fan fiction, please.
BONUS CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Flame Tree Press
“I’m looking for stories that are as disturbing, strange, and original as you can make them. I’m not averse to humour, and neither am I averse to horror tropes like zombies, vampires, and serial killers. But if you are going to write stories with such familiar, tried-and-trusted elements, then you need to find a new and unique way of presenting them. I want to be surprised and scared by your stories, and I want them to be populated by characters who are both believable and identifiable (even the evil ones).”
Original stories only. No AI-generated stories.
Length: 3K-5K words
Payment: “We pay Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) rates of 8 cents/6 pence for each word for new stories.”
Deadline: 11/15
Usawa Literary Review
“Someone is always watching. Is it you, or someone else?
Sometimes it’s the eyes of a streetlamp, a neighbour at the window, or the phone you forgot was switched on.
To witness is to know something you cannot unknow. It is not just seeing. It is also remembering, archiving, and re-remembering. What do you intend to do with that knowledge? Sometimes we surrender to it — in helplessness, in rupture, in solidarity. To witness is to be human.
History depends on witnesses. So does the present. What do you see, and what does your account leave out? Do your words belong to those who did not survive? Did you weep at an act of kindness? Which stories are being quietly culled into a deafening silence? And what does it mean to witness your own surveillance? Who is watching you, and why?”
They’re accepting speculative fiction, poetry, nonfiction, book reviews, interviews and photos. Simultaneous submissions allowed. Six month period of exclusivity of your work following publication.
Length:
Fiction: 2K-5K words
Nonfiction: 5K words max
Poetry: 4-6 poems
Book Reviews: 1000-1500 words
Translations: “Include at least 4 poems or a text ranging from 2000-5000 words for consideration. The translation should be alongside the source text.”
Photos: “Please send up to six-eight stand-alone photographs or photo essays.”
Interviews: “The interview piece should have at least 5-8 questions.”
Payment: “We pay INR 1000/ $12 for an accepted piece.”
Deadline: November 15, 2025
Variant Literature
They are accepting fiction, flash nonfiction and poetry. Original work only. Simultaneous submissions accepted.
Length:
Fiction: 5500 words max. Also accepts flash fiction of 1200 words max.
Nonfiction: 1200 words max.
Poetry: limit to 5 poems that are not longer than 10 pages
Payment: $10 per acceptance. Payment is made through PayPal.
Deadline: December 4, 2025
Kilter & Rammel Publishing
“We want your stories! Submissions are open to any author writing in the English language, at any stage of their career.
You’re welcome interpret the theme of ‘transformations’ however you like; we’d love to see stories across a variety of genres. As long as your work fits the theme of “Transformations” and the general tone of ‘fun but dark fiction‘, we want to see what you’ve cooked up.”
Original work only. Simultaneous submissions allowed. No AI-generated stories.
Length: 2K-5K words
Payment: “£20 plus a copy of both the print and e-book editions to each selected author.”
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Hollow Oak Press
“We’re looking for cozy fantasy short fiction.
We’re open to any definition of fantasy—second-world, urban, historical, paranormal, you name it—as long as it has cozy themes. We want whimsical, slice-of-life, optimistic stories and worlds that feel like a freshly laundered, warm blanket on a cool morning. We do still want something to happen in your story, though—this just isn’t the call for stories that center war, trauma, brutality, or world-ending plots. We will judge all stories by their own merits though, so if you think you have something that fits, we want to read it.
Some tips: We’re looking for character-driven stories that evoke themes of friendship, healing, and/or community. Think Practical Magic, Legends and Lattes, or The Hobbit. We prefer clean prose that makes every single word count.”
Original work only. Simultaneous submissions allowed. No multiple submissions. No AI-generated stories.
Length: 3K-8K words
Payment: $30
Deadline: January 31, 2026
This Week’s Book Promo
My collection of related stories, Vengeance from Beyond, celebrated its book birthday this week! I created this book after I noticed I had stories with a character that made a frequent appearance. She is introduced in the second story in this book and appears again in the novelette Lost Soul, which is included in the book.
Here is an excerpt from that scene.
Excerpt from:
Vengeance from Beyond
Copyright © 2024 by Dawn Colclasure
Dana sat up in the hospital bed, watching the TV as she ate. The hospital food was dry and tasteless, but she didn’t care. She wolfed it down.
She’d been there for three days now and was feeling a lot better. She was relieved to get three meals a day. They even offered her ice cream any time she asked for it. The nurses were kind to her and treated her with compassion. It had been so long since she’d received a touch of kindness or a friendly word that she almost cried. She wanted to hug them.
It was possible they were being so nice to her after her ordeal. The first morning she awoke, the police were there to ask her questions about what had happened.
The whole interrogation with the police had been exhausting, and now she was finally enjoying some peace.
Or, at least, she thought so.
She braced herself for another interrogation as she watched the door to her room open. Entering the room was the same woman who had interviewed her when she first got there. She had arrived with the police and had talked with her first. She had introduced herself as Essie Histor. She was very thin, and had shoulder-length red hair. She explained to Dana that she worked with the Reno Police Department. She was here as a favor to the police chief, who didn’t have a specialist in sex crimes to interview victims.
Today she wore a beige business jacket over an orange top and a beige skirt that matched the jacket. She smiled at Dana as she entered the room.
Dana nodded in recognition as she watched her enter, then she froze, staring in shock at who else came into the room. He walked in right behind Essie, standing much taller.
Her psychiatrist.
She watched him as he followed Essie into the room. They stood at the side of her bed. Dana’s eyes never left her psychiatrist as she stared at him with surprise.
He seemed surprised, too.
He sighed. “They told me you were dead.”
“They?” she asked.
“Your parents.”
“Oh.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, suddenly losing her appetite. Of course, her family didn’t care that she’d run away. They were probably glad she was gone.
“Mind telling me how you got into this mess?” he asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.
Dana looked at him, then she looked at Essie. “I already told her everything.”
“I’d like to hear it from you,” he replied, staring hard at her.
Dana noticed Essie shoot him a look, but she returned her gaze to her. She softened her expression and nodded.
Dana sighed, preparing herself for his drilling attitude. He probably would not believe a single word she said, but she didn’t care. She told him the whole story, even how she had murdered someone in order to escape.
After she finished telling him everything, he sighed again and shook his head. “That’s quite a story.”
“It’s the truth,” she countered.
“Don’t worry, we believe you,” Essie assured, patting Dana’s leg. “Unfortunately, there’s a very bad sex trafficking ring in Carson City that the police have been trying to crack for months. They think you might have come from there.”
Dana could only shrug. She didn’t know what else to tell them. She hardly saw any faces. “I don’t know where it was.”
“That’s okay, the police think you can still help them to find it.”
Dana looked at her, panic rising within her chest. “I don’t want to go back.”
“You don’t have to go back,” she assured. “We will protect you. You’ll be safe and hidden away. No one will see you. The police just need your help to find out where you escaped from.”
She seemed convinced that Dana would be safe, but some part of her didn’t trust either of them. Especially not her psychiatrist, who pegged her as a liar from the very beginning.
She looked at him. “Why are you here?”
“Essie is a friend of mine,” he replied. “I recognized your photo in the database and contacted her. I told her you were my patient, and she invited me to come out to interview you. Maybe we can do that tomorrow?”
She nodded. She really didn’t want to be interviewed by this creep, but she didn’t want to prolong his visit by fighting with him either. “Sure.”
“Good,” he replied, nodding.
“And we can talk more about you helping the police, okay?” Essie added, shooting her a hopeful look. “We’re so glad you made it out of there safely.”
Dana smiled. “Thanks.”
They left the room, and she sat there on the bed, thinking it all through.
Thanks for reading! See you next weekend.
Congratulations, Dawn, on your book anniversary!! Yes, it's true that most authors cannot live by the pen alone. However, armed with a book by a credible publisher, the author might (1.) apply for a teaching gig on a college campus; (2.) sign up with a Speakers Bureau for lucrative speaking engagements & panels; (3.) sell a course based on your niche or expertise; and (4.) do a TED talk to raise your profile. Additionally, if you've written a novel, contact your local club(s) and offer to attend one session for a "Meet the Author" event. Local book club appearances can help sell your books and will increase your fan-base. My two cents.