[Kathleen Valentine]

Getting caught up in sales destroys the passion to write...

This is so very true! I love writing and I love being a writer but, so far, while profits from my books make my life more pleasant, I still have to generate a more reliable income. When I joined Kindle Boards and saw the figures some people were posting I got very annoyed with my own much slower sales and started spending a lot more time marketing. This did help sales a bit BUT it also took time away from my design business. This past week I had to also face facts -- I'd have to sell between 15 and 20 books per hour to generate the income I make designing! That wasn't happening.

So, basically, if you are self-supporting (don't have a spouse with a good income or a trust fund), then yes, you have to face facts and be honest! I know now that if I want to generate enough income to live on and still find time to write, I can't spend more than an hour a day on marketing. That means sales will suffer but that's just the way life is.

Ranting can get things off your chest but, when the rant is over, the facts are still sitting there staring you in the face.