Tuesday 30 March 2010

My book for the Orange Prize?

I must remember this every time I wonder about whether I should pursue the printing and sale of my book. For only the sale of 188 copies I could be long-listed for the Orange Prize. 


With enough bullying and bribery I think I could find enough friends to manage that!


Perhaps I need to have the right friends?


In all seriousness, it just goes to show how difficult it is to get a book into the market place, even an excellent one (which I am sure Clare Clark's is). It is only when you have established yourself, or managed to find a niche market, that it can be more comfortable to make a living as an author. 


It is often quoted that the average writer earns £5000 per annum, which is hardly enough to retire to the Bahamas on. Shame, though, because I was looking forward to seeing out my years lazing on a beach in the Caribbean...

5 comments:

Tim Atkinson said...

Pleased to know I'm not alone... in being unable to retire to the Bahamas, that is!

cheshire wife said...

You have plenty of time to write a best seller!

Muddling Along said...

Hang on in there - who knows what will happen in the future (although I'm hoping publishers will move away from the sleb rubbish and back into nurturing proper writers)

lulu's missives said...

I love your style of writing.
I'd definitely buy your book.

Working Mum said...

If your book has the sort of gentle observations on African life that I find so endearing in the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, I'd buy a copy. Keep faith in your book and keep trying. J K Rowling ended up going to a publisher who didn't do children's books and they took a risk.

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