This Forbes story—about a self-publisher earning $450K a year on Amazon—is a bit old. And many would dismiss Mark Dawson as an outlier.
Still, at a time when many writers are weighing traditional publishing against DIY, I can’t resist sharing it.
Based in the U.K., Dawson is a thriller and crime author, so that’s a built-in commercial advantage over, say, high lit. But the genres by themselves can’t explain the $450K. As summed up in The Write Life blog, here’s how Dawson triumphed:
1. He gave away is his first self-published book, The Black Mile, for free. I know. Readers are jaded. But this strategy at least worked for him.
2. Dawson promoted TBM on Facebook and on a mailing list. That engaged readers and let them keep up with his new releases. Once again, no guarantees! He also gave writing seminars.
3. Yes, he used Facebook ads. No, they’re not for everyone.
4. He wrote during a two-hour commute to and from London.
5. Dawson persisted even after he flopped originally with a book published traditionally.
Related: MarkJDawson.com and a promo video.
