

The reality couldn't be more different.


I'm not saying you can't make money from writing books. The likes of John Grisham, Stephen King, and JK Rowling prove you can. Even if your royalty were only $1 per book, if you sold 1 million books, then you'd become a millionaire.

But few of us can sell as many books as James Patterson or Danielle Steele. "The average U.S. nonfiction book is now selling less than 250 copies per year and less than 3,000 copies over its lifetime," says publisher Steve Piersanti, "And very few titles are big sellers."

Does this mean you should give up your dream of being a successful author? Of course not, because you can make a living writing books--even if you don't sell a single copy.

The Other Way to Make Money with Books


Even Grisham, King, and Rowling make more money from TV and film adaptations of their books than the actual sales of their books. Producers pay them a lot of money for the opportunity to capitalize on the relationships they've forged with their readers, and to give their fans a deeper experience with the stories they've come to know and love.


A good example is my book, Engagement from Scratch!. It's available to buy on Amazon, both as an ebook and as a printed book. However, I also give it away on my website in exchange for people's emails.

You may think it's foolish of me to give the book away, especially since I've received royalties over $10,000 from Amazon by now (I'm able to pocket a higher percentage of sales because I self-published the book).



Make Your Dream A Reality

Before you worry about how to write a nonfiction book that will fund your retirement, sit down and create a long-range vision for how you'll deepen relationships with your readers.

Think through your win scenarios. What can you do to make this worth your while? How is it going to work for you and your business, in a way that isn't just about selling the individual book?

