WRITING A BEST SELLING eBOOK – Could A Happy Band Of Bloggers Create A Million Dollar eBook?
Now that’s a question and a half…. “Would it be possible for a group of bloggers on WordPress to band together to produce a massively popular and best selling million dollar eBook?”
Think about that for a moment before you answer.
I have a hunch that most ‘serious’ writers would snap back with “Nope. It wouldn’t work. Group efforts never sell. I wouldn’t want to join a group. I’m an individual” I think it was Groucho Marks who said something along the lines of “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member”.
And I can understand that. I can see their point. The idea does sound far-fetched, and as a ‘serious’ writer they probably wouldn’t want to dilute their own work with that of others they thought weren’t ‘up to their own standards’.
Then there are the technical details like…”Who gets the royalties?”
Okay, you could have one ‘publisher/administrator’ who would handle all royalty payments and distribute them as and when they arrived. But wouldn’t that be a bore if only 100 or so copies sold…? I must admit posting cheques for a dollar or 50p to a hundred co-writers might not be the best use of your time.
But you could all agree to send any money to a charity of your choice? But which one? Show me even 20 writers who could agree on one chosen charity? Doubtful.
Then there would be questions about content…. “What would the eBook be about? Not another collection of short stories that no one wants to read? Not one of those ‘How To Become A Great Writer in Three Weeks’ eBooks? Surely not?”
Okay….there are plenty of negatives. But….and it’s a big but I have to admit…..get a number of passionate writers together, all willing to write something decent for the book, and then willing to promote it once it’s online, then you’re talking about something really exciting.
In fact, I’ll make a prediction right now and if I’m still here in a couple of years time you can slap me in the face with it….here we go…..out of nowhere a group of WordPress bloggers will unite to publish an eBook that will take the online publishing world by storm. It will happen.
It will be a sensation. Everyone who has ever written anything more exciting than their name on the tag at the back of their favourite sweater will know about it. It will be publicised in all the media….the writers, all fifty of them, or whatever the number, will become overnight celebs.
I know you’re shaking your head right now, but wait and see. Mark it in your diary this minute, please…two years from now…..look up this blog post and reply “Good grief Steve, you were right.”
But who will be the lucky members of this group? You’ll all have to decide that for yourselves.
writegoodbooks 
As it happens, I am working on such a project right now. Now, I don’t really expect it to sell a million copies, but I have seen other self-published anthologies sell well before.
Yes, I had noticed you had a similar project in the pipeline. If you don’t mind me asking, how many writers are you looking for……to join in?
Also, here’s an interesting point, are you personally contacting potential contributors or is it ‘open house’ for whoever wants to be involved?
Maybe I could direct writers your way?
It is open to whomever wants to submit a story. I am hoping to get at least ten original stories, I’d prefer closer to fifteen. I am trying to get as many different voices and different perspectives on the world as possible, and I would love it if you, or anyone else reading this, wants to share the link.
Thanks for that Misha.
Anyone interested in Misha’s project please check out the link in his reply. I’ve read Misha’s work and like it a lot….plus he seems a very clued up kinda guy so any project he sets up is definitely worth looking at….recommended. There is going to be one massive group eBook published eventually so why not this one?
Your words could not have come at a better time! I have just launched a project to write a cookery book with the help of people all over world. The project was launched on the 8th of March to coincide with Women’s International Day and so far we have submissions from USA, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Poland and Finland. All proceeds will go to Cancer Research, with the authors only keeping the photos copyrights. If you don’t mind spreading the word the website is http://www.invisibileinkbooks.com and the book is due to come out in September with submissions accepted until the end of June.
Okay…always happy to help….so if anyone reading this wants to get in touch with Esther then please feel free to use the links in the reply above….you never know, this might be the one….
Steve, I was just talking to a friend about the rise of short stories. Commuters and lunchtime readers are increasingly reading short stories on their eReaders and phones. I think you are likely right on with your prediction.
It is bound to happen, although I suspect not in the way we are all used to.
What do I mean by that? Well, technology is moving at such a fast pace that someone is going to put two and two together and make 22……something we never imagined, that will tap into the need to read ‘something really good’ on the one hand and ‘write something really clever’ on the other.
That sounds silly, but it only needs someone to say “let’s make a gizmo that will link these readers to the writers and we’re in business….. ”
But it’s doing it in such a way that millions of people will say “We have to have one of those!”
Forgive the intrusion, but I wanted to thank you for liking my Marigold post.
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Actually, I bet it happens a lot more than we suspect. A couple of my friends, who happen to have WordPress and Blogspot, collaborated recently to release an ebook with the writing duo Saffina Desforges.
Yes, I think you might be right….thanks for the comment….
I used to be involved in story-go-rounds when I was younger. hey always came out odd… and funny… and a bit awkward by the end.
However…
with the caveat that my experience with them included teenagers that were not exactly predisposed to writing, I imagine one with more creative types would be a bang.
On the other hand… the quintessential issue involved in collaboration on a project like that, I imagine, would be holding the “voice.” Yes?
Consider, for instance, your previous post about getting the accent right. A small group? Easily synched. A large group? … I’m uncertain.
Holding the ‘voice’…now that’s an interesting thought. Would you want to? I’m not sure….
I would guess that most of these compilation books would have no specific voice….the usual thing is to pick a theme, suggest a title for the book, and maybe even decide on the genre, then invite writers to come up with something that ticked all these boxes but was still ‘their own’….
You’ve got me thinking now…..
As am I, my friend. As am I…
I believe I will stew on this through the evening.