Writers: Making a Living Off of Kindle?
By Jeff Rivera on Apr 19, 2010 - GalleyCat

So much media attention has been given to the iPad and to eBooks lately that it made GalleyCat wonder aloud: Is it possible for an author to make a living from selling eBooks?

Author, J.A. Konrath (left) of the Jack Daniels series says, "Yes." He has successfully built a career and a living wage doing exactly that. In our interview with him, he tells us exactly how he did it, what the advantages and disadvantages are of publishing traditionally and why he says his books are outselling even bestselling authors such as James Patterson.

What is the Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels series about and what is your writing process from story concept to finished novel?

Jack is a forty-seven year old Chicago cop, and she chases serial killers and other assorted loonies. The books are fast paced--lots of action and dialog--with some humor thrown in to break-up the suspense.

Which you do you enjoy more; traditional publishing or independent publishing, and why?

I enjoy writing. Publishing... not so much. I've been lucky to work with some very talented people in the publishing world, and the print industry has allowed me to write full time. I'm proud of my books, and I'm pleased to be earning royalties.
Unfortunately, the print world is flawed. The business model--where books can be returned, and where a 50% sell-though is considered acceptable--is archaic and wasteful. Writers get small royalties, little say in how their books are marketed and sold, and simple things like cover and title approval are unheard of unless you're a huge bestseller.
Self-publishing is a huge pain. It allows for more control, but the workload is doubled. I prefer to write stories, not spend hours formatting HTML.
Read the full interview at GalleyCat.