I know that there are many fellow indie writers out there who are in a similar situation that I once was back in 2010 so I wanted to share my publishing journey along with sales figures (August 2011 - May 2013). Yes, you have heard of Amanda Hocking's story and of John Locke's, but what about the other thousands of indie writers out there who decided to write books and put them up on Amazon? After several years of work, I have data to share with you.

Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here

I will be up front and as transparent as I possibly can. The self-publishing industry is volatile, difficult to predict and more time consuming than I ever anticipated. But, fear not, it's not without hope. What is truly important is to have realistic expectations. If you're looking to make it rich fast, then, yes, abandon hope. If you understand that you'll be putting in years of work and that you'll need to build your platform and brand over several years writing at least three books, then you're in the realm of reality.