2024 in Review - Part 2 of 3
Welcome back to the review of how I did in 2024. In the previous post, I shared my thoughts on publishing. This time we’ll discuss my online store and audiobooks.
My Online Store
In August 2023, I started my online store, using the Shopify platform for the backbone. I dabbled with it for a few months, trying to learn the various intricacies of being an online retailer. While I did that, I was also learning how to advertise on Facebook.
Have you seen my ads for the Cozy Up series or the 509 Crime Stories? I’d love to know if you have. Leave a comment below. 👇
Anyway, I gained momentum in January 2024. Outside of a technical hiccup that slowed me for a couple of months in February and March, the overall result was a resounding success.
There were some challenges, mostly with learning how to advertise on Facebook. Marketing got expensive as the 2024 Presidential Election heated up. However, it seems that things have returned to normal.
At the end of the year, I can safely say I had my most profitable year as a writer. I’m not comfortable sharing the numbers on here, but I more than doubled my all-time sales record.
To achieve this, I spent more money on advertising than I can believe. Looking at the number still makes my eyes pop out.
However, I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it means another year of the same sales.
Running one’s own store isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it type of endeavor. It requires lots of upkeep and constant monitoring of the advertising. It’s a business after all, so there’s a lot of work involved.
Overall grade: B+
I’m happy with what I achieved, but there’s room for improvement in 2025. To grow my audience, I should advertise my less popular series, too. I also need to market more to those interested in paperbacks and audiobooks.
Of all the opportunities available to an independent author, this has been the most exciting.
Audiobooks
I funnel the money from my book sales back into my writing business. Although I will fund trips to writers’ conferences, I don't purchase personal toys or trinkets. I can’t. I want to be a professional and therefore, I must act like one.
The business must come first.
This year, I really put that into action. I hired audiobook narrators to record the following titles:
The Side Hustle
The Long Cold Winter
The Blind Trust
The Suit
The Value in Our Lies
Murder by Any Other Name
Black and Blue in the Lilac City
The Only Death that Matters
Cutler’s Chase
Strait Over Tackle
Strait to Hell
Strait Out of Nowhere
Without sharing the actual cost, this was a significant capital investment in 2024.
Now, I own the rights exclusively to these audiobooks, which means two things. First, I don’t have to split the proceeds with any producer (after Audible and the other retailers take their cut, of course). Second, I can sell the above audiobooks in my store.
It costs dramatically more to produce audiobooks this way, but it gives me full control. Currently, the rights to the Cozy Up Series and the Charlie-316 Series are with an audiobook producer. They covered all the costs per our agreement. They did a great job with those titles and it’s the contract I agreed to, so I will not cry about it. However, I much prefer to pay for the work up front and own the rights.
In eleven months, I’ve made back 83% of the initial cost of The Side Hustle’s production (roughly $1,700.00) which is the first one I did in 2024. The other titles are going slower, but it’s given me confidence that I made the right decision.
Overall grade: A+ (IMHO)
In 2025, the audiobook recording will continue at the same frenzied pace. My goal is to get all the 509 Crime Stories and John Cutler Mysteries recorded. After that, we’ll be on target to have an audiobook produced every time a new novel comes out. It’d be neat to have them released at the same time as the eBook and paperbacks.
That’s it for this time out. Stop in for the final piece of my review when we’ll talk about my main website and newsletter. Thanks for hanging in there with me during this annual review.