Summary

A writer facing a decline in income and success after initial achievements reflects on the challenges of sustaining a creative career and the necessity of adaptation and perseverance.

Abstract

The author, a successful full-time writer who has seen a significant drop in income despite continued productivity and marketing efforts, discusses the struggle of maintaining success in a creative field. After experiencing high revenue from his thrillers on Amazon, the author has encountered a series of setbacks, including reduced sales and a lack of impact from new releases. Drawing on Seth Godin's concept of "The Dip," the author acknowledges the critical juncture in his career where past strategies no longer yield results. Despite these challenges, he remains determined to adapt by exploring new series, platforms like Medium, and commission work. The article serves as a motivational piece for fellow artists, encouraging them to push through difficult periods and not succumb to the temptation to quit.

Opinions

The author believes in the importance of self-belief and resilience in the face of career setbacks, emphasizing that giving up leads to defeat.
There is an acknowledgment that established strategies may become ineffective over time, necessitating innovation and new approaches to stay relevant.
The author suggests that every successful artist encounters a phase where they must reinvent themselves to continue thriving.
The article conveys a sense of solidarity with other artists experiencing similar challenges, offering empathy and encouragement.
The author expresses a pragmatic approach to dealing with financial downturns, considering alternative revenue streams such as commission work.
The article implies that success in a creative career is not a linear path but a journey with highs and lows that require constant adaptation.

Hey Artist, Don’t Let The Dip Break You

When we, as authors, musicians, actors, or bloggers, are at the very beginning, failure is the rule. But when we’re already established and success suddenly fades away and revenues drop, it can be frightening. Now it’s essential to stay strong and continue to believe in yourself because, at this point in your career, it shows what you’re made of.

I have been a full-time writer for over a year.

I decided to quit my full-time job when I earned over 8500 € in one month with my thrillers on Amazon.

Before that, I had already had several months with an income of 5000 €, and in the two months after that, it was over 7000 and then again more than 6000 €.

I thought that nothing bad could happen to me anymore if I just kept on doing what I was doing. Since then, I have continued to publish a new novel every two months and have further expanded my fan base.

Today I suddenly have difficulties to earn even close to 3000 €. My worst month in the last half-year was 1900 €

I have over 30 books on the market and know how to use Amazon and Facebook ads. My newsletter reaches almost 800 readers who also buy nearly all of my new books.

My last book climbed to number 47 in the overall German Amazon charts in January. And yet my income continues to fall. The book has since fallen to rank 510.

I also had to realize that my new books don’t pull up the old books anymore when I publish. In the past, I could assume that a new book would also drive sales of my old books, but that seems to be over.

In between, I have also tried a book that is not part of any of my series. I have also tried to limit my losses by increasing the prices of my books. But this only made me sell less, and my books dropped massively in the ranking.

I had to realize that my career has reached the point that Seth Godin describes in his book “The Dip.”

At some point, what was natural before suddenly becomes harder and harder. What worked yesterday no longer works today. You begin to doubt yourself and think about giving up, but when you give up, you have already lost.

Adapt and go new ways

Since I am not ready to do a regular job again and return to the hamster wheel, I will accept this phase of failure and not be put off.

If my old series don’t make big money anymore, I will write a new series.

If Amazon alone is no longer enough to feed me, I will invest more time and energy in Medium.

If the dry spell lasts any longer, I will have to accept some commission work in between.

I will do everything I can to continue to make a living from writing, and it will work. It was this absolute belief in the possibility of success that finally brought me this far in the first place.

Before I earned over 8000 € in a month, I had to write many books, spend hundreds of hours on marketing, and kick my ass every day. For the first four years as an author, I earned almost nothing.

So I came out of nowhere and made it into the 150 most successful self-publishers in Germany.

Now I’m a long way from those successes, which were not so long ago. But I know that every successful artist reaches this point sooner or later. I will be one of those who will not be broken by it.

Are you in a dip too? Do you believe that nothing you do can bring back your past success? I beg you to hold on because I know that you also can get out of this hole.

Don’t be one of those who can be stopped. Don’t let the dip break you.

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