Author Perspective: Are Print Copies Worth the Effort?

I recently had a good friend and fellow author put four of my titles into print on Createspace.  Deciding to offer this option was more for me than anything else because of the small amount of royalties one makes on actual trade paperbacks.  The biggest bang for a reader's buck comes from digital downloads, and the money one can save is definitely worth investing in an e-reader like Kindle or Nook.  My benefit...I can order copies for my own personal use at a fraction of the cost.

There are those die-hard book lovers who refuse to give up the smell of a book...although the only smell I ever noticed was mustiness from sitting on a shelf too long, or being purchased at a garage sale. But...will those diehards pay the price Createspace suggests so that the authors make some sort of profit for their work?  For example:  I had my friend, Kathy, download my latest release, Destiny's Bride.  I had to list the book for $12.00 in order to make anything at all.  If someone purchases the book through Createspace's site, I'll receive $3.31--if through Amazon, I'll get a whopping ninety-one cents.  So as you see, money to be made is definitely not in print copies which is why the e-publishing route has become overrun with reading opportunities.

THIS JUST IN:
And speaking of making money...I, with mixed emotions, would like to announce that my current "By Invite" only publisher, Books We Love, is now open to new authors.  Although I've loved feeling like an exclusive member of an elite society, I definitely understand the reason for expansion.  The more authors we have on board, the more attention we garner to our work.  I have the utmost respect for the two gals, Jude and Jamie, who have given me an opportunity I had never expected to find.  If you're looking for a great publisher with a forward thinking team who makes their number one focus the authors, then look no further.  Here's the url for the submission's page.  *sniff * http://www.bookswelove.net/submissions.php

But back to my topic, for those who want to have an actual book to hold, I now have Ellie's Legacy, Sarah's Heart, Sarah's Passion, and Destiny's Bride to add to my other print books available.  At Createspace, I can track the sales of print copies.  Woo Hoo, I already have two this month.  *lol*  Hope my digital sales continue to grow.

You can find all my books at http://www.amazon.com/author/gingersimpson.