Is the Self Published Author getting taken for a ride?

   So many of us self published authors have poured our hearts and souls into our manuscripts and sent them off to traditional agents and publishing houses. Waited, waited, and waited some more, only to get a rejection letter, or worse no response at all. Many of us after many failed attempts have turned our back on the traditional publishing industry and taken to the world of self publishing.
  With so many publicized stories of self published authors making big bucks and in turn attracting contracts from publishers we feel like we might actually stand a chance. Then we polish up our manuscript to the best of our ability, Photoshop the best cover we can manage and upload. Most of us are still waiting for that big boom of sales. Then the reviews start coming in, bad cover, no editing, so on and so forth.
   So we think OK, I'll get an editor, and a cover artist.That's when we are hit with the bomb shell. Editing can cost you up to 20 cents a word. When you have a 70- 100 thousand word novel you are talking upwards of  two grand. So we check out cover artists, another three to four hundred dollars. And we start to think, we are self published, we can't afford this.
   There are many free lance artists and editors out there trying to make a pretty penny on the desperate self published author. I'm sure there are many that have paid those kinds of fees and are still trying to recoup their money years later. With the 99 cent e-book that nets you a whopping 35 cents a sale with Amazon or 78 cents with samshwords and Lu Lu you would have to sell 1000 books a day. For months. Most of us are lucky to get ten a day.
   Every one is out to make money on the eBook revolution. But when do we say enough is enough? Luckily for myself I have had the privilege to find a terrific editor and cover artist both of which have given me back my faith in humanity. Take heart Self published author, there are a brave few who are willing to stand up for us. To help us when we and where we need it most. To those people my hat is off for you.
   Links to my cover artist and editor can be found in helpers corner. Merry writing fellow authors, and keep your head up. Not all is dark and bleak in the self-publishing world.
  Much love,
Dawn