Konrath does it. Gaughran does it. Plenty of others do it, too.

Post their sales data, that is. So will I. Because I think it’s still very, very important to show just how real this self-publishing thing is. And it’s important for others who are considering going the traditional route to know that you don’t have to pour your heart and soul and blood and sweat and tears into a thousand query letters and face rejection after rejection.

At least, you don’t have to do it for free. You can earn money from your work while going through the now-antiquated methods of traditional publishing by putting your work up on websites around the world so that the only gatekeepers that actually matter in the end – the readers – can find your work. And you might even earn enough for a nice dinner out.

I published The Dying of the Light: End on Kindle on May 19, 2011, and in paperback on Amazon.com on May 26, 2011. It went up slightly later on Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and only a couple weeks back on Borders’ Kobo. As of this writing, Kobo doesn’t give out sales figures very often, and the Nook sales figures… well, after reading stories from others, I don’t really trust them. I’ve included what I have, but with a firm question mark, at least in my head.

Since I didn’t have this blog last month, I’m posting both June and July data, June first, then a comparison.

Being that the book was just released a few days before June, I’d say these are solid numbers. I’m convinced that most of this is due to my Twitter and Facebook feeds, and a LOT of friends telling people about the book. No doubt there’s also some spillover from my debut convention at the end of May, Comicpalooza.

Here’s July:

As you can see, a significant increase in sales across all editions, but HUGE numbers on Kindle as the book began to move up the ranks. Nearly quadruple the sales in one month time, which I again attribute to Twitter and Facebook mostly, but also due to several blogger reviews, a couple giveaways, and more reviews on Amazon.

Some of the more astute of you may notice the difference in the Print (Other) category from last month. This was due to two conventions – Anime Overload in Austin, and my attendance at Comic-Con 2011, where I handed out 600 bookmarks and 400 business cards.

It’s still amazing to me to see that I can pay my car note and light bill from my Kindle sales alone. I know the book is good, but still… just wow. And this should show the naysayers that even a new book – out only 69 days – can generate some income. August is already looking better than July, too. Can’t wait to see what the holidays will bring!

Until next time, keep reading!

Jason