Readers ask me this question more often than you might think: “What’s the best way for me to buy your books?” What they’re really asking is, “What’s the best way I can support you?” And I love that question. It tells me you care, and that you want your dollars to actually reach the person who wrote the story you enjoyed.
So today, I’m pulling back the curtain. I can only speak for myself and my own numbers, but I suspect my experience looks a lot like that of many independent authors, especially those of us who are still building our readership.
Let me say up front that any way you decide to buy a book helps. Truly. When you order from a site like Amazon or Barnes & Noble, that sale feeds the algorithm. It tells the system that my books are interesting and might be worth recommending to other readers. That visibility matters. The trade-off is that I make less per copy on those sales, and I’m okay with that. But if your goal is to put the most money in your favorite author’s pocket, buying directly from the author is the way to do it.
Let’s Talk Actual Numbers
Here’s what that looks like for me, starting with my Starting Over Trilogy, which includes Emily’s Next Chapter, Jessica’s New Beginning, and Liz’s Forever After. Each softcover (also called print-bound) retails for $24.95.
When you order one of those books from an online retailer like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart.com, or Bookshop.org, I make somewhere between $0.87 and $1.57 per copy.
Why so little? Because someone has to pay to print the book, and printing runs about $9.19 to $9.89 per copy. So let’s do the math on a $24.95 book. Subtract $9.89 for printing. Subtract my $1.57. That leaves about $13.49 going to the seller. That’s right. I get $1.57, and the retailer gets $13.49.
Now compare that to a direct sale. The printing cost stays the same, but I also pay to have the books shipped from the printer to me, which adds about $3.49 per book. That number can shift a bit when I order in bulk, but it’s a fair estimate. So when you buy one of my trilogy books directly from me at a book event, at full retail price, I make about $11.57.
That’s the difference between $1.57 and $11.57 for the exact same book.
Here’s another example. The House Always Wins, my spicy novella that came out in June 2026, is available only in paperback and retails for $14.95. When you order it online, I get paid about $1.34. Printing costs about $5.11, and the rest goes to the seller. When you buy it directly from me at full price, I make about $6.35.
Why Am I Sharing All of This?
A few reasons. First, readers have asked, and I like to say I’m an open book, so I’m happy to share.
Second, I know some readers feel the individual books in my trilogy are a little expensive. Now you know I’m not raking in big money on those sales. And when I offer a discount, it comes directly out of my profits. Remember that $11.57? If I discount the full trilogy to $65, I’m taking $3.28 off my profit on each book. And if I offer the trilogy for $50? You guessed it. I’m making only about $3.29 per book.
Third, and most importantly, I want you to know that there are ways to help authors earn more from their work. Not necessarily more per book, but more overall. And many of them don’t cost you a dime.
How You Can Support Your Favorite Authors
Here’s what makes a genuine difference, especially for authors who are just starting out:
- Buy directly from the author when you can. At book events, signings, or through an author’s own website, more of your money goes to the person who wrote the book.
- Buy from retailers when direct isn’t an option. Those sales still count. They feed the algorithms that recommend books to new readers, and visibility leads to more sales down the road.
- Leave reviews. Post them on Goodreads, Bookmory, and Storygraph. And absolutely leave reviews on the retail sites themselves. Reviews show other readers that people are reading and enjoying a book, and they increase the chances that someone new will take a chance on it.
- Tell a friend. Word of mouth is still the most powerful marketing an author can get, and it’s free.
- Read the book with your book club. Personally, I love supporting book clubs, and I am always happy to attend in person for book club events in the Twin Cities. And for those further away, I’m happy to join via a video call.
- Request the book at your local library. Library purchases are sales too, and they put the book in front of readers who might become lifelong fans.
- Share on social media. A quick post, a photo of the book, or a tag on a site like Instagram goes further than you’d expect.
At the end of the day, every purchase, every review, and every recommendation matters. However you choose to support the authors you love, thank you. We notice, and we’re grateful.