It took me four hours to sit and type this one. Writing about reality sucks. But hey, this journey is about awareness and transformation. And as our famous Jung would mention it – If you want to reach the Heaven, better start from the bottom of the Hell. 

I will not decorate it with fancy words. Let’s do numbers. Numbers tell the best of the stories:

• 99% of authors in the world will never make it big. Not even more than 200 copies sold barrier. Most of writers are left out of the conversation. 
• My commission from every book sold by 3rd parties is between 10-30% (depends on direct and indirect sales.) It means if they sell 1 book which costs 10 AZN, I will make in between 1-3 AZN) 
• I have a stock of two books (2500+ copies) that could be sold around the country at the moment. KVAN and Danış Görək (Mr. Speak) books. 
• I have another two books on the way (Sözün İzində and Koani) These two will be printed with 1300 copies in total. One is 3 days away. Another one made me wait for 3 months already. (Illustrations.) 
• Out of my 11 books some are limited. No publication further. There books may be published again. (Onqaku, Alamo13 and Filankesov) 
• If miraculously all of my books are sold today my commissions are in between 3.800 – 9.000 AZN. 
• The system of sales and distribution is designed to kill the author’s will to continue. Azerbaijan has some bookstore chains which look good on the outside but when you enter the kitchen you notice big obstacles. 
• Authors are left with these options – put your books and wait. We sell and then give you money months later – we sell and 40% is ours. 
• 1000 copies of a book printed cost you from 3000-3500 AZN todays rate. If you print that and sell it with them you make 3000 AZN and shops make 4000. If they work like a Swiss watch great. But usually they work like gypsy watches. Negligence and late invoicing. No communication at all. Authors become investigative specialist. We check the shelves and updates. 
• If you try to sell yourself 1000 copies get you 7000 AZN of profit. 
• In a perfect world author sells by himself and hits 10.000 copies mark to do 70.000.
• In reality only 2-3 authors reach such numbers and later give the red carpet to pirates who make more than them by selling cheaper – low quality versions. 
• In reality, most authors struggle with sales, design, speaking about their books. 
• In reality, people want free books, gift books and plenty of discount. Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky do not care about 70-90% dump on their book price. They are dead. Authors who are alive are invited to die as soon as possible in order to make it easy for the shops and book houses to sell them easier. 
• Did I mention quality editing, proofreading, cover design and other costs? 
• So right now, if I am lucky, I make up to 9000-10.000 AZN from all the sales which involve my participation in the process. If I put my book in the shelves of Ali Ninos, Libraffs, Baku Book Center type of places for me to make this money I will need to wait for 10+ years. 
• Here is the reality. It is impossible to make a million just from selling your books. Not hard to accept it. 
• It is much easier to reach that number by training and speaking gigs. Online and offline events. 
• What is the hell for an author? To turn into a sales person. You feel cheap and different. In my case, the key word that helps me survive mentally is “fearless transactions”. 
• My writing has a 10-year track record of interest and reader base. 
• People buy the books when I speak. 
• People give the books away to their peers. (1 purchase 10+ reads) 

Right now, my reality has set of obstacles. But I remember one author saying that obstacle is the way. 

Journey goes on as I sail toward that way. Waters are deep and endless. Clouds warn about the upcoming storms. The boat will shake hard. And I am the captain behind the wheel. 

Looking straight into the eyes of Poseidon.