Today’s Compendium Word: 20Booksto50K

20Booksto50K

A Facebook group started in 2016 by Michael Anderle and run by Craig Martelle and a cadre of volunteers focusing on the business side of indie writing. Members (52,000 in July 2021) freely share information about revenues, ad campaigns, publishing advice, successes and failures. Known for its rigid enforcement of its no-self-promotion policy. The group holds an annual convention in Las Vegas and has held one-off gatherings in Edinburgh, Bali, and elsewhere.

Anderle came up with the name. His technical background led him to publish books quickly using software’s “minimal viable product approach.” He concluded that he if published 20 books quickly (his second book took nine days to write; the third 13 days), he would earn enough money to quit his job. The 20Books approach was not intended as a “get rich quick” plan, as many authors discovered.

Result: quickie ebooks are the new penny dreadfuls:

“In modern times
an odd regression
ancient media
find new expression
Burma-Shave”

(Excerpt from “Peschel’s Compendium of Indie Writing and Publishing,” coming from Peschel Press)