From Dream to Disappointment, My Wild Ride Trying to Get Rich Writing Ebooks

I thought it would be easy. Write a few ebooks, publish them online, sit back, and watch the money roll in. That’s how the ebook game is sold, right? It’s the promise of passive income, the kind of thing everyone’s talking about in online forums and YouTube videos. The formula looks simple: write, upload, promote. And who wouldn’t want to turn their passion for writing into a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time gig?

Let me tell you, I was all in. I had the dream, the ideas, and the drive to make it happen. What I didn’t have was the map to navigate through the overwhelming wilderness of the ebook world. Spoiler alert: I didn’t get rich. But I learned a hell of a lot along the way — lessons I didn’t know I was signing up for.

The Beginning: High Hopes and a Blank Page

When I first dove into ebook writing, I was buzzing with excitement. I told myself, “You’re going to write a bestseller!” My first project was about productivity hacks because, let’s be real, everyone is obsessed with getting more done in less time. It felt like a safe bet. The topic had a broad appeal, and I’d read enough productivity blogs to believe I could contribute something worthwhile.

I spent weeks crafting the perfect guide, convinced that my insights would blow readers away. I made it snappy, with actionable steps and a relatable tone. I had visions of five-star reviews flooding in. After all, I had a good grasp of the topic. What could go wrong?

Turns out, quite a lot.

Reality Check: Writing is the Easy Part

Writing the book was fun. I felt productive, creative, and hopeful. But the real battle began once the manuscript was finished. I didn’t know this at the time, but writing the ebook was the easy part. Publishing and marketing it? A nightmare.

I researched platforms, and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) seemed like the go-to option. It was easy to use, promised a massive audience, and offered decent royalties. I uploaded my ebook, designed a cover that I thought screamed “buy me now,” and waited for sales to roll in.

Crickets. Not a single sale for days.

Maybe people weren’t finding it, I thought. Maybe I just needed to get the word out. So I did what every self-published writer is told to do: promote, promote, promote. Social media posts, email newsletters, joining book forums — I did it all. I even tried running ads on Amazon, which led to another lesson in how fast money can vanish when you don’t know what you’re doing.

The Marketing Grind: Who Has Time for This?

Here’s something that no one tells you about being an ebook author: you’re not just a writer. You’re also a marketer, designer, PR person, and tech support. I didn’t sign up for that. I thought the writing would carry me to success. But the truth is, unless you’re a marketing genius or have a huge following, no one will even know your book exists.

I spent hours crafting social media posts that barely got any likes, let alone clicks. I tried everything — quizzes, infographics, email sequences — and still, my book sat at the bottom of the rankings, buried by the avalanche of new titles published every day. The more I promoted, the more I realized I was screaming into a void.

The people who did buy my book (thanks, Mom) left nice reviews, but it wasn’t enough to generate any real traction. I kept thinking, “Maybe the next one will be the hit.”

Chasing Niches: A Game of Trial and Error

After my productivity book flopped, I pivoted. I figured maybe the niche was too saturated. So I decided to try a different genre: fiction. This was closer to my heart anyway. I’d always loved storytelling, and surely writing something I was more passionate about would lead to better results, right?

Wrong.

I churned out a short novella, a love story with a twist, hoping it would resonate with the voracious romance readers out there. Once again, I hit publish and braced myself for the flood of readers.

Again, nothing. No tidal wave of sales, not even a trickle. I did everything I could to give it life. I researched SEO, keywords, and niche markets. I updated the cover, reworked the description, joined even more forums. And still, it sat there, collecting virtual dust.

That’s when it hit me: the ebook market is brutal. Thousands of new books get published every day, and the odds of standing out are slimmer than I’d realized. It didn’t matter that I’d followed all the “expert” advice. The cold, hard truth was that my books weren’t connecting with readers, and I wasn’t getting rich — or even moderately successful — anytime soon.

What No One Tells You About the Ebook Hustle

At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Why didn’t you quit?” Believe me, I thought about it. More than once. But stubbornness — or maybe naivety — kept me going. I was determined to figure it out. Surely, there had to be a secret formula I was missing. Some hack that would unlock the riches of the ebook empire.

But here’s what I learned, and it’s something most people don’t want to admit: success in the ebook world is unpredictable, and more often than not, it doesn’t happen.

No matter how much you plan, strategize, and research, you’re still at the mercy of algorithms, reader whims, and luck. And while some authors strike gold, most are left with the dregs of what they hoped would be their big break.

The Takeaway: You Can’t Bank on the Dream

I didn’t get rich writing ebooks. In fact, I barely broke even after factoring in the cost of marketing and cover design. But here’s the thing: I learned a lot. I learned that writing ebooks isn’t a golden ticket to financial freedom. It’s a hustle, and like any hustle, it comes with a lot of failure, disappointment, and self-doubt.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. If you’re passionate about writing, then by all means, go for it. But don’t buy into the hype. Don’t think that just because you write a book, people will read it. And don’t expect to quit your day job anytime soon.

Writing ebooks is a wild ride, and for most of us, it’s not a shortcut to riches. But if you’re willing to stick with it, if you love the process of writing and can stomach the constant grind of self-promotion, you might just carve out a small slice of success.

And hey, at least you’ll have a few ebooks with your name on them. That’s something, right?

In the end, I’m not rich, but I’ve got stories to tell — and that’s something no one can take away from me.