Feed My Reads recommended in 2022 - day 97

The journey of an author is one that readers really don't have much visibility of but What Are Words Worth? by Pete May gives an amazing insight into his author journey and manages to be charming, funny, relatable and for all these reasons and more it is our day 97 Feed My Reads recommended in 2022.

Writing is not the glamorous or rich occupation some assume. What Are Words Worth? is Pete May’s wry, humorous look at the life of a jobbing writer. Pete’s house has subsidence and there’s cacophonous drilling from next door’s extension being built. Sacks of wood keep arriving on the doorstep, a rat has appeared in the loo and a feral fox is depositing takeaway containers and colostomy bags in the garden.

Agents don’t return emails and commissioning editors reject his ideas, while his wife is standing on a wobble cushion doing pretend paddle boarding with a broom. Meanwhile Pete’s lecturing a beggar on how the print industry is dying and a life coach is telling him to stand in a park and let go of his fear of not having a big idea. But he has earned £1.73 from a book sale on Kindle and two pence in AdSense revenue today.

This is Pete May’s honest and funny take on the non-genteel poverty of the literary world.

Review:

This book was a complete eye opener and something that anyone who loves books should read as the author is able to give an insight into the current plight of the literary career when compared to a number of years ago.  Pete is both humorous but also honest regards to how little money is there for the majority of authors in the modern world and how the publishing industry has changed drastically.

This is an author who has a unique perspective on the industry and is able to tell his story in a way that shows how his daily life works within trying to be an author.