Derick W J Tan

Ever since I saw that stupid advertisement which really isn’t that stupid at all, I’ve been thinking about selling ebooks every single day.

I’m 19.

I need money.

I, apparently, can write moderately entertaining stuff.

You have money.

I want your money.

Ignore the last two statements =X

Now, I believe that ultimately most authors write because they want their works to be read, or they just want to entertain people with their works. And thus if they’re able to, they would be more than happy to share their works for free. But realistically speaking that is quite impossible because we have bills to pay, girlfriends to pamper, and games to buy. All of which requires money.

Selling eBooks sound like a good idea.

In fact, we already have a local author who is doing quite well as a self-published author. He doesn’t sell eBooks though but he prints his own works and sell them through online transaction. And behind him is a team of two girls who assist him with all the managerial matters.

Oh by the way his name is Low Kay Hwa.

According to his website, he has sold over 20,000 copies of his works in both Singapore and Malaysia, which is honestly very impressive for an author his age.

The guy started writing a couple of years ago, I remember reading his first story in secondary school and felt completely scammed when I realized that I had to pay for the last two or three chapters. But I admitted that it was a good - albeit a little underhanded to me - marketing strategy because, hey, the guy sold more than 20,000 copies already. He’s doing something right.

Basically what he has proven is that the Singapore market will accept self-published fiction authors. And since he uses online transaction, he has also proven that such platform of payment is welcomed as well.

Both of which are good for me if I intend to sell eBooks.

And so the golden question now is… should I do it?

- Derick