How many books I sell in a year as a six-figure self-published author (2025)

Introduction and 2025 Overview00:00:00

Katie Whismer introduces her yearly author wrapped video for 2025, explaining that she will be covering unit sales, charts, and stats. She notes that while she will discuss unit sales, dollar amounts are reserved for her Patreon income report. She reveals her top genres: vampire fantasy, small town romance, new adult romance, and romantic suspense.

Kindle Unlimited and Reading Stats00:01:18

Katie discusses her Kindle Unlimited page reads, which doubled from 11 million to over 21 million. Her most read book was Wicked Souls with 3.8 million pages read, followed closely by Tell Me with 3.77 million. She also mentions that The Marionette is her most reviewed book on Amazon with over 3.7K ratings.

Writing Trends and Tropes00:02:27

Katie reflects on her writing in 2025, noting her recurring trope of 'down bad fictional men.' She mentions writing her first arranged marriage book and ironically writing two age gap books despite previously disliking the trope. She also notes that neither of her current projects features a third act breakup.

Cover and Format Preferences00:04:00

Katie analyzes cover trends for her Sweet Spire series, showing that alternate covers generally outsell 'people covers,' especially in international markets like the UK and Australia. She also breaks down format preferences, noting that paperbacks are preferred over hardcovers for individual books, while hardcovers are favored for the deluxe omnibus due to foiling and sprayed edges.

Digital vs Physical Sales00:06:36

Katie reveals that 91% of her fantasy book sales and 92% of her contemporary book sales were digital, with only 8-9% being physical. She attributes this growth in digital sales to lost lead sales (99 cent or free promotions) and her marketing on TikTok, where readers tend to prefer Kindle Unlimited.

Sales Channels and Monthly Performance00:07:57

Katie breaks down her vendors, stating that about 80% of sales come from Amazon, 9% direct through her website, 9% audio, and 1% other. She identifies June, July, and January as her best sales months, while November, December, and April were her worst. She notes that her total book sales for 2025 were over 62,000, nearly doubling her 33,000 sales from the previous year.

Top Selling Books00:11:18

Katie lists her top sellers for the year: The Marionette (14.5k), Tell Me It's Right (11k), Wicked Souls (10k), Bloodless (8k), Ruthless Ends (7k), The Anti-Relationship (6k), Broken Perfect Lie (3k), and Tell Me It's Wrong (1.5k). She expresses disappointment in the sales of her newest release, Tell Me It's Wrong, attributing it to a lack of marketing.

Growth, Income Sources, and Special Editions00:12:04

Katie compares her growth over the years, noting that 2025 saw her biggest proportional growth since 2022. She breaks down her income sources, with 83% coming from books and 12% from socials. She also discusses her special editions, including the deluxe omnibus and upcoming Luna and Laura box sets.

Audiobooks, Writing Progress, and Author Copies00:18:00

Katie mentions releasing two audiobooks through Podium and completing a draft of Cam's book, which is over 90K words and currently in revision. She notes that she ordered 727 author copies this year after moving to a new home with more space.

Kindle Unlimited Bonuses and Author Events00:20:00

Katie celebrates receiving a Kindle Unlimited All Stars bonus for every single month of 2025 for the first time ever. She also recounts attending two author events: Romance in the Pacific Northwest in Portland and Book Harvest in Chicago, while mentioning she pulled out of Romanty Book Con in Los Angeles.

Personal Life and Conclusion00:22:00

Katie shares personal updates, including purchasing her first home and attending two concerts (Friday Pilots Club and The Frey). She gives a running update, explaining that she struggled with injuries and marathon goals but has grown to love running. She concludes by reminding viewers that despite the impressive numbers on paper, 2025 was personally one of her hardest years, reminding them that social media is a highlight reel.