Mythopoet
Auror
This brings up another point. All this sales data and making a living at writing and what not. Is this really the main motivation for writers nowadays? Money being the main motivation for writing seems like a very nerve-wracking path forward. I'd hope to just enjoy what I write, put it out there with either method (or "form" whatever I want to call it) and see what happens. Particularly people telling me they like my work, not watching my sales rank every five minutes.
Well, that's nice for you. Screw everyone who is concerned for making a living from their hard work. Oh, you didn't realize that every author who happily signs a crappy publishing contract makes it harder for other authors to get a decent one? Yes. That's the reality. This isn't just about your choice or my choice. This is about the conditions of working authors everywhere.