Struggling Author Says A Stranger Posted His Book Series On Facebook And Now He Can't Keep Up With Orders
You never know how success will find you.
GaudiLab | Shutterstock Being an author is no easy feat. For every book that makes it onto a best-sellers list, countless others go unnoticed, despite the authors working tirelessly behind the scenes to get their books into readers' hands.
Davin Davis, the author of the children's horror book series "Midnight Lullabies," knows this firsthand. However, his dreams recently came true after a stranger's post about his book went viral.
The struggling author said a stranger posted his book series on Facebook, and now he can't keep up with orders.
We often hear about the negative sides of social media, and there is no doubt a multitude. Yet, Davis's story shows the positive change social media can bring.
"A random stranger posted my books on some FB book page and they went viral!" the Oklahoma-based author wrote in a Reddit post. "I can’t keep up with orders! I’ve been mailing out books all over the U.S.! #DreamsComeTrue."
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The books, which he described as "psychological thrillers for kids" and similar to the "Goosebumps" series, sold out thanks to the stranger's kind post.
You never know how success will find you.
The path to success in the creative world is often unpredictable. The fact that a post from a complete stranger with no vested interest transformed Davis's career is a powerful reminder not to give up when things are difficult. You never know when something good will come your way.
Last year, author Elle Griffin's Substack article "No One Buys Books" went viral. In it, she discussed just how rare it is to have a bestselling book in today's day and age, compiling many disheartening statistics to prove her point.
She noted that about 90% of published books sell fewer than 2,000 copies, and 50% sell less than a dozen. Very few books are profitable, Griffin said, and according to Markus Dohle, the CEO of Penguin Random House — the largest publishing house globally — "the top 4% of titles drive 60% of the profitability."
These numbers are certainly not promising and may even tempt aspiring authors to give up on their dreams. Yet as Davis's story proved, you never know how and when success will find you.
These statistics don't account for a random Facebook post from a stranger going viral and skyrocketing your sales. Had Davis heard these numbers and given up, he never would have seen his dream come true.
Davis's success inspired others online.
Several commenters on Davis's Reddit post were inspired to purchase his book series for a child in their life.
One mom who saw the viral post on Facebook reached out to Davis directly to ask if he sold the books personally, wanting the author to get 100% of the sale. He responded in the affirmative — and signed all three copies for the woman's kids without prompting.
"How freaking cool is this!!!!" the mom wrote. "I don't even have a signed copy of a book yet for myself. Lol. Lucky ducks! They are going to LOVE these!"
Others on Reddit wrote that they found motivation in Davis's story. "Wow. This post gave me some inspiration. Congratulations," one user wrote.
Frankly, we should all take some inspiration from Davis. His success is a much-needed reminder not to give up on our dreams, even if they seem out of reach.
Erika Ryan is a writer working on her bachelor's degree in Journalism. She is based in Florida and covers relationships, psychology, self-help, and human interest topics.
