After suffering a heart attack and being laid off by his job, this husband and father of three risked it all to become a 6-Figure bestselling author and won!
After suffering a heart attack and getting laid off from his job, Wallace faced a critical decision. With a family to support and a dream of becoming a best-selling author, he risked everything to pursue his passion.
In a world where humor can be hard to come by, Benjamin Wallace has managed to carve a niche for himself as an author who blends action, adventure, and comedy seamlessly. But his path to success was far from easy.
Teaming up with his wife, who brought her graphic design expertise to the table, they defied the odds and found remarkable success. Together, they pioneered a direct-to-fan sales approach, bypassing traditional New York publishers and Hollywood.
Today, Wallace stands as a testament to what creatives can achieve when they pursue their passions wholeheartedly and connect directly with their audience. We delve into his journey, exploring the challenges, triumphs, and unique approach that set him apart in the literary world.
Jeff Rivera: Ben, for those who haven’t read your books, how would you describe your work and what sets it apart from others in your genre?
Benjamin Wallace: Everything I write is action-adventure comedy, mostly science fiction, kind of across all genres. Everything I write’s a big joke, really. That was what I always wanted to do. Humor and comedy have just always been my favorite ever since I can remember. I read Steve Martin’s “The Cruel Shoes” when I was 11 and realized, oh wait, writing can be fun. And I’ve always sought out the funny books. Unfortunately, humor is hard to market, so in the traditional publishing world, it wasn’t that prevalent. Obviously, there’s Pratchett, and there’s Christopher Moore, and there’s Douglas Adams and stuff like that. There’s a few big names, but it wasn’t quite the selection you’d want. Now self-publishing changed all that. Indie publishing changed all that. You could find the people that wanted funny books.
You’ve been able to make a living doing what you love. Can you give us a glimpse into the level of success you’ve had so people can know what’s possible?
Sure. My background is in advertising. I was a copywriter for years and started writing books as an escape. In 2013, I was able to step away from a full-time job and, between writing books and freelance work, I made a go of it. There’s been ups and downs with algorithms and Amazon’s changing rules, but for about ten years, I’ve been mostly on my own. This year has been tremendous. We took a big leap by really hitting advertising hard. My wife and I, both in advertising for 20 years, finally got the data behind everything, and it changed the game. I haven’t had to take a freelance job this year at all.
So, even without exclusivity to Amazon, you’re finding success. Can you talk us through why you decided to pull the plug on Amazon exclusivity and sell directly?
We still sell through Amazon, but we pulled out of the Kindle Unlimited program, which requires exclusivity. Now, we sell directly through our Shopify store, using the BookFunnel app to facilitate downloads. We’re also going wide through Draft2Digital so people can find us on Kobo, Apple, and other platforms. Direct sales have given us tremendous control. For example, we sell the post-apocalyptic series in a branded ammo can, which has been a huge hit. We’re able to do quirky marketing and have direct contact with our customers, which has been fantastic.
Selling direct is not something many authors do successfully. What do you think you’re doing differently that converts casual observers into buyers?
I think it’s about brand and presentation. We have a fun brand, and my wife, who’s a graphic designer, makes everything look great. We also use resources like Envato Elements to boost production value. It’s also about value. We offer bundle deals that make financial sense. But a lot of it comes down to testing and tweaking our marketing approach. Even small changes can make a big difference.
What challenges did you overcome to get to this point?
I think it’s the same struggles everyone faces. Google changes the algorithm, Facebook or Apple changes their policies. There are always new challenges. There was a time during the 2016 election when advertising costs skyrocketed, and we had to adjust. But it’s about understanding the market and having the right data. Personally, there was a time when I had to go back to a full-time job for a year, and during that time, I had a heart attack. It was a tough year, but it made me appreciate the flexibility of writing even more.
In the ever-evolving landscape of publishing, Benjamin Wallace stands out not just for his humor but for his innovative approach to reaching readers. His journey from copywriter to successful author is a reminder that with creativity, resilience, and a bit of humor, anything is possible.
