We don’t like to blow our own trumpet as much as the next person, so we rarely do it. However, our latest milestone is a special one. We are particularly proud of it and wanted to celebrate. Thanks to your support, in 2018 we have paid out nearly USD 50,000 in commissions to our publishing partners, and we are just getting started.
When John and I founded Chessable a big part of our mission was to help chess authors and professionals earn what they deserve. After all, these are often the unsung heroes that help us develop our love and understanding for this beautiful game. It is well-known that outside the top 10 of the world’s elite, chess is not a glamorous and highly paid sport. In some countries, (*cough* England *cough*), it’s not even recognised as a sport. Many Grandmasters struggle to make ends meet. What a shameful state of affairs!
We wanted to change that, so we took drastic measures. Instead of working on a flat fee basis as was often the case in chess, we wanted the authors to get more. We wanted the authors’ effort to be a reflection of what they earn, so we gave them a percentage of revenue. We gave them the lion’s share. Every book and video course you buy on Chessable first and foremost benefits the author or publisher.
Authors have essentially become our business partners, so most are highly involved and highly motivated in providing the best quality possible. They update their repertoires; they answer questions, they get stuck in. Interacting with the author of your favourite repertoire was not possible before Chessable came about. It’s wonderful, even if I say so myself.
I’m setting our next goal from $50k to $500k. You might call that ambitious but think of the money in other sports. Some footballers earn that in a week. I truly believe we can achieve this together. Therefore, first and foremost I want to thank again everyone who uses Chessable, paid or free. I want to give a special thanks to everyone who has backed the authors with a purchase. I also want to thank all the authors, I want to thank our investors and I want to thank the team. Without your support, this would not be possible. Join me on our journey to $500k, let’s make a difference together.
To conclude, I also want this post to serve as a call to arms. Are you a titled chess author who’d like to earn the lion’s share for the work you do? Do you want to publish on an innovative and growing platform? We’d be pleased to have you on board. Getting started is easier than you might think, email me using my first name and then @chessable.com. Speak to you soon!
Not a chess author? Help us out, tweet this, upvote this, share this, link to us from your blog or site. You can also e-mail your favourite authors and point them to this post, tell them to bring their work to Chessable, a platform that will always first and foremost uphold its high values and seek to fulfil its mission. Thank you.
Update: You can leave feedback/comments/questions in our forums or on reddit.
