This year has been busy and successful for me in that I have (self-) published four volumes of family history, entirely factual but in novel form, that I have been researching for the last four years whilst I've been bedridden. It is a very expensive undertaking, the cost of the subscriptions to various websites and printing costs alone running to over $5,000. (We have to pay VAT on printing here, unlike the UK.) Also thousands of hours of work. They are actually very well written and interesting, if I do say so myself. (And I know what I'm talking about, having taught English and languages for 45+ years).
Many family members and friends have been clamouring for copies, with promises to contribute, and I've been sending them off all over the world,(postage is horrendous!) with my bank details and the request for a koha (donation according to one's means). Some family members have failed even to acknowledge receipt, others have thanked me, with effusive reviews, but have not even sent the post of postage. About 20% have given generous contributions.
Yes, I know, I should have put it on Amazon, but it seems such a tricky exercise fulfiilling all of their strict requirements, and I am an IT klutz. With heart issues, I haven't been able to face anything stressful. Being thousands out of pocket is, however, stressful in itself. I'm happy to have done the work, and have quite accepted that it is a labour of love and that I am never going to recoup all the costs, but even a small financial reimbursement would help.
Any ideas on how to gently remind the non-payers, and to ask if they would like to slip me even the cost of postage, or a small contribution? I have mentioned that the books cost $25 per volume to print, but am hopeless about asking for money. For my generation, the mention of money was more shocking than talking about sex...