I have recently read so many articles about self-pubbed versus established publisher, versus paycheck, versus climbing the sale charts. Fact - great writing climbs charts. Fact - free books climb charts. Fact - heavy push with reviews climb charts. Fact - reviews, hopefully not from cousins, climb charts. Fact - a publisher with a ton of publicists behind them and a long road of reviewers climb charts.
Or.....none of these things work and there is no discernable reason why.
Or.....none of these things work and there is a huge, in your face reason why.
So, what to do?
Write for love, not money. Write because you feel, breathe, taste the story in your head. Write because you must or your head will pop.
Write for love. That will make the struggle worth it all. If 30 or 3 million people related/feel/cry/laugh.....but FEEL the story.....that's why you write.
Of course, a lot of money in your bank account helps with that ego boost.