Writer’s rarely
make enough money on their writing alone to support themselves, actually it’s believed
that at best one-in-ten authors can actually support themselves. Many writers
start out believing that if they can just get a book published they’ll strike
it rich. But for someone who lives to write, who has a passion that can’t be
doused, working for mere pennies (or sometimes less!) is inevitable. There are
no guarantees — either way — you may become another J.K.Rowling or Stephen
King, but don’t count on it.
If you have a full
time job and are responsible for supporting your household, don’t quit. Many writers
who are fortunate enough to earn a (halfway) decent income usually do so by
adding other writing-related projects to their workday; for myself I also work
as a free-lance journalist, write press releases, do paid blog writing and
ANYthing that will pay! The simple fact is that I LOVE to write and so I am very
happy earning money with words, and it doesn’t hurt that my husband pays most
of the bills.
The point I am
trying to make is that the effort of writing and seeing a book cover with your
name on it as the author is a thrill and a half, and very worth it. But if you
are only in this business because you want to make money, and lots of it, you
will soon grow tired of it. If you want to write, go for it and don’t let
anyone talk you out of it; just be realistic.
How do you find
those writing-related jobs to help supplement your income? If you are willing
to work for someone else at a part-time or 9-to-5 kind of job then look towards
libraries, book stores, ad agencies, and newsroom staff positions. If you want
to freelance and have more control over the hours you work away from your
non-creative work, pick up your local weekly papers and free pubs, contact
local business and offer your services as a newsletter writer/editor, monetize
a blog, or even offer to teach creative writing at your local library or senior
center. Use your imagination and pursue those possibilities. Be sure to keep
your eyes open for publishers looking for short stories for upcoming
anthologies or (no/low-fee) contests.
A few tips for the
freelance writer – make a marketing plan for any new book you are trying to get
published “traditionally”, most authors, especially new and unknown, are mostly
responsible for their marketing and promotion; be sure of what you have to realistically
spend on your book’s promotion and keep you plan within that budget. In
addition to having a well thought out business plan, many publishers ask HOW
you as the author plan to market your book so it doesn’t hurt to have this on
hand. If you decide to self-publish there are many options for little to no
cost and all it usually means is a little more of your own legwork.
When you are developing
your marketing/business plan ask yourself these questions: Who did I write this
book for (audience)? How much money can I afford to spend on this project? How
do I want to promote this book? Do I want to promote in person (author
appearances) or online (virtual blog tour) and if so who do I have to contact
to arrange these events? Build a timeline, keep it SLIGHTLY flexible. How much
did you allot for the purchase of promotional materials (book marks, business
cards and postcards, give-away swag, and don’t forget peripheral costs like
transportation, postage, etc. You can download a detailed outline of a plan at http://allindiewriters.com/free-book-marketing-plan-outline/
or read basic instructions at https://www.dogearpublishing.net/wordpress/how-to-write-a-book-marketing-plan/
.
Writing
Exercise: Set your timer for 30 minutes and write how you would spend your
money IF you became one of the 10% who made BIG money with the sale of a book.
Writing
Prompt: Decide what audience you want to
(or have) written for [an audience is who you would expect to be most
interested in the content of your book] and search online, magazines, etc. for
places you can reach these people – hangouts, magazines they read, blogs they
visit… Make a list of places where you can “meet”.
Challenge
Assignment: Write a marketing plan for a
book you’ve written, are writing, or would like to write.
