When
Laurie and I met after doing our initial research for this topic, our moods
were pretty different. I came in excited about all the odd ideas I had found,
and she came in finding the results pretty depressing.
The
difference? She Googled, “Can you make a living as an author,” while I Googled,
“Strange/fun/unusual ways to make a living as a writer.” And, unsurprisingly,
the results were widely different. If you are someone who wants to write for a
living, and you don’t care so much what kind of writing you do, there are
perhaps more options out there than you might have realized. Consider starting
a business where you write:
• wedding
vows
•
obituaries
• online
dating profiles
•
query letters and synopses for other writers
Or
consider pairing a talent/skill/ability you already have with writing. For
example, I also used to teach English and I still currently teach yoga. Now I
have a freelance editing business where I edit yoga-related writing (for
teachers and studios) and I also lead writing and yoga retreats.
If
you want to focus your writing on books, the finances can be a little daunting.
The coveted six-figure advance, once broken down into agent percentage, taxes,
and how much you actually get and when, doesn’t translate into a living wage.
But don’t forget that being published opens doors for revenue that might not
have been there before: school visits, panels, classes, etc. And there are also
sub rights, which include foreign and audio book rights, each sale of which
brings more income.
Here
are a few of the links we found most helpful.
On
the realities of what you get paid as an author (Laurie Y.’s links):
On some possible other ways to make money as a writer (Lori S.’s
links):
You can probably see why Laurie Y was depressed and Lori S was
excited!
Oh,
and as an aside, this is about how book sales rise when you add an image to
your social media:
If thinking about the financial side of writing leaves you
drained or overwhelmed, then join us at the next Mingle for some inspiration!
NEXT MINGLE: Writing and Overwhelm
“Many of us feel stress
and get overwhelmed
not because we're taking on too much,
but because we're
taking on too little of what really strengthens us.”
~ Marcus Buckingham
We live in a culture of busy and
overwhelm, where how much we have on our to-do lists has become the new
currency. Within this, how do we find space—both in our calendars and in our
psyches—to create? And for a lot of us, as we approach the holidays, this
becomes even more difficult. Bring your thoughts, frustrations, suggestions,
and ideas. Will also include some simple mindfulness techniques from Lori and
new ways to look at time and creativity.
DATE: Wednesday, November 4
TIME: 7 pm – 8:45 pm
LOCATION: Ocean Park branch of the Santa Monica library.
If you feel so inclined, we would welcome any baked goods to
share!
Can’t wait to see you all –
With love & books,
Lori & Laurie
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