Dear New Writers, Why Aren’t You Earning Money From Your Writing?
The only time I write for “fun” is when I write in my diary; Journaling, setting goals, or making my to-do list. Other times, I am writing to make money. I do not write a thousand-word essay or a 3000-word short story just because I want to twiddle my thumb. I know more fun ways to spend my leisure, and I like to think it is so for most people. And I must say, I love to write.
I also know that some people genuinely enjoy writing to clear their heads or enhance their creativity with no intention of ever making a living from writing. Of course, these are not writers. They are people who just write -I am sure you get the gist :-). When you introduce yourself as a writer, I expect that your work is out there talking to someone, and possibly bringing some bucks to your bank account.
I see many writers who haven’t accepted the ugly side of the craft (rejection) but hide under the sophistry of not caring whether they make money from writing. Contrary to popular opinion, I do not think anyone will have the motivation to keep writing if their work isn’t been read or making money for them. I believe money motivates.
Whenever I meet a writer or anyone who likes to address him or herself as a writer, the first question I ask, after pleasantry, is, “Do you make money off your work?” Sometimes, I get a weird look as if they wish to say, “Chill bro, we just met, and you want to know if I am making money or not?” Then they give me some familiar excuses.
I connected with a writer on Twitter days ago, and after some chitchat, I asked her my usual question. She paused for a second and revealed she doesn’t earn from her work. I followed up with a “why?”. “I cannot afford a professional editor or an agent to work with”, She replied. Her manuscripts have been read by friends alone, and she doesn’t think it is good enough to be pitched to publishers. I thought I had heard it all, but she went further to blame the country and the economy, which was hilarious. She also confessed, unsurprisingly, that she is losing motivation.
Mind you, she has spent the last two years writing, proofreading, and editing multiple full-length novels, essays, and short stories. But her work is not reaching the people she had dreamt it would. There is no form of acknowledgment of her work from outside.
Creatives are not making money from their work, and I genuinely do not feel good about it. Perhaps because I know how much work, time, and energy it takes to create. That lady is just one amongst many writers who find excuses not to make a cent from the work they put in tens to hundreds of hours. I hear things like;
“I have no money for professional editing.”
“I have no money for promoting my book.”
“The new project I’m working on is a masterpiece, that’s what I will earn from.”
These are mere excuses that keep some writers struggling. In the end, it all boils down to two things.
- Fear
- Perfectionism
Fear
The fear of rejection. Fear of success. Fear of having your work out there, exposed to negative criticism. So we prefer to hide behind those excuses of “money for this” and “money for that”. Or procrastinate on sending pitches to editors. A close friend, whom I have known for decades, has had his novel manuscript proofread by two editors, but he says he is still perfecting the book and saving for marketing when it’s published. Seriously?
Perfectionism
It is common to see creatives, writers especially, being perfectionists. We are either continually trying to find better words to express ourselves and paint a clearer picture, or trying to find that one inadvertent error. Perhaps there are errors, but you may never know if you are on the right track if you don’t get the work out there. Let the customer decide, get feedback, and then you can improve with greater insight. The perfectionist mindset never lets writers truly finish a project and results in perpetual procrastination.
A Better Way
One easy self-help trick to keep you on any goals is to start small, make small wins, and build on your small wins. While you are crossing your t’s and doting your i’s on your full-length book (for those who have gone that far) or while you are still working on the project (for those just starting) and thinking of how to pitch, publish or promote your book, why not make small achievements that will set you up for bigger wins? You will grow as a writer, make some money, and be better prepared to promote your work.
Here are some ways I have tried, and that you can also try, to make money almost immediately as a writer.
Freelancing
There are two approaches to freelancing. One is to use freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Iwriter, Guru, etc. And the other is to search for clients/gigs yourself. Both approaches have their pros and cons. Starting in any gig marketplace can be very frustrating because of the high competition and typical low rates for new freelancers.
But it is not too late to be successful on these platforms. As you get clients and positive reviews, you may start to increase your rates. I tried Upwork for a month or two but quit (I must confess). Nonetheless, I know people who still get jobs there and are doing pretty well. What I do recommend, from my experience, is to find clients yourself.
There are thousands of businesses and individuals who seek writers to create blog posts or articles for them. Some YouTubers might want the service of a scriptwriter. Find these businesses and individuals in your desired niche and tell them what you have to offer them.
In your pitch, be sure to focus on the benefits of your service rather than telling them what you do alone. You not only make money doing this. You learn how to build a freelance business, communicate with clients, and get helpful feedback from your clients, which inevitably increases your writing proficiency.
Writing Platforms
You can also write on platforms such as Medium, VocalMedia, Newsbreak, and the like. As you build an audience, so does your earning increase. You also learn to handle rejections on these platforms. When I started online, I used to be super anxious after submitting a story to a publication and when I get a rejection, it was heartbreaking. But now, I am more relaxed.
I know rejection is an opportunity for me to learn and do better on my work. Most importantly, you get feedback from editors, fellow writers, and readers. These kinds of specific and direct feedback are invaluable.
Others
Other ways to earn include submitting stories and articles to magazines or websites taking entries for both fiction and nonfiction stories. Regularly, Erica Verrillo publishes calls for submissions from paying markets. More entries are shared in various writing communities, which I encourage new writers to join, albeit selectively.
Conclusion
Making money from writing may not be easy, but if you truly love to write, there are a hundred and one ways to make money doing what you love. To my thinking, it is better to make money on the way, as it is a fantastic push for almost anyone.
The money you make, no matter how little, can also help to finish your major project. And more importantly, what you lean on the way will be invaluable for your growth as a writer.