Are you in writing to make money? Do you think you will make a lot?

Atlantis · Jan 21, 2015

I had an interesting conversation with a person on the internet today who thinks that self-publishing on Amazon is easy and you can make a "fuckton of money" from it. Maybe. If you create lightning in a bottle and enter the market at the right time with the right book and then market it like a madwoman.

But it is not as easy as he makes it out to be. It takes time to learn how to write a story and then even more time to create something of a publishable standard. And then you have to market it. And even after all that there is still no guarantee that it will be successful. You might sell a couple of hundred copies if you're lucky. It's a tough business. It's not a get rich quick scheme.

I don't think you should go into writing with the dream of raking in millions. It's unrealistic. That would be like going into acting convinced that one day you will win an Oscar. Yeah it COULD happen but not without a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears.

I would love to make money from my stories but in between working full time and looking after my baby and finishing university I don't have the time to devote to it anymore. I've started another one but God only knows when I will finish. I used to have dreams of "making it big" one day but I gave those up years ago and kept on writing for the enjoyment of it. Any money I earn is a nice little extra.

Do you think that if you do publish a book but it does not take off that something is wrong with your writing? That the characters did not "pop"? I don't think publication is a sign of talent or a sign that the book itself is well written. I think a lot of garbage gets published like Fifty Shades of Grey...God that was badly written.

Brutal Mustang · Jan 21, 2015

I write because I love it. But being paid for it would make doing it more often affordable, and not something I sneak in while firing my sculptures.

For example, I paint and sculpt morning, day, and night. It's my full-time job. It earns me money, so I do it. Other people I know can paint and sculpt pretty damn well. But it's a weekend hobby for them, if that. They'd love to paint and sculpt more. But they can't afford it. Their loved ones catch them sculpting or painting and say, "Again? Shouldn't you be doing something else?" My loved ones see me sculpting or painting and say, "Thank God, you're working."

chompers · Jan 21, 2015

I do it for the money, although I know I'm not likely to get filthy rich off of it. I have a day job and writing is just on the side. My job is actually where my passion lies (lays?). I don't enjoy writing enough to want to do it for the sheer enjoyment of it. I want to turn off the stupid voices in my head. Oh, but to stop their incessant talking!

Ravioli · Jan 21, 2015

With my current WIP, I'm running after the "50 Shades of Grey" bandwagon to hop on and make me some money on the side. I definitely do not expect to make millions. Just enough to be able to treat myself to a new pair of pants here, overpriced lipstick there, and perhaps, a Kermit puppet after feeding my 7 cats. Or even just an Amazon review about how messed up I am :snoopy:

But I also love writing, putting surreal real life anecdotes into fictional stories, and putting and following lovingly thought-up characters through weird adventures. So I'm not feeling like I'm working or doing it for the money at all. I like where it's headed, and it's definitely not all about tits and asses.

Fruitbat · Jan 21, 2015

I think about it the same way you do, Atlantis. To me, writing is "for the love." Of course I'm happy when I get money too but I'd do it anyway.

Maze Runner · Jan 21, 2015

definitely not in it for the money. Doubt very much that I'll make a lot. I think the odds are very long for that. I've just completed my second novel and think it's much better than the first, but I won't be quitting my day job any time soon. My day job that is sometimes an early morning job, which is why I'm up in the middle of the night, my time. Sometimes it's very hard to find the time and energy to write.

dpaterso · Jan 21, 2015

Atlantis said:
Are you in writing to make money? Do you think you will make a lot?

YES and I HOPE SO.

-Derek

Becky Black · Jan 21, 2015

Getting money is nice, but I'm not likely to be able to give up the day job any time soon. But I'd still be writing if I wasn't publishing for money, so I obviously feel a need to do it whether I make money from it or not.

Is the person you were talking to on the net making this fuckton of money publishing on Amazon? Because otherwise we all know what their advice is worth, don't we?

lizmonster · Jan 21, 2015

The percentage of authors who make a killing on Amazon is pretty small. The percentage of authors who make a killing in trade publishing is pretty small. A living wage is less uncommon, but still not the norm, AFAIK. I ran into a couple of articles a few years back suggesting about 5% of authors make day-job money at it. Anecdotally, based on my own circle of acquaintances, that feels about right (maybe a little high).

Some people may be able to just sit down and type and churn out quality, finished stuff with little effort, but I suspect those people are rare. I did pretty well selling my first book, but if I sat down and figured out the hourly wage for the thing, it would be laughable.

Seems to me if you're writing because you love it, you might as well see if you can make money off of it. But someone on the Internet saying "Hey! I'll self-pub on Amazon and get rich!" is playing some long odds, and most likely vastly underestimating the effort involved.

But best of luck to this person. I love a good success story.

Cathy C · Jan 21, 2015

I'm in it for the money, although I enjoy talking with other authors and fans and creating the books. I do pretty well, so I stay with it.

PeteMC · Jan 21, 2015

I think this person anticipating a "fuckton" of money needs to re-set their expectations to maybe a "handjob-ounce" at best.

RikWriter · Jan 21, 2015

I write because I love writing and in particular love writing science fiction. I publish it because I want to make money.
To be honest, if I hadn't made a nice little bit of cash on the first two books I self-published on Amazon, I would likely have never written any more. Not because I write for money, but because I was getting tired of writing stuff that no one else was reading. The fact that other people wanted to read my work and were willing to pay to do it was encouraging enough to light a fire under my butt to write some more.

Kylabelle · Jan 21, 2015

NaeimGiladisLegacy said:
With my current WIP, I'm running after the "50 Shades of Grey/Cheap pseudo-erotic crap that's really just glorified sexual abuse but people love that shit" bandwagon to hop on and make me some money on the side. I definitely do not expect to make millions. Just enough to be able to treat myself to a new pair of pants here, overpriced lipstick there, and perhaps, a Kermit puppet after feeding my 7 cats. Or even just an Amazon review about how messed up I am

But I also love writing, putting surreal real life anecdotes into fictional stories, and putting and following lovingly thought-up characters through weird adventures. So I'm not feeling like I'm working or doing it for the money at all. I like where it's headed, and it's definitely not all about tits and asses.

Personally, I've never read 50 Shades of Grey, though I know people love to talk it down. However, regardless of anyone's opinion of its worth, it's the product of another writer, who deserves respect.

As well, if one aspires to hitch onto a bandwagon, talking trash about where it goes doesn't seem very wise.

In any case, let's not deride the work of other writers. Criticism and critical reading don't require rudeness or insulting language. Yes, I do know there is an ancient tradition of writers speaking rudely of each other's work, but we don't do that here.

RYFW.

KTC · Jan 21, 2015

Sorry. Laughing. Just wait a sec. Laughing. Laughing. Laughing.

Okay. Got it under control, now. What's the question? Oh yeah. Laughing...

I am in writing basically for my sanity. I know some people say they write to survive...but it's probably literally the case for me. I say probably because, I think, at this point I'm probably doing well enough to stand on my own two feet without the crutch of writing to buoy me up.

Do I write for money. NO. And I'm not making a fuckton of it either. So all is well. When I was doing readings across the city and selling my handmade poetry chapbooks I was probably making more than what I make now with 5 published novels on the market. 5 much praised never negatively reviewed published novels. With poetry chapbooks and entering poetry contests I was making some nice spending money. One year--I think 2006 (or 7)--I made almost $4,000 on poetry alone. I laughed at that, because poets don't make money.

But my novels are not--as of yet--going to allow me to quite my day job. But who knows, it could very well be my negative attitude about the whole thing that is holding me down. I don't think I should get money for my writing. I just feel shame, guilt and anxiety if I hear it through the grapevine that someone might happen to be reading one of my novels. I feel sick to my stomach because I know they're going to hate it. Then they don't and I hear that someone else is reading it and the whole thing starts over again.

I am making money. I can't say I'm not. But I'm not IN IT for the money. I need to write. I need to write. I need to write. I need to write. I need to write. I need to write. I need to write...

kuwisdelu · Jan 21, 2015

No but I hope I do.

KTC · Jan 21, 2015

PeteMC said:
I think this person anticipating a "fuckton" of money needs to re-set their expectations to maybe a "handjob-ounce" at best.

+1

Ravioli · Jan 21, 2015

Kylabelle said:
In any case, let's not deride the work of other writers. Criticism and critical reading don't require rudeness or insulting language. Yes, I do know there is an ancient tradition of writers speaking rudely of each other's work, but we don't do that here.

RYFW.

Sorry. Edited it out. Though you should definitely read it.

slashedkaze · Jan 21, 2015

Can't I be in it for the money AND the passion? Because I totally am. If I weren't getting paid, I'd still be writing, but much less.

Kylabelle · Jan 21, 2015

Slashedkaze, of course you can be in it for both!

And Naeim, as for reading 50 Shades, probably not this lifetime. Too many other "should definitely reads" in front of it on the list.

Mr Flibble · Jan 21, 2015

PeteMC said:
I think this person anticipating a "fuckton" of money needs to re-set their expectations to maybe a "handjob-ounce" at best.

Lol yup

Personally I'm in it for the groupies.

waylander · Jan 21, 2015

I make more out of pub quizzes

JimmyB27 · Jan 21, 2015

I fully intend to make Rowling look like a pauper by comparison.

morngnstar · Jan 21, 2015

Other way around. I'd like to make money so I can write. I make decent money in my day job. I'd only like to be able to make comparable money at writing, so I could justify doing more writing.

My writing goal is actually more ambitious than making a fuckton of money. I want to be a legend. I want schoolchildren to read my Cliff's Notes for centuries. Of course that probably won't happen, so luckily I enjoy doing it even if I never get published.

Marlys · Jan 21, 2015

If I were in it for the money, I'd write something more commercial. Even in my best year, I couldn't have supported myself on what I made--but that royalty check was enough to cover the cost of our new furnace, so at least every time I turn up the heat I can consider that I did add something to the household.

Maggie Maxwell · Jan 21, 2015

I'm mostly in it because I don't feel like myself if I'm not writing or plotting or collecting plotbunnies. Of course I dream about the "big break," the five to six digit auction-ending that starts with me quitting my day job and ends with me sitting in a movie theater watching how Hollywood destroyed my vision. Realistically, I just want to make enough to supplement my husband's income with my writings and to hear one person say, "Mrs. Maxwell, I love your books."

Are you in writing to make money? Do you think you will make a lot?

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