Do You Want to Make Money as an Author?

Do you really want to make money as an author?  Many dream of writing a book but never see that dream come to light.

Unfortunately, of those who want to write a book, only a very small percentage actually succeed in getting their book written – even fewer ever make any money from it.

The real question is – Do you really want to make money as an author? Or do you just want to pine away your dream and talent?

Realizing a Dream and then Losing It

For many of us, the writing bug hits in our youth. I know mine did.

My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Brown, gave us some simple instructions, “Write about anything you want.” And I did.

I chose to write a fiction story and loved every minute of it. My imagination unfolded on several pages of paper.  I couldn’t wait to get my grade and see how I did.

When Mrs. Brown handed me back my story, I beamed at the A++ at the top or the page. A writer was born.

At least until fourth-grade, when I told Miss Sasso I wanted to be a writer.

Immediately she informed me that I could never become a writer and listed all the reasons why. She went as far as to tell me her opinion that girls should grow up to be secretaries as that was their future.

The more the tears welled up in my eyes, the louder she got. She enjoyed the process of humiliating me.

And that humiliation erased my dream of ever becoming a writer.

Reigniting a Dream

Well, it almost erased my dream. What really happened was I buried the dream. Only during a spiritual journey in my thirties, did I dare to think I could become a writer.

At this time, I had hitchhiked from the Bay Area to the West Bank of Israel – journaling my adventures along the way. Surely, millions would want to read my story. My book would probably become a blockbuster movie.

Well, I didn’t quite make it to Hollywood. Life quickly got in the way when I got back. I needed a job and to get moving with my life.

Learning that Scheduling My Writing Time Made the Difference

I finally learned that to make my writing dream come to life I needed to schedule regular writing time. It had to become a part of my daily schedule.

In other words, I had to schedule my dream into reality.

So, I started writing consistently. I wrote many books, blog posts, articles, and created information products.

With all the writing I was doing and all the writing I still had to do, I stopped and wondered how many people have dreamed of writing as children had that ripped out from them by an adult. And how many let the careless opinion of an adult stop them from pursuing their dream.

From Realizing My Dream to Making Money from My Dream

When I was in my fifties, it dawned on me that I was not just living my dream as a writer, but I was making a very good income from my writing.

The lightbulb clicked on, and I knew there were unlimited possibilities for anyone who wants to write for a living.

Since then, I’ve worked with many men and women to teach them how to generate revenue from their book, such as selling their book online, at book signings or at speaking engagements. They can even use their book as a lead generator for information products. The sky’s the limit on all the possibilities.

Additionally, today’s authors don’t have to battle the stigma of being self-published or waiting for a publisher to pick them up.

With some help and guidance, your book is a springboard for countless other avenues to generate revenue. Add a strategic book launch, and you’ve increased your profitability.

Writing, marketing, and selling your books are a discipline. You have to schedule it. You have to make it part of your everyday life.  You can’t wait for inspiration to strike before you write. If I kept waiting for inspiration, I wouldn’t be here.

74-Year-Old Rocking It as a First-Time Author

With all the possibilities, why are so many would-be writers sitting on the fence? Some are in love with the idea of being an author. Some let the Miss Sassos of their past dictate their future.

But that’s not happening to Joan Lubar, author of Rock & Roll at Any Age. Joan is a client of mine who at 74 years old has more energy and passion about her book than anyone I’ve come across.

She’s happy to do the work by talking to people on and offline. She’ll drive to books signings, be interviewed and raise awareness of her book.

Her passion is contagious, which is the key for a successful author. You have to have a passion for what you’re doing.

Shannon is just like Joan. Her book will open up corporate consulting opportunities. We’ve worked on a plan, and she knows what it will take to get her dream accomplished.

Both of these authors understand that to take full advantage of their books as part of their revenue model, they need to market their books.

You Have to Know How to Market Your Book

While Joan and Shannon have accepted that marketing is part of their writing career, many other authors don’t give marketing a second thought. Not only do you need to take responsibility for your writing, but you also have to take responsibility for your marketing.

Taking responsibility for marketing your book doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do everything yourself. It means that you need to spearhead the effort and get help to get the word out. There are plenty of people who can help.

The Bottom Line

My point in all we’ve talked about is this: you CAN make money as a writer.

You may not become world famous and have a Hollywood blockbuster under your belt. But you can do very well within your niche and carve out your piece of the pie.

Don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Get started. Schedule the time to write. Then market the heck out of it.

Think of it this way…there are people who want to buy your book…if you had one to sell.

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