There are many ways to monetise fiction writing. You could sell your work to TV networks or literary magazines for which you would probably get paid handsomely. But maybe the most lucrative path is the one you choose yourself – becoming a full-time writer and landing lucrative book deals and movie options. Sound good? Just remember: it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There are definitely ways things could go wrong.
The Dark Side Of The Publishing World
What is the most lucrative career path as a fiction writer? Perhaps you could become a film producer and finance director and live in an apartment in Paris with your beautiful assistant. While this may sound like an attractive proposition, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. There is a darker side to the world of publishing. Sometimes assignments can be demanding and stressful. In the wrong hands, this can easily turn into burnout. What’s more, a lot of the time you are just spinning your wheels. You write a really good script only to have it go nowhere. You produce a TV show that no one watches. Etcetera.
If you are a determined and passionate writer, you may find it difficult to escape the glamour of being a full-time author. But maybe that’s exactly what you should be doing. Even when things go well, you will constantly be comparing your earnings stream to the earnings of truly successful professionals. After all, it’s not easy to become a full-time author. You need to put in the years of training and effort and then you will be compensated handsomely for your skills. Still, the dream is not entirely within your grasp. The more you strive for it, the more you will realise how tough it is to break into the field. If you are looking for a way to make a decent living, you may want to try and find other streams of income.
The Rise Of The Self-Publisher
The rise of the self-publisher is an interesting phenomenon that’s been gaining a lot of traction as of late. If you want to be a writer and are looking for ways to make money from home, you could try your hand at self-publishing. You will not earn a massive amount of money from this, but it’s a way to make extra money on your books – or on articles you write for reputable websites. What’s more is that it’s a field that is growing and growing, thus creating more opportunities for writers. In the past, you would need to rely on academic or trade publications to find an audience for your work. But with the rise of the internet, more and more people are seeking content on digital platforms – specifically on social media channels. This is where the self-publisher can really shine. You can test this theory yourself. Just look at self-published authors like Chuck Palahniuk and John Grisham. Their books are frequently on bestseller lists and regularly make appearances on the big-ticket item lists when it comes to holiday gifts. If you want to find out more about self-publishing, just type in “How to self-publish a book” on any search engine and you will be presented with a wealth of information. Or, if you want, you can even create a free blog for writers like yourself.
Make Money From Affiliate Marketing
An affiliate marketing program is a lot like a multi-level marketing program. You will not be personally responsible for selling a product. You will not be branded as an associate or representative of a particular company. Instead, you will sell a product that is valued at over £10 and you will earn a commission when a customer makes a purchase. The upside is that you will not have to physically handle the product. You just have to put in the effort to get the word out there about the product you are promoting. For example, let’s say you are an affiliate marketer of shoes. You will not physically have to handle a pair of shoes to hand them out to a customer. You will simply need to put in the effort to find a pair of shoes that a customer might be interested in. You can then present them with the option to buy that product when they make a purchase on your behalf. Pretty easy, right? There are many reputable affiliate marketing networks that can put you in touch with numerous offers. You just have to know where to look. So, if you want to make money from home, you could try affiliate marketing. It’s a way to earn a commission without having to worry about selling a single product yourself.
Monetising Short-Lived Trends
If you want to make quick cash, you could get into the lucrative world of monetising trending topics. You will simply need to take a popular trend and turn it into a monetisable product. For example, let’s say you saw that people were buying lots of orange juice recently. You could create a trending article around this topic and then monetise the article. You will earn a commission when someone clicks the link or buys the product itself. This is a short-lived opportunity. The trend will probably not last long and you will have to find the next hot topic. If you want to do this, you will need to create a news blog or an online magazine where you can write about current events and popular culture.
Choosing a profitable career as a writer isn’t easy. It takes a lot of research, dedication, and maybe even a little bit of luck. If you are serious about becoming a full-time author, then I would suggest trying out some of these viable options. Even then, it’s not necessarily easy money. There will be a lot of ups and downs. But, as a writer, at least you will be compensated for your efforts. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.