I've browsed books and "publications" if you will from Raptor Jesus, Steve Benson and several other authors like sstone who just posted the Holy He** thread. It piqued my interest which I've had for a long time to finally start considering pursuing writing on a more "intensive" basis.

Currently I am a contributor for a local weekly publication and have several hundred followers/readers, but what I write about is more technical instead of stories (non fiction or fictional). The above "gig" only takes maybe an hour or two a week and I get paid at most $50 a month from it. I also have been blogging just a little bit and have been updating three times a week now, and I really love it. I have grown very attached to the idea of writing a LOT more and if there is a place to make somewhat of a living out of it, I'd like to learn more.

Anyway, I am genuinely curious (if you don't mind me asking) on if you make enough to justify a living on writing. I assume with all things that the money will begin slowly, but I have always had a passion for writing, and I think I am due for a career change. This isn't to say that I am going to dive headfirst into writing and quit my job overnight, but I am wondering if writing is a supplemental income type of thing for you, or if you dedicate most of your time to writing of the day like you would a full time job.

Sorry, sort of O/T because I would like to consider writing some more on the Mormon church as well, in a not so positive light. Ever since I left the church last year I have grown very resentful and want to reverse some of the damage done by the church.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2013 09:53AM by notsurewhattothink.

For me it's supplemental income. There are writers who make a lot of money, but I think most of those who make a good living are like Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. They have big names which give them selling power. Usually it takes writers years to gain their reputation, either that or they were exceptionally lucky.

There are lots of amazing writers who never get their big break, unfortunatley. And some mediocre writers who hit the market at exactly the right time for a given demand and sell a ton of books (think Twilight). So it's really hard to predict.

Now, there are some romance writers and others who make money from selling more commercial work, but I've heard they have to churn out novels really fast--think Danielle Steel. For some people this works great, but for others it can cause burnout.

So when push comes to shove, I write because I love it, but the competition is stiff and the market so unpredictable right now with all the changes it's undergoing, I wouldn't plan to use it as as the bread and butter of my income.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2013 10:03AM by sstone.

Thanks for that,

May I ask how much you've written? (Meaning, time frame and how many books). Also, how much do you spend on average writing?

I am fully not expecting to become the next big writer by any means. I really hope to just be able to make some (and a big emphasis on some) money just so I can justify spending some time writing. I manage a furniture store, and the money is good, but I am so tired of dealing with furniture and am burnt out already.

I fancy just having a book or two and having a small group of followers like my blog or column has, and that's it. Not as the end goal, but even after a year or two if that's all I've got, I'd be happy. I just love to write, seemingly like yourself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2013 10:10AM by notsurewhattothink.

Hi notsure,

I'm on a writing break at the moment, trying to get my real world ducks in a row. Currently, I have two poetry chapbooks out (one is self published and the other is put out by an indeprendent press and is only available in paperback) and an edgy YA fiction novel with some Mormon characters that's fairly TBM friendly under my real name.

Mormon Diaries is under a pen name. It took me about six months to put it out, but it's also shorter than a full length novel (thus the short amount of time). The novel took about a year to get to the stage where I felt it could be published. When I was really concentrating on writing, a day did not go by when I did not try to write at least a thousand words. Some people write slower, others faster. Stephen King apparently writes 2000 words a day. And even after you have everything down for your first draft, critique partners are a must, and finding a good editor or two is essential for quality.

Of course, paying for a good editor can be expensive, thus it can be hard to break even with the expense of putting out a quality product and marketing compared to how many people actually buy the book. Most self-published authors do not exceed more than 500 dollars in sales for a given book, but a good editor can easily cost that much.

If you go the traditional route with an agent, you have a higher likelihood of finding a big press that's willing to pay you an advance and a royalty, and who will do much of the marketing for you. But that can be time consuming and extremely difficult, since the number of authors trying to break in has increased, and the number of reputable agents has decreased, mostly because selling books has become more difficult due to the self-publishing trend.

If you just want a book or two to give to your dedicated followers, however, self-publishing is a really good route to consider. The cost of getting your work out with a vendor like CreateSpace or Kindle Direct publishing is super low. The only trick would be finding a way to get quality editing without breaking your bank by paying a professional editor. I didn't use a pro for Mormon Diaries, but I had a lot of writer friends who were willing to look over it and mark it up with a red pen. If you can find a support sytem like that, it makes a huge different.

Not sure if I answered all your questions or not. Let me know if you have anymore.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2013 10:40AM by sstone.

I'm an author. The serious answer to your question is that *most* authors do not make a full-time living at writing. NYT best-selling author Cherie M. Priest has a day job, just to name one.

Advances are getting smaller and smaller all of the time, and it's hard to "cash out" so that you receive royalties. The average book sells 100 copies or less. This is not an exaggeration; it's a business reality.

Write because you love it, not because you expect to make millions from it.

And yes, I also have a day job -- and have cashed out the one and only advance I ever got.

I have to.

The story I'm writing bothers me every day. I think about it all the time. And then when it's time to take it out of my head and put it down - I have to.

When I'm done with this one - and it's in the market place - I have no idea what's going to happen to it.

It will be beyond my control.

If you want to make money at writing - it's mostly about luck. However, young adult literature is VERY popular right now. Especially among adults for some reason.

Poorly written erotic fan fiction was also incredibly briefly popular.

Who would have seen that coming?

Write if you want, write it you have to, but be prepared to be completely ignored.