How to Make Money from Writing
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My 3-year journey from starting a blog to self-publishing a book to getting a major book deal. The most important lessons I learned (ignore people who tell you not to pursue your dreams, find persistence, start calling yourself a REAL writer today), and a few tips for new writers to turn their writing into income. As well as several writing habits and resources that are useful for all writers.
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How to Make Money from Writing
- 1. ! HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING adam smiley poswolsky AUTHOR, THE QUARTER-LIFE BREAKTHROUGH SMILEYPOSWOLSKY.COM @whatsupsmiley Copyright 2016 by Adam S. Poswolsky. All rights reserved.
- 2. agenda • story: how (and why) i started writing at the age of 27 • things I wish I knew when i started writing • tips for writers to turn their words into income • Q&A with StartingBloc Writers Community • wrap-UP: writing rituals and resources
- 3. PART I. story: how (and why) i started writing at the age of 27
- 6. ignore people who tell you not to pursue your dreams
- 8. you are a “reaL” writer today.
- 9. PART II. things I wish i knew when i started writing
- 10. rejection is part of the journey
- 11. SMILEY: you’re ass ain’t seth godin
- 12. BE PATIENT
- 13. SPEND 3* YEARS WRITING *or 5, or 10, or 20 :))))
- 14. KNOW YOUR WHY WHY must YOU WRITE? WHAT DO YOU WRITE ABOUT? WHY DO YOU CARE? WHY SHOULD I CARE?
- 15. write what you love * ! *if what you love is kinda unique *if what you love resonates with others *IF what you love has a relevant, passionate audience *if what you love matters
- 16. don’t write what you know * ! *write something people need to read.
- 17. PART III. tIPS FOR WRITERS TO TURN THEIR WORDS INTO INCOME
- 18. START BUILDING YOUR PLATFORM today Simple Website Email Newsletter Blog or Medium (both!) SOCIAL MEDIA avoid the noise focus on 2-3 platforms you care about !
- 20. WRITING DOESN’T PAY (AT LEAST NOT AT FIRST)
- 21. WRITING DOESN’T PAY (AT LEAST NOT AT FIRST) SPEAKING PAYS CONSULTING PAYS TEACHING PAYS (errr… sometimes) FREELANCING PAYS BEING AN “ADVISOR” PAYS GETTING A JOB PAYS but…..
- 22. use your writing as leverage to seek alternative income sources
- 23. WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING? BECOME AN EXPERT
- 24. CULTIVATE A NICHE WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING?
- 25. give yourself press WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING?
- 26. stop pitching to the new york times
- 27. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: FOCUS ON WRITING1 HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH LEVERAGE PIECE PER QUARTER
- 28. submit content to small, yet popular niche blogs & publications (Medium publications, LifeHacker, TechCrunch, FastCo, Mind Body Green, Elephant Journal, TechLadyMafia, I Hate Gluten, Paleos R Us, etc. etc.)
- 29. cross post: medium, linkedin ! and other sites where you retain rights for your work
- 30. EVEN BETTER, submit guest posts to popular niche SINGLE-AUTHOR websites
- 31. START A PATREON campaign WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING?
- 32. PUT UP A PAYWALL OR PAYPAL BUTTON WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING?
- 33. launch a crowdfunding campaign WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING?
- 34. SELF-PUBLISH YOUR BOOK WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM WRITING?
- 35. • launch (or guest ON) a podcast • launch a visual storytelling platform (techies.com) • WRITE A YOUTUBE OR VIMEO SERIES • USE NEW MEDIA PLATFORMS: SNAPCHAT, INSTAGRAM, ETC. • anticipate the next trend (hint: it’s not “10 ways to do x…”) TRADITIONAL blogs ARE DEAD (UNLESS YOU ARE SETH GODIN — BUT REMEMBER: YOU’RE ASS AIN’T SETH GODIN!)
- 36. write content for company blogs & social media
- 37. when you’re starting out, you will write for free
- 38. BUT: an article i wrote for FAST COMPANY for free, led to a $10,000 speaking GIG* *Two years later :)
- 39. so, is getting paid $100 an article you want to do? OR, IS MAKING A LOT OF INCOME FROM WORK RELATED TO YOUR WRITING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?
- 40. WHY MY FRIEND RYAN REFEREED DODGEBALL WHILE HE WAS FREELANCING FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
- 41. PART Iv. writing rituals & resources
- 42. • write first thing in the morning, before email • write at the same time and place every day (ritual) • no email/ phone/ Facebook while writing • always carry a small moleskine journal • always be reading 1 fiction & 1 non-fiction book a few writing habits I have
- 43. • deadlines = books = $ • writing = extended focused attention • know where and when you write best • saying no to others = saying yes to your craft • break up your writing into small assignments • friends don’t make good editors a few writing tips
- 44. • self-control • medium • squarespace, strikingly, wordpress • scrivener, 750 words • recommended AUTHOR websites: Jeff goins, tim grahl • recommended books on writing: the war of art, bird by bird, the artist’s way, the crossroads of should and must, tiny beautiful things. • book marketing: your first 1000 copies, ape: artist- publisher - entrepreneur, the unconventional guide to publishing a few writing tools
- 45. PART v. Q&A