Many writers dream of becoming full-time authors. But how exactly do successful self-published authors earn their livings? The answer to this question lies in an entrepreneurial spirit.

Turning a creative hobby into a career is a business endeavor, yet many writers hesitate to think of their books as products, their readers as customers, and book marketing as an essential part of what it means to be a full-time author — which is also why so many self-published writers fail to garner more than just a few occasional sales.

That said, there's nothing easy about building a small business from the ground up. Most successful self-published authors spend years cultivating their careers before quitting their day jobs.

How do they get to the point where they can write full-time?

Let’s break down the three P's of successful self-publishing, writer. 👇

Both the traditional and independent publishing industries offer writers the fantastic opportunity to share their work with the world. But which path to publication is right for you?

To answer this question, we're first going to operate under the assumption that you'd like to publish for profit, meaning you aren't just looking to print a few copies of your recently finished book to give to family and friends. Your intent is to make a living as a writer — or, at the very least, to use your writing as a secondary income stream.

It’s no secret that social media can be both an incredible tool and an incredible distraction.

Unfortunately, that distraction isn’t limited to the amount of time we spend mindlessly scrolling. Maintaining an active social media presence can also eat away at the limited amount of time most writers have to dedicate to their work. It’s no wonder I’m often asked how one can balance writing and social media marketing, or even whether writers must have a social presence in the first place. It’s the latter question I’d like to address in depth today.

Inside every writer sits a creative well. Whenever you sit down to write, you dip your bucket into this well, drawing the energy you need to attend the work at hand. 

The energy in your creative well is a renewable resource, but the rate at which it renews depends on many factors. When surrounded by sources of inspiration, your well overflows, leading you to create at a frenzied pace. But when life becomes stressful, your creative well fills more slowly, with much of its energy diverted to other priorities. On most days, however, a writer’s creative well renews at a rate somewhere between the two extremes.

If part of your personal definition of writing success includes making a living from your writing, here’s the good news: you can build a successful career as an author in many ways. To do so, you must think of your work as a business. Your books are your products, and your readers are your customers—and books don’t sell themselves. Are you willing to adopt an entrepreneurial spirit to make a living from your writing?

In recent months, I’ve had the privilege of working with two freelance editors to prepare my upcoming book for writers, Build Your Best Writing Life, for publishing. 

First, I worked with Sara Letourneau of Heart of the Story Editorial to complete a line edit, which helped ensure I was using the best possible language to convey each point in my book. I then worked with Sarah Kolb-Williams of KolbWilliams.com on a copy edit to further polish my writing. (I’ll also be working with Sarah later this month on a final proofread of the book.)

Before these occasions, I hadn’t worked with a professional editor in any capacity. Because I knew so little about the process, I was nervous to dive in. Still, I braved the experience because I knew that working with professional editors was essential if I wanted to prepare the best possible book to share with the world.

In the end, I couldn’t have asked for two better first experiences, which were in large part due to choosing the best freelance editors for me and my manuscript — but that’s not what we’re going to discuss today. (If you’re looking for tips on choosing a great editor, make sure to check out Sara Letourneau’s recent guest post on this subject).

Rather, today I’m going to help you have a fantastic first time working with a freelance editor by breaking down everything you need to know before getting started. If you’re feeling nervous or confused about the process, this is the blog post for you.

I’m often asked when I plan to publish my first novel, or how my work on that novel is coming along, and I’m incredibly grateful to know there are readers out there eagerly awaiting my fiction debut. If you’re one such reader, thank you! 

But on occasion, I’m asked a different question about my general lack of publishing experience: “What gives you the right to give writing advice when you aren’t even published? You’re not an author. Why should anyone trust you?”

This is by no means a common occurrence for me, but it does happen from time to time, usually once or twice a year. And every time I’m asked this question, I get to thinking about creative validation and what it really means to be a writer. 

One thing I love about being an online creator is connecting with fellow writers producing incredible work.

One such writer is Mandy Wallace, a blogger and writing mentor whose resources at Write or Die never fail to leave me feeling encouraged and inspired. Earlier this week, Mandy published Landing Your First Publication, a short story writing prompt and publication strategy guide for writers who refuse to rely on luck.

When Mandy offered to send me an advanced reader copy of the book to review, I jumped at the opportunity — and I’m so glad I did. Landing Your First Publication is a beautiful and insightful resource for any writer looking to stop wishing and start making their publication dreams come true.

Today, I’d love to share five key submission tips I gleaned from this incredible resource:

Over the past two years, I’ve been working towards turning my obsession with writing into a serious business.

During that time, I’ve developed several strategies and techniques that may benefit other writers, particularly new or emerging writers who haven’t yet developed writing systems of their own. Are you eager to get serious about your writing business as well? You can use the following strategies together or separately to increase both your confidence and word count:

I’m an aspiring author. That means that every day I write, edit, query, and write some more. It means I attend conferences, network, and sit in crowded rooms “speed dating” with agents, hoping that one will choose to represent my work.

I’m also a Literary Agent Intern. That means that I watch as other people are chosen for representation while I keep querying each and every day. It means that I slog through hundreds of emails a month from the slush pile, hoping I can make another author’s dreams come true. It also means that I see the realities behind publication — that it takes work, grit, and a willingness to accept a few honest truths.

Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned while playing on both sides of the publishing fence:

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of research on how one can make a living with their writing.

It’s my aim in 2019 to publish my first non-fiction book, Build Your Best Writing Life, which is the first step in transforming my creative business model from a focus on digital information products to one that’s built on publishing. Needless to say, I’ve been learning a lot as I’ve researched, and though I’m currently focused on non-fiction publishing, most of what I’ve learned applies to fiction writers as well.

If, like me, you’ve often wondered if you can truly make a living with your writing, then buckle in, my friend. Today, I’m breaking down a few common myths about what a writing career looks like, sharing whether (and how!) it’s possible to make a living publishing fiction, and doling out the questions you should ask to determine if pursuing a career in writing is right for you. Shall we dive in?