So! We have spent author monetization week talking about some newfangled ways authors can make money, from self-publishing to blog ads and merchandising to using Kickstarter to fund a book project.
And what’s funny about those three posts is that they’re actually just new versions of very old traditions. Ben Franklin used his own printing press for Poor Richard’s Almanack, Mark Twain made money from the ancillary lecture circuit, and Kickstarter is just a new version of the patronage system.
So. All that said, how do you think authors of the future will and should make money? Should it come from the books? From secondary streams? Will that whole moneymaking thing go away entirely?
And in case you’re curious about my attempt at selling t-shirts and mugs, so far I’ve sold 1 t-shirt and 0 mugs. Zero mugs!! And everyone needs mugs.
Making money? It ain’t easy.
One piece of feedback, regarding the merchandise:
I wasn't aware that you sold merchandise, and, now that I am, I can't find it.
I go away for a month to get my eye fixed up and the Jedi starts selling coffee mugs?
I do need one. Will have to put it on my b-day list (not that I want to think about this bday i's a big one *sigh*…)
~bru
In a writers' world, they would make money like celebrities, promotion, ads, merchandise, and product sales. However, this generation seems to be reading less and less. My guess is that writers will mostly make their money through books and advances and such.
The sad fact is that today's youth, the kids in my school, don't give a shit about literature. They don't think "The Odyssey" is relevant and despise grammar.
My opinion is dark, but unfortunately, it is how I feel.
You had me at the title. That's it. I make pennies (relative to work involved) with freelance opps. "The" book. Well, there never seems to be much time to work on "the" book — since I'm so busy making a pittance. But I love it so. Okay, that was joking, but it's true too. Got to believe if you follow her heart and work hard, money will follow. Right?
'What do you have against rhetorical questions?'? Good, but a little formal. 'What have you got against rhetorical questions?' would be more colloquial and catchy. Or even 'What you got against rhetorical questions, dude?' Or 'dudette' as the case may be.
And maybe bigger print, particularly on the women's tee-shirt, so people won't have to stare at her…front…too long. Unless they want to stare at her front too long. And she wants them to stare at her front too long. Staring at women's fronts too long should always be mutually consensual, of course. Except maybe on subways…
Don't kill my dreams, man! I want to write for money!!! Just haven't found anyone willing to pay me yet…
Mugs? Where?!
WTH NB? Where's TWIB?
I hope that making money as an author isn't going to be too hard…I plan on not being a full time author, because…it's not realistic :/ Those dang people at my school want me to have a 'real' goal. 😛 Anyway, I'm going to have my book published AND I'm going to be a teacher (Art, math, or special ed)
I write because I love to write and I believe that if I do what I love the money will follow. Until the money shows up, I keep my day job and that's ok too.
You know, I was thinking about a couple of other ways a blogger/author with a strong following might make money. They could offer:
workshops
webinars
a wide range of editing/feedback services
retreats
small "how to" writing books
professional consultation services
Just some more thoughts.
Talk about leveling the playing field – the cost of entry is nearly zero thanks to the internet!