Let's Talk About Money.

There is so much taboo around conversations about money, but it's the one thing that we should all be talking about more. This is so much more true when it comes to being a writer. A lot of us dream of the day when we can write full time and land that six figure deal for our books. We hear stories in the news of authors first works making them rich overnight, but when you dig a little deeper it's rare that they just woke up one day, wrote a novel and found immediate financial success. Many authors will have three, four, or (in the case of a tiktoker I saw today) even ten traditionally published books before they reach financial success.

Writing takes time, and you don't get paid while you're writing your debut novel, so you need to work which, leaves no time for writing. This is a cycle I've been stuck in since the summer of 2020 when I got my first corporate job. I'll have times between jobs where I get loads done, and think to myself somewhat smugly that I'll continue writing once I start my next job, but I've always struggled to keep up that discipline.

However, you do need to get your bills paid somehow, so here's a list of things that might work for you.

A Creative Job

I have spent the last couple of years working in marketing, mostly copywriting blogs and social media posts. That part of the job worked out well for me and is well within my skillset, and I love writing blog posts as you can probably tell. However with marketing comes a whole host of other skills and responsibilities that you might not have thought about before you start your training. Things like analytics, which I had to teach myself in my first job, and digital marketing like SEO skills and PPC (pay per click) which can limit or tailor your creativity. This isn't an issue for me, but it can be for some other writers who I've met in the past. The marketing industry as a whole can be very competitive and cut throat, so in my opinion it's not the best place for you if it's not your dream career. Other creative jobs might be better suited, especially if your creative skills you can use for work lie outside the realm of writing, for example, graphic design or video editing.

A Non-Corporate Job

I have a friend who works in theatre who is writing a novel, and there's vocations like teaching which suits writing (if you are good at time management), or perhaps something like being a personal trainer. These are all jobs that have a big investment in them for a career, but which I think can compliment a writing lifestyle.

Another option is to work a job in something which is not a career focus by default, such as a hospitality job. Of course, you can work your way up the ranks and make a really good career in hospitality, but what I'm talking about is the lower level barista or bar staff roles which will cover your bills, give very little responsibility on the job, and when you are done with the day you can go home and write because you've been away from your screen all day. The downsides to this is that you have to make sure you are dedicated to your writing, and that the shifts you have will earn you enough money to survive. It's also not the best job for introverts due to the customer facing element. But I wrote some of my best work while waitressing in my twenties.

Monetise Your Socials

And by this I mean, you could become a content creator. I know, I know, people are very rarely successful with it, and a lot of the time you have to manage sponsorships to find big financial success. However, it can be a fun way to document your writing progress, and if you can make a little bit of money doing it then why not enjoy the extra cash.

I've attempted to start a writing youtube channel a bunch of times and always been too shy to post any of the videos I've made. I also sporadically turn to instagram to document my writing and reading journeys but again, I have millions of posts I've chickened out of posting. I think if you do it for the right reasons though, you can measure your success beyond how many products you get to push and how many views you get. It can just be a lot of fun and a great way to build a community, which is especially important if you want to self-publish.

This also applies to the idea of making a podcast.

Build a Career in the World of Writing

Many authors I know have gone on to work in publishing, or even started their own indie presses. Some have become agents, or journalists, or worked in screenwriting. A whole bunch of them, though, have gone on to study PhD so they can lecture and/or research whilst making their own writing a part of their job. This is what I've wanted to do since I was 23, but due to different personal reasons I have yet to get onto a PhD programme.

Doing a PhD is no easy feat, it may just be one of the most difficult things you'll ever do, and it will take a toll on your finances, especially if you don't qualify for a grant or extra funding. I've been working towards this goal for nearly a decade, so I am absolutely sure this is the career path I am meant to go down. But if it's not for you, there is a plethora of amazing jobs you can do while you write.

And if you're lucky

You can just be a writer. There are many ways to become a published author beyond a traditional publishing deal. There are self publishing options, many of which can turn into a traditional publishing deal, and can be hugely successful if you know how to market yourself to your audience.

It's also worth submitting some short stories to as many places as you can; zines and competitions and anthologies etc. There are some great places online that collect a bunch of open submissions and it can make the process so much easier. You just have to make sure you write as much as you possibly can so you always have something to submit ready when you need it. If you write poetry, look out for local slams or open mics which can get you into your local poetry scene - this will often lead to lot's of opportunities.

Lastly, there's also grants available for those who have a work in progress. If you look for them, there will be pockets of money being given for authors in varying stages of their careers. They can be research grants to help with access to archives or for travel, or grants for income support for working class authors, or disabled authors, the list goes on. A great place to start is The Society of Authors but there are so many more available online.

Though I have tried to list as many as I could think of, this is in no way a comprehensive list. Let me know what you do to financially support your writing (although feel free to omit any details) in the comments below.

Don't tread on the flowers

F x