If Your Writing Makes You Money Now… is that Good?

Writing is a business just like any other.  The main difference is that as a writer you have many critics and detractors.  The other difference is that there are two parts to making money with your writing.

Freelance writing and Publishing.  This is something that most people do not think about when they begin this journey.  To them it is all about writing, and this is as it should be.

The key to making money is not to thumb your nose at the concept of writing.  For example, you should be prepared to accept that this is a business, and if you even think of money, good or bad, you are thinking of building your business. This is important to both craft of writing and making money with your writing.

Let us take an example, say you have worked on a manuscript for many years, and it is now finished.  You begin to send it out to various publishers, and you keep getting the same sort of response from them this has potential but… and while most of them are saying the same thing, it is good, what you as a writer her is “NO!.”

This is when writers will often “expand” their searches.  They will look at various books about literary agents, and publishers and then repeat their searches.  When you do find a publishers, as a writer you are ecstatic, and you should be, but the real issue becomes knowing about how you are going to be making that money.

Generally it is an advance, but ask yourself, before you sign the contract, if this money, which you will be given is good.  By this think about how long you might need that money for and what your expenses will be.  Yes it is good to make that sort of money, but what about other streams of income, say your blogs or your online writing.

So, ask yourself this question: If my writing is making me money right now… is that good?