Is Money the Important thing in Publishing?
As all of you probably know I am working hard in writing and working with a literary agent, so I get many emails. One of them I’ll put here simply because I don’t think the writer of said email knows what exactly they need: ( In full unedited glory… names of wensite have been removed)
Hi,
I just wanna say that u can make millions publishing youre work on websites, and u dont need to have any published books, ’cause many people dont care who is writing but how much money u can make for them. money is king. My […] (website name taken out) is maken me so much money, nearly $10,000 a month. I dont think I need to ever publish a book like the people who think they need to write all the time. This […] (website name taken out) makes me more money thean i could make publishing and its been up for two months.
Check me at […]
Okay first off, I know my powers of editing aren’t that great but seriously I hate seeing “u” for you. Especially when you are trying to tell me how great your writing is.
Now couple of things: If you are a writer, then the goal is to publish something of value to both yourself and your readers. Money is of course needed since you can’t survive on nothing. But still, some very unbelievable numbers, especially since most people who have blogs and website will tell you how much it take to publish articles.
It’s business out there, so don’t make it harder on yourself. (Not to mention don’t send an email in purple!) But my question: Is money more important than publishing?
13 Comments
Koala Bear Writer
No. If writers were in it for the money, there'd be a lot less of us.
That letter lost me at the "u". I hate bad writing and wouldn't believe this guy is actually making money off that.
Anonymous
i think they are lying… no one would read this
Brandon Simpson
I don't believe anybody who says that they make $10,000 a month from websites or blogs.
I am in the business of publishing for the money. However, I do realize that you have to write very good, informative books in order to earn any money for them.
And since I use my monthly check from publishing to pay off a sizable portion of my bills, I am doing it for the money more and more each month.
Brandon Simpson
http://www.smalltownpr.net
Rebecca
Koala Bear writer– they had me at the "u" for goodbye as well.
anon—yes I agree as well
Brandon Simpson— totally agree up to the time frame point if someone says that they've been blogging since say 2004, and have about 20 blogs and websites, then maybe i'd go for what they say. But I'd still have diffculty believing it.
Christy Pinheiro, EA ABA
I know some writers who make $600 a month on their blogs. That's the highest number I've ever heard that I actually believed.
I make affiliate income from my webiste, and in 2009, it was a little over $2,000. Not chump change, but certianly not a full-time living.
Brandon Simpson
I think $2,000 in affiliate money is pretty good. But it's definitely not enough to live on.
Jill Edmondson
ARGHHH!! I am still crying and gagging after reading that email!!! Double ARGHHH!!!
I cannot believe any seriosu entrepreneur would send an email like that. Even if one factors in/makes allowances for "MSN slang" (such as 'u' for 'you'), the tone, gramar, capital letters, organization and on and on and on are horrific.
You are much kinder than I am. I would possibly (probably) mentioned the name of the sender/website (not that it would necessarily have been smart to do so…)
We all make the occasionaly error, and even the most experienced and highly trained professional misses something now and then. However, the email above is a mistake from start to finish, with no redeeming features at all.
Jill
PS: This comment was written by Jill the Communications Professor, not Jill the Fiction Writer. If I ever got something like that from one of my Business Writing students, I would give it a great big zero!
Rebecca
Christy– $600 is believable, yes it is, so is $2000.
Bradon– point well taken.
Jill- Your reaction was just like mine, but this was also quite arrogant, and painful to read. thanks for the comment.
JS
Making money through blog(s)!!! Hmmm…time to ponder! Would love an elaborate view on that.
Rebecca
yes JS you can make money on blogs, but it's not as easy as this emailer says it is, but I wish you all the best if you do start in the money journey to blogs.
Alice
I'm nearly a geezer or some might say AM a geezer, and I just offer these things I gleaned from the unedited comment. The writer is young (read "not dry behind the ears" yet) and has no idea what he wants to be when he grows up but it should be easy; and didn't devote the time and devotion to grammar school because he doesn't know the difference between you're and your yet, so how could anyone take him seriously in print? Sorry to sound so geezerish, but it takes more than stringing words together to really understanding how to write. My last word to the comment is "if you want to be a writer, learn your craft. Then write." If money is your goal, good luck, but it may not give you real satisfaction in the end.
Rebecca
Alice– not old just like good writing.
Anonymous
this person was joking right?