Money Matters
Everyone in my life warned me I could never be a career author, given how little money, on average, writers make. Not exactly morale-boosting, right?
The problem is, they weren’t wrong about the challenges. A lot of writers don’t make a lot of money. The statistics alone would drive anyone to bury their quill and parchment.
Then there are the success stories. Writers who self-publish a single novella, which then goes viral, and Hollywood comes calling.
It’s tempting to think if they can do it, so can I! And what’s wrong with optimism?? If no one else will believe in us, then we will!
But the reason you hear about these writers is because they’re the exceptions. Not all of us can be the exception. If you bank your whole writing career on defying the odds, you may be disappointed.
So what to do? Listen to people who say you can never make it? Or listen to people who say you can make millions?
Neither. You write the best book you can. You choose your publishing path. You market your book to the best of your ability. That’s it. The rest is up to everyone else whether they buy it. It’s not a recipe for financial security, true. But nor is it a death knell for making a bit of money, either.
And if you’re still not convinced you should invest in yourself or your writing career? Just remember there’s a reason so many people are in the writing game: stories matter.