Being a published author isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Full-time authors earn an annual median income of just $10,000 from their books.
This is based on a survey done by the Authors Guild in 2023. Combine their books and all other author-related income such as blogging, teaching, coaching, etc. and it adds up to $20,000 for the year.
And this is for FULL-TIME authors. Part-time authors earn considerably less.
This means at least half of full-time authors survive on less than minimum wage.
They’d earn more as a brand-new employee at Burger King.
And AI isn’t going to improve the situation.
The Internet is flooded with mediocre writing…making it even more difficult to get noticed.
That’s the bad news.
But the good news is…
You can have a fantastic lifestyle as a well-paid writer.
What? Am I crazy? Didn’t I just share how difficult it is for the average writer to make a decent living?
Yes, but that’s only for authors who follow the ‘normal’ way of doing things.
My clients and I have taken the road less traveled.
I never imagined where the Internet would take this broke pizza delivery driver.
And virtually all my success online comes back to writing…even though I’m NOT that talented of a writer (although I do have decades of practice now).
I’ve self-published several books and they’ve attracted some great customers and clients.
But the money from books is only a tiny portion of my income.
The real money has been from my email list.
Email has always been the linchpin of my business.
It has led to multiple income streams.
That’s the secret to becoming a well-paid writer today.
Don’t rely on just one source of income such as books.
Instead, focus on attracting and communicating consistently with an audience that has a desperate problem or a burning passion.
Get to know them.
Become their advocate.
Help them solve their problems or reach their goals.
Along the way, you might write a book and announce it to your list to launch it with a bang (your book then becomes another doorway for high quality subscribers to join your list).
You can promote other people’s products or services as an affiliate or a joint venture partner. Some email publishers make a good living from this one income stream alone.
Create courses. You have a built-in group of buyers already waiting on your list.
And you can make a good living with just a tiny little list by offering some type of consulting or coaching in your expertise.
And of course…writing emails for your list becomes practice that improves your writing.
It all starts with the list.
That’s why you should check out Authority Lists & Traffic.
It shows you how to attract ready-to-buy subscribers using a list building blueprint that’s customized to you and your audience.
Build your list using a system that’s quick, easy, and fun for you to put in place…even if you’re a brand-new beginner.
Plus, you’ll discover how to use my ‘authority formula’ to position yourself as the obvious choice for ideal readers using the list building plan that’s a perfect fit for you.
