Authors are rarely addressed for being exactly what they are: entrepreneurs. You have started a small business from an idea of your own making and you are putting products out into the world. Because of all the mechanics of publishing, it can be easy to lose the fact that you are running a business. Another regular concern for authors is in the arena of finances. Can I make enough money to do this job full-time? Some are fortunate enough to make a living primarily on book advances and sales. However, a far larger number of authors must find multiple streams of income in order to sustain their lifestyle. So how do you spinoff from your core product (your books) and engage in other forms of income as well as brand building? Let’s talk about it.

Public Speaking and Workshops

Perhaps the most obvious opportunity is in speaking engagements. Though this tends to lend itself better to nonfiction writers, there is plenty of room for fiction authors to use their knowledge and experience to generate opportunities.

From literary festivals, to conferences, corporate gigs and even media contributions, authors can expand their offerings beyond the pages by teaching and guiding others through what they’ve learned.

Online Presence

Those who are successful at social media might find ways to monetize this marketing endeavor beyond promoting their own books. For anyone with a knack for creating video content, for example, they can earn money as a creator on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. This can serve a duel opportunity to both build your brand awareness around your books as well as place where more opportunity can be fostered. There are ways to double dip that complement each other rather than conflicting. For example, an author might start a channel to review books, movies and TV in their genre, with popularity, both their own books and the channel itself can become successful.

If you’ve decided to engage in a long-term social media strategy, then why not get paid for your efforts? A combination of consistency, personality and creativity can manifest more than one achievement.

Merchandising

Once upon a time, this would have been a difficult endeavor for solopreneurs to embark on, but now, there are so many options for authors to expand their product offerings beyond books.

  • Commission character art (or create it yourself) to sell prints
  • Open an Etsy shop with book-inspired items
  • Create print-on-demand products like t-shirts, mugs, totes and more with brand-aligned products
  • Sell digital products like courses, printouts, resources and beyond
  • Sell services like editing, query letter review and coaching

Authors’ ability to offer a variety of income-earning products is limited only to your imagination. You can sell items very specific to your brand or fun collections that any book lover would enjoy.

Other platforms like Substack, blogging and freelance writing can take the skill you’ve already developed (writing) and turn it into another money-making resource.

Collaborations and Partnerships

We all know that writing a book is a long, solitary process and the earnings from that work can be wide ranging. Collaborations with other authors or brands can not only shorten your production time, but also expand your audience reach.

A great example of this is the partnership of four thriller authors who produced the recent Audible Original hit Young Rich Widows.

Make sure you check out our interview with them >>>

Each other got to not only write a quarter of a book, rather than the whole thing (though they were all very active in the overall production of the novel), but they also had four authors promoting the book rather than just one once it went to market.

Other options like anthologies or short story collections can provide the same exciting chance to grow your brand and create other streams of revenue from your writing. And platforms like Wattpad can help bring your writing to anxiously awaiting audiences.

Even if you don’t decide to write something with a partner or group, you can collaborate with other authors and media experts for promotions, sponsorships, giveaways, events and beyond.

Adaptations

While authors may not feel in control of whether their book is sold for film, TV or other media opportunities, what they can do is approach their writing with a cinematic perspective in mind. As you write, consider the TV and movies in your genre that are successful. How can you incorporate those elements into your book? Do they have sharp witty dialogue? Is your book set in a place that would be viable for a production company to create? Is the topic timely, interesting and relatable compared to what is already out there and working?

A novel that reads (in some ways) like a screenplay can help create an easier transition from a book to the big screen.

Audiobook are another form of adaptation that often goes overlooked. With the rising popularity of audiobooks, it’s important to consider this in the contract stage as well as in your indie career, if that applies to you. An audiobook is a totally separate product that can be derived from the original. Though there is cost and effort involved, it is in fact a whole separate creation that can expand your brand (some people are audiobook-only readers) and create more revenue as there are a ton of cases where people buy both a physical copy and an audiobook.

Educational Content

So many authors have so much to teach and there’s a market of hungry, aspiring authors dying to devour your knowledge. Even if, in a lot of ways, you still feel as if you’re learning, your experience to date holds a lot of value.

Through digital courses, webinars, instructional ebooks, workbooks and more, authors are offering an extension of their insight. From authors like Jessica Brody who have a whole suite of offerings like a nonfiction book on plotting and a number of digital courses, to Ann Napolitano who temporarily partnered with a brand to produce a course about the writing life to Andrea Bartz who will soon be partnering with She Writes to deliver a course on pacing, there is no shortage of writers seeking to hear from those who are standing where they aim to go.

From the basics you learned while drafting to the peek behind the publishing curtain, as an author, you have a ton to offer upcoming writers.

Charity and Advocacy

Finally, while this may not be a money-earner for an author specifically, many authors have found joy and purpose in philanthropy and advocacy in their work, two things that absolutely help shape a brand. Taking what you care about (especially if it also pertains to your books) and finding a way to give back is a rewarding aspect that any author could take part in. Whether it’s resisting book bans, supporting a cause or raising money for an organization, authors can utilize their platform to help others as well as themselves.

As you build out both the public facing aspects of your brand as well as the financial additions to your business, consider this advice on how to build a brand that interlaces your personality, your book(s), the platforms you use and how you use them.