Writers Earn More Money as Bloggers

Many writers consider blogging extra work that takes them away from writing. However, blogging not only involves writing—and can lead to a finished manuscript and published book—but also provides you with a way to create a livelihood as a writer. In fact, as a writer you are uniquely equipped to become a successful blogger and to monetize your blog and your book.

My blogs, for example, help me increase my income as an author in a variety of ways. Here are a few:

Increased Income from Book Sales and Royalties

I have written several books on my blog. In other words, I blogged books. I composed and published the first draft post by post and published it right here on this site.

The first time, I blogged about blogging a book. In the process, I became the expert on a topic, and my blog achieved #1 Google search engine results page (SERP) status. The manuscript I produced was sold to Writer’s Digest Books and released as How to Blog a Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time. I received an advance and now receive royalties not only on the first edition but on the second edition as well. I also blogged Authorpreneur and Blogging Basics for Authors.

I’ve also booked my blog on numerous occasions. (Not sure of the difference between a blogged book and a booked blog? Read this post.) For example, I created my Write Nonfiction NOW! Series of guides, which includes The Write Nonfiction NOW! Guide to Writing a Book in 30 Days and The Write Nonfiction NOW! Guide to Writing and Publishing Articles with content previously published on my blog. The same is true for my ebook, The Nonfiction Book Proposal Demystified.

If I want to write something quickly and keep up with my blogging schedule, I blog a book or book my blog.

New Income from Book-Related Products and Services

The expert status I’ve earned from my blog, blog-to-book deal and booked blogs gave me the ability to offer related coaching and consulting services. I also sell related products, teach courses, and speak on this topic. All of these streams of income, while not produced specifically by writing, have become part of my current income as a writer.

Increase Your Income by Blogging

You, too, can earn more money as a writer by monetizing your blog with written and non-written products. How do you start?

First, blog a book. You easily can blog several books over the next year. Blogging a book is the easiest and fastest way to write a book and promote it at the same time. It took me five months to blog the first draft of How to Blog a Book but only ten days to blog 10 Days and 10 Ways to Return to Your Best Self. It took me three months to blog Blogging Basics for Authors.

For many indie authors, ebook sales represent a large income stream. I receive income both from my self-published and traditionally published titles.

Get Paid More to Write

A successful blog—one with lots of readers—on a focused topic makes it easier for you to get more paid and higher-paid writing work. As you become the expert on your topic and build your author platform, blogs, magazines and newspapers become more likely to accept your queries for assignments. And you can command more pay for those articles.

Earn More Money as a Blogger in Numerous Ways

Additionally, your blog readership contributes to your author platform. You can use it to convince publishers you are a good publishing partner—that you deserve a book contract and a larger advance.

The more you blog readership increases, the more money you make. You can:

• Sell more books
• Enroll more participants in coaching programs
• Register more participants in classes and courses
• Attract more customers and clients
• Become a more attractive publishing partner for a traditional publisher
• Increase your chances of getting paid assignments on major magazines in your subject areas
• Speak for pay
• Put advertising on your blog (and make money from it)
• Promote affiliate products

All of these items represent ways to monetize a blog and earn more money as a writer. Not all of the items on the list above involve writing, but they do result in increased income from your writing (and blogging).

Remember, blogging is, indeed, writing. And your blogging efforts can pay off handsomely.

 

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