Make a living with your writing.
How to turn your words into multiple streams of income, from books to everything your writing makes possible. Third edition, written and narrated by Joanna Penn.
Do you want to make a living with your writing?
Do you want to turn your words into multiple streams of income?
I left my corporate job in 2011 to become a full-time author entrepreneur. In this updated third edition, I explain how I make a living with my writing and share tips from other writers, with practical ideas you can act on.
If you love to create and you’re ready to learn fresh skills in a fast-changing environment, this book will give you lots of ideas on how to make money with your words. Sometimes it’s just about knowing what’s out there, so you can find what’s right for you.
Who this book is for
This book is for writers who want to earn from their work, whether you write fiction or non-fiction, and whether you want a side income or a full-time career. It covers making money with books first, then the other ways your writing can earn.
It’s for you if you have a day job and want to build income on the side, as I did for five years, and for published authors who want to add streams of income to book sales. Every chapter ends with questions and ideas to research further.
What you’ll learn
The book has two parts: how to make money with books, and how to make money with your writing in other ways, then a final chapter on the transition to making a living. Here are the questions it answers.
- What is my definition of success, and what am I willing to do to achieve it?
- What are my publishing options, and how has the industry changed?
- Why is my book a valuable intellectual property asset, and how does rights licensing work?
- Traditional publishing or self-publishing: which suits me?
- How do I write more books, and books that people want to buy?
- How do I publish in multiple formats and sell globally?
- How do I sell direct to my audience?
- What is an author ecosystem, and how does it compound over time?
- How do affiliate income, crowdfunding, patronage and subscriptions work for writers?
- Can I earn from speaking, teaching, courses, events and membership sites?
- What about advertising, sponsorship, merchandise, freelance writing, ghostwriting, coaching and author services?
- How do I make the transition without quitting my job too soon?
Read sample chapters
The whole book is published chapter by chapter on my store, so you can read before you buy. These three are a good place to start.
See the full chapter list on my store, or the compact list further down this page.
Listen to a sample of the audiobook, narrated by me.
Where to buy
Available in ebook, paperback, hardback, large print, audiobook (narrated by me), and a spiral-bound companion workbook. Buying direct from my store supports me directly. Thank you.
What readers say
★★★★★
Easy to read, full of excellent, down-to-earth advice with tons of links and further reading. I read it cover to cover and feel incredibly motivated to take my writing business to the next level.
Karin van der Laag
★★★★★
The author manages to be both inspiring and upbeat whilst also giving in-depth detail about the practical aspects of making a living from writing.
Saskia van der Zee
★★★★★
It was an easy, well organised treasure chest of resources for authors. I really appreciated all the information on the different author organizations, the rights licensing information, international publishing considerations, and all the publishing format options.
CB
About Joanna Penn
I’m an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. I write non-fiction for authors as Joanna Penn, and thrillers, dark fantasy, horror and travel memoir as J.F. Penn.
I’ve hosted The Creative Penn Podcast since 2009, with interviews on writing, publishing, book marketing and making a living with your writing.
I have a Master’s degree in Death, Religion and Culture from the University of Winchester (2026) and a Master’s in Theology from the University of Oxford. I live in Bath, England.
Articles on making a living with your writing
Start with my overview, How to make a living with your writing through books and multiple streams of income, then dip into these.
- Your book is a valuable intellectual property asset
- It’s not just book sales: how authors make a living
- Creative entrepreneur: business models for authors
- The arc of the indie author journey
- The author entrepreneur
- What is your definition of success?
- Your publishing options
- How to sell ebooks and audiobooks direct
- Business models for non-fiction books
- Outsourcing, automation and virtual assistants for authors
- Productivity for writers
- Your Author Business Plan (the companion book)
Podcast episodes about making a living as a writer
I talk about the business of being an author every week on The Creative Penn Podcast. These episodes go deeper into topics from the book.
- Lessons learned from 15 years as a full-time author entrepreneur (Joanna Penn)
- How to Make a Living with Your Writing, third edition, out now (Joanna Penn)
- Write for money and power: becoming a creator CEO with Amy Suto
- Time freedom: rethink your work and money with Brian Herriot
- How to redesign your author business for the environment that actually exists with Tracy Cooper-Posey
- SuperCreativity and keynote speaking with a non-fiction book with James Taylor
- Creative confidence, portfolio careers, and making without permission with Alicia Jo Rabins
- Managing multiple projects and the art of the long-term author career with Kevin J. Anderson
- Two different approaches to selling books direct with Sacha Black and Joanna Penn
- Writing free: Jennifer Probst on a long-term author career
- The art and business of literary translation with Dani James
- Building a business ecosystem around non-fiction books with Michael Bungay Stanier
- Turn words into wealth with Aurora Winter
More sample chapters from How to Make a Living with Your Writing
Every chapter is on my store as an excerpt. Browse the full list, or start with these.
- Your publishing options and how the industry has changed
- Your book is a valuable intellectual property asset
- Traditional publishing
- Self-publishing or becoming an indie author
- Write more books
- Write books that people want to buy
- Publish in multiple formats
- Publish globally
- Sell direct to your audience
- Market your books
- Your author ecosystem
- Affiliate income
- Crowdfunding, patronage and subscription
- Professional speaking, teaching, performing, and live events
- Online courses, webinars, events, and membership sites
- Advertising and sponsorship
- Physical products and merchandise
- Freelance writing and ghostwriting
- Consulting or coaching
- Author services
- Other ways to make money with your writing
- First principles
- The transition to making a living with your writing
Questions about making a living as a writer
Can you really make a living as an author?
Yes, and many do, but rarely from one book or one income stream. Writers who make a living have a body of work and several ways to earn from it: book sales in multiple formats and countries, rights licensing, selling direct, and other income. It takes time, so build while you keep your day job.
What are multiple streams of income for writers?
Books first: ebook, print, audiobook and translation sales, plus licensing rights such as translation or audio. Then everything else your writing makes possible: affiliate income, crowdfunding, patronage and subscriptions, speaking and teaching, courses and memberships, advertising and sponsorship, products, freelance writing, ghostwriting, coaching and author services.
Why is my book an intellectual property asset?
Because you own the copyright, and copyright can be licensed in slices: by format, language, territory and time. You never sell the whole pie. A traditional deal, a self-published ebook, an audiobook and a German translation can all come from one manuscript. Understanding this is the key to making money with your writing.
How many books do I need to make a living?
More than one. A single book spikes at launch and then fades unless another book boosts the signal. The more books you have, the less you have to market each one, because you build an audience and a critical mass of work. Income compounds over time, and so does your skill.
Is selling direct worth it?
If you control your rights, you can sell direct from your own store as well as through the retailers. You keep a higher share, usually 80 to 90 percent after fees, you're paid within hours, and you know who your readers are so you can email them.
Should I quit my job to write full time?
Not right away. These income streams take time to build. Decide on your focus, follow your curiosity, and grow income on the side first. I kept my consulting job for the first five years of my writing career, and the final chapter sets out the transition step by step.
Next steps
Get the free Author Blueprint
Join my email list and I will send you my Author Blueprint, with the steps on the author journey from idea to published book and beyond, plus my newsletter with tips on writing, publishing and marketing.
Listen to The Creative Penn Podcast
New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you listen to podcasts: interviews and solo shows on writing, publishing, book marketing and making a living with your writing. Browse the podcast.
Watch on YouTube
Tutorials, interviews and my full non-fiction audiobooks, narrated by me, on The Creative Penn channel.
