Making Money as a Writer
By FionaVeitch Smith Sixteen years ago I left my full-time job as a journalist with the intention of taking up a career as a creative writer. What I naively didn’t realise was that I would never again earn a full-time salary with pension, holiday or sick leave. My earnings now – enough to keep the wolf from the door - are cobbled together from multiple sources and, like every other freelance I know, a good chunk of my time is spent sourcing income streams and pitching for paying work. Now I understand that not all writers expect to or need to earn a living wage from their writing. Some of you reading this might have alternative income sources, are supported by a partner, or write only as a hobby or ‘ministry’. But for others like me, and new writers starting out, wondering how at all they can survive financially, here are some of the many ways I try to earn money from my writing: Advances Most commercial publishers offer an advance once a book has been accepted ...