Product Description

Would you like to make a living with your writing?This book will show you how.I spent 13 years working as a cubicle slave in the corporate world. I was miserable in my job and my creativity was stunted by the crushing daily grind.Then I started writing books and blogging, using my words to create products and attract readers. In September 2011, I left my corporate job to become a full-time author and creative entrepreneur and since then I’ve grown my business year on year, all based on my writing. More importantly, I’m finally living the happy life I always wanted.I’m not a Kindle or blogging millionaire and this is not a get rich quick scheme. But I will share with you how I make a six-figure income from writing books, blogging and marketing in an ethical manner.We’re living in the best time ever to make a living with your writing! Read on to learn more.The book includes the following Table of Contents: Overview of how I make a living and income splitFirst principlesTips on writing and productivityTips on mindset Part 1: How to make money from booksIt’s not just one bookYour publishing options: Traditional publishingChanges in the publishing industryYour publishing options: Becoming an indie authorHow to self-publish an ebookHow to self-publish a print bookHow to self-publish an audiobook Part 2: How to make money online in other waysA business powered by content marketingProduct salesAffiliate incomeConsulting or coachingProfessional speakingAdvertising and sponsorshipFreelance writingTips for content marketing The transition and your next stepsPlus/ Companion Workbook so you can answer the questions in the book for yourself.If you’d like to make a living with your writing, click to sample or buy now.About the AuthorJoanna Penn is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers and non-fiction (as J.F.Penn). She is also a professional speaker and entrepreneur, voted as one of The Guardian UK Top 100 creative professionals 2013. Her site, TheCreativePenn.com is regularly voted one of the Top 10 sites for writers. Connect with Joanna on Twitter @thecreativepennTop reviews from the United States E.P. Clark4.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseEasy-to-Read and Encouraging Guide on Turning Writing into a BusinessReviewed in the United States on March 10, 2018Everybody wants to be a writer. Until they try to become one.In short, writing itself is a lot of work, and trying to make any money off of it can be like shouting into a void. But that doesn’t stop many of us from dreaming. Joanna Penn is one of the few who has turned the dream into a reality, and has written a series of books, as well as her blog and podcasts, full of tips and tricks on how she did so and how you can too.Of course, the savvy reader can’t help but notice that a lot of her success as an author seems to be driven by her success at selling self-help books on how to be successful as an author. But that is part of her point: she has, through hard work and excellent marketing and strategizing, created a virtuous circle in which she makes money from writing books about making money from writing books. She found an ever-popular genre and started contributing high-quality products to it that were strategically advertised and linked to each other. (She also writes fiction, which she says in this book creates about 50% of her income). In this book she breaks down some of the basic possibilities and processes for becoming an self-employed author-entrepreneur.And that’s the first of her “First Principles”: think of yourself as an entrepreneur who “creates value from ideas.” She also has a short but enlightening section on “creating scalable income”: that is, things that “you create once and sell over and over again.” As she points out, the beauty of creative work like writing is that you put in the time to create something once, and then have the possibility of selling it for as long as you want to keep doing so. These two concepts are extremely useful for authors who want to turn pro.The book also has helpful ideas on deciding what kind of writing you want to do, how to define what “success” means to you, how to shift from working a regular job to writing, and how to be productive as a writer. It’s a bit of a grab-bag of ideas, touching lightly on all the basics, and a great resource for people casting around for inspiration or ideas on how to start writing as well as how to start making money from your writing, although not super in-depth.I read it after seeing a webinar with Penn, and she is persuasive and encouraging as both a speaker and a writer. Reading or hearing her will make you feel like you CAN do this, and give you a few pointers for how to get started. The book is very easy and quick to read, positive, and has links to plenty of other resources. Many of those resources are Penn’s own other publications, which is where some readers might get a little turned off. The book IS well-written, informative, and engaging, and is probably worth the $4.99 price for aspiring professional authors, if nothing else than for the confidence boost it will give you. It’s also…what do you call it…content marketing is the term, I believe. It’s designed to market Penn’s books and services as well as teach you how to create and market your own, making it an immediate example of how to do what she’s showing you what to. Like I said, this may put some readers off, but those may be the readers who need the lessons the book has to offer the most. Like it or not, making a living out of writing means treating it like a business. Overall, a helpful, easy-to-read, and inspiring introduction to the topic that will leave you feeling good about yourself and your chances.57 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious4.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseA little book with a lot of helpful content.Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2015There are so many ‘How To’ books on self-publishing and how to profit from your labor that it can get all very confusing and overwhelming. It’s quite the jungle from which you can easily get lost in. I have read my fair share in this particular genre and my head is usually spinning ala Exorcism style rather than being enlightened. At the crux of it is understanding the *fundamentals* of the self-publishing world and the clarity of the content.With this brief primer, Joanna Penn breaks it down in a bullet by bullet point many aspects of the self-publishing world but more importantly advice for writers to keep focused and motivated, creating a battle plan on productivity and making a profit, as we’ll as helping the newbie in how to navigate the multiple social platforms to maximize exposure and marketing yourself as much as your work. She provides excellent Note Benas on topics I would have never considered: like the legalities of self-publishing, audiobooks, blogging, the pros/cons of being picked up by an agent and ebooks vs traditional publishing–and everything in between. She provides many useful resources that are free on her website and references she utilizes as a fiction author herself.This book, however, does not provide HOW to write a novel. Instead, I would recommend K. M. Weiland’s books on how to structure, write, plot, etc, your books. I religiously visit her very, VERY wonderful site […]If you’re serious about being a writer and not dreaming of becoming one–and Ms. Penn is quite serious in helping you become a published author–this is a MUST READ. ***And it’s F-R-E-E!*** As I said above, this is a very SHORT introduction and does not intimately delve into the specifics. It’s more of a foundation book. Those that have been reading self-help guides on self-publishign and marketing, this book will seem very basic. But that’s the point. It is a great starting point if you don’t want to be quickly confused or overwrought from the bombardment of information. From this novel, you can start venturing to other self-help books on publishing. I would highly recommend her other books, visiting […]and follow her twitter page for daily free advice and useful links. Ms. Penn is a vital resource for me and it should be for you. Her books will become your Self-Publishing Bible, I guarantee it.64 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport Jane5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseGreat information.Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2016This book is really great. I am a huge Joanna Penn fan anyways. I follow her channel on YouTube. I absolutely love her stuff.This book is good for beginners as well as people who have been writing for a while. I often have a hard time finding books that are useful to someone like myself who has been writing for a while. This book was helpful. It was very specific and gave lots of resources.One thing I love about Penn is how open she is about her finances. In this book she gives a percentage breakdown of where her income comes from and that was very helpful to me.My only negative comment about the book is that I bought the paperback and there are a few places in the paperback that appear like they were a link in an ebook. So, if you are thinking about grabbing this book you might choose the ebook version over the paperback if you really want the links.33 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport Kate M. Colby5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchasePerfect for beginning professional writersReviewed in the United States on June 27, 2015Joanna Penn has a knack for covering a wide berth of information in clear and concise ways. This book covers the various ways writers can make a living through their craft. If you are new to the idea of making a living through writing or to the writing industry in general, this is a perfect guide for you. However, if you already know your publishing options and other ways to create income streams through writing, reading this book may be a good refresher, but I would advise going straight to BUSINESS FOR AUTHORS.51 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport Jaiden5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseA Great Book to Start WithReviewed in the United States on November 19, 2019When searching for a book that would help aid in my quest for knowledge pertaining to self publishing and making money with my writing, I encountered many different books on the market. After searching through a few, I decided that I liked the reviews for Joanna Penn’s “How To Make A Living With Your Writing” the most. The price was perfect, only 7.99, and when on sale it was an even better price of only 4.99! Meaning that anyone can really be proactive even when on a budget. Another feature that caught my interest was Penn’s use of her personal experience as a description of this book to help draw in readers who felt like they could relate to her. Many people can often feel stuck in their jobs, not quite liking the path they head down, often feeling stuck in a never ending rut. It was nice to make that type of connection with the author because it made me feel as an aspiring writer that if she had been able to break away, that maybe I could too. Making the connection between finding a way to balance your own life with writing and happiness, rather than a job you get stuck in, suddenly seemed to become more tangible. This book is presented in a way that if you decide to purchase it, and use its content wisley, that it can impact your everyday life. If this is enough to influence your opinion about this book, here is my small summary that could help either sway or deter your decision to buy.Joanna Penn’s “How To Make A Living With Your Writing” is a wonderfully (short) yet useful book. The length of this book can help many writers who are limited with time gain an overall understanding of the different types of content that goes into making a living off of your own writing. This book starts of with a cute, informative introduction that lets the reader know through Penns experience that “Yes it is possible!” This is where Penn informs the reader of her experience with coming into the world of writing and publishing, and then the context of how she got to where she is now and where she is planning on going. This book could be relevant for any writer who wants to quickly gain a broad form of knowledge pertaining to the different areas of options for success. This includes how to make money with books, which includes publishing options (traditional), or self publishing an ebook, printbook, or audiobook. Penn also covers more options that could “actually” make money with books. Another nice touch is her addition of other ways to make money outside of direct forms of writing and publishing, covering topics like product sales, professional speaking, freelance writing, and much more. This book was very helpful in broadening my knowledge of the options that I have as a writer to publish my own content, and other options that I could also pursue that would aid in my advancements towards success. If looking for a more in depth source, it might be best to search elsewhere. But for an inexpensive, good place to start, this book would be a good fit.5 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport LemonDrop5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseStraight Answers on HOW to Make YOUR Writing PayReviewed in the United States on April 26, 2020I have never met this author, but after reading her book, I feel I have met the proverbial “friend in the business” who has opened my eyes on how to go about making money with my writing. The emphasis is on the HOWs and WHYs to take various paths. The author offers straight-forward thoughts based on her solid experience in making her writing pay off in various ways. She does not use the book to puff up herself, which is a breath of fresh air, because all I care about is learning how I can make my writing pay off from someone who knows what she is talking about. I thank this author and hope she offers webinairs, etc because I trust her.5 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport Timothy Bateson5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseNothing less than inspirational, and potentially life changingReviewed in the United States on March 21, 2016As a writer who has made very little income from the three stories I’ve had published in anthologies, I’ve been looking for ways to monetize my work. This book contains a lot of very useful information about how one writer managed to do just that, and expand her income through multiple sources.If you pick up this book expecting all the answers to be handed to you, then you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re willing to take some time and actually think about what you’re doing, what your definition of success is, and what you can personally achieve, then this is a great book.Joanna Penn comes across as someone who not only knows what she’s talking about, but has authority in the field that actually verifies that fact. This is one of several books by Penn that address aspects of being a writer, and ways to turn your passion into financial income. Having read this one from cover to cover in just two days, and having made a ton of notes that reflect the course I want to take, I will definitely be picking up more of her books.14 people found this helpfulHelpfulReport S. ROYSTONE NEVERSON5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseI strongly recommend that you get a copy of Joanna Penn’s book …Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2015If you are a writer or starting a career in writing and hope to make money from it, I strongly recommend that you get a copy of Joanna Penn’s book and read it before you write another word. Firstly, it will save you a lot of pain by helping you to avoid the many pitfalls that await the newbie writer, because Joanna experienced them during her career and she has kindly pointed them out and advises you how to avoid them.Secondly the book does not only tell you how to avoid pitfalls. It tells you what to do to become successful as a writer. She lays out the journey in a simple straightforward manner that is easy to follow and makes you feel that you can do it too. She then shows you how to make money as a writer entrepreneur. However, the book does not guarantee that you will succeed. It shows you how. The rest is up you you.13 people found this helpfulHelpfulReportSee all reviewsTop reviews from other countries Wendy Unsworth5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseVery WorthwhileReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2016I have been dipping into this book for months now and thought it only fair to write a review as I will never finish it, in a manner of speaking. Joanna Penn covers the subject of making money from writing with aplomb. She begins with a short history of her own career and lays out the income streams she achieves through her writing. The book is clear and each section is well defined. There are writing tips and advice on productivity as well as mindset and focus. In later sections she gets down to the nitty gritty of putting a book together, enlisting the help of professionals along the way and Indie versus traditional publishing. Every step of the way the book feels like it is offering realistic, down -to -earth goals without ever promising easy-peasy secrets to fame and fortune or too much, You Can do It! -style hype. I believe this author really know her stuff and I am sure I will be delving back into the book in the months ahead.47 people found this helpfulReport Terry Freedman4.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseGood advice from someone who knowsReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2016The word “with” rather than “from” in the title is important. Relatively few people can earn a living as professional writers. A survey by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) found that the average (median) income of full-time authors was around £11,000 — hardly a living wage. But if you regard your writing as part of a portfolio activities, which may include public speaking for instance, the picture starts to look less bleak. The book is very readable. All the way through it feels like you’re being given information by someone who has learnt the hard way what works and what doesn’t. The “voice” is a personal one: I didn’t feel like I was being lectured at. There are plenty of ideas here about how to decide how you want to earn your money as an author, and links to lots of resources and websites. One of the best things about the book is that Penn presents options as opposed to saying “you must do X”. I’ve read those sort of books, and in the field of social media especially I have found that when I have tried to use a service that doesn’t feel right for me at the time, I don’t stick at it. And I certainly don’t have the luxury of being able to spend hours on Twitter, Facebook, Google + and all the rest. In fact, the single most important piece of advice is that the most important thing you can do is write. Although contract issues are dealt with, I think that ultimately one should always have a legal expert look over the contract. The reason is that no matter how savvy you might be, you can always be tripped up. For example, I was reading on the Writer Beware blog that if you sign a publishing contract that contains clauses to provide for arbitration in the event of a dispute, you are actually signing away your right to take legal action (see Signing Away Your Rights: Arbitration Clauses in Book Contracts). Now, I don’t know if the same applies to contracts in the UK, but the point is that before I read that I might have assumed that having an arbitration clause was a good thing. I use the Society of Authors’ contract checking service myself, and have found it to be excellent. I certainly wouldn’t consider going it alone. But that really is my only niggle. This is definitely a book worth buying. NB I was sent the book as a review copy.36 people found this helpfulReport Soraya3.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseAn interesting business model, but the book would benefit from fewer repetitions and a little less self-promotionReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2016This book is interesting because of the author’s explanation of her journey and business model. She is transparent about the money aspects, and her style is clear and to the point, with links to some useful websites and other resources. Her passionate defense of indie publishing and her focus on scalable income are the main things that got me thinking. Other than that, I did not find that this was a particularly good book. There are lots of repetitions and a bit too much of self-promotion (with links to ther other books, online courses etc.).24 people found this helpfulReport Wendy Jones5.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseMust Have for all WritersReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2015I read a lot of books about business and marketing, with a particular emphasis on writing.mthis is one of the best, and most clearly written, I have come across. Joanna Penn is a professional and experienced writer, and this comes across in ever word. She starts the book by explaining how to get into the entrepreneur mindset. This is important as many writer think of themselves just as writers. They forget they are also running a business. Whilst writers are providing pleasure, they also need to make money in the process if they want to make a living as a writer. She also links this to having a can do attitude. One of the things I like about the book is that she talks about multiple income streams. This means not just having ebooks, but also paperbacks and audio books. She believes that with mobile use expanding internationally audio books will become increasingly more important. However, Penn also talks about other ways in which you can make money as a writer. One of the ways in which she suggests that income can increase is in becoming more organised. Prioritise writing, which will lead to becoming more prolific. The more books a writer has, the more they will sell. This is wise advice, and yet many writers seem to forget this. This is just a flavour of what this book contains. It is so much more than this. It is a book you will want to read through quickly first, and then refer to regularly. It provides inspiration and motivation in equal measure. This is the first of Penn’s books I have read but I will be reading more in the near future.20 people found this helpfulReport The Paragon4.0 out of 5 starsVerified PurchaseA very handy guideReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2020Terribly enthusiastic in its execution, Joanna Penn’s How To Make A Living With Your Writing starts out with a section about the author’s background and the importance, to an author, of exploring multiple streams of income because (and this took some time to get my head around) writers must think of themselves as entrepreneurs. It does seem to take some of the romance out of the novel-writing world but, as I can personally attest, you can’t pay bills with romance. Luckily, Ms Penn hones in on some very important questions around the subject of success and what it might mean to the reader and that, really, is what this guide is about – setting your own goals and keeping them in mind. There are great ideas on increasing productivity, maintaining a positive mindset, as well as a couple of excellent chapters on the pros and cons of traditional publishing vs independent publishing. There’s also a step by step guide on self-publishing an ebook, paperback and audiobook, as well as setting up multimedia courses, products and services and a word on affiliate links. Of the principles which gave me some hope, the most important was this – “We’re talking about creating intellectual property assets that will put income in your pocket for years to come. It might be a small trickle every month at first, but that will increase in time as you add more to your portfolio.” And I suddenly felt a lot better about my own writing journey. There’s a great load of tips in this short guide and I learnt a huge amount from it. The only downside for me were the fairly frequent links to Ms Penn’s website. I don’t doubt her credentials for a moment but the links got annoying after a while.3 people found this helpful