Between Drafts How to Afford an Author Career
17 snips
Jun 21, 2025 Aspiring authors face financial challenges while pursuing their dreams. The hosts share strategies for balancing a full-time job with writing, emphasizing productivity and financial planning. They discuss the benefits of low-expectation jobs that allow creative freedom. Differentiating between fiction and nonfiction, they reveal insights on profitability and marketing approaches. The conversation also touches on the complexities of building an audience and the nuances of selling books versus courses, highlighting the relentless persistence needed for success.
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Publishing Is A Slow, Competitive Path
- Publishing rarely pays well quickly; initial advances can be spread thin over years.
- Nathan and Nat highlight the industry is hyper-competitive with most authors earning very little early on.
Writing During College And Long Workweeks
- Nathan wrote his first book during college and while working 65–70 hour weeks afterwards.
- He focused on three things and often chose writing over other activities to finish the book.
Diversify With High-Value Client Work
- Build multiple revenue streams like paid newsletters, sponsorships, and client work to fund writing.
- Offer high-value services (e.g., ghostwriting for founders) because pricing power is stronger than selling many books.
