A small, but passive income.

[kayfabe17]

Hrm, I'd really like to look into the idea of getting some of my short stories published - would you happen to have any advice on the best way to get started with this, please?

 

[Dick Barton]

Sorry, I took the thread in a completely different direction with reusing content! The nice thing about your approach is that it's broadly "do once, profit later" - the holy grail of passive income.

Do you have any tips about what works well? E.g. cover design, descriptions, titles etc?

On the flipside of what I was chatting to Jon about - have you thought about creating a website(s) using the source content of your books? Chuck on a few adverts, promote a few affiliate links and you could double or triple your income from the work.

Hi David
I have actually sold a booklet which list 100 titles for fiction books! Yes, titles, like a good cover, do attract potential buyers. I make my own covers using paint.net. The only covers which really need improvement are my erotic stories. With this type of stuff you need pictures of sexy models etc, but they are not cheap!! I mainly write short horror or amusing stories. Although I don't make a lot, it is truly passive and if I was younger and needed the money I would be publishing these every day. As for non-fiction I have a booklet of tongue twisters (original), how to generate ideas, words for foreign students to learn and so on.
I like the idea of a website devoted to the short, short story. There are thousands of would be writers out there and over the years have met some very good ones. Most of my extra cash comes from reselling on ebay, but I put the writing idea/passive income for others on here to consider.

 

[Ar_]

I’ll just employ @Ar_ to write one for me I think

I'm game if you're paying lol

 

[Fruitloops]

I've considered this several times over the past few years, but I always get stuck at the old deciding what to write part. Short stories, how to books, something funny, something factual?? Who knows?! Then I get lost in a sea of research and eventually run away screaming.

 

[Jon]

I've considered this several times over the past few years, but I always get stuck at the old deciding what to write part. Short stories, how to books, something funny, something factual?? Who knows?! Then I get lost in a sea of research and eventually run away screaming.

Yeah you’ve really got to be committed long term with it all as it could take several months to write and a few more after that to promote until you start seeing an income from it!

 

[Dick Barton]

Yeah you’ve really got to be committed long term with it all as it could take several months to write and a few more after that to promote until you start seeing an income from it!

Not necessarily true Jon. I can write a short story in a couple of hours and have it up on KDP the same day. Okay, it won't make me millions, but anyone doing this on a regular basis could certainly add to their monthly income. Even 10 items making you 50p a month is a fiver which is passive with no surveys to fill in! As regards non-fiction there are lots of things you can make into booklet form of about 2000 words. As you know, once done, there for evermore. I am not knocking someone who can write a novel, but yes, that does take some work and without any guarantee of success.

 

[kayfabe17]

Not necessarily true Jon. I can write a short story in a couple of hours and have it up on KDP the same day. Okay, it won't make me millions, but anyone doing this on a regular basis could certainly add to their monthly income. Even 10 items making you 50p a month is a fiver which is passive with no surveys to fill in! As regards non-fiction there are lots of things you can make into booklet form of about 2000 words. As you know, once done, there for evermore. I am not knocking someone who can write a novel, but yes, that does take some work and without any guarantee of success.

This sounds perfect for me, I'm quite good at getting words onto the page...by any chance have you written any info on the best way to get started with this before, please? I'd love some advice if so

 

[JesseEverAfter]

Just make sure it’s not one of those robot voices people use for them on YouTube!

I've heard them used on Udemy courses trailer videos too - very little puts me off watching something faster!

 

[Andrew]

I'm writing an autobiographical book next year. Thinking of going self-published via Amazon. I'm hoping some of my blog readers will buy a copy!

 

[Kimilsung]

I should add that I write short (usually under 2000 words) stories and have sold a few of those. I was thinking of hiring from fiverr someone who can read aloud professionally and stick them on Youtube.

Where do you publish your books?

 

[Dick Barton]

Where do you publish your books?

Kindle Direct Publishing KDP on Amazon...it's very easy.

 

[Kimilsung]

Kindle Direct Publishing KDP on Amazon...it's very easy.

Any other publishers?

 

[Dick Barton]

Just like to say I earned another £2.62 from my book sales. I've heard that J K R is getting really worried! On a different note I have decided to try and create notebooks which are actual physical books. Now anyone can do these and thought they might be of use to members. You are simply selling a lined book with a decorative cover. Not sure if I will sell any, but it's worth a try. Which brings me on to this idea (and Jon will hate me). Why not award say, £10 each month to the person that puts forward the most new, constructive idea(s) for making extra money! Don't kick me out of the money shed Jon!

 

[Annie Beau]

Just like to say I earned another £2.62 from my book sales. I've heard that J K R is getting really worried! On a different note I have decided to try and create notebooks which are actual physical books. Now anyone can do these and thought they might be of use to members. You are simply selling a lined book with a decorative cover. Not sure if I will sell any, but it's worth a try. Which brings me on to this idea (and Jon will hate me). Why not award say, £10 each month to the person that puts forward the most new, constructive idea(s) for making extra money! Don't kick me out of the money shed Jon!

Where will you be selling the note books? Redbubble do this notebooks

 

[Dick Barton]

Where will you be selling the note books? Redbubble do this notebooks

If you make them on Amazon you get a free ISBN number so you have to sell them on Amazon. You can provide your own number and sell elsewhere, but that is expensive.

 

[Annie Beau]

Whilst you're creating your books, what are you creating them on? I have a few ideas but they will take me a couple of days to write up so what fornat would I create them in so that I could go back to it
Thanks

 

[Dick Barton]

Whilst you're creating your books, what are you creating them on? I have a few ideas but they will take me a couple of days to write up so what fornat would I create them in so that I could go back to it
Thanks

Hi
I create the lines in Open Office and do the covers in paint.net. Both of these are free to download. See a simple example

 

[Annie Beau]

What about text for novels though

 

[Dick Barton]

What about text for novels though

All Very simple Annie. It ask you to upload manuscript first and then cover, The text can be any length.

 

[Mark Davies]

It looks like KDP have their own cover maker program?