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No matter what you do in the world of publishing, you probably know about Reedsy. You can use them to find an editor, learn how to write a novel, or even format your book.
Not only that, but I just adore their team from Ricardo on down, and they are always, always, always out in the community helping authors write better books and make more money.
So, when they reached out to join our approved vendor program, I was an enthusiastic yes, and asked if they would write an article summarizing the best advice they have seen to grow a sustainable career.
I’m thrilled to have Loretta Bushell from their team put together this article for us about just that topic. If you haven’t checked out Reedsy yet, please go check them out. Otherwise, let’s get on with it.
You don’t have to be Stephen King to turn writing from a hobby into a sustainable career. However, you will need the right mindset and a healthy dose of perseverance.
The key is to treat your writing like a business. Just like any startup, building something sustainable and profitable takes time — so don’t quit your day job just yet. Start by laying the groundwork for success with these five steps.
1. Write even when you’re not inspired
Speaking of the master of horror himself, in his memoir On Writing, Stephen King notes that “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.” Translation: if you’re serious about having a writing career, you can’t be picky about when to write.
Instead, you must schedule regular writing sessions into your weekly routine, then treat them with the same commitment you would a major life event. In other words, always turn up and write (unless there’s a genuine emergency).
During these sessions, try to insulate yourself from distractions (e.g., your phone or your kids). If you have writer’s block, push through by freewriting. Remember, it’s much easier to edit bad writing than to try and create something instantly amazing, so don’t be too hard on your early drafts. If you’re writing anything, you’re making progress.
And if you struggle to stick to a routine, find an external source of motivation. For me, it’s a sticker chart. I add a sticker to a calendar every day that I meet my writing goals, and now I never want to break the streak. Finding an accountability partner is also a good option, whether that’s a family member, a friend, or someone from an online writing community.
2. Invest seriously in your craft
Once you’re writing consistently, the next step is honing your abilities in a way that sells. If you don’t have much formal creative writing training, consider enrolling in a comprehensive course, such as Reedsy’s self-paced course on how to write a novel.
Even if you’re already confident with the basics, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. The publishing industry is constantly evolving (ever heard of AI?) and there’s always something new to learn. Customize your professional development by identifying your own weaknesses or knowledge gaps and seeking out relevant events or courses. You can also find lots of helpful masterclasses and conferences on hubs like Reedsy Learning.
3. Market yourself consistently (starting now)
One new skill you’ll almost certainly need to grasp is marketing. Many authors say they hate marketing, but in truth, marketing is often the differentiator between who’s successful and who’s not. People in all professions have parts of their job they don’t enjoy; that’s part and parcel of making something a career rather than a hobby.
So no matter where you are on your writing journey, now is the time to start marketing yourself. Traditional publishers increasingly prefer to sign authors with an existing following — and if you self-publish, the strength of your marketing strategy will be a major factor in your success.
As a bare minimum, you’ll need to set up an author website and start an email newsletter, which you can promote by offering new subscribers a freebie.
As for social media, concentrate your efforts on one platform rather than trying to maintain a presence on all of them. Choose one that’s popular with your target audience. See what other writers/readers are posting and develop similar content, but give it your own twist.
And be genuine! The algorithm will reward you for it, and if you ask questions in your posts and videos, your followers will respond enthusiastically. Lastly, make sure to produce content on a regular basis — one consistent post a week is better than a flurry of 20 posts in a single week, followed by nothing for three months.
Also, you can still market yourself even if you haven’t published any books yet. Drive engagement by sharing your writing process, teasers for your current projects, and/or funny anecdotes. That way, when you’re ready to release your first book, you’ll be ahead of the game.
If you self-publish, other marketing channels will be important, too — such as distributing advance reader copies, optimizing metadata, and running ads. As you increase your sales and income, you’ll be able to spend more on marketing, which will help you create a cycle of growth.
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4. Plan ahead for more books
You’ll only get so far by scaling your marketing on one book. The real growth will come when you write more and more books, ideally in series. It might seem a little premature, but trust me, it’s crucial to long-term success. The richest authors in 2026 have all either written a highly successful series or dozens of books in the same genre — or both.
Why are series so lucrative? Because readers want to buy the next installment to find out what happens. Plus, every time you release the next book, new readers will buy the previous titles, especially if you offer a discounted bundle price. It’s a practically guaranteed way to accumulate — and keep — lots of fans.
If series aren’t your thing, you can stick to standalones — but ideally write books that appeal to broadly the same audience, so that you don’t have to nurture completely different fan bases.
5. Diversify your income streams
Writing multiple books will naturally take time. Even then, few authors live solely off the royalties from book sales. But that doesn’t mean you must be stuck in your day job forever. There are other ways to make money writing besides publishing books.
Here are some beginner-friendly ways to supplement your book income:
- Monetize a blog on Substack or Patreon. (Here’s how to get noticed.)
- Pick up freelance copywriting gigs. At first, you may have to accept whatever you can get on sites like Contently and ProBlogger — but if you specialize over time and market yourself well on LinkedIn, you can attract direct (and sometimes repeat) clients.
- Pitch (relevant) articles to magazines or news sites.
For experienced authors with a proven track record, there are even more opportunities:
- Host creative writing workshops.
- Speak at literary festivals, conferences, or schools.
- Become a book coach or editor.
Most full-time writers combine several income streams. Just be careful not to become overly reliant on a single client. The last thing you want is to lose half your income as soon as one person no longer needs your services.
Diversifying and scaling your writing career takes time and patience, but hopefully this roadmap has shown you that it’s within your reach. Like any entrepreneur, you may face setbacks along the way, but a solid business plan will help you get back on track.
Loretta Bushell has built a sustainable career in writing. She mainly writes for Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors with top publishing professionals. She is also a triathlete, Irish dancer, and scrapbooker.
