Transform Your Tale-telling Talent Into Cash: Become a Paid Short Story Scribe!
Earning Money by Writing Short Stories
If you love telling stories and writing, why not turn it into a side gig? The magic of writing lies in its limitless creativity. Even as a student, an employee, or a stay-at-home parent, you can potentially make money from writing short stories on different platforms.
But let’s skip through praises of a course by Holly Johnson (it’s not sponsored or anything), and jump right in.
A Key Lesson – Writing Short Stories
Everyone has a story-loving friend who ends up as the life of the party. Even you, as you talk about your daily life, are telling stories. These narratives have the power to deeply connect with us. They help create unique characters, build thrilling plots and provoke thoughtful themes.
Why Focus on Short Stories?
Short stories are a great starting point for budding writers, allowing you to:
– Quickly develop ideas.
– Understand your audience.
– Explore various genres and writing styles.
– Get recognized by publishers.
– Build a solid writing portfolio.
Education-wise, 72% of story writers have bachelor’s degrees and 13% have master’s degrees. But, hey, even if you only hold a high school diploma or a GED, your dreams of becoming a writer are still possible!
How Much Can You Earn?
Breaking into the writing world isn’t about set salaries and clear career paths. When it comes to publishing short stories in literary magazines, the pay varies widely, from $10 to $200 per piece. But some might not even offer cash, just exposure or contributor copies.
Submitting stories for anthologies can earn you from $25, up to a few hundred dollars. Writing competitions offer cash prizes, and if you win, the prizes can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand!
If you go for the big guns and publish a collection of your short stories in a book, the earning potential can be sizeable. Advances can start from a couple of thousand dollars to a whopping six-figure sum. Plus, when your book sells, you can earn 5-15% of the retail price in royalties.
Moreover, there’s self-publishing. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even self-publish your short stories online.
Top 10 Strategies to Get Paid for Writing Short Stories
Starting a writing career as a side hustle? You may be interested in these ten online platforms where you can submit your stories for pay:
1. Attend short story writing competitions. Many publications organize them annually. Notable competitions include the ‘7-Day Story Writing Challenges,’ ‘Anthology Short Story Award 2023,’ ‘Fiction Factory Short Story Competition,’ and more.
2. Submit your work to Reader’s Digest. They pay $25-$100 for each unique joke, funny story, or quote they publish.
3. Send both fiction and non-fiction pieces to The Sun Magazine. They pay $100-$2000 for written pieces and $100-$250 for poetry.
4. Write short fiction for CraftLiterary. They pay $100 for flash fiction pieces and $200 for original short fiction or creative non-fiction.
5. Submit your tales to Boulevard Magazine. Writes can earn from $50-$300 based on the type of work.
6. Publish pieces on One-Story. They offer contributors $500 and 25 copies for First Serial North American rights.
7. Submit flash fiction online to Vestal Review and earn a flat $50 per published piece.
8. If you’re into sci-fi, Asimov’s magazine pays 8 to 10 cents per word (up to 7500 words) or 8 cents per word for books over 7500. They also pay $1 per line (up to 40 lines) for poetry.
9. BarrelHouse welcomes new work, especially pop culture and wild thoughts pieces. They pay $50 per published short story.
10. East Of The Web likes imaginative science fiction and fantasy pieces. You can earn at least $0.05 per word royalty.
Tips for Penning Saleable Short Stories
Here’s how to write engaging short stories that sell:
– Start with a strong concept.
– Keep your story compact.
– Develop believable characters.
– Create tension and conflict to keep readers hooked.
– End with an unexpected twist for a lasting impression.
Conclusion
You never know when your passion for writing might become your career. So, start writing and see where it takes you. By following these tips, you boost your chances of crafting short stories that engage readers and sell well. Happy writing!
(Non-essential part related to Investment Platforms was omitted.)
