How Writers Can Earn a Living in the Creator Economy with Jane Friedman

A masterclass for writers who want a sustainable income beyond book sales.

For most writers, getting a book published is the ultimate professional milestone—a moment of validation, pride, and relief. Yet, despite how significant it feels, book deals rarely translate into long-term financial stability. So where exactly do working writers get their money from today?

This class reframes the modern writer’s business model through the lens of the creator economy, where you reach readers directly and build a business model based on that reach. You’ll learn how to generate income while strengthening your visibility as an author. When these strategies work in concert, they not only supplement your book income but also increase your book sales over time.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will:

• Uncover methods of patronage and reader support that can support less commercial writing efforts, such as Patreon and Kickstarter campaigns.

• Understand it takes to launch a successful subscription business (the Holy Grail of online income right now).

• Become less intimidated by advertising and sponsorships, which are often overlooked by those in the book publishing community, and learn how to start start simply and ethically.

• Identify the most popular, economical, and easy-to-use platforms and tools to support your business.

Format

This is a hybrid workshop with a focus on author sustainability; it will be held in-person at State Library of Queensland and live streamed to an online audience via Zoom. This workshop is primarily targeted at emerging and established writers.

This workshop will be recorded, and a replay video will be made available to all participants for 7 days after the workshop.

About Jane

Jane Friedman has spent her entire career in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. She works with organizations such as the Australian Society of Authors and Romance Writers of Australia to bring transparency to the business of publishing. Learn more at JaneFriedman.com.

For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program and answers to FAQs, please visit our website.