Books & Writing Side Hustles
53 episodes follow authors, ghostwriters, bloggers, and writing entrepreneurs who turned words into income. From self-published novelists to niche non-fiction authors to content writers who built agencies, the writing world has more monetization paths than most people realize.
- Q&A: "An old-school magazine about old-school businesses…"
Can a print-only magazine about vintage business advice work in 2024? Exploring the viability of old-school publishing. Side Hustle School Ep. #3395.
- Q&A: "Can I use other people's recipes in my children's ebook?"
Can you legally use recipes found online in your children's ebook? Copyright and attribution rules explained. Side Hustle School Ep. 3364.
- Q&A: “How can an author succeed these days?”
How can an author succeed in today's market? Publishing strategies for selling your first novel as a series. Side Hustle School Ep. 3293.
- TBT: The Secret Author Behind Your Favorite Romance Novel
Romance ghostwriter earning five figures per project for bestselling authors. Secret behind the bestsellers. Side Hustle School Ep. 3204.
- Q&A: “Why do authors offer pre-order bonuses?”
Pre-order bonuses for book launches: do they actually drive sales or just create extra work? Side Hustle School Ep. 3044.
- Q&A: “What does it take to make the New York Times bestseller list?”
How many copies do you need to sell in one week to hit the New York Times bestseller list? Key insights for authors. Side Hustle School Ep. 2870.
- Q&A: “Can I make money from writing fan fiction?”
Can you monetize fan fiction writing? Learn strategies for earning income while navigating copyright issues. Side Hustle School Ep. 2821.
- Q&A: “Should I make an ebook, online course, or something else?”
Ebook, online course, or something else? Learn which digital format matches your audience and strengths. Side Hustle School Ep. 2622.
- Failure Friday: The Romance Writing Reality Check
Romance author learns self-publishing isn't easy: editing and audiobook production reveal the real work behind Kindle Direct Side Hustle School Ep. 2568.
- Q&A: “I got a book deal! But it’s very small…”
Small book advance: should you accept or self-publish instead? A literary listener weighs her publishing options. Side Hustle School Ep. 2556.
- Q&A: “Are my Kindle highlights hiding a business opportunity?”
How to organize Kindle highlights and turn reading habits into a business opportunity. Side Hustle School Ep. 2521.
- Q&A: “Do authors get paid for Kindle Unlimited books?”
How Kindle Unlimited royalties work for authors: page-view based earnings explained. Side Hustle School Ep. 2423.
- TBT: Book Launch Manager Gets Paid to Pitch Authors
Book launch manager helps authors pitch their work to gain attention. Where are they now? Side Hustle School Ep. 2413.
- Failure Friday: The Dial-a-Poem Hotline
Why a poetry hotline failed to turn profit despite being creative. Side Hustle School Ep. 2400.
- Q&A: “Why don’t you self-publish your books?”
Why choose traditional publishing over self-publishing for your book? Comparing paths to get your work published. Side Hustle School Ep. 2366.
- Failure Friday: On-Demand Haiku Poet Shows Restraint
On-demand haiku poet earns $75,000 before realizing the business model doesn't work. What Riley learned about bad ideas. Side Hustle School Ep. 2365.
- Q&A: “How can you buy and resell electric vehicles?”
How to buy and resell electric vehicles: demand is high, waitlists are long, but complications arise. Side Hustle School Ep. 2201.
- TBT: Typewriter Poetry for Weddings and Corporate Events
Typewriter Poetry for weddings and corporate events in West Hollywood. Brian Sonia-Wallace's Rent Poet evolution. Side Hustle School Ep. 2112.
- First $1,000: The Las Vegas Ghostwriting Service
Las Vegas ghostwriter earns first $1,000 writing novels for casino bosses and other clients. Side Hustle School Ep. 2025.
- Bam! Pow! Crash! The Comic Book Reselling Hustle
Comic book reseller earns extra income flipping collectibles online. From Marvel cards at age 6 to profitable side hustle. Side Hustle School Ep. 2005.
- Q&A: “An old-school magazine about old-school businesses…”
Print-only magazine about vintage business advice earns $5,000/month. Old-school publishing model with mail distribution. Side Hustle School Ep. 1838.
- Self-Published Kindle Books Produce Full-Time Income
How a government administrator earns $387,000 self-publishing Kindle books helping families preserve life stories. Side Hustle School Ep. 1830.
- Failure Friday: “Perfect SAT Score” Tutor Gets Rejected by 100 Publishers
Perfect SAT score couldn't land a book deal: 100+ publisher rejections. What Prep Expert founder learned from failure. Side Hustle School Ep. 1791.
- TBT: Kindle Books Produce Passive Income for Aussie Novelist
Self-published Kindle nonfiction books generate passive income for Melbourne author Kyla Gardner, who's now writing fiction. Side Hustle School Ep. 1762.
- TBT: Local Comic Book Store Expands to National Subscription Box
Comic book subscription box expands from Sacramento store to national service. Parent-selected, kid-approved monthly crates. Side Hustle School Ep. 1720.
- TBT: Romance Novel Editor Goes All-In
Romance novel editor Jessica Snyder went full-time after 800+ days building her freelance editing business. Side Hustle School Ep. 1657.
- Q&A: Can I give people books in exchange for reviews?
Can you give away books for reviews on Amazon? Learn if contacting Kindle readers violates Amazon policy. Side Hustle School Ep. 1537.
- Q&A: Should I create a pre-order campaign for my book launch?
Pre-order vs. launch date for self-published books: which strategy works better for authors? Chris Guillebeau answers. Side Hustle School Ep. 1519.
- Q&A: Any ideas to monetize my visual poetry?
How to monetize visual poetry with subscriptions and other revenue models. Side Hustle School Ep. 1476.
- Marketing Guy Isn’t Afraid Of Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting children's books after publishing his own novel. A Las Vegas marketer builds a second career with words. Side Hustle School Ep. 1389.
- Q&A: Can I use other people’s recipes for my ebook for children?
Can you use other people's recipes in your ebook? Copyright and plagiarism rules for content creators. Side Hustle School Ep. 1358.
- Q&A: How can an author succeed in this day and age?
How authors can succeed today despite market challenges and sell their first novel. Side Hustle School Ep. 1327.
- Q&A: How can I get an ebook cover designed?
How to find affordable ebook cover design for Kindle publishing. Resources for self-publishing. Side Hustle School Ep. 1320.
- Q&A: Should I self-publish a mental health guidebook on Kindle?
Self-publish a mental health guidebook on Kindle without followers? Should you launch now or build your audience first? Side Hustle School Ep. 1311.
- Q&A: How did THE MONEY TREE launch go?
How launching a book during a pandemic taught unexpected lessons about uncertainty and opportunity. Side Hustle School Ep. 1288.
- The Legally Blind, Six-Figure Supernatural Romance Author
How legally blind author Steff Green earns six figures self-publishing supernatural romance novels. Side Hustle School Ep. 1256.
- PR Pro Writes Herself Into Screenwriting Career
PR pro builds six-figure screenwriting side gig with Lifetime deal from free spec script. Side Hustle School Ep. 1247.
- Out-of-Work Writer Turns to Profitable Poetry
Street poet writes custom poems for strangers to earn income. A writer's creative solution to unemployment. Side Hustle School Ep. 1156.
- Layoff Leads Journalist to Build Kindle eBook Empire
Laid-off journalist builds Kindle eBook empire earning $1,500/month publishing niche books. Solo solopreneur approach. Side Hustle School Ep. 1006.
- TV Writer Casts Himself in Lead Hustle Role
LA-based TV writer creates memorable audio interview service after 2013 strike dried up writing gigs. Storytelling as service. Side Hustle School Ep. 832.
- Comic Book Curator Creates Custom Crate Subscription
Comic book subscription box curator delivers monthly superhero crates to new readers. Side Hustle School Ep. 685.
- Attorney Defends Women’s Right To Good Content
Attorney launches magazine for women tired of superficial media content. Features real stories from real women. Side Hustle School Ep. 616.
- Romance Novel Expert Teaches Proofreading for $2,000/Month
How a romance novel expert earns $2,000/month teaching proofreading. She's proofread over 1,500 books. Side Hustle School Ep. 440.
- Electrical Engineer Becomes Romance Novel Cover Model
Electrical engineer becomes romance novel cover model, earning $20-50K annually. Devon's unexpected side hustle. Side Hustle School Ep. 396.
- Aussie Engineer Moves to Farm, Earns Passive Income
How Tim Marsh earns passive income from a Tour de France cycling blog. L'Étape du Tour affiliate guide. Side Hustle School Ep. 329.
- Managerial Accountant Earns $1,000/Month Hosting Poetry Slams
How a Dubai accountant earns $1,000/month hosting poetry slams and workshops. Combines day job with creative passion. Side Hustle School Ep. 252.
- Introvert Builds Networking Experience to Help Women
Introvert builds Women of Denver networking group with podcast and magazine generating $30,000 in side income. Side Hustle School Ep. 249.
- Marketing Coordinator Realizes Lifelong Dream of Starting Own Magazine
How Sarah started a magazine for everyday women's stories, earning $250/month. Side Hustle School Ep. 231.
- Comic Creator Illustrates His Way to $30,000
Comic book creator Travis Vengroff sells 304 copies at his first convention. Sci-fi graphic novel series Liberty. Side Hustle School Ep. 199.
- Put a Cap in It: Architect Makes the Write Choice; Starts Luxury Pen Hustle
Architect turns grandfather's pen-making craft into luxury wooden pen business, gets featured in British GQ Magazine. Side Hustle School Ep. 172.
- Immigrate to Canada and Make $500/Month
How an American couple earns $500/month selling an eBook about immigrating to Canada. Side Hustle School Ep. 151.
- Data Scientist Starts Science Fiction Magazine
How a Colorado data scientist built a science fiction magazine to $1,800/month with reader support. Side Hustle School Ep. 103.
- School Administrator Creates Digital Magazine for Goaltenders
How a Canadian hockey fan built InGoal Magazine, a digital magazine for goaltenders earning $11,000. Side Hustle School Ep. 84.