Self-Publishing Archives - Side Hustle Nation: Recent Episodes
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What are some of the best, most realistic ways to make $5k a month?
While still slightly below the nationwide median income, earning $5000 a month (or $60,000 a year) is a great financial milestone to shoot for.
In this post, I’ll share the best ways to get it done as either an employee or an entrepreneur. The suggestions are based on:
- Interviews with over 500 side hustlers and entrepreneurs
- 15+ years of my own side hustle experience
- Feedback from the 50k+ member Side Hustle Nation community.
Ready? Let’s do it!
- Get a Remote JobFlexJobs is the leading work from home jobs site.
With over 50 career categories, FlexJobs has jobs ranging from entry-level to executive and freelance to full-time.
Unfortunately, you can’t filter by salary, but based on industry and experience you’ll find lots of options at that $60k per year or $5k per month level and above.
There is a nominal monthly fee to access their listings, but you’ll earn that back (and then some!) with one job.
- Salesforce ConsultingSalesforce is a popular CRM (customer relationship management) software used by thousands of businesses and non-profits around the world.
Where the $5,000 a month comes in is becoming a Salesforce admin professional or consultant. Even if you don’t have a technical background, entry-level certified Salesforce pros are landing salaries of $60,000-$70,000+.
For example, Anita Smith was laid off during the pandemic, but took the opportunity to skill-up in a new career. After just a few months she landed a new Salesforce job at double her old salary!
Check out this free challenge to see if a similar path is right for you:
- Print on DemandPrint on demand is a “hybrid” product business because you’re selling physical goods but you never see or touch them. You don’t have any physical inventory to hold. You’re just uploading digital designs, which makes this a super low overhead business to start.
Heather Johnson of HeatherXStudio.com sells a wide variety of t-shirts and other products on Etsy. Each design is low risk to test out — she doesn’t have to buy the product until she has a paying customer!
When we connected, she was selling around $15,000 worth of clothes every month, which translated into $4,000 – $5,000 in profits.
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Real EstateRental property investing has long been a popular side hustle and way to build long-term wealth. We can all grasp the basics:
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Buy a property
- Rent it out
- Profit on the spread between the rent and the monthly expenses
For example, my friend Dustin Heiner owns a portfolio of rental properties and was able to retire in his 30s from the cash flow.
But it can take a while to get to that $5k a month mark. If you profit $250 per property per month, it will take 20 to get there. If you profit $500 per property per month, you’d only need 10 houses.
Make a goal to buy one a year, and you can completely change your financial future in just a decade.
Now to be fair, the road to real estate riches is paved with burnt-out landlords sick of dealing with problem tenants, vacancies, and unexpected repairs.
As an alternative, you might take a look at a platform like Arrived, which lets you invest in cash-flowing rentals for as little as $100.
The company pools money to buy rental properties, manages them, and then distributes the cash flow every month.
This is a great way to make money without leaving the house.
- Reselling ItemsOne of the fastest ways to make extra money is the age-old business model of “buy low, sell high.”
Stacy Gallego is a master of this, earning several thousand dollars a month from her part-time product flipping business. She sources undervalued inventory nearby, and then taps into eBay’s audience of 135 million potential buyers.
Among her favorite places to source are:
- Yard sales
- Thrift stores
- Facebook marketplace
- Local buy/sell apps (like Offerup.com)
Some of her profitable flips include:
- a motorcycle side car
- a collectible skateboard
- several Sleep Number beds!
Related: Here are some of the best items to flip for a profit.
To learn more about this business, Stacy recommended checking out Flea Market Flipper. Here’s a free training they put together on how to get started.
- Reverse Logistics ResellerIf the needle-in-the-haystack search for profitable inventory doesn’t sound like fun, here’s an easier option.
As a part-time Sharetown rep, you’ll pick up gently-used furniture returns from direct-to-consumer brands.
Since the items aren’t new, the companies can’t really take them back and resell them — but you can. For example, Chris Torres reported earning $150-400 per item.
And the cool part is the inventory doesn’t cost you anything until it sells.
Check out our full Sharetown review to learn more.
Side Hustle Nation ApprovedBecome a Sharetown Rep4.0Sharetown reps make money by reselling gently-used furniture and bed-in-a-box mattresses. Top reps earn $4000+ per month.
Pros: Low startup costs * Great earning power * No hunting for inventory Cons:** Requires a truck or SUV * Bulky items to store * Not available in all areas Apply NowOur Sharetown Review7. Buy a BusinessBusiness owners are retiring every day, they really only have two options: shut the business down or try to sell it.
Shutting it down would mean walking away from potentially $100,000+ of equity, so many opt to sell.
Where the side hustle comes in is on the buying side. And buying a business that’s already profitable is way less risky than starting one completely from scratch.
For example, Hannah Ingram bought a self-service car wash in Tennessee. Even better, she negotiated a seller financing sale so she was able to close with no money down. (She paid for it from the cash flow of the business.)
After taking ownership, she set out to improve the operation and now earns around $5k a month — in exchange for about 30 minutes of work a day.
Sites that list businesses for sale include:
- BizBuySell
- LoopNet
- Crexi
With SBA financing, you can acquire a profitable business with as little as 10% down.
- Digital Activity GuidesJodi Carlson has spent more than two decades of her life involved with Girl Scouts—first as a scout, then as a troop leader.
The magic happened when she began to transfer some of her dedication and passion for the topic onto a website. She posted her troop’s activities and soon enough, other scout leaders discovered the site and started reaching out with questions.
Jodi created digital activity guides for specific badges and started selling them on Teachers Pay Teachers and her own site. When we spoke, she was bringing in $5k a month on the side from her day job.
- Self PublishingAll of my self-publishing experience has been in the non-fiction space, and I’ll admit the $5k months are few and far between.
However, if you love to write, this could be a great side hustle option for you. For example, Derek Murphy’s book portfolio brings $5k a month, mainly in the young adult fantasy genre.
Derek started out editing books and designing book covers while completing his Masters and PhD in literature. Having an interest in reading fiction and wanting to get away from client work, Derek started writing fiction books.
When comparing fiction to non-fiction, Derek says, “there is a lot more demand, and it’s possible to make a lot more money.”
- ConsultingIs there a particular software, skill, or process you’re a pro at? Other businesses pay people like you to accelerate their growth.
According to long-time consultant Jonathan Stark, the key to your first $5k as a consultant lies in finding an expensive problem, and solving it.
Jonathan’s a pro at finding these expensive problems, having run a successful online consulting business for years, focusing on mobile-ready web development.
- TutoringTutoring and test prep is more than a billion dollar a year industry!
You can start your own tutoring business to earn extra cash and help students at the same time. Bonus points if you were a decent student or have some subject matter expertise!
For example, Matt Fuentes charges $100/hour for remote college admissions test prep tutoring, and reported earning $1,000 a week on the side from his teaching job. At that rate, he’s working just 10 hours a week with students, so if you have more time to tutor, you could easily get this to $5,000 a month or more.
- Unconventional RentalsI love business models where you can get paid over and over again from something you buy once. One of my favorite examples of that is Steve Nadramia’s portable hot tub rental business.
When we spoke, he’d built a “fleet” of 25+ hot tubs that he rented out on a weekly or monthly basis. The business was generating thousands of dollars a month in profit, on the side from his day job as a teacher.
Other rental ideas include photo booths, bounce houses, or even extra space around your house.
25 Other Unconventional Rental IdeasWhat else could you rent out for a profit? Here are some ideas!
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- Car DetailingA mobile detailing side hustle is a great way to make some extra money on the side, especially if you’re a “car guy.” Not only can you choose your own hours and work around other commitments, but the job itself is simple yet rewarding.
With the right set-up and some basic knowledge of car care, anyone can get started in this side hustle.
Typical rates are $200-400 per car, and you can stack 2-3 jobs up on a Saturday and make pretty good money. For example, Josh Belk reported earning up to $6,000 a month with the detailing business he started with his brother.
- Build a Helpful WebsiteIf you enjoy writing, blogging is also another viable way to earn $5000 a month. I started blogging as a creative outlet, but it’s turned into a money-making venture for me.
It’s an awesome business because I can do it from anywhere and have complete control over the time I put into it.
In fact, one of my sites was earning around $5k a month for years before I sold it in 2020.
Website income depends on your topic and the amount of traffic you can attract to your site. Delilah Orpi, a former teacher in Florida, reported earning $8,000 a month from her blog about curly hair.
She monetized her site with a combination:
- advertising
- affiliate partnerships
- her own products
Next Step: My free 6-part video course will walk you through how to set up your site for less than you might think.
Suggested Playlist: Affiliate MarketingMake money online by sharing relevant products and services with your audience. Here's a killer playlist packed with actionable advice from the pros.
Add to Spotify
- Teach Online ClassesSeveral Side Hustle Nation members have built an extra income stream teaching others what they know.
One platform to sell your courses is Udemy, a peer-to-peer marketplace with over 50 million students.
For example, Teresa Greenway is a mother of 10 who went from working part-time in a bakery to making $5k a month doing what she loves – baking and teaching others how to bake the perfect sourdough bread.
Teresa has built a really cool business around this niche at NorthwestSourdough.com.
While Teresa mostly tapped into a hobby market, Rob Cubbon created a series of business-focused courses on topics like:
- Graphic design
- WordPress security
- Photoshop
- and more
Is there a topic your friends or colleagues are always asking you for help with? Maybe you could package up that knowledge into a helpful online course.
How to Make $5k a Month: Your TurnWhat’s the best way to make $5k a month?
Of course the answer depends on your unique skills, interests, and goals.
My hope is the ideas on this list sparked some curiosity and inspiration to try something new and take action!
Serious About Making Extra Money? Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line. * Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered. * Download The Side Hustle Show.* My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.
The award-winning Side Hustle Show is a
Top 10 Entrepreneurship podcast
with over 1,200 5-star ratings!
Listen in your favorite podcast app or directly in your browser.
This week’s episode is about self-publishing, which we’ve covered before. But this week’s guests have turned the success of their book into a full-time business that’s still growing in momentum.
In late 2020, Justin and Alexis Black self-published their first book Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness and Love.
Redefining Normal currently has over 200 reviews on Amazon and has sold more than 9,000 copies in the two years since it was published.
That’s an accomplishment in itself for a memoir. (Normally, unless you’re already famous, nobody’s buying your memoir!)
In addition to book sales, Justin and Alexis are also doing workshops, keynote speeches, and other paid gigs related to the content of their book.
In this episode we dive into everything the couple did to set the book up for success, and how you can borrow the same tactics for your own side hustle.
Justin joined me on The Side Hustle Show interview to share:
- where the inspiration to write Redefining Normal came from
- how they built their book launch team
- how they’ve created several other revenue streams
But First, Download Your Free BonusDownload the Self-Publishing ChecklistThere's a LOT that goes into turning a book idea into a successful product. Don't go into it blind.
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The Inspiration to Write Redefining Normal“The reason why we wanted to write this book was largely because myself and my wife had lived with the experience of trauma going down generations in our family, and we’ve also lived the experience in foster care,” Justin told me.
Justin explained that he and his wife, Alexis, wanted to write a book about their own personal stories growing up and how their paths crossed.
In the book, they share their family histories and how their own paths merged when they found each other, and how it’s impacted their lives.
But more than that, Justin told me they wrote the book to help challenge readers to question their own lives and what they want from their parental relationships.
Justin explained that their book makes readers ask themselves:
- What is your normal?
- Is it based on something that is healthy or unhealthy?
- How do you go about redefining that?
Writing a Book and Hiring Help“One of the biggest things that helped us organize the writing of the book itself was The Self-Publishing School created by Chandler Bolt,” Justin told me.
Justin said The Self Publishing School course took himself and Alexis through the process of how to gather their thoughts, outline their book, and start writing it.
Something else Justin said helped the whole process of writing a book was surrounding himself with the right people.
He was careful about who he told he was writing a book, as well as who he listened to for advice.
“Everybody’s input is not always good,” Justin explained.
Once he had his first draft, Justin said he showed it to people with writing experience to get their professional opinion on how the book was shaping up.
Justin and Alexis spent most of their time and money on a content editor. It was the content editor’s job to make sure the story made sense and read well, which is important to the end reader.
They also paid English teachers to go over the grammar and help edit the final copy. Justin said they ended up having about 7-8 different editors go over the book to get it to where he and Alexis were happy with it.
Even so, Justin told me, “We weren’t set on everything being perfect before we actually published. We knew there would be mistakes, some grammar errors throughout the book.”
As they were publishing their book through Amazon’s Print on Demand service, Justin knew he could make changes down the road and re-upload the book.
Creating a Book CoverJustin and Alexis used a company called 100covers.com to design their cover. 100Covers is an online platform where a team of designers all produce a cover based on your specs, and you get to choose which cover you like best.
They ended up using their engagement photo for the cover, which Justin said wasn’t the original plan.
After bouncing multiple ideas with their launch team and having people vote on which cover ideas they liked best, they ended up with their engagement photo and blue background.
Building a Launch TeamJustin and Alexis built a launch team who were instrumental in helping with everything from tweaking the cover, coming up with a title, and of course, launching the book.
Justin said he reached out to people he’d known personally and professionally for a number of years and asked if they wanted to be involved.
It was a benefit being in the college environment, Justin and Alexis knew a number of academics and people with experience editing and publishing books.
Justin kept the launch team heavily involved in the whole process. From sending small snippets of the book to his ideas for the title, he was constantly bouncing ideas off of them.
Justin said he and Alexis created a Facebook group with their launch team for ease of communication and also had them in an email loop.
Here they would share quizzes and questionnaires, and could easily pick up feedback and bounce ideas around. By launch date, there were around 300 people on the team!
“Giving people a view into the process makes them feel important… they feel such a part of it and close to it,” Justin explained.
Launching a Book and Pricing StrategyLeading up to the launch, Justin said he built anticipation among his launch team by counting down the days till launch and making the book available to pre-order a week before launch.
For pricing, Justin decided to launch the book at $0.99 on day one to help get some initial traction.
Knowing reviews were important for Amazon’s algorithm, Justin tried to get everyone who read the book to leave a review.
One of the incentives Justin ran was a raffle. Everyone who left a review within a certain amount of time was entered into a raffle to win a gift card.
Justin also helped out his review team by outlining how to write a review and some of the points they might want to include.
This helped out some of the people who read his book but wouldn’t usually write a review because they were not sure how to or what to write.
PR and Marketing Redefining NormalOne of the most important things that helped market Redefining Normal was, “knowing who were serving,” Justin told me.
This is something Justin said he learned from Self Publishing School. In the course, Self-Publishing School teaches students to know their market, know who they want to serve, and how to get into those circles.
Justin said he broke down his book into different themes, such as child welfare, spiritual faith, mental health, and so on.
He and Alexis then immersed themselves in those different environments.
For example, they would go to separate conferences for mental health and child welfare, Christian music festivals, and other events to promote their book.
This was an effective marketing strategy to reach a much wider audience, while still selling the book to people who would benefit from it.
To introduce themselves to the organizers of these events, Justin said he and Alexis created a media kit.
Inside their media kit, they included bios about themselves, their professional experience, and would breakdown everything they would cover given the chance to speak.
Collecting Emails With a Lead MagnetAs a way to collect emails, Justin and Alexis have included a lead magnet near the beginning of their book.
Their lead magnet is a PDF titled “How Healthy Is Your Relationship?” It’s a checklist people can run through to get an idea of how healthy their relationships are.
Instead of putting a link for someone to click, however, Justin asks readers to email him directly including the words “FREE GIFT” in the title of the email.
Justin said he did this because he wanted to give readers action steps to follow so they feel included in the process.
Someone on his team has to manually respond when someone asks for the checklist, and they then use MailerLite to manage their email list.
Justin said he also has a lead magnet popup on their website and they also collect emails in person at events.
It’s been working great as Justin said their email list is up to 7,000-8,000 subscribers.
Paid Speaking Gigs and WorkshopsJustin explained that he and Alexis have been able to take themes and conversations from their book and turn them into workshops and keynote talks.
Justin said there is a lot of demand from social workers and other professionals in the child welfare space looking for examples and advice from people in their position.
Through their workshops and keynote talks, Justin and Alexis have been able to take professionals from various industries through the steps they personally went through.
Justin and Alexis have been delivering these workshops and speeches both in person and virtually. For a 1-hour keynote speech, Justin said they’re charging around $8,500.
Way to go!
Surprises Along the WayJustin told me he’s surprised that writing the book has turned into a full-time business for himself and Alexis.
They didn’t set out to write the book as a way to start a business.
But more than that, Justin said he’s been really surprised by some of the testimonials and feedback they’ve received about their book.
“I’ve heard people say, ‘this is surprisingly beautiful,’” and “You’ve encouraged me to go back and get my doctorate,” Justin told me.
What’s Next?Looking forward, Justin and Alexis’ lives are only getting busier.
They have a child on the way, they released a faith-based companion guide in July 2022, and they’re releasing their first children’s book coming up this fall.
Justin said they are also expanding their team so they’re able to put on more workshops around the country.
Justin’s #1 Tip for Side Hustle Nation“See how you can serve.”
Download Your Free Self-Publishing ChecklistDownload the Self-Publishing ChecklistThere's a LOT that goes into turning a book idea into a successful product. Don't go into it blind.
Grab the free best-selling book project checklist:
NamePlease enter your name.Email AddressPlease enter a valid email address.Hook it up!Success! The checklist will be in your email shortly. (If it doesn't show up in 5-10 minutes, check spam/promotions.) Here's to you, author!
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.You'll also receive my best side hustle tips and weekly-ish newsletter. Opt-out anytime.
Links and Resources from this Episode Re-definingnormal.com * Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness and Love* * Self-Publishing School * 100covers.com * MailerLite * Canva
Looking for More Side Hustle Help? Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line. * Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered. * Download The Side Hustle Show.* My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.
The award-winning Side Hustle Show is a
Top 10 Entrepreneurship podcast
with over 1,200 5-star ratings!
Listen in your favorite podcast app or directly in your browser.
In honor of Amazon’s annual Prime Day sale, I wanted to throw a little sale of my own.
To start, I’ve discounted all my side hustle-related books as low as Amazon will let me.
The 3 Question Journal (2023)Want to improve your energy, effectiveness, and happiness? Ask yourself these 3 questions at the end of the day:
- What did I get done today?
- What am I grateful for?
- How will I win tomorrow?
It’s a simple practice, but lets you celebrate the progress you make each day, while setting tomorrow up for success at the same time.
The 3 Question Journal loads up these three questions on every page, so all you have to do is fill in the blanks to make progress and gratitude a habit.
Learn more and order your copy today (just $4.99).
$1,000 100 Ways (2021)Featuring 100 members of the Side Hustle Nation community, this book showcases how they:
- came up with their side hustle ideas
- how they found their first customers
- what’s working to market their business
- what they’d do differently if they had to start over
- and more
Learn more and download $1,000 100 Ways now.
The Side Hustle (2019)This book, which now has over 1700 reviews, is permanently free on Kindle (in the US store). It focuses on the Big 3 side hustle business models:
- Services
- Products
- Audiences
Buy Buttons (2016)Go where the cash is already flowing! Buy Buttons features literally hundreds of marketplaces where you can put your products, services, and even ideas up for sale.
Full disclosure: Since it’s now almost 7 years old, some of the platforms have shifted over time, but the broad strategies are still valid.
Work Smarter (2014, Updated 2015)Work Smarter is a compilation of online tools and resources recommended by top entrepreneurs.
It was last updated in 2015, so the latest software and apps aren’t going to be listed.
The Small Business Website Checklist (2013)Back in 2013, I was doing a bunch of video website audits. After seeing some common mistakes and areas of opportunity pop up over and over again, I created The Small Business Website Checklist.
Even though it’s a decade old, most of the points inside are still valid.
Virtual Assistant Assistant (2011, Updated 2016)My first adventure in self publishing!
Virtual Assistant Assistant guides you through the process of hiring your first remote assistant in your business.
Other Favorite ProductsThese may or may not be on sale for Prime Day, but are some of my personal favorites!
- Standing DeskI got the 55″ version of this sit/stand desk for my new office and it’s been awesome. I prefer to stand for interviews and most meetings, but find I do better thinking when I have the option to sit as well.
With this, you can program different height settings and it adjusts with the click of a button.
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Ring LightMy office has a window on my right side, which often left my left side poorly lit on video. To help solve that, I bought this affordable ring light and already notice a difference on the screen.
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Podcast MicsOne of my best investments ever was in my original podcast mic!
I’ve since upgraded to the Heil PR40, but a great option at a more beginner-friendly price point is the Samsun Q2U.
This dynamic USB mic provides great sound and great value.
- Parrot TeleprompterIn my efforts to be a better YouTuber, one product has been essential — this affordable smartphone teleprompter.
It’s paid for itself many times in the form of faster video production and YouTube ad revenue.
- MuseThis “brain-sensing” headband is kind of expensive, but for me it’s been the thing that finally helped build a meditation habit. I’m over 500 days in a row now!
If you’re sold on the benefits of meditation but have trouble prioritizing it, the combination of gamifying it + spending money on it may be just enough to stick with it. I have the “Muse 2” but there’s a newer version available as well.
- KindleI do very little reading that’s not on my Kindle these days. I love that it’s lightweight, portable, and can store tons of different books. The battery lasts forever. It’s been a great investment.
Plus, you can check out ebooks from your library for free! And to think I used to put physical books on hold and have to drive to pick them up! What a world we live in :)
- Wireless EarbudsI know I’d lose my frugal card forever if I was rocking $180 Airpods. These bluetooth earbuds cost a fraction of that and have easily been one of my favorite hardware upgrades.
They hold a charge for a long time and are quick to pair with my phone, making it easier to get in extra podcast listening time!
- Adjustable Height MonitorA 27″ monitor has been an awesome edition to the home office. The LG model I got (pictured below) is no longer available, but this even bigger one from Dell gets great reviews.
The adjustable height is important for me because of the sit/stand desk. Maybe my torso is just disproportioned, but I definitely need to lower it while I’m sitting.
- Ninja Coffee MakerLast winter we upgraded our coffee maker from an old French press to this fancy Ninja machine. It brews super fast in a bunch of different sizes and strengths
My favorite feature is the built-in frother that swings out from an arm on the left. I use that mix in collagen, MCT powder, and/or pumpkin pie spice.
(We previously used the Magic Bullet for mixing/frothing, which sometimes exploded because of the steam!)
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Snake PlantUpgrade your work space with some easy-to-take-care-of air-purifying houseplants. It might even improve your productivity!
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Fancy Shower SprayAs recommended by Chris Hutchins, this lavender eucalyptus spray turns an ordinary shower into a spa-like experience.
I use it pretty much every day.
- Blue Light Blocking GlassesI’ll admit it — I sometimes work later at night after the kids go to bed. But when I do, I make sure to where these blue-light blocking glasses to not mess up my sleep.
Your TurnAny can’t miss Prime Day deals you jumped on? Let me know in the comments below!
What's the best way to write a bestselling book? Ask a hundred people and you'll get 100 different answers.
This post serves a couple purposes. The first is to collect and share some awesome book marketing tips from the authors you'll find below. After all, the "round-up" post format is a proven winner.
The second purpose is admittedly a little more self-serving. I've got a new book launch coming up and wanted to hear from some of the best in the business what I should to give it the best chances for success.
In early 2015, I registered the domain name 1k100ways.com.
I thought it would be awesome to showcase 100 different ways to earn an extra $1000, and highlight some of the great work of the Side Hustle Nation community.
And then I sat on it.
Royalties from book sales is one of the most passive of all my income streams.
After you create a book, with print or digital distribution handled by Amazon, you can collect royalties for years.
And while I enjoy the writing process and have published several titles myself, I have yet to venture into the world of children's books.
Looking for a part-time side hustle where you get can your inventory for free and there are almost no startup costs?
This week, I’m excited to introduce the side hustle of public domain publishing.
This is the art and science of republishing classic literature - where the copyrights have expired - and earning passive royalties when your version sells.
As a blogger or business owner, are you using Amazon to generate new leads and reach more potential customers?
If not, I think you’re missing out.
Amazon is the 4th most popular site in the country (according to Alexa), which means there are probably a metric ton of potential customers searching there for what you know about.
This week I’m excited to introduce one of the hottest side hustles of the moment, and that is low-content self-publishing.
What is low-content publishing?
Let me explain -- self-publishing has been around for a decade, and we’ve covered that quite a bit in both fiction and non-fiction -- it’s one of my favorite and perhaps most passive side hustles. Write the book, hit publish, collect royalties for years.
What inspired me to create and launch The Progress Journal last month?
Like many of my projects, a few planets came into alignment around the same time.
Paul Brodie is a former special needs teacher turned 11-time Amazon bestselling author. What started as a side hustle writing about his own weight loss journey turned into a string of bestselling titles on Amazon, $3000 paid speaking gigs, 1-on-1 self-publishing coaching, and ultimately the group coaching program I invited Paul on the show to share ... Read more
A year ago I launched my book Buy Buttons out into the world.
It was my most ambitious book project to-date, and I put a lot of effort into the creation and marketing of it.
The launch did well. The book became an Amazon bestseller on its first day and earned around $2600 in profit in its first month.
But several people have asked how it's done since then, and while I had a vague idea that it was still selling daily, I figured the 1-year anniversary would be a good excuse to dive into the numbers to see in concrete terms how profitable it's been in its first year.
Derek Murphy is a world traveler, book cover design extraordinaire, and the author of a dozen different books, mainly in the young adult fantasy genre.
A lot of the content and interviews on the Side Hustle Show has been related to non-fiction books, usually solving a specific problem or containing useful and practical ideas. Fiction is a bit of a different animal, and something Derek covers in detail over on his site at CreativIndie.com.