Increasing Your Earning Power as a Writer

After getting your work in print, definitely savor your success -- you've earned it -- but don't sit and savor too long. You need to get your name out there and the way to do it is by producing good work that will appeal to your audience.

Here are a few ways to do it:

- If you've written a nonfiction book, see if you can't expand one or more of its chapters into an article (or two or three).

- Adapt your subject to a different audience. If your article or book was intended for men, for example, try adapting it to women or young adults.

- Explore a different aspect of your subject and become an expert in it. In the meantime, look in references such as Writer's Market for magazine and book publishers.

- Give talks based on your subject. A good idea is to propose a short course to your local college's adult education department or continuing education department. You'll get an audience and some extra money. Even more important, you will gain more name recognition.

- Consider expanding your article into a book, or book into several articles.

- Consider expanding a small aspect in one of your articles into another article.

- Consider giving talks at your library, based upon your subject. One person recently taught a short course on buying and selling on eBay and attracted quite a few people!

Dorothy Zjawin's website, http://www.profitable-pen.com, features articles on writing and getting ideas from your journal and a free forum for all writers.