Self-Employment

Being self-employed or an entrepreneur is a hot trend right now, but fewer people are talking about how it's not for everyone. There are challenges to being self-employed you should know about.

I’m a bit put off by billionaire Mark Cuban's brag of spending no money on marketing for his new venture, relying totally on word of mouth. Authors may look at this, thinking they can spend no money or resources on marketing, too. Let me explain why this may not work.

Teaching English in South Korea and China is a great way to save money and have healthcare and a nice apartment provided. The surplus money and benefits will allow you to truly enjoy your experience and adventure.

There's a way to make an unlimited amount of money from home on your own schedule doing what you want to do, and it costs next to nothing to start. It's called affiliate marketing, and it's ideal for parents with kids still in school.

Ultimately every copywriter’s goal is to turn their writing skills into a profitable long-term career. So here are the biggest answers to some of the most common questions beginner copywriters have.

Pretty regularly, I come across a post from an author on social media where they’re crying about their low book sales. After reviewing many of these posts, I’d like to share some general observations about what ails these authors, their books, and their book sales.

Let’s discuss why over-delivering by including "thank you" gifts with customer purchases will undercut your creative income and why it’s a behavior you need to stop immediately.

Authors may have concerns about protecting their writing work but want to build fans for their work prior to publishing. Lots to unpack here!

Do you feel that you're still not good enough despite everything you've achieved? Maybe you're suffering from imposter syndrome. Here are four ways to overcome it.

Surveys can be boring, long, and tedious, but with the right motivation, taking surveys can be an effective side gig that produces decent side income. Focus on the reason why you want this extra cash, try to make taking surveys fun, and treat it like a real job.

We've heard mixed stories from various people that do Uber Eats; some are wildly successful, and some not so much. If it is something you are interested in, this article will give you a rundown of my experience and how you can be successful as well.

What is a "hustle," and which type of hustle is best for you?

Some customers will be disappointed with what they purchase, regardless of what you offer. Admit it; you’re not happy with everything you buy. I don’t fret that somehow my books or content are bad if they are returned for a refund. Here’s why you shouldn’t worry about it either.

Google Play now enables authors and publishers to create audiobooks using text-to-speech (TTS) robot voices. Let’s talk about what these technological advances are, how they will impact audiobooks, and what that means for authors who are self-publishing audiobooks.

Do you always have to get professional photos for your author headshots? Can you use selfies? Are there any rules for using photos in books? I share what you need to know about author headshot photos for your books.

Have you ever considered starting an Etsy store? Etsy is a great way to make extra income either full time or part time. Staring an Etsy store is not difficult if you know the steps ahead of time to make your experience successful. Start your e-commerce journey on the right foot.

Find out whether Gumroad, an e-commerce platform, is legit or a scam.

I'm known for saying that book covers aren't as important as authors think. But what if the book cover is the real value of the book and not the writing in it? I discuss the emerging and disturbing "books as decor" trend and what it means for authors.

Goodnovel is a legit online web novel writing platform for fiction authors.

Want to earn money from the comfort of your sofa or during your daily commute? What about while you're making the dinner or excersing at the gym? If so, you need Qmee: the free app that pays you to play games, share your opinion and search the web.

Blogging has become a very popular way of making money, especially for those who want to work from home. Some bloggers earn seven figures annually. But how do they achieve so much success with blogging?

As you’re shopping on Amazon, you may have run across product pages that include additional photos and content to help promote the product. This is referred to as A+ Content on Amazon. It’s now available for authors who self-publish on KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing. I share my experience with it.

Authors are often confused and frustrated when using keywords to market their self-published books on Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing. I explain why and how to approach this aspect of your book marketing.

Self-published authors need to understand that their books can have multiple sub-markets based on the book format. Markets for print books, eBooks, and audiobooks are discussed.

Learn how to submit an excellent proposal on Upwork as a freelancer.

Upwork, formerly known as Elance-oDesk, is a freelancing platform based in Santa Clara and San Francisco. In this article, I will look at what I have learned from Upwork.

While the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting method is sound theoretically, it often has its flaws in practice. Let’s see how self-published authors get goals wrong.

An author asked if opting into KDP Select would affect paperback sales. Well, yes, it can. Here’s how.

Tired of Patreon? Here are 14 Patreon alternatives you can try.

Here are tips and tricks for taking amazing Pokémon card pictures!

Are you looking for the safest investment way to earn more money? This article will explore different ways to earn money reselling sealed Pokémon products.

I discuss what the PR game is all about. And now that social media has become even more of a force than mass media for smaller businesses and authors, I’ll talk about that, too, as it relates to promotions for your book.

Do you want to make a little money by selling Pokémon cards? If so, read this article thoroughly, and you will quickly learn how.

To avoid getting disappointed or scammed, authors must understand the distinctions among publishing companies, publishers, and self-publishing platforms.

What authors need to know about trigger warnings for books and other content.

As authors, we have to be very careful about “aging” our audiences. And this goes in both directions of the age spectrum. Let’s talk about a few of the pitfalls to avoid in age classifications for your readers.

These websites and newsletters will promote your discounted ebook free of charge and help you attain that sweet spot on the top 100 list.

I share book-reading trends that could be impacting book sales for authors.

The ultimate guide for stay-at-home mom e-commerce ideas! Find the best ways to make money based on your skills, passions, and busy schedule.

This article outlines seven key differences between articles and blogs (with original examples).

What does your book's Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR) actually mean? I explain Amazon BSR, category rankings, and NPD Bookscan reports for authors.

My mistakes are your free lessons in this article where I share how you can actually make money as a small farmer, based on my experiences.

TikTok is a short video content-sharing social network that covers every imaginable topic, including a large community called #booktok. What is #booktok, and how can self-published authors take advantage of it?

You can earn passive income from easy-to-create low-content or no-content books and journals on Amazon.

Selling your self-published poetry is tough. I share why poetry is such a marketing challenge, and some tips to make your poetry more market-friendly.

Learn how to get started on TCGPlayer.com, how much money you can make selling trading cards on the platform, and how to maximize profits and lower costs.

Making money online changed my life. I travel the world, homeschool my children, and work on projects I love. In this article, I'll share with you five ways to make money online even if you don't have any experience.

Are you looking for sites like Fiverr? You've come to the right place.

There’s a lot of hype surrounding NFTs, or non-fungible tokens on the blockchain, for sales of creative work using blockchain technology. Let’s talk about what NFTs are and how they might be used by authors in self-publishing.

Everything you need to know about the sublimation printing process.