“Paying venues are often seeking writers with resumes that are already developed.” – dimitrireyespoet.com
Different Ways Poets Make Money
For years I avoided wanting to be a writer because I only felt that I wouldn’t be able to do anything else but teach. Little did I know that I would grow to love teaching and would consider educating a passion and a skill. I also felt like if I were to try and pursue writing that I’d simply be a starving artist the rest of my life and judging by the fullness of my face, I am not starving, nor deprived, but in fact I’ve actually found a way to thrive as an artist.
So you came to this blog either wondering or seeking how poets make money and I’ll let you know that there isn’t a template or formula on how to get there but if you work hard, write consistently, and are friendly there are ways one can earn some extra income and quite possibly live comfortably off of their writing. These are Different Ways Poets Make Money…
1) Cash Prizes
Yes, one of the most well known ways for poets to make money: the poetry prize. But this isn’t only limited to a competition with a cash prize, there are also scholarships and grants to consider. Some publications even offer money upon publication.
To get an idea of some numbers, there are a few prizes where the poet receives as much as $50,000! But I’ve also seen numbers like $23,000, $10,000, $5,000, $1,000, $500, $100, $50, $25, and $10.
Granted, submitting and winning these competitions may feel a bit like a lottery (usually cash prizes are put together with a combination of donors to the organization as well as submission fees) and one can also argue that they can end up putting more money into competitions than what they end up winning in their lifetime but many authors feel like this is quite normal. Especially because they know where their dollar is going to help keep the doors of a literary/ arts institution open. To illustrate this, let’s say if 1000 people enter a competition with a $3 submission fee and the winner receives a cash prize of $1000. The $2000 left over goes towards the organization administering the contest which helps recoup the expensive costs of book producing, editing fees, and artistic fees.
The YouTube video accompanying this blog also discusses contributor copies and other trade offs for places that charge fees. Watch the video to learn more!
2) Get Artistically / Academically Involved
Performances, readings, roundtable discussions, panels, and workshops are all valid sources of money for the writer though this doesn’t come without some building. In order to be seen as “worth paying for” the individual would’ve had to be “hitting the pavement” themselves. Gaining a lot of experience with little to no payment. This includes writing to publish (whether on social media, self publishing, or traditional publishing) and engaging with audiences. Many artists and art organizations talk about “doing work for exposure” which translates to volunteer work in order to build their resume.
Paying venues are often seeking writers with resumes that are already developed. If you are asking yourself if your artists resume is developed enough yet, you need to survey how many publications you have, how many readings you’ve attended/ featured, if you’ve ever taught writing, or if you’ve worked with organizations that were in the same market as your artistic discipline. If you are seeking professional development advice and would like to work with me, fill out this form and get a quote.
3) Entrepreneurship
In my 7 Ways to Publish Poetry video In my other video I discuss “literary mixtapes” as the passing out of a small inexpensive book at readings for a small inexpensive fee. These little homemade books called zines are quite common at readings and it’s a way for readers to pay for a coffee, gas, or parking at a venue while giving the audience something they can walk away with. Prices for these can range from $1-10 depending on how much work is put into each while there are other writers who put together chapbook or full-length books that they print and bind at a bookshop. Though this costs more money to make, they sell these for up to $20 and they still make a profit.
Jasmine Mans, a very popular spoken word poet from Newark, New Jersey, sells her own merchandise. Along with performances mentioned in tip number 2, she sells cups, t-shirts and bags in a way to produce more income. Rob Hylton, another local poet from Newark, still happily sells cd’s of his recorded poetry.
4) Be Aware of Your Skillsets
Writers have an edge in career development because our potential is so vast. As a writer, we are good communicators. We express ourselves clearly on paper and we are used to the writing process of drafting, revising, and proofreading. If you’re reading this as a poet and you know your way around a sentence, you can actively help others with their resumes. You can get paid to edit documents or even help proofread emails. Knowing your skills as a writer can find you with good side work or can lead to a career that comes easier to you than many others.
For example, though poetry is my main artistic discipline, I also provide many other services: I can edit resumes, cover letters, cv’s, various kinds of books, website copy, and more.
5) Teaching
Though I wanted to bring less thought of methods of earning money as a poet, the traditional track of teaching can’t be ignored. If you are a poet, writer, or artist, you can find steady income as a teacher around your area if there is a need for it. You can choose to teach children, teenagers, or adults depending on your preferences and as an educator I can attest to it being the most rewarding job there is. Of course, this goes without saying that to be a teacher, a degree is surely necessary but there’s a lot of flexibility. In the United States, teachers benefit from Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and Summer Vacation where school closes for several days to several months at a time. This is the perfect time for individuals to pursue their own artistic passions.
In closing, there are many ways to make money from their poetry as long as you’re thinking outside the box. Was there anything that I didn’t mention? Send me a comment and it can potentially become another video in the future!
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