How To Write Fiction That Makes You Money (7 Steps)

In this video, you'll discover a powerful strategy for building an audience and achieving success as a fiction writer in the competitive world of online writing. I break down the process into seven actionable steps, including starting with short stories, finding and dominating a smaller subcategory, and using Amazon as your primary publishing platform. We also explore how to leverage social media to showcase your storytelling process, build an engaged audience, and drive traffic to your work on platforms like Royal Road, Wattpad, and Amazon. Packed with practical advice, especially for ghostwriters, email marketers, and genre fiction writers, this episode provides a clear roadmap to create a sustainable and profitable writing career.

00:00 Introduction
00:32 Step 1: Don’t Try To Write A Novel Out Of The Gate
03:57 Step 2: Play In A Smaller, Less Competitive Subcategory
08:25 Step 3: Treat Amazon As Your Primary Publishing Platform
13:14 Step 4: Build An Organic Following
18:18 Step 5: Find Your “Royal Road” And Get Feedback
22:22 Step 6: Build An Email List And/Or A Discord
25:19 Step 7: Monetize Through “Side Quest” Content
28:02 Conclusion

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Hey there!

My name is Nicolas Cole, and I have been writing on the Internet since 2007.

Today, I run a portfolio of writing businesses that does over $5,000,000 in annual revenue. My books, products, programs, and platforms are what I wish I'd had at the beginning of my writing career—back when I was 23 years old, had just graduated college with a degree in Fiction Writing, and had no idea how to make money as a writer.

My goal with this YouTube channel is to pass along everything I've learned (and am still learning) about digital writing, ghostwriting, self-publishing, and becoming a multi-millionaire digital writer with you.

So, if you want to know how to turn your passion for writing into a lucrative career, and you're looking for a digital writing mentor, maybe I can help. Everything I share on this channel is from hard-learned lessons in the trenches. I've made every mistake out there. Hopefully, you pick up a golden nugget or two that helps you on your journey. (And if I earn your trust, I hope to see you in one of our programs!)

"Nobody makes a living as a writer."

I hate that cliché—and I've proved it's not true.

Keep practicing your art. Keep learning about the business.

And most importantly, keep writing.

Cole

🔗 Other videos I think you'll enjoy:

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[Tyro_]

Started a business undergrad with the intention of leveraging it into my art. I left, travelled, made some mistakes and some growth, finishing it now at 27.

Last year I had a class on entrepreneurship and it focused on building a business based on the “Lean Startup” (cool book)

The whole concept is to start small, get proof of concept and a need for the business then build from there.

Rather than, for example, making 20 000 units of shoes nobody wants. Instead, make some marketing material and do market research to see if there’s even a need

I really like what you’ve said about “lean writing” and the alignment here is pretty wild

Wicked video, thanks

Also “finding an edge” to differentiate your business is a big one… a la differentiating yourself by niching down in genre

anybody who’s interested, this video really lines up with a bunch of concepts from the Lean Startup, could be of use to writers and artists in general

[jesseyoungel]

We're so on the same track with the Side Quests strategy! #7 is what I've been trying to build out for the past few months. I hear so many talk about the Iceberg framework (10% of your ideas make it in the book, 90% of ideas are background lore to inform the book)...

Just seems like the left over 90% would be extremely valuable to readers and could be used for marketing (lead magnets) or could be monetized. Really appreciate the fictional insight! Keep it coming Cole!

[BucketOfMarbles]

18:00 Brandon Sanderson teaches a novel writing course at BYU and has posted the entire semester of lectures on YouTube for free

[QuizmasterLaw]

Dickens was master of serialization with cliff hanger endings, which is what I would suggest for fiction writers on medium, vella, and similar platforms.
Fiction isn't my genre but romance is a very profitable genre with a zillion sub niches.

[DonSimkovich]

That confirms my hunch. The best marketing while working on novels could be to publish a short story once a month to Amazon.

[jenlahr]

OMG!!! The patreon wide quest thing is such a GREAT IDEA! I write both fiction and non-fiction but have legit 3D model maps that I've made for my fiction novel with so much background info that will never even make it into the story. The Patreon side quest model is freaking genius! Thank you.

This also helps with the "I have so many stories that live in my head I don't know what to start first" dilemma. Now I can just start them all and put them up to get feedback about what people want to read more of and lean into that.

With following all these things, as I am 9 hours away from finishing my degree in fiction writing, is it necessary to actually finish the degree or just to use the hard skills and monetize from there? Specifically wanted the degree to learn how to write fiction. Thank you for your awesome content as always. Just received your book and can't wait to obscenely cover it in notes, post-its and highlighters.

[wglover]

Great to hear you're taking on fiction next, and even more good news you're joining us over in the LitRPG groove!

I'm in the middle of Ship 30 for 30 right now and was just wondering how I could apply what I'm learning to my fiction. Fantastic timing with this video.

I'm already on RR and just finished my first arc.

As an alternative to Stubbing, I'm thinking about creating a really long serial where I can publish some novel length episodes to KU and some only on RR.

[canadawas]

Another great one. The amount of gold you dispense here is tremendous. Thank you!

[StoryWisdomOfficial]

That was such helpful content. Thank you. Never thought about writing non fiction as an addition to increase earnings further.

[BucketOfMarbles]

Excellent video, excited to follow your journey

[vippainter]

Your first 1min of this video is exactly what I needed to hear off the back. I was creating a huge overview for a novel that is 4 series long and making everything contact, while working backward (is that makes sense). I would also catch myself going to beginning of story due to trying to branch out what is happening at the end.😅

[Hugex]

27:00 Nicolas, I just want to thank you. i am not doing writing per se, but doing Facebook Ads with a ghostwriting approach, but this just gave me a gazillion ideas on how to build packages for clients that might not be required up front. As soon as I hit the 100k/month mark, I'll email thanking you.

[John-eon]

Impactful! And... subscribed for more 👍

[Sisanf]

The step about being in a distinct category will go over people's heads but it's probably the single most important point you had. 

Everyone and their grandmother wants to write "romantasy" or "thriller" or "fantasy" but authors like Maas, Patterson, and Sanderson rule in those areas. Even if you write an "objectively" better book, you'll get drowned out by the category kings and queens. This video open my eyes; I've gotta create my own category.

Currently working naming and claiming one as we speak!

[toddwieland]

Brilliant. This also feels like a great template for the decentralized publishing company of the future.

[wasthataflute]

"You've taken your first step into a larger world".

[brianm]

Super interesting.

One point of tension - AI is going to really disrupt output, putting (I think) a higher premium on quality. That’ll slow down most writers, but it’ll net a better reader experience.

[theadamsof]

YESSS, Great video, learned a lot! Thanks man!

Loved the « side quest » idea, it could be really powerful if well implemented!

The way I understood it, I could build a world setting and create some short stories of characters in that same worlds right? (I mean as a beginner, you recommend to write short stories, I thought that could be a good idea combined with the "side-quest" thing

And develop the world even more by uploading some places, items, and "secrets"

[georgeantwi]

I learnt a lot.
Nicholas, you are the best!

[Naimad]

Thank you so much for this video Cole. I got some nuggets from here that I can definitely apply to my comic book publishing. I am going to test out some your recommendations. Any thoughts on how I can apply some of your tips to comics? It's okay if you're not familiar with the medium.