For Love or Money

by Susan Kaye Quinn

Do you write for love or money? With the advent of indie publishing, this question vexes writers like it never has before—for the first time, you can literally chase trends, feeding the fans of that lucrative genre that’s flying off the shelves. But what if the stories you love to write aren’t the kind that are selling like ice water in July? How do you create a career in writing that you both love and hits the financial success you need to justify the hours spent at the keyboard?

For Love or Money talks about writing for love (and how to sell that) as well as writing for money (and how to love it). It contains serious strategies about making money with your books, living the freedom of indie publishing, and stretching yourself creatively in your career. For authors willing to take a hard look at themselves and the market, this book will lay out the necessary steps to create your dream writing career.

For Love or Money is meant to be used in tandem with The Indie Author Survival Guide (Second Edition), the first book in the Crafting a Self-Publishing Career series. Together, these two books will set you on a path of turning your love for storytelling into a career.

**JOIN THE FOR LOVE OR MONEY FACEBOOK GROUP** Connect with your fellow self-published authors and share information about writing and publishing. Susan hosts monthly consultation giveaways and shares updates on the constantly evolving publishing landscape.
JOIN HERE: http://smarturl.it/LoveOrMoneyGroup

**Table of Contents**
Author's Note
Crafting Your Dream Writer Life
1.1 Choosing Your Mountain
1.2 Park Your Biases At The Curb
1.3 Embrace Your Freedom
1.4 My Journey
1.5 Decide For Yourself
1.6 Bite-Sized Summary
Writing For Love
2.1 Writing Challenges Me
2.2 Forget About Readers
2.3 Joyful Writing
2.4 Take Your Craft Up A Level
2.5 It Will Always Be Hard
2.6 Bite-Sized Summary
Turning Love Into Money
3.1 Don't Give Up Too Soon
3.2 All The Marketing Tricks
3.3 Making What You Love More Commercial
3.4 My Biggest Failure/Learning Experience
3.5 Why Isn't My Book Selling
3.6 Build Your Backlist
3.7 Bite-Sized Summary
Writing For Money
4.1 Writing What Sells
4.2 What's In Your Wheelhouse
4.3 Don't Try This At Home
4.4 Bite-Sized Summary
Balancing Writing And Life
5.1 Staying Sane in a Crazy (Indie Publishing) World
Managing Your Career
Appendix: Your Self-Publishing Toolkit

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Self Help

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2015

About the author

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Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[J.F. Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

All creatives must balance creating for love or money. We all need both and this book outlines how Quinn has balanced this herself. Includes how to make what you love more commercial, why you book might not be selling, building your backlist and writing for money.

[Rachel Morgan]

Calling all authors willing to take their writing career seriously! If you've self-published a book or two but still find yourself floundering a bit, or you've had some success but are looking to take your writing career to the next level, this book is for you. In a non-judgemental and logical way that is also, at times, philosophical, Susan lays out what it means to write for love or to write for money (or both) and how to go about building a career no matter which camp you find yourself in. Definitely a useful read.

"Writers wield their imaginations like scythes through the fabric of possibility, creating stories that entertain and enthrall. We are fulfilling one of the higher purposes of humanity: to bring something new into the world. Now go out and do it!"

[Siobhan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been an admirer of Susans. Not only is she a great author (I've read some of her books and her fiction writing is stellar), but she's a very savvy business woman too. I follow her blog and often peruse it when I am looking for guidance on something related to writing or publishing. She is a very generous person with her time and her advice and a fantastic advocate for self-publishing.

There are a lot of charlatans out there pertaining to have all the answers to successful writing, publishing, and marketing. It can often be difficult to identify the genuine advice from the crap advice, with one "guru" saying do X and another saying do Y. Susan is always someone I have trusted to deliver honest advice, mainly because she practices what she preaches and shares her own intel to back up her suggestions/recommendations.

When she set up a new group for authors on Facebook, I happily signed up. It's a fab group, with tons of fab authors, and Susan has been sharing snippets of this book. It sounded exactly like what I needed at this juncture in my career. While I have had a certain level of success, I am currently focused on audience targeting and presenting my work so it appeals to the right readership. When I reviewed the contents of this book and determined that it wasn't a how-to guide (because I don't need that at this stage), I immediately downloaded it from KU and got stuck in.

This was a fantastic, well-written, informative but humorous read. Susan adopts a structured, analytical approach to her target market that makes total sense. I have somewhat applied this strategy, but not to the same extent. After reading this book, I feel invigorated, and I have clearer focus.

One of the things I love about this book is how Susan's personality shines through. Reading it was like sitting down with a trusted friend for a chat. I'm gonna throw out some appropriate words. Logical. Pragmatic. Analytical. Smart. Not-preachy. Supportive. Encouraging.

There were parts that I felt could have been written specifically for me (Perfectionist? Check. Workaholic? Check. Not looking after health? Check. Struggling with work/life balance? Check) Those sections really resonated with me, and not only am I coming away with a couple of solid to-dos in relation to my target market, but I am also giving myself a much-needed kick in the butt to sort out my crazy working patterns.

It was a little waffly at the start, and a little bit repetitive in places, but those are only minor complaints.

An excellent read, which I highly recommend to all authors from newbie to more mature.

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

[Graeme Ing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible knowledge inside this book, but I recommend that you read Susan's "Indie Author Survivor Guide" first, if you haven't. Susan says that she wrote "For Love or Money" to "shine a flashlight into the darkness ahead." I think she succeeded admirably and I particularly enjoyed the insights into her own career. As a scientist, I love empirical evidence.

Warning: This book will make you think hard about your writing path. :) That's a good thing. Introspection leads to learning. After 2 indie books, I hadn't really considered the distinction between writing for love and money, and so my own expectations were out of alignment with reality. This book was an enormous help in showing me both sides of the coin. As Susan explains, there are distinct differences and strategies to each. And yes... there is a way to do both! That is great news.

Don't rush this book - it contains much food for thought. If you are really serious about expanding and nurturing your career as an indie author, this is the book for you.

[Ron Estrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for an indie writer at any level in his or her career. Susan gives us plenty of data and resources to back up her advice. Excellent book!

[Katherine Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great resource for writers. Susan Kaye Quinn covers most everything in this book and I appreciate her experience. The only problem I have is those still using Word. Scrivener is where it is at for ebooks/Kindle along with Sigil and Adobe InDesign for book covers and interiors is amazing although it comes with a steep learning curve. That is what YouTube videos and seaching Google are for.

SKQ has some great points for those aspiring to participate in the book publishing business. For Love or Money is another great resource for writers. There are others.

[Rachel Brune · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm currently working on a re-boot of my writing, marketing, and business plan, and I found this book to be invaluable. I'm heading into her BOOTCAMP book right now!

[Jane-Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

This is a terrific book by SKQ - as someone starting out looking at the wide world of Indie Publishing I found this incredibly helpful. HIGHLY recommend!

[Kara Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real rating: 4.5 stars (great but The Indie Author Survival Guide cannot be beat)

Once again Ms. Quinn has created a fantastic guide for authors to figure out how to do what they love and still be able to carve out a life for themselves. Writers learn about how to write for love, focus on making their for-love project more commercial, or writing for the current trend. This is not a get rich quick type of book. Throughout it, Quinn reminds readers that she is telling them what has worked for her or others and that it is not the be-all and end-all of publishing info. Her suggestions are open to interpretation to allow authors to discover what works best for them and their book. This is meant to work along side The Indie Author Survival Guide (which I highly recommend), and if you read IASG recently, some of the info may seem repetitive. At the end of the book, she once again lists various resources for writers and places to look for more info on some of the subjects touched upon in her book. It is a rich resource for authors without any of the get rich quick attitude of other books with similar titles or goals.
If you're looking for applicable strategies and great suggestions for how to further your writing career, For Love or Money is a great place to look.

[Christine Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you're a new writer or a seasoned one without big success, this is the book for you. If you're looking for all the technical aspects of being an indie writer, check out Quinn's Indie Author Survival Guide. This book talks about writing for love and how to sell it, writing for money and how to sell it, and how you can do both together.

I was skeptical. I've read a lot about marketing and haven't had much success, but this excellent book puts everything in a way that clicked for me. The way Quinn explains it all with her scientist's mind is easy to understand and done so in a rational manner. It's not a magic formula, but it makes clear how writing for love and for money are different, and how to do both. It talks a lot about genre which I found immensely useful, and I can see now how my own strategy was flawed.

I was left greatly inspired and with a lot to think about. Thank you, SKQ!

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writers don't have to choose to write for love OR money. We can do both and learn how to do so in Susan Kaye Quinn's For Love or Money. This book works in tandem with SKQ's Indie Author Survival Guide. I enjoy the colloquial style to the book as well as the recaps to each chapter. Although this book is geared toward Indie/self-published authors, I believe it'll be beneficial for any writer considering publishing their work. I found it helpful in re-evaluating where I've been as a writer and where I'd like to go. Like Susan Kaye Quinn's other works, For Love or Money will make you think. I highly recommend it.

After reading this book, I plan to figure out my mission statement, make a plan, and find my mountain.

[Jessica Aspen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was incredibly timely for me. I love writing my fantasy romances and sexy shifter fairytale twists, but when it comes down to it, they don't hit the bulk of the market. So, I have to decide: write so I earn enough money to eat? Or continue to write books I love that may not make that much money. Turns out, you can do both! WOOT! (That's good because eating is important.)
Susan Kaye Quinn shares some secrets on taking those books you love and moving them a little farther up the income ladder. And then she looks at the other side and helps you figure out how to write more lucrative books, that you can also love.
Right book at the right time for me. Highly recommend it!

[Kim Vandel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's like SKQ read my mind and then addressed my fears. Being an indie author is a scary thing, and SKQ assures you that you're not alone. Every page delivers the message: YOU CAN DO THIS. If you're like me and don't like taking risks, this is the perfect opportunity to learn from someone who's willing to take risks, to try different things and share what she's learned. "For Love or Money" is insightful, encouraging, and empowering. If you're an indie author, you owe it to yourself to buy this book.

[Erica Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like industry books to get you motivated!

I love reading industry books to get motivated in my own writing, and reading authors who are able to have successful -- and realistic -- careers is definitely inspiring!

[Jane Night · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this about ten years after it came out so I have to say that there are some things in the book that seem outdated after so long (as one would expect).
There are also quite a few issues with the formatting. Images that are blurry. Hyperlinks within the text (these links don't even show addresses so it isn't like you can easily just jump to the thing).
Despite my minor complaints, I do love this book. It is incredibly useful for authors especially as they are trying to decide what they want from their indie author careers.

[Susan Tietjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the info was fabulous, very helpful for the self-publisher author or anyone who just loves to write. I was a little annoyed with the typos that were far too frequent for such an accomplished author. She praised her editor, but I'm not impressed. That's okay, though, the information overshadowed the short-comings.

[Jan Leotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic information and easy to read

SK Quinn tells it like it is. In addition to giving great information, she is inspiring, like a mother and drill sergeant rolled into one being. She's soft and hard as nails! Thanks SK Quinn for this awesome, kick in the pants look at what it means to self-publish.

[Juneta Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, informative and about finding some balance and how this author did that.

[Marion Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Writing challenges me to discover who I am. Publishing challenges me to remember it.”

“You have to work like crazy, be smart, somehow invest every particle of emotion into the book itself, but then fling it out in the world and be ruthlessly pragmatic about how to sell it.”

Those two quotes (of many that I jotted down) from For Love or Money (Crafting An Indie Author Career) by Susan Kaye Quinn nails how indie authors should go about developing a writing career.

Quinn writes from a philosophical perspective on how indie (I don’t use the term self-published) authors can make a living from their books and how writing for love or money can be beneficial no matter which path a writer takes.

I heard Susan Kaye Quinn on The Creative Penn and Author Strong podcasts recently talking about her career (she is best known for her YA Science Fiction: The Mindjack and Singularity Series) and how she has learned to balance writing for love and money. Also, she has published romance novels under a penname that gets quite a bit of attention in For Love or Money.

I read this book in one setting and there are plenty of nuggets to digest like Why Do Want To Write, Creating A Mission Statement, Leave Your Biases At The Door If You Are Writing For Money, Being Patient, & Writing Like You Are On Fire. These are excellent motivational tips that will make a reader dig deeper on how they should craft their career as an indie author.

There are quite a few how-to indie author books on the scene. However, I believe that For Love or Money stands out from the pack because of its philosophical as well as a practical approach to the ever changing world of Indie Publishing. I highly recommend For Love or Money as a permanent resource for Indie Authors to keep on their bookshelf or eReader.

[Alexia Purdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for new and seasoned writers. It's not only a toolkit to enrich one's writing and discover how writing for love or money can come hand in hand, but it also helps a writer re-evaluate their own career, especially in an ever-changing market. I found this very motivating and insightful to help myself in finding what I need to do to adjust how I write in the constantly morphing markets of today, yet still enjoy writing immensely. I write for money, that's the way it is on my side of the writing world, but that doesn't mean I don't love it.

Even though this is for more for somewhat experienced writers, new writers can benefit from reading this information too. I do suggest for those who have not read SKQ's other book: Indie Author Survival Guide, go get it and read it first. There are so many references to it in this book that these small but important asides pointing out portions of the survival guide will mean nothing to you if you do not have it handy to look up the references or have an idea what SKQ is talking about at those points throughout this book.

Overall, an excellent resource and tool for all writers that should be required reading for all indie, hybrid, or traditional route author alike. SKQ keeps it interesting, insightful, and peppy throughout​, always a pleasure to read her author hacks.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information about writing for love or writing to market. I love the idea that you can do both. Write your money-making books and your "craft" books that could also make you money.

The idea of writing to market wasn't fully explained. For the most part it was left to, "Research the market." She did give an example of how she analyzes new markets to write in, but that method might not work for everyone. Certainly not me.

Another thing that bothered me, like a lot of indie authors, was her general negative feelings toward traditional publishers. They weren't too bad with this book, but they were present. She's been traditionally published so maybe she just had a bad experience, but I don't think that dictates what everyone's experience will be.

The thing I enjoyed most about this book was her attitude toward writers and their abilities. "Your results may vary" was a common theme throughout the book. Everyone dreams of a different Dream Author Life and she wasn't pushing one way or another.

[Kristy McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for an author to understand his/her work in the context of the current e-publishing market. While Quinn’s advice seems obvious, it surprised me how much I gained from her insights. I’ve written for both love and money, and now I can put both to rest in my mind instead of struggling endlessly to sell a book that might not be all that marketable. And, as Quinn states, that’s okay. Along the same lines, writing for money is an important tool that an author must understand if they hope to find some measure of success with a writing career. While other books present similar ideas, Ms. Quinn offers it in a fast, easy-to-digest format.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I powered through this book in a couple of days, and will definitely be returning to it again and again as my writer life progresses. With a no-nonsense approach, she tackles the issues and choices that writers with some publishing experience under their belt are grappling with. Delicious food for thought as she talks about the nuances between writing for love and for money, and why both are legitimate options.

And the section on joyful writing was a pleasure to read!

[Laurel Decher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title, For Love or Money, made me think this book would be about choosing between books you want to write and books that make money, but the book is much more holistic. It shows how you can edge Love books towards Money and vice versa and what authors can learn from writing each kind of book. I don't write in any of the genres that were the main parts of the discussion, but I still have a clear idea of how I could apply Susan Kaye Quinn's thinking to my genre. Worthwhile.

[Alison Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring!

This book was such a different take than the other books I've read on self publishing. I love the idea of writing for love AND for not feeling guilty attempting to write for money. This book has inspired me to explore some techniques with a pen name while still pursuing my love for writing YA. So glad I read this.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for authors. It made me think hard about my trajectory and what books to write for love and for money. It's half practical advice, half motivation to keep you going. Great resource!

[Z.R. Southcombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A challenging and motivating book that assists in crafting a career as an indie writer. Without preaching 'one way' of doing things, or even one definition of success, this book examines big-picture strategies to get closer to your definition of success.

[Lisa Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I owe Susan more than the price of the book. I've learned so much from this book and the Indie Authors Survival Guide. Together they have giving me a toolbox for creating the dream writer life I want and helps to course correct along the way.

[Heather Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous follow up

Fabulous follow up. A bit of it is repetitive from her first book, but the author dies a great job at breaking down the market so you can write for love, money, or both!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview with in-depth tips for writing life in general, balancing writing with work, family, friends, and "real life", and how and when to self-publish. I really enjoyed this, and will probably pick up a paperback copy.