Self-Publishing Fiction? Try Nonfiction Writing

If you are currently self-publishing fiction, have you considered the potential of nonfiction writing?

When most authors dream of making an income from writing, they immediately think of the next great novel. It’s a natural assumption, especially since publishing ebooks and print books on platforms like Amazon KDP or Draft2Digital is so easy.

However, while self-publishing fiction certainly has its pros and cons, the fiction market is increasingly crowded. If you have excellent writing skills and want to see a higher return on your time, you might want to look at the alternatives.

Nonfiction writing has advantages that fiction simply can’t match, especially when paired with a blog. Instead of chasing fiction trends, nonfiction lets you use your expertise to solve real-world problems for readers.

Why Nonfiction Is An Alternative To Fiction

While most authors associate self-publishing with fiction novels, the nonfiction market offers a much faster path to potential success.

Readers of nonfiction aren’t looking for entertainment; they want a solution to a problem. This means you don’t need to write a 100,000-word epic saga to be successful.

A concise, high-value ebook of 10,000-15,000 words can often outperform a long-winded textbook if it solves a specific problem. In fact, specialized short-read nonfiction is one of the most popular categories on the Amazon Kindle Store.

Blogging is a fantastic way to test your non-fiction ideas before committing to a full book.

By looking at your most popular blog posts, you can identify which topics your audience is willing to pay for. This data-based approach to publishing significantly reduces the risk of a flopped launch.

Non-fiction ebooks can also have a higher price ceiling than genre fiction.

While fiction readers expect to pay between $0.99 and $2.99, non-fiction readers will often pay more for expert advice. This allows you to earn more per sale with significantly less volume.

Nonfiction writing also offers evergreen value, meaning your book can stay relevant for years with only minor updates.

Unlike fiction trends that fade, a book on “How to Grow Organic Tomatoes” or “Managing Small Business Taxes” remains useful indefinitely.

If you are tired of the churn of writing fiction series, try the nonfiction alternative. It is a professional, profitable, and sustainable way to build a long-term writing career.

The Natural Connection Between Blogging And Nonfiction

Blogging and nonfiction writing and publishing work hand-in-hand because they both rely on solving specific reader queries.

When you write an informative blog post, you are essentially creating a “minimum viable product” for a potential book.

That lets you build a dedicated audience of readers who already trust your expertise before you ever hit the publish button.

In contrast, using a blog to promote fiction is a much steeper battle. Fiction readers rarely search for character backstories or fictional world-building until they are already fans of a series.

Blogging about fiction makes search engine discovery much harder for novelists because you are limited in topics. You can only publish so many free chapters or versions of your book cover.

With nonfiction, every blog post you publish acts as a lead generator for your book.

If a reader finds your article on “How to Grow Tomatoes On Your Balcony,” they are the perfect candidate for your “Ultimate Guide For Growing Tomatoes At Home” book.

Blogging for nonfiction creates a transition from free content to a paid ebook or book that feels helpful rather than pushy.

Blogging also lets you refine your nonfiction voice and get real-time feedback on your ideas.

You can see which topics get the most comments and questions, which helps you structure your book to meet actual market demand.

This eliminates the guesswork that often plagues fiction writers who can only wonder if their plot will work.

Blogging also lets you give “E-E-A-T” signals that search engines like Google and Bing prioritize.

By consistently writing about a specific niche, you establish yourself as a topical authority in your field.

This authority carries over to your Amazon author profile, giving your nonfiction books an instant head start in credibility.

Multiple Ways To Earn Income From Writing

Self-publishing doesn’t always involve writing books. It is easy to ignore other forms of online writing as a genuine part of self-publishing.

However, if you define self-publishing as writing and publishing without a contract with a publisher, you can definitely apply this to articles and blogging.

Starting a blog is a logical, independent step for any writer.

I write fiction, and I have a couple of blogs. Both of these activities involve a lot of writing. From them, I make money. So, for me, self-publishing is more than just one route to earning an income.

Trying to get on Amazon’s bestseller lists is the only way to make money from fiction,

But it is a very tough assignment, even for authors with a huge social media following. The truth is that very few authors succeed.

Like any writer who is self-publishing fiction, I know that making a livable income from fiction is probably fiction in itself.

Some writers, though, have spread their wings and ventured into blogging to earn extra income.

My income was about 60-40 from book sales and blog income a few years ago.

However, over time, that split has changed dramatically. I now earn well over 85% of my income from blogging.

How Can You Make Money From A Blog?

There are so many ways you can monetize a blog.

If you follow the recipe correctly, your blog can earn much more than the pay rates for content writers who find work on job boards.

You are in control when you have your blog and write your blog posts.

If you want to earn extra income from your blog, you can do it.

You can make money from affiliate marketing and advertising, or you can accept paying guest posts from advertisers and sites that sometimes pay $50 or more for advertorial posts.

The biggest plus of using a blog as an income source is that you are in total control. You don’t have a contract with anyone. You can make your own decisions about every facet of your online business.

On top of that, the setup and ongoing costs are minimal for a self-hosted WordPress blog.

Blogging Is A Natural Step For Writers

I didn’t write this article to convince self-publishing fiction writers to drop what they are doing or give up on their dreams.

However, blogging is a logical extension of writing, especially nonfiction writing, so it’s worth considering creating an extra passive income stream.

While some blogs focus on finance or money-making, there are literally thousands of blog ideas that can provide a steady income.

Food, cooking, motherhood, fishing, photography, and wine are very popular, just to name a few.

In fact, photography blogs are among the most profitable.

It’s only a matter of choosing a great blog idea that you are absolutely passionate about and that you will enjoy building from scratch.

Summary

Is self-publishing more than fiction and ebooks? Yes, there is definitely more to it than that.

However, not all authors want to dedicate the time to extra writing commitments. The choice is up to you, depending on your situation.

But if your fiction book sales are not making the return you had hoped for, you always have nonfiction writing and blogging as an alternative.

Related reading: 20 Practical Ways You Can Make Money From Home By Blogging