This is the final episode in our How to Become a Career Writer series.

• Part1: Think Like a Business
• Part 2: Make Maximum Money on Your Book
• Part 3: Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills

In this episode, we’re in the advanced class, aimed at authors further along in their journey. Today, we’ll discuss how to monetize your knowledge, expertise, and celebrity.

Jim: Rumor has it, Thomas is going to talk about Fabio.

Thomas: It’s true! Some of you may not know Fabio, the musclebound, long-haired icon of the ‘90s, famous for gracing romance novel covers. He wasn’t on every book cover, just to clarify—mainly ‘90s romance novels. His story is worth sharing. When Fabio appeared on a romance book cover holding or kissing a woman, book sales increased by up to 33%. When he posed alone, sales surged by an astonishing 45%. That’s the Fabio Effect.

His iconic look captivated ‘90s romance readers. Publishers would line up rows of Fabio covers, each with different costumes, making him a book-selling machine. They’d shoot 14 to 16 cover poses in a single day, using various female models for each book’s protagonist, plus some solo shots.

How much do you think Fabio earned for a day’s shoot, given his 33–45% sales boost?

Jim: For a day’s shoot covering 16 covers, I’d say $25,000 to $30,000.

Thomas: You’d think so, and it’d be worth it for that sales increase. But he was paid just $3,000.

It seems like a lot until you consider his impact. These shoots weren’t daily, so how did he even afford the protein powder and gym time for that physique? Fabio turned his fame into fortune, becoming an iconic brand. He secured TV deals and paid appearances, like $50,000 to attend a wealthy person’s party. His celebrity made him wealthy despite the modest pay he received for the covers that made him famous.

Monetize Your Celebrity

Thomas: It’s easier to turn fame into fortune than fortune into fame. Many authors expect fame and fortune simultaneously, but fame often comes first. Unless you’re born into a famous family, building celebrity takes time, and not everyone achieves it.

Sell Special Access

Thomas: One way to monetize fame is by selling special access like VIP concert tickets. Host events, in-person or online, where fans pay for exclusive access or membership in an insiders’ club.

Endorsements

Another method is endorsing products, which is surprisingly effective. Jim, imagine I’m a huge fan of your books. You publish a book every nine months, but I read 90–100 books a year, mostly on Audible. If your book takes me a week to finish, I’ve got 40 weeks until your next release. If you recommend another author’s book via an Amazon affiliate link, I might buy it while I wait. That would earn you a commission while strengthening our reader-author connection.

To make this work, you must endorse products you believe in that are aligned with your brand so that your readers are interested. Honesty is crucial. I don’t endorse anything I haven’t used or seen deliver results for someone I trust.

Jim: Same with books. People ask me to endorse their work, but I can’t endorse it without reading the whole book, and I struggle to find the time to read. You can’t just skim and endorse because that’s not authentic.

Thomas: One bad endorsement can erode trust with readers. I once bought every book Seth Godin endorsed because I trusted his judgment. If he took time to blurb a book, it had to be good. That’s the power of a trusted endorsement.

Create Related Products

Thomas: Another approach is creating related products. Dave Ramsey, the financial guru, has books that teach you to reduce your debt and stay on a budget by using an envelope system. He sells wallets designed for this system. His fans buy the wallets to follow his method even if they haven’t read his book. It’s a smart way to leverage celebrity.

Jim: For my first book, Rooms, we created a study guide and a DVD. We filmed in Cannon Beach, where the book is set, with professional actors performing scenes. I taught the book’s four major themes on the DVD. That’s an example of ancillary products for fiction, not just nonfiction.

Merchandise

Thomas: Merchandising can also work. Imagine a poster of a stunning book cover. Fans buy movie posters, so why not book covers? For fantasy authors, a detailed world map is gold. As an audiobook listener, I miss the maps in fantasy novels. If I love your series, I’d pay for a poster of your world map. Fantasy writers, there’s money on the table here! I’d buy a quality map to study while listening.

You can also sell merchandise like T-shirts with iconic phrases or insider jokes from your book. For my book, my launch team wanted “Team Radish” shirts, referencing an obscure study I mentioned. Sites like CafePress make this easy. They handle production, shipping, and payments. You earn a small cut, but it’s better than managing inventory yourself.

Monetize Your Knowledge

Thomas: For nonfiction authors, this is where the real money lies. Read The Millionaire Messenger (affiliate link) for a deep dive into becoming a professional expert.

Informational Products

Thomas: You can also monetize your knowledge by selling information products.

Jim: In the ‘90s, real estate gurus sold seminars on flipping homes, claiming millions. Why teach instead of doing? Because teaching is often easier money. If you have expertise, create audio courses, video courses, e-courses, or focused ebooks. I know bestselling fiction authors now teaching their craft because novel earnings are shrinking. They’re sharing valuable knowledge and earning well.

Thomas: Please remember that some info products are snake oil. To stand out, you need to offer generous money-back guarantees. Our courses, come with no-hassle refunds. If someone’s unhappy, we refund them with no questions asked. It ensures customer satisfaction and separates you from scammers.

Speaking

Thomas: Speaking is another revenue stream. The more famous you are, the higher your fees. Former presidents like Bill Clinton earn hundreds of thousands per speech. Lesser-known speakers can still make $10,000–$20,000 per gig.

Fiction writers sometimes wonder what to speak about, but your novels’ themes can inspire talks.

Jim: When doing radio or TV interviews, don’t pitch your story’s plot. Instead, talk about the themes and how they benefit the audience. That’s what gets speaking gigs.

Thomas: If your book doesn’t lend itself to speaking, that’s fine. Not everyone needs to speak. But if you’re a nonfiction writer, speak on your expertise.

Coaching

Thomas: Coaching is another lucrative option. Self-published authors with a proven process can charge hundreds per hour to mentor others. Nonfiction authors can coach in their expertise. It’s rewarding too.

Jim: This summer, I’m coaching with two novelists. Last year’s session was so fulfilling. I enjoyed seeing the lightbulb moments when my clients shared what they learned.

Podcasting

Thomas: Finally, podcasting can monetize knowledge. We haven’t monetized this podcast with ads, but we do offer occasional product promotions. Other podcasters earn big by working with advertisers. It’s a valid way to share expertise. We give everything away free, with a lifetime money-back guarantee since it costs you nothing. We hope you find it valuable.

To learn more about being a career author, check out the previous episodes in this series.

• 075 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 1: Think Like a Business
• 076 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 2: Make Maximum Money on Your Book
• 077 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 3: Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills

We hope it helps you grow as a career author, maybe increasing your writing-related income from 20% to 40%. Don’t try everything we’ve suggested; just pick what fits.

Sponsor

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