Can you get paid to write on Reddit?

Reddit has had its fair share of controversies over the past few years — from harassment and racism in r/IAmA, to subreddits like /r/fatpeoplehate — but one that has been raised more than once by the site's users was /u/, which some call "the reddiquette."

In short, /u/ consists of posts asking for people to do things such as edit Wikipedia entries or write articles about their favorite TV shows. While these requests are often legitimate (and can be very rewarding), they're also very time-intensive and usually require a large amount of commitment. They aren't jobs.

But there are ways to make money writing online without having to create an entire website dedicated just to promoting yourself or sell advertising space on your blog. If you've ever written anything at all, then you probably have experience with Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform, where writers submit free ebooks directly to KDP Select. However, what happens when you want to take advantage of Reddit's popularity? And how easy would it be to get started?

Can you monetize your Reddit account?

The first thing you'll need to know is whether or not you can actually turn your Reddit account into something resembling a traditional job. To put it simply, no. You cannot currently use Reddit as a way to generate income through affiliate marketing, selling products, or even advertising. According to Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, who wrote the definitive piece on making money off of Reddit back in 2012, the company doesn't allow it because it fears potential abuse.

However, while you won't be able to go out there and start pitching advertisers or anyone else, you still might be surprised at what kind of opportunities exist within the community itself. For example, Redditor u/theswisereader posted a thread earlier this year entitled "I'm looking for a writer," and received dozens of responses from other members. Most of them were offering advice on how best to approach the subject. There are plenty of forums on Reddit where authors may post their work in exchange for feedback, or offer subscriptions to readers. One popular subreddit is /r/WritingPrompts, where readers can request original content. Another is /r/writingchallenges, where participants try to complete specific challenges set up by others.

Then there are smaller communities focused around particular genres, including sci-fi, romance, horror, poetry, etc., so you could always pitch your own story idea or genre novel to whichever group appeals most to you. Just keep in mind that you should never ask strangers for personal information, especially financial info, unless you absolutely trust them. Don't give away too much lest you end up dealing with identity theft.

Another option for those interested in building a career off of Reddit is joining forces with another content creator, either via Reddit AMAs or creating collaborative projects together. Both options bring added exposure to your work, since both parties benefit from each other’s audiences. The downside here is that you’ll likely need to split the profits 50 percent with whoever is doing half the work, though you can negotiate based on whatever percentage works well for you.

If none of these ideas appeal to you, don't worry! Plenty of other folks are finding creative ways to profit off of Reddit. In fact, if you check out u/jaweedybaker's AMA threads, you'll see just how varied the possibilities really are. He offers tips on how to promote your novels using Reddit, how to maximize your views on YouTube vlogs, how to become a freelance journalist, how to build a brand, and tons more. It seems he's done everything.

And finally, if you'd rather avoid posting your work publicly altogether, why not look into private beta testing? This involves working with companies behind closed doors to test new software before it goes public. Some big names include Facebook, Google, and Apple, among others. Companies prefer to hire individuals who already have expertise in certain fields, so your chances of landing one of these gigs are slim. But if you happen to meet someone who does have access to one of these programs, you could potentially make good money.

How much does the average author earn per book?

According to Forbes contributor Joshua Ostrofsky, self-published authors tend to earn between $0.008 and $1 per copy sold, depending on factors such as print run quantities, sales volume, distribution channels, royalty rates, and pricing strategies. That said, nothing beats word of mouth. So long as your name gets spread far enough across the Internet, you shouldn't have trouble getting noticed. Of course, the sky is the limit here, but bear in mind that you can easily lose hundreds of dollars on every sale if you choose to price your books below cost.

There's lots of room for growth after launch, too. Once you've established a following, you can branch out beyond books and explore different formats like audiobooks and graphic novels. Plus, you can leverage social media platforms to increase visibility further.

A lot depends on how quickly you establish yourself, however. As we mentioned above, the quickest way to cash in is to join existing communities and begin submitting your own stories. Other methods involve crafting compelling pitches to publishers, agents, or editors, which takes skill and practice.

Here's a quick breakdown of the approximate earnings of various self-publishing statuses, according to estimates cited by Publishers Weekly:

Ebook only: $2.50-$8.00 per ebook download

Print-on-demand services: $5 -$15 per copy

Mass market paperback: $10 -$20 per copy

Traditional publishing houses: $25 -$35 per copy

So, generally speaking, you should expect to earn somewhere between pennies and a couple of bucks per copy, although things can vary greatly depending upon your audience.

What is the average salary of a successful author?

This largely depends on two factors: fame and success. Obviously, being famous means more opportunity to gain notoriety, which translates to higher payouts. Likewise, achieving significant success comes with greater demand for your talent, meaning better compensation.

For instance, last month alone saw several high-profile celebrities receive backlash for comments made on Twitter regarding politics. When actor James Woods tweeted his support for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, fans called him numerous derogatory terms, resulting in his account temporarily deactivating. Later, the same day, former SNL cast member Aidy Bryant responded to similar criticism by calling everyone a “fucking idiot.” She later apologized, clarifying her remarks in an interview with Vulture. Meanwhile, actress Leslie Jones deleted her Instagram page shortly thereafter due to racist trolls harassing her relentlessly. Although she eventually returned to the platform, Jones didn't seem happy about it.

On the flip side, Joss Whedon gained worldwide recognition as the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and Serenity, all of which grossed tens of millions of dollars at the box office. His latest project, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, recently became Marvel Studios' highest opening weekend ever, bringing in almost $238 million domestically.

That said, it's hard to estimate exactly how much money an individual makes because it varies widely. Factors that influence this include: age, location, gender, race, education level, marital status, number of children, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, occupation, industry, net worth, credit rating, health insurance coverage, and disability history.

It's important to note that earning potential differs significantly depending upon where you live. People living in rural areas typically earn less than city dwellers, for instance. Furthermore, women tend to earn slightly less than men overall, and black Americans earn approximately 20% less than white workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How many books does the average author write?

Again, this largely depends on fame and success. Successful novelists often produce multiple titles per year, whereas lesser known authors focus mainly on a single title.

One major factor affecting this is how much attention the author receives from mainstream publications. Generally, the bigger the publication, the more books they publish. More relevant to our discussion, larger magazines tend to have more clout with retailers and consumers alike, allowing them to charge higher prices and garner higher royalties.

Last year, novelist John Scalzi released three separate editions of his science fiction series Old Man’s War, ranging in size from 25k to 75k words apiece. Each version contained roughly the same plot and characters, except for minor differences in pacing and style. Despite the similarities, Scalzi earned substantially different amounts for each edition.

Scalzi told NPR that he did this intentionally to satisfy niche markets and reward loyal followers. “My goal was to release three versions that satisfied three groups of readers,” he explained. “Those who wanted fast action got the shorter [novel], those who liked longer arcs got the middle one, and those who needed deeper plots got the longest… My hope was that everybody would buy one of the forms, and I would keep track of my metrics and know exactly who bought what.”

I'm not good at making decisions and so I often end up with more things than I need or want.

In my life, I've had several jobs that were just temporary fixes for me because they didn't suit my personality (or the economy), but also several careers that were actually fulfilling in their own way. One of them was being an author. Writers are some of the most creative people around, why shouldn't we be able to earn money from our creativity?

There's no shortage of articles about how to become a freelance writer, how to start your own business as a freelancer, etc., which all seem pretty straightforward. But what happens when you're lucky enough to have two passions -- one of which pays well! -- come together? That's where I am today. And since I love sharing stories, here's how I made the transition from writing hobbyist to full-time career author.

How do you make money writing Reddit?

Before starting my first book project, I wanted to know how writers who aren't published traditionally could even begin thinking about getting paid for their work. To my surprise, there wasn't really anything concrete out there about earning royalties through working online, despite the fact that millions of people use Reddit every month. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own path.

The best thing about writing for Reddit is its accessibility. You don't need experience or special training to publish content on Reddit and while other websites may require a degree in journalism before posting something, Reddit lets anyone sign up. It doesn't matter whether you're shy or outgoing, newbie or veteran, experienced professional or amateur, male or female, queer or straight. What does matter is if you think r/aww is hilarious. If you do, then you should consider becoming a contributor.

You'll be given a username, a profile picture, bio information and links back to your website(s). Once you submit something, you'll receive feedback within 24 hours from mods or users who read your post. Then, it takes another 48 hours for moderators to approve submissions. After that, you'll see the following notification: "Your submission has been approved." Congrats!

Now, let's talk numbers. According to Reddits research team, there are over 1 million active subreddits and over 100 million monthly pageviews across those sites. The average user spends seven minutes per day browsing Reddit, meaning that by itself alone, Reddit generates approximately $30 billion worth of ad revenue each year. Now imagine if only a small percentage of these clicks were coming from nonfiction content...

So yes, I did the math. My first step towards turning my passion into profit was finding a publisher willing to invest in the idea that people would pay to learn about topics related to self-improvement, relationships and lifestyle choices.

After months of searching, interviewing agents and publishers, reading countless books written by established authors and analyzing potential markets, I finally signed a deal with HarperCollins Publishers last week. In short, I wrote a proposal outlining everything I'd learned thus far and explained exactly how I planned to structure my earnings. When I received word that the company agreed to give me the opportunity, I felt empowered. Here I was, a 23-year-old college dropout without any qualifications except for having a penchant for writing words, and yet I still managed to secure representation from a major publishing house.

It turns out that many successful authors got their start submitting posts on forums such as Reddit when they weren't old enough to legally drink alcohol, drive cars or vote. Since Reddit isn't technically a publication, though, you won't necessarily hear about your successes unless you follow certain guidelines. If you decide to pursue a career as a writer for Reddit, keep in mind that you're responsible for ensuring compliance with Reddit policies and community standards. For example, don't forget to include credit links in your signature box.

As for the actual process of creating original content, I found that it's similar to blogging in terms of workflow. First, you brainstorm ideas based on existing interests. Next, you outline your thoughts and compile drafts. Finally, once you feel confident about your final product, you send it off to editors for review. Most importantly, always ask for constructive criticism from readers. They might provide inspiration for future projects or encourage you to try entirely different concepts. Either way, nothing beats hearing honest opinions.

While it took me longer to complete my first novel compared to traditional publications, I spent less time crafting individual blog entries and more time focusing on quality instead of quantity. Writing for Reddit helped me gain valuable insight into what readers liked and disliked about my pieces. This allowed me to fine tune my next draft until I eventually reached satisfaction. As for marketing myself, I plan on using social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, along with email outreach. Hopefully, in the near future, I'll have resources available to assist aspiring contributors looking to build their own brands.

My advice for budding writers? Don't worry about trying to impress others, especially if you haven't written professionally elsewhere. Focus solely on providing value to your audience. Whether you choose to focus on fiction or nonfiction, you should never neglect the importance of strong grammar and punctuation, clear descriptions, cohesive sentences and correct spelling. Just don't forget to breathe.

How much do authors make Reddit?

Well, that depends on a number of factors. Obviously, quality is key. However, you also need to consider the platform you intend to use to distribute your work. While Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing allows you to set your price range anywhere between free and five dollars, Reddit charges fees ranging from 25 percent to 45 percent depending on the amount of traffic your piece receives.

If your goal is simply to supplement your income rather than replace it completely, you should look into options such as affiliate sales, sponsored posts or direct ads. These methods allow you to generate passive income from the sale of products or services unrelated to your primary line of work. Additionally, you retain ownership of your intellectual property during the entire period of collaboration.

On the flip side, if you already enjoy writing and would prefer to go in headfirst with a regular gig, you can usually negotiate compensation packages with employers ranging from $0.01 to $1 per item sold. Again, however, you'll likely face additional fees if you wish to republish your material elsewhere.

Another option is to join subscription programs offered by larger publications. Some popular ones include Patreon, Publii, KoMarketing and Payhip. Basically, you agree to donate a portion of profits earned from subscriptions to the program in exchange for access to exclusive materials. This method works great for both parties involved but requires a lot of upfront investment and commitment.

Regardless of your chosen approach, it's important to understand that your contributions to Reddit will rarely ever yield financial rewards. There are plenty of examples of famous writers who started out contributing to smaller communities before receiving widespread notoriety later on. Take Stephen King for instance. He began his literary journey by penning horror tales for local newspapers, magazines and newsletters. Before he became known for novels such as Carrie and Misery, he contributed to dozens of smaller blogs under various pseudonyms. Similarly, legendary journalist Hunter S. Thompson penned numerous essays and columns for Rolling Stone Magazine, Esquire and others before achieving mainstream success with Hell's Angels magazine. His reputation preceded him long after he stopped writing for print publications altogether.

To put it bluntly, you probably won't become filthy rich from your efforts on Reddit. But hey, maybe you'll meet Mr. Rogers someday. Or at least make lifelong friends. Who knows?!

Can being a writer make you rich?

This question is extremely subjective and largely dependent upon personal preferences. Although some people spend endless amounts of time dreaming about quitting their 9-5 job to live off the land, I personally believe that true wealth comes from pursuing passions that bring us joy, happiness and fulfillment. With that said, if you truly desire riches beyond monetary gains, you may be better suited to joining a startup than striking out on your own as a novelist.

However, if you're interested in building a solid foundation for yourself, there are definitely ways to monetize your efforts. Below are three simple strategies to help guide you toward greater prosperity:

Become an expert in your field. People tend to trust experts more than strangers, which means you'll stand apart from everyone else. By offering knowledge gained through years of education, practical expertise and hard work, you'll gradually develop a loyal fan base eager to purchase your latest offerings. Of course, you'll still have to market yourself effectively but that's half the battle right there.

Write a book. Books sell. No doubt about it. Even if you fail to convince an agent or editor to represent you, you can still turn your passion into profit by independently selling copies via retail outlets, libraries and private sellers. Plus, if you're talented enough, you can even produce your own audiobook.

Create digital products. Digital downloads such as ebooks, audio files and video tutorials offer a viable alternative to physical versions. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars printing thousands of copies of a single paperback, you can charge customers roughly 40 cents apiece for high-quality digital editions. On top of that, you can apply the same pricing model to premium features, such as extra chapters and bonus items.

There are plenty of ways for people to earn money online – from blogging and article writing, to selling digital products like ebooks or subscriptions. But what about making money by "writing" content for other websites?  It's called ghostwriting, but the practice seems to be gaining popularity among young authors who want their work published without having to do all the legwork themselves.

The most common way that ghostwriters are compensated is through royalties -- meaning they receive an agreed upon cut of sales revenue once their book has been released by an established publisher (for example Random House). This works well for books because there aren’t too many variables involved in the process, since a company with decades of experience behind them already knows how best to market and distribute novels. It also means that authors are guaranteed payment even after publication. However, when it comes to short stories, poems, articles and blog posts, things change. Unlike traditional publishing companies, self-publishing platforms don’t have large marketing departments and distribution networks set up specifically for non-fiction. As such, getting your work read and accepted by major publishers often requires some serious elbow grease.

So where does that leave budding writers looking to publish their manuscripts via these new sites? Some platforms offer “royalties based only” which allows readers to download free copies of your ebook/book chapter/article before paying anything at all. Others allow users to pay per post or comment (in exchange for access), while still others simply take a percentage off the top of each sale, no matter whether your work was viewed or clicked on beforehand. In order for those reading your pieces to ever see one cent of compensation coming your way, you must either convince them to purchase something, share your piece on social media or sign up to follow your account so they can keep track of your future contributions.

As you might imagine, this doesn’t exactly lend itself to quick success unless you happen to live in Silicon Valley, London, New York City or Tokyo. And just because you may not be able to land yourself a multi-million dollar contract right away, that doesn’t mean you won’t eventually gain enough clout within your chosen field to start receiving requests from various publications seeking out your services. The bottom line here is that anyone can succeed as a freelance author today - provided they're willing to put in the time necessary to build relationships and establish credibility.

We spoke to two successful independent authors to learn more about how they made money as bloggers and why they think the trend towards hiring freelancers instead of fulltime employees is likely to continue growing. Here’s what we found.

How much does a first novelist make?

In 2012, Forbes magazine surveyed several hundred literary agents throughout North America and Europe to determine average annual earnings for writers. They concluded that the median income for a fiction agent working 10 years was $140,000, while the lowest earning percentile received less than five percent of that number. When asked why she thought more authors weren’t going into business representing their own clients, Shelly Lippincott owner of Snatch Books said, “I think the biggest problem is finding the time to run a career alongside being a mother or father. Many would love to write but lack the financial resources and support systems needed to pursue their dreams.”

If you look past mega-selling celebrity authors, however, you’ll discover that most writers actually struggle financially. While it can certainly help to be born rich, luck plays a huge factor in determining whether you'll end up better off or worse off than your peers. According to statistics cited by Literary Hub, over half of U.S. authors earned less than $10,000 in 2011, including nearly 80% of female authors [Source]. One reason for this disparity is that few writers invest in building a personal brand outside their primary occupation, which includes everything from developing contacts and networking skills to learning how to effectively present oneself as a professional expert.  Another important consideration is the fact that many aspiring writers fail to realize that creating compelling literature isn't always easy. Even though millions of words are written every year, very little of that material makes its way onto bookstore shelves. Most of us spend our days trying to figure out how to promote ourselves so that potential employers will recognize our value. If you've never had to worry about landing a job yet, try living for three months on next to nothing then tell me how you feel.

Can a writer become a millionaire?

One thing’s clear: if you’re starting out hoping to make hundreds of thousands of dollars overnight, you should probably give up now. Though it might seem enticing at first glance, becoming wealthy is rarely an immediate possibility for newcomers to the world of writing. That said, it’s possible to achieve modest levels of monetary success through freelance efforts alone. Just ask Amanda Hockings, whose debut novel, Little Birds, was recently optioned by Warner Brothers following her decision to go indie. After sending countless query letters and pitching producers directly, Hockings finally took matters into her own hands by posting a sample chapter of her manuscript on Barnes & Noble’s website in 2008. Three weeks later, she got a call asking her to send another copy. Since then, she says, “it hasn't stopped!”

Hockings' story proves that persistence pays. However, it wasn't until she started actively promoting herself across multiple channels that she began seeing significant results. For instance, she joined Twitter in 2009 and quickly noticed that celebrities were using the platform to communicate with fans. At first, she didn't understand what they meant by tweeting, but soon realized that celebrities could use the site to respond to comments and questions posted by followers. Shortly thereafter, she decided to join Facebook as well. By 2010, both Twitter and Facebook became integral parts of her promotional strategy. Today, she maintains active profiles on both sites and uses them to interact with readers.

According to Hockings, it takes hard work, perseverance and patience to reach success as an unknown author. You need to develop a strong network of connections, create buzz around your name and craft a unique voice. Once you master this formula, opportunities will begin appearing from seemingly out-of-the-blue sources. A good place to start is by joining relevant forums and blogs related to your genre. Then, start participating regularly by commenting on existing posts or sharing links to your own original creations. Before long, you'll notice that people begin recognizing you as an authority in your area of expertise. Soon, the doors will open and suddenly you'll find yourself surrounded by eager editors and publishers interested in signing deals. It really is that simple.

Can writers make a lot of money?

With every passing month, the amount of money available to writers continues to grow exponentially. Gone are the days when you had to wait six months between submissions or hope that a friend liked your latest romance novel. Now, thanks to eBook stores, print-on-demand services and direct communication with readers, writers can choose to submit whatever they wish whenever they wish. With technology advancing at warp speed, the possibilities for generating cash flow remain virtually limitless. So what kind of income can you expect to generate? Well, it depends entirely on your ability to connect with and engage the audience that wants your product. Whether you decide to approach this task on your own or hire a team of ghostwriters, PR professionals, marketers, editors and proofreaders, the sky truly is the limit.

How much money can you make as a writer?

Though it varies greatly depending on your individual circumstances, it's safe to say that the majority of writers earn somewhere between zero and ten thousand dollars annually. To illustrate, let's consider a hypothetical scenario involving Jane, an ambitious 30-year old woman who writes romantic comedies featuring hunky doctors. Let's assume that Jane publishes four titles a year and sells 1 million units total. Through royalty agreements, Jane receives 4% from sales volume totals of 500k, 750k, 950k and 1m. Assuming a unit price of $4.00, this translates to approximately $1650 monthly gross profit ($6640 yearly) plus expenses totaling roughly $5200 per annum ($21,600 per year). Of course, this calculation is highly simplistic, but illustrates the basic principle. Obviously, higher volumes translate into greater profits, but bear in mind that it usually takes a considerable length of time to amass sufficient numbers of loyal customers to guarantee steady residual income.

In addition to publishing fees, many popular genres provide additional avenues for increasing revenues. Consider, for instance, JK Rowling, Stephen King, Michael Crichton, James Patterson, John Grisham, William Faulkner, Robert Ludlum, Arthur Conan Doyle and Dan Brown. Each of these prolific authors earns substantial sums through exclusive contracts from reputable publishers in conjunction with third party licensing arrangements with brands ranging from Starbucks coffee to Disney movies. Those who opt to stick solely to the virtual inkwell will almost invariably struggle to replace their day jobs. Still, as mentioned earlier, it's entirely possible to make decent livings as an unknown author by mastering effective promotion techniques and leveraging modern technology. All of the aforementioned steps are critical to succeeding as a pro blogger, novelist, poet or journalist. What separates the pros from the rest of us is knowing how to execute these strategies properly. Good luck!