Over the years, self-publishing has evolved, but what hasn’t changed is the accessibility for the average person to become a published author. Not everyone wants, or needs, to write full-time like I do, so below I’ve listed a number of ways you can use the phenomenon of self-publishing to your benefit.
Start a Second Career
If you’ve ever wanted to be a full-time author and have time to pursue your dream, self-publishing is a great option for a second career later in life. It’s not too late to achieve your dreams, and having a second career can not only be fulfilling, it can be financially rewarding.
Here are examples of famous people who had success later in life:
Thanks to launching her first book, Entertaining, after age 40, by the time Martha Stewart was 50, she was a household name.
Julia Child made her television debut at 51.
Colonel Sanders sold his first KFC franchise after the age of 65.
At 73, Duncan Hines licensed his name for cake mixes.
Grandma Moses started seriously painting at 78, and by the time of her death had produced approximately 2000 paintings.
If you’ve always wanted to be published, don’t let age hold you back.
Generate Extra Income in Retirement
Self-publishing offers the flexibility of writing and publishing on your own terms. In doing so, you can earn additional income in your spare time and supplement your retirement funds.
Depending on the popularity of your books, you can earn passive income for years. You can also use the same story to generate additional income streams by creating audiobooks, translations, licensing to apps, and taking advantage of other opportunities. All of this can be done from the comfort of your own home by selling your self-published titles online.
Add Credibility to Your Business
If you’re a consultant, public speaker, or provide some other service, a self-published book can enhance your business. By selling copies at workshops and speaking engagements, you’ll establish another revenue stream. Perhaps more important, your book becomes a marketing tool that adds to your credibility.
Think outside the box. This opportunity is not limited to marketers and self-help gurus. For example, if you own a restaurant or are a personal chef, self-publish a cookbook. If you’re a minister or counselor, put together a book that provides guidance to potential people seeking your counsel.
Write Your Memoir or Autobiography
Have you lived an interesting life or, as someone mentioned in the comments of my article How to Become a Published Author, gone through an ordeal that could be inspirational for others to read? Unless you’re famous, telling your personal story is unlikely to generate the type of interest and income as commercial fiction would. But writing and self-publishing your memoir or autobiography could be a cathartic process, inspire others going through a similar experience, or provide a meaningful legacy for your loved ones.
Preserve Family History
Along the same lines as a memoir or autobiography, preserving your family history in a book is unlikely to result in significant financial gain. However, it ensures your family stories and traditions are passed down, becoming a keepsake for future generations. The stories can help connect family members and instill pride in their accomplishments.
Get a New Hobby
Maybe you don’t want to make money from writing and want to write for fun, as a hobby. If that’s the case, you can still self-publish your books. The satisfaction you experience from completing a novel will exponentially increase when you read it on your tablet or hold a print copy in your hands that fits on your bookshelf.
Tapping into your creativity can bring joy in your later years, and you’re not limited to writing adult novels. How much fun would it be to write stories for your grandchildren and use their names for the characters? Imagine reading them that bedtime story. They’ll never forget it!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are numerous ways to use self-publishing to your benefit, whether you want to earn income or simply have fun. The good news is, there are plenty of resources available to help you be successful, no matter which path you choose.
Lots of people get the writing bug but don’t know where or how to start, and I’d love to make that happen for you in 2025. I’m running a giveaway for novice self-publishers who have published 0-3 books, and I partnered with two of my favorite vendors – Deranged Doctor Design and The Editing Hall. Enter the giveaway if you’re ready to explore writing on a different level.
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Let’s Have a Conversation:
Can you think of other ways you can use self-publishing to your benefit? Have you done any of the six options listed above?