Making Money on Personal Essays, Medium Challenges, & The End of Our Test Season!

Today’s episode is a solo show! Inspired by the incredible J.C. Carpenter, I’m going to be breaking down my (minuscule) earnings from Medium, discussing the history of the personal essay and how we share our innermost thoughts and feelings and relate them to others, and share a few experiments and challenges to potentially make more!

This also marks the final episode of our “test season.” We’ll be back in a couple months with a slightly new format and some exciting new guests. 🙂

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Getting a Master’s in Book Publishing from NYU (with author and podcaster Zara Hoffman)!

“I want to be an agent. I want to be making money for my clients!”

In this week’s episode, we’re chatting with self-published author, podcaster, streamer, theatre geek, and soon-to-be NYU Master’s graduate, Zara Hoffman. At the time of recording, Zara had also been interning at an agency, and we spoke at length about her desire to be an agent in the near future, and the importance of fostering agent-client relationships.

Needless to say, Zara is juggling a lot. One of the main points we discuss is how it’s impossible to do it all every single day. There’s a lot of time management and responsibility juggling, but when it’s things you’re passionate about, Zara believes it makes it all worth it.

I really loved getting to hear Zara’s perspective as she straddles the line between self-publishing her own novels and working for an agent and getting her Master’s in the tradpub sector. It’s a really cool glimpse into the publishing world that not a lot of people get to see from so many angles! So I hope you enjoy hearing from her as much as I did. 🙂

Find Zara Hoffman & her work online!

Her ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/zara

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/zarahoffman

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/zarahoffmanauthortube

And everywhere else: https://zarahoffman.com

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Becoming a USA Today Bestselling Author & Exploring How Self-Publishing Has Changed (with sweet romance author Regina Duke)

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with USA Today Bestselling sweet romance author, Regina Duke!

We discuss what it’s like to continue a long-running series (she’s expecting to publish the 13th book in her Colorado Billionaires series at the end of this year) while also playing around in multiple different genres (sci-fi, mystery, etc.) and all the formats (short story, novella, and novels so far).

Regina also takes us through how the self-publishing industry has changed over the decade she’s been publishing. She takes us through the great years (hitting that USA Today Bestseller list, selling tens of thousands of books in a month) and also the slow years. One of the aspects I loved most about our conversation was Regina’s emphasis on celebrating those big moments but also relishing the freedom that the slower times gift her.

I had such a fun time digging into the nitty gritty numbers with Regina and also discussing how we plan to keep treating ourselves for the work that we’re proud of accomplishing! And I hope you enjoy her insights as much as I did!

Find Regina Duke & her work online!

Check out her ko-fi page for her most recent updates: https://ko-fi.com/reginaduke

Her website: https://reginaduke.com

The Amazon link to her books, though she is a “wide” author so you’ll be able to find her work wherever you buy books!: https://www.amazon.com/Regina-Duke/e/B005KB08YM?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1649872850&sr=8-1

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

You can find me online at Kate Cavanaugh Writes on YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram!

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Writing Musicals, Pricing Freelance Gigs, & Making Theatre Accessible (with songwriter Maiga Vidal)

“A musical is not finished until it’s produced in a theatre for a paying audience.”

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with podcast editor and creator of the MMMA theme song, Maiga Vidal!

Maiga is creating a musical and has streamed the process of creating it on Twitch, from the very kernel of the first idea, to the various contests she’s entered, and even tests out her songs, lyrics, and story on her viewers to see if they land.

She also explains how she pitched her favorite podcast to become their paid editor and breaks down why she wanted to be paid per minute of the pod vs. an hourly rate. We also speak about the importance of tutors and accountability partners and needing the pressure of deadlines to get sh*t done.

Throughout this interview, Maiga routinely hyped me up, and I hope I did the same for her! We had a giggle fest and an incredible time talking over art, what it’s like moving away from the corporate world, having creative siblings, and so much more. I hope you enjoy hearing from her as much as I did!

Find Maiga Vidal & her work online!

Watch her create her musical on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/maigavidal/

Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maigavidal/

Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MaigaVidal

And everywhere else: https://linktr.ee/maigavidal

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Submission Limbo & Receiving Your First Trad Pub Paycheck (with regency romance author Charlotte Anne)

“I remember I once wrote a book that had vikings in it. And I submitted it to a publisher who was like ‘great book, but we just a week ago signed another author for a viking book.’ So it had nothing to do with me, it was just the timing. Timing is so important.

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with regency romance author, Charlotte Anne! At the time of recording, Charlotte had submitted her second book to her publisher but hadn’t yet heard if it would be accepted (and I’m VERY happy to share that it has!!!). Being out on sub is an incredibly vulnerable time as a writer and I feel so fortunate that Charlotte took us through the process with her.

We also chat about how the Australian traditional publishing market works, including payment periods and what marketing promo the author is responsible for. We gush about romance books and the genre as a whole and also discuss her free novel on Wattpad, with almost 550,000 reads.

And while editing this interview, I really felt like Charlotte gave a pep talk about the importance of timing and luck in this industry. She speaks about the contests she’s won, the breakthroughs she almost had but didn’t, and the impact of the Bridgerton TV show becoming a pop culture moment and what that meant for her book (and regency romance as a whole).

Chatting with Charlotte was so illuminating and I had all the giddy fun discussing one of my favorite genres with her. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!

Find Charlotte Anne & her work online!

Her website (featuring that amazing cover): https://www.charlotteannebooks.com

Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotteannebooks/

Buy her book!: https://www.amazon.com/Unworthy-Duke-Charlotte-Anne-ebook/dp/B08KFJFQ7V

Charlotte’s free reads: https://www.charlotteannebooks.com/extras

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Art vs. Content (& sharing my 2021 YouTube revenue statistics!)

Today’s episode is a solo show! After receiving my 1099 from Google, I decided to break down my highest earning “authortube” videos of the year, share how much I make per 1000 views, and tear down a bit of the mystique behind making money off YouTube.

This also inspired a winding discussion of how we define content vs. art, especially in a digital age. (Shout out to my patrons for helping expand my views even more!)

Art is still art, even if it’s not shared, but is content still content without an audience? Are YouTube videos art or content? How much does the intention of the creator matter vs. how the art is consumed??

Let’s spiral together!

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Getting Paid to Write Fiction Online & Impostor Syndrome (with Wattpad Star Auburn Morrow)

“As artists, you know, it’s always like you’re this suffering, starving artist….but I’m thinking about the end game, how am I going to get to the next step in my career. What do I need to do to push that? Something about my time with Wattpad has really made me think about the future. Not just writing stuff because it’s fun, but because the world would be interested in it too.”

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with Wattpad star, Auburn Morrow! With over 650K combined reads and 2 paid stories, Auburn explains the other bonuses of signing an exclusive deal with Wattpad (including a sponsored writing opportunity with Maybelline for National Coming Out Day) and what it’s like to get paid to write fiction online.

One of our main points of discussion is around the artist’s worst, but sometimes closest friend: Impostor Syndrome, and how it stays with us through every step of the creative process. We also discuss time management, our propensity to turn into potatoes if we don’t keep busy, and how to decide between different avenues of publication.

It was such a delight getting to talk with Auburn! I had so much fun manifesting and commiserating together, and I hope you enjoy hearing from her as much as I did.

Find Auburn & her work online!

Her Wattpad stories, including 30 Day Trial Period and The Irresistible Mickey Holly: https://www.wattpad.com/user/ASMorrow

Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auburnmorrowbooks/?hl=en

Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/auburnmorrow

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Why Everyone Should Try Writing Serialized Fiction (with developmental editor & Top Faved Kindle Vella author Kitty Gulick)

“I fired myself!”

Once upon a time, serial fiction was the way most stories were consumed. In today’s episode, Top Faved Kindle Vella author Kitty Gulick explains why you should consider writing serials now. She also shares all of her numbers and what she’s made in her first year of trying to make writing and creativity her full-time gig.

We also chat about the ethics of being a developmental editor, having to fire yourself from jobs, how different her writing vs. editing process looks, and how she prices her services.

I had the absolute best time chatting with Kitty (especially as she lived so close — now she’s off on another RV journey!) She’s fully convinced me to write a serial (especially with how fun and involved the audience can be!) and I’m already thinking of how I could bring my YouTube and Twitch audience in for in-story decision making.

I hope you enjoy hearing from her as much as I did!!

Find Kitty & her work online!

The Explorers: https://readtheexplorers.com

Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittygulick/

Her website: https://www.kittygulick.com

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Selling Plays During A Pandemic & Juggling Social Media Platforms (with playwright and streamer Hayley Haggerty)

“With writing streamers, because of how big and small the community can be…you can’t really count on a consistent revenue.”

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with playwright Hayley Haggerty on selling her first play during the pandemic (and watching the performance over Zoom!) and the wonky, winding road of social media. We ponder over how much time should be spent creating our art vs. growing our audience over social media, and how intricately connected the two are.

Hayley also introduces me to the New Play Exchange and the Dramatist’s Guild and we mull over the additional resources creatives have at their disposal (but that most of us so rarely use!).

It was such a pleasure getting to talk with Hayley (twice!) and she ultimately convinced me to create a single social media handle everywhere (which I did right after I finished editing this episode bahaha).

New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org

Dramatist’s Guild: https://www.dramatistsguild.com

Find Hayley online!

Her Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/hayleyhcreates

Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayleyhcreates

Her TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hayleyhcreates?lang=en

Her Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/hayleyhcreates

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)

Making Art Too Precious & Carving Out Space for Creativity (with writer & painter GiGi Huntley)

“If you ever wanna make money from (your art), you have to step outside your own ego.”

For the inaugural episode of MMMA, we’re chatting with hairdresser, writer, painter, and creativity coach, GiGi Huntley, who owns her own salon in Boise. She was voted “Most Creative” for her high school superlative, but secretly wanted “Best Dressed,” which is the spirit in which this whole episode unfolds bahaha. She creates and posts a piece of art to her Instagram every day, was awarded a grant by The Alexa Rose Foundation in 2020, and hopes to get her novel published later this year.

We discuss finding the overlap between commercial art and what drives your creative spirit, the struggle of making your own art too precious, and the importance of

We also chat self-employment costs, budgeting for health insurance, and the impact of COVID on small businesses.

The conversation was so thought-provoking for me and I’m still mulling over my own choices in making my art too precious. I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did!

Find GiGi online!

Her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gigi_huntley/?hl=en

Her website: https://gigihuntley.com

Support the podcast or recommend a guest here: https://ko-fi.com/makingmoneymakingart

(The Making Money Making Art theme song was create by the incredibly talented and skilled Maiga Vidal! You can find her here: https://www.patreon.com/maigavidal)