Financial Resources for Authors and Indie Publishers

NOTE FROM CEO, Joylynn M. Ross

Notice how in this previous blog post I stated that all workshops and events I am instructing in partnership with The Neon Museum are free? They are. I get to serve my community doing something I love without money being a barrier between them and my professional expertise. But that doesn't mean I don't get paid . . . because sometimes I do.

I admit that when I go out to serve my community, I'm not looking for a check. I'm obligated to serve. For me, it's part of my biblical principles, rules, and laws. But tapping into blessings, provisions, and resources is just wisdom, my friends. So, if there are resources and provisions that will allow me to get paid for some of the services I do within the community, then who am I to block my own blessings?

Depending on how long the workshops are, because of my expertise, experience, certifications, awards, accomplishments, and accolades, I can make anywhere from $200 - $7500 per workshop. And because I'm on teaching artists rosters, I do a lot of workshops in the community throughout the year.

When a community partner doesn't have the budget, the grant won't cover the full cost of my services, or I simply don't win the grant applied for, I waive/write-off the amount not covered and then serve anyway. If you have an accountant as amazing as mine, then you know whenever you discount or write something off (service/product) you're supposed to let Uncle Sam know on your taxes so it's reflected on what he owes you or subtracted from what you owe him. But that's another workshop I do. That's something I teach in my Build Your Book Business curriculum.

Sometimes, the community partner or hosting organization might decide they want to charge a minimal fee to cover the difference, or to simply make participants feel as if they have skin in the game and will therefore show up and do the work. They want to avoid the whole "when folks don't pay, they don't pay attention" syndrome. Either way, I get to serve my community without digging deep into their pockets.

In my Grants, Funding & Other Opportunities for Under-Resourced Authors and Indie Publishers with Joylynn M. Ross and Brandy Miller that I mentioned in a previous newsletter, I'm going to teach you exactly how to do what you love, get paid to do it, but not charge the community you love serving.

The above is a four-hour pre-conference workshop for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) PubU2025 in St. Paul Minnesota. If you don't want to attend the full PubU2025 conference, you can still sign up for Brandy's and my pre-conference workshop for only $99.

To learn more and register now, visit publishinguniversity.org.