Hello There, Long Time No Talk
Oh hey, it’s been a few months huh? How have you been? I’ve been reallllllly busy with a lot of things, the Holidays creeping up, trying to keep myself fed and my home clean, and trying to get my novel published. I’ve been sending queries out to literary agents these past few months, it’s all rejections so far but that’s the name of the game really. It’s sort of consumed my thoughts for a good long while now, and that’s sort of what this post is about.
My possible future with writing.
Stepping out of your comfy safe box really gets you thinking hard don’t it? About your priorities, about your desires, aspirations, and the possibilities of your future; along with all the possible points of failure. Friends, I’ve been wracked with uncertainty for months, worried as my savings dwindle, worried at how slow it is to wait for publishing to actually get around to looking at my pitches. I’m always worried I’m not good enough to make it, despite the many many people who call me their favourite author.
It’s silly I know. But no matter how big a creator you admire might seem, we all struggle with the same imposter syndrome. I’m perpetually worried that I’m going to run out of money before I get a novel deal. I’m worried that no one will pick it up, and self-publishing won’t go well either. I’m perpetually worried. It’s stressful, and it’s definitely taken a toll on me these past three months.
But it’s not all bad. That worrying has led to me making some positive decisions, exercise, eating better, sleeping more, drinking more water and more. I’ve also reaffirmed my desire to make writing my full time job no matter what. I’m determined to make it work, and thankfully, I have a plan.
The Plan for 2026
I want to reach more people, and that means expanding out of my comfort zone. New fandoms, new stories, and dare I say jumping on popular media quicker. I’m thankful to the clients who already force me out of my comfort zone of TOH and TLT, because not only will I encounter new readers, it’s also really fun to write new characters. A refreshing change of pace. It’s nice. But just writing more isn’t quite enough.
I’ve considered more options for making a decent living in a world that’s only getting more expensive to live in. I’ve considered doing art commissions, I’ve considered merch, I’ve considered making physical books of my work. Though I’m not certain on the legality of that last one, though it would be very fun! Merch and art comms are possible, but not currently top priority for me, let me know if you’d want any of those from me!
I’ve recently crunched some numbers, to try and stabilize my finances without sacrificing my quality of life too hard. In doing so I’ve realized something important, if not a little difficult. Now, the elephant in the room. I haven’t raised my commission prices in three years. I’ve avoided it for a variety of reasons, partially self-doubt, partially from not needing it thanks to other sources of income, and partially from already being more expensive than most of my peers.
But I’ve improved a lot since I started taking writing commissions on a whim, I’ve learned a lot, and written over a million words of fanfiction as well as a whole novel. If I want to do this full time, I need to be able to afford life. So, after consulting a lot of my professional friendos, I’m going to raise my prices across the board in 2026.
Prices
So, let’s keep this short and sweet. Currently my prices are 5 cents per word, or $100 per 2000 words. I’m planning on doubling that to 10 cents per word, or $200 per 2000 words. It’s a big jump, but I think my writing is worth it. Subscribing via Subscribestar is going to be cheaper than paying per commission. But I only have limited slots there.
I’d love feedback on all this, so feel free to leave a comment! I also understand if higher prices are too much for you <3 I hope you continue enjoying all my writing on AO3 regardless. See y’all soon!
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