Becoming a paid writer is an awesome career move, especially if you love freedom, want to set your own schedule, and cringe at the thought of being trapped in a cubicle. Writing comes with tons of benefits, and one of the most exciting is that you can earn great money doing what you love — writing online!
Take Deni Sahaya, for example. She’s been a nurse, a wedding cake maker, a graphic designer, a web developer (yawn), and even an aromatherapy candle maker. It took her ages to muster the courage to open her notes app and start typing. The hardest part was overcoming self-doubt and fear.
Deni Sahaya
Questions like, "What if I fail?" "What if someone I know finds my writing online?" "What if people make fun of me?" and "I don’t even have a niche — what will I write about?" kept popping up. These doubts felt like a massive wall, almost as daunting as the Great Wall of China, blocking her path from dreams to reality.
After trying out various careers, learning new skills, and hustling to make ends meet, she realized something crucial: writing about her personal experiences could be both fulfilling and profitable. Here’s the proof:
Lots of people find themselves in the same situation — stuck in doubt and not seeing the clear opportunities right in front of them. Writing offers so much potential, giving you freedom and a rich, fulfilling life that’s just waiting for you to start. If Deni Sahaya can do it, you can too!
If the title intrigued you enough to click on this story, chances are you're already familiar with the world of writing. Maybe you've dabbled in blogging or even self-published a book. Or perhaps you're where Deni was four years ago, just considering the idea of giving it a try.
Here's the honest truth: If you feel drawn to write, grab your laptop, phone, or even just a pen and paper — whatever you have — and just start writing!
Why should you start ASAP?
Because the sooner you start writing, the sooner you'll learn to tackle messy drafts, sentences that don’t quite read right, and paragraphs that make no sense. Every writer, even the modern-day Shakespeare and Jane Austin, goes through this process.
Sharing these ups and downs isn’t meant to bore you but to help you understand that it’s okay to feel like your writing might not be worth reading. Feeling embarrassed and fearing failure is all part of the journey.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let's dive into how you can earn $500 a day by selling your ebooks online.
How writing an ebook can transform your career
Some writers use their creative talents to make other people rich. They freelance, hustle, and convince themselves it's okay because they're earning a living doing what they love. However, Deni found that this path wasn't fulfilling or financially sustainable.
Living in the UK, she tried paying her bills by writing on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. But getting paid $20–$50 for a 1,000-word article simply wasn't enough to cover expenses. She had to face the harsh reality: "If my passion isn't bringing in the dollars, something needs to change." Even signing up with prestigious ghostwriting agencies didn't feel right.
She wanted to write about her many passions and the skills she’d accumulated over her life. She longed to be truly free — not relying on freelance clients and their demands.
That's when she decided to harness her resources — marketing, copywriting, SEO, storytelling, graphic design, and a sprinkle of social media skills — and got to work creating something of her own.
In just two days, she wrote her first ebook. It was 30 pages — not that difficult project — and she sold 325 copies in the first six months. That book has now been downloaded 27,000 times.
Her message is clear: You don't need a niche to write a book. You don't need to have it all figured out. Pick one topic — one idea — and take action. She challenges aspiring writers to follow the steps below and publish a 15-page book in the next three days. See what happens. There's no need to spend months, or even years, on a book that might never sell.
The key is to jump on the idea and ride the waves. — Deni Sahaya
Blog or Ebook — What should you choose?
This question comes up a lot, and the simple answer is: Start with a blog and turn it into an ebook.
Here's why:
- Test the waters: If there's no audience for the blog post, it's unlikely your book will sell.
- Refine your content: If there is an audience for the blog post, they can help you make the finished product even better.
- Double your earnings: You get to earn from both the blog post and the ebook itself. That's what Deni calls leveling up and becoming a "writerpreneur"!
Whether your book is fiction or falls under the "how-to" category, you'll need to get comfortable writing a few blog posts around it. These posts will act as breadcrumbs, guiding potential readers to the main event — the book itself.
What does It take to earn $500 a day from selling an ebook?
To earn any amount of money from your ebook, you'll need four things to start with:
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A book people want to read
Deni Sahaya has created a short guide that shows you how to turn your ebook idea into a profitable venture. She believes that most ideas can be refined to go from "This will never make a penny" to "This will consistently earn a significant amount." You can find a link to that guide at the end of this story.
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A platform to sell your ebook
While many new writers head to Amazon KDP, it might not be the best choice if you want to make $500 a day, especially without heavy investment in ads and PR. Here’s some data to consider:
Out of the 8 million titles on Amazon KDP, 33% don't even make $500 a year. While it's possible to succeed on Amazon, there are easier routes. Deni has compiled a comprehensive guide to the best platforms, their benefits, and incentives. You’ll find a link to that guide at the end of this story.
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Creating a great offer
To earn $500 a day, you need to sell:
- 18 books a day at $27 each;
- 30 books a day at $17 each;
- 71 books a day at $7 each.
Understanding these numbers, the next critical step is setting the right price.
How to choose the right price for your ebook
For your book to sell successfully, the value it offers must align with the price your readers are willing to pay.
After publishing over 20 ebooks in the past two years and conducting extensive A/B testing while listening to reader feedback, the author has reached an important conclusion: it's better to underpromise and overdeliver. Keep this in mind when setting the price for your book.
Pricing guidelines
Here are the Deni's general guidelines:
- Books up to 5,000 words: Price between $7 and $17. The final price depends on several factors:
- Genre and market norms;
- Perceived value and content quality;
- Distribution platform fees;
- Marketing and sales strategy.
- Books up to 10,000 words: Price between $17 and $27, considering the factors above.
- Books over 10,000 words: Price between $27 and $37.
The psychology behind ebook pricing
Have you ever noticed how many ebooks are priced ending with the number 7, like $7, $17, or $27? This isn't a coincidence — it's part of a broader marketing strategy known as "charm pricing."
Here's a breakdown of why the number 7 is often used in pricing:
- Is it a real deal?
- Charm pricing is a clever trick where you set prices to end in odd numbers, usually 9 (like $9.99), but sometimes 7 as well. This tactic taps into a psychological bias where customers see prices ending in odd numbers as much lower than they really are. For example, $17 feels closer to $10 than to $20, even though it’s only $3 less than $20.
- Using 7 instead of the usual 9 can make the price seem unique and special, giving customers the feeling that they’re getting a great deal.
- Avoiding price pushback
Ending a price with 7, rather than rounding up or down to a whole number, can reduce price resistance. A product priced at $27 might seem more thoughtfully calculated than one at $30, suggesting fairness and careful consideration in pricing.
- Unconventional charm pricing
While prices ending in 9 are very common — you might notice this with books sold on Amazon KDP — prices ending in 7 are less so. This makes them feel more intentional and less gimmicky, creating the perception that the seller is offering a genuine, carefully considered price rather than using a standard marketing tactic.
This unconventional approach can subtly imply exclusivity or a better deal, since consumers are so accustomed to prices ending in 9.
- Mind games and curiosity
Certain numbers, like 7, carry psychological associations that can appeal to buyers. The number 7 is often linked with luck or positive outcomes in various cultures, which might subconsciously influence a customer's decision to purchase.
- Attractiveness and memorability
Numbers like 7 are more distinctive and memorable compared to more frequently used numbers like 0 and 5. When consumers see a price like $17, it sticks in their minds better than a rounded figure. This memorability can encourage impulse buys or make the price seem like a deal that shouldn't be missed.
- Pricing psychology experiments
Research in pricing psychology shows that prices ending in odd numbers, especially 7 or 9, can boost sales. This is thanks to the left-digit effect, where the first digit of a price (like the 1 in $17) is seen as more significant than the rest, making $17 feel much cheaper than $20.
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Building effective content clusters
Think about the last time you bought an ebook or made a purchase. Was it an impulse buy, or did you take some time to consider before spending your hard-earned cash?
This decision-making process represents what marketers call the four stages of a Marketing Funnel. It's essentially the buyer's journey from the first moment they discover your ebook to the point where they decide they must have it.
You might be wondering, what does a traditional marketing funnel have to do with a 'content cluster'?
The simple answer is: everything.
Here's a quick guide to help you see your books flying off the shelves by creating content that aligns with each stage of the funnel:
1. Awareness stage
- Blog posts: Write introductory articles or listicles related to your ebook’s topic to capture attention and drive traffic. These posts should pique interest and offer valuable insights that make readers want more;
- Social media posts: Share engaging snippets, quotes, or infographics from your ebook to raise awareness and generate interest. Use eye-catching visuals and compelling captions to draw in your audience.
2. Consideration stage
- Case studies/testimonials: Publish content featuring success stories or testimonials from readers who have benefited from your ebook. Real-world results help build credibility and trust;
- How-to guides: Offer valuable, in-depth guides or tutorials related to your ebook's content to demonstrate its usefulness and establish yourself as an authority. By reverse-engineering this process, you'll have your blog posts ready and potentially some pre-orders even before you publish.
3. Conversion/decision stage
- Landing pages: Create dedicated pages — ideally on platforms that don't require exclusivity — with clear calls-to-action, detailed descriptions, and specifics about the benefits of purchasing your ebook. Make it easy for potential buyers to take the next step;
- Email campaigns: Send targeted emails with special offers, excerpts from the ebook, or exclusive bonuses to encourage final purchases. Even without an existing audience or email list, there are strategies to reach interested readers directly (as outlined in her new book).
4. Loyalty/post-purchase stage
- Follow-up content: Send thank-you emails along with additional resources or bonuses related to your ebook to build trust and keep your customers happy. This continued engagement fosters loyalty;
- Surveys/feedback requests: Ask for feedback and reviews to improve future content and gather testimonials for social proof. If you've turned your blog posts into an ebook, you'll already have initial feedback to build upon.
By creating a content cluster that addresses each stage of the funnel, you effectively guide potential readers from discovering your ebook to making a purchase and becoming loyal customers.
This strategic approach not only boosts your sales but also helps build a community around your work.
Conclusion
So there you have it! By pairing a compelling offer with a well-structured content cluster, you're setting yourself up for real success.
With these strategies, you're on your way to seeing your ebooks fly off the virtual shelves. Remember, the key is to take action and consistently provide value to your readers.
Success in selling ebooks doesn't happen overnight, but with dedication and the right approach, $500 a day can become an achievable goal.
