5 Creative Ways to Make Money Writing Poetry

When you think of poetry, you don't really think about it as a way to make money. Poetry is a beautiful way to express yourself and share a piece of your heart with the world. As a poet, I have always wanted to make money doing something that I love. I had always wondered is poetry profitable. I quickly learned that I would not get rich, but I could make some side cash. If you're a poet and you want to make money, I have some tips for you. Listed below are five creative ways you can make money writing poetry.

1. Create Your Own Products

Making a career out of poetry can be hard, but you can create your own products. You can put your poetry on T-shirts, mugs, stickers, prints, and more. Print on Demand sites like Zazzle, RedBubble, and Cafe Press are sites you can use to create products. You upload your poem, and the company will ship the products to the customer.

Etsy is also another site that you can use to create printable wall art or prints. If you need fonts and graphics that are for commercial use, you can use Creative Fabrica. Creative Fabrica is a site that has affordable graphics that you can use for your prints, mugs, and t-shirts.

You can also have your own inventory and send off your merch. With the right marketing strategy, you can create a great side hustle with your passion.

2. Offer Custom Poetry Writing Services

Offering custom poetry services is something that you probably haven't thought of. Many people want to express to their loved ones how much they appreciate them, but they don't know what to say. You can help them by creating a custom poetry gig on Fiverr. This is the best way to start a poetry business. You can write wedding vows, love poems, and more.

Although Fiverr has a price of $5 gigs, you can charge more or create packages. If you don't want to pay the Fiverr fees, you can build your own website or create a Facebook page. Offering custom poetry writing services is one of the most creative ways to make money writing poetry.

3. Write for Greeting Card Companies

Greeting cards are one of the best ways to show how much you care about someone. Why not use your love for poetry to write greeting cards that will be seen in stores. The greeting card market is hard to get into, but it is worth sending in your submissions. On average, greeting card companies pay between $50-$300. Some greeting card companies that accept submission are Blue Mountain Arts, Oatmeal Studios, and Noble Works Cards.

It is important to follow the submission guidelines and look at their cards to see their writing style.

4. Self-Publish Your Poetry Book

If you have ever wondered how to sell poetry, you can publish it online on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. I published my poetry book on Amazon. I only created an ebook to test the waters. How much do poets make? It all depends on your marketing and following.

Personally, I sold only a little over 500 copies, but I did not do any promotion at the time, which was four years ago. Now there are more ways to build a following.

I created my own cover using Canva and found an editor on Fiverr. If you're looking for an affordable graphic designer, Fiverr would be a good option. Publishing your poetry book is one of the best creative ways to make money writing poetry.

5. Get Published in Magazines

Seeing your poem in a magazine is almost every poet's dream and can become a reality. There are magazines that pay for poetry. You can see your work in poetry magazines and share it with the world. The Poet's Market is one of my favorite books to find magazines that accept submissions and contests.

The 2021 Poets Market will be out soon, and then you can buy it on Amazon or buy the 2020 one. Chicken Soup for the Soul is a popular book to submit your poetry to. They are always looking for stories.

Share Your Poetry on Instagram

Instagram is a well known social media site that is perfect for promoting your poetry. Popular poets like Rupi Kaur got her start on Instagram. Now she has about 4.1 million followers and sold millions of copies of her book. Create an account and share poetry to grow your audience. It is important to use hashtags like #poetrycommunity and #poetry.

The conclusion to 5 Creative Ways to Make Money Writing Poetry

Now that you know of some ways to make money selling poetry, you can figure out which one works for you. These creative ways to make money writing poetry will give you some extra cash all while loving what you do.