What are the pros and cons of writing short stories and posting them online for money as opposed to writing short stories just for the sake of writing itself?
The first thing that a writer interested in writing online stories as a means of living must accept is that it’s not easy selling your online stories to willing publishers over the Internet. While there may be a lot of literary agents and publishers out there who may accept your works, the money you can possibly get from writing short stories online is not that big.
Of course there may have been a few writers out there who found it quite easy to write short stories online for online consumption but these are the distinguished few who have already established a niche and a name in the online literary market. Stephen King, being one of the most prominent examples, has already tested the online waters with huge aplomb but that’s because he has already created a name for himself publishing horror novels in the traditional form prior to writing short stories online.
In your case though, being one who is only starting on your literary career, you may find it pretty difficult to penetrate the market when writing short stories online. There might be occasional websites who are willing to pay you decent sums of money but as a general observation, the competition in writing short stories online for money is really tight and difficult. For instance, granted you write short stories online impressively, but most of the online publishing houses would just give you that proverbial glare because you are a new author who has yet to establish a name in the literary market.
As such, it has always been recommended that you write short stories online first for the sake of writing itself before you plunge into using your writing for a living. Sign up to some respectable writing websites for authors who have been writing online stories. Publish your works there until such a time that you’re already noticed by a wider online readership other than your family and kin.
As soon as you have established your name in the various writing websites, publishing companies will eventually notice your talent in writing short stories and before you know it, they’ll be tailing you off and asking you to write short stories online for them. Good luck!
