How many times have you said those words to yourself?

If you are like most writers, at least once or twice. And if you landed a book contract with a major traditional publisher, I offer my heartfelt congratulations. You successfully navigated the tricky waters of the publishing world and found success. Hopefully, you learned how to build on that success and get more book deals.

However, if you have not published any books, don’t worry. What I am about to teach you will help you get your fair share of the book contracts handed out each week from both large and small publishers.

Billions of dollars’ worth of books are published each year, according to multiple sources in the publishing industry. Even when you consider the number of traditionally published and self-published books—ones authors write using their own book ideas—that still leaves a lot of opportunities for any freelance writer to find lucrative work-for-hire book projects.

A work-for-hire book contract simply means the publisher has an idea for a book and is looking for an author to work on the project. In most cases, the publisher provides an outline and a chapter-by-chapter summary of what needs to be included. They will also assist you with research and show you where to find background information if necessary. Some of my work-for-hire projects have been with Zondervan, Barbour, and other Christian publishers.

How much money can you make for these types of projects? It varies from publisher to publisher, and of course, larger companies pay more than smaller ones.

In the past, I have done work-for-hire projects for rates ranging from $500 (for a small school library book) to $20,000 (for a business book with a major publisher).

It might be hard to believe, but many editors from both large and small publishing companies tell me “we can’t find enough writers to create these books.” That means many book ideas are delayed and may never see the light of day.

Authors spend years writing a book. If they are fortunate enough to find a traditional publisher, it may take many more years to reach several thousand dollars in royalties. That’s why every author should consider looking into work-for-hire book projects.

NOTE: John will give the keynote addresses at the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference this month.

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John Riddle is a freelance writer, author, ghostwriter, and donut eater. He is the author of 34 books with a variety of traditional publishers and has self-published 3 books for writers. In 2002, he launched “I Love to Write Day” as a grassroots campaign to encourage people of all ages to spend time writing every November 15th. His latest book is The PAC Method For Writers: How Prayer, Attitude And Confidence Can Lead You To A Successful Writing Journey.