Make Some Extra Money from Your Published Book

Guardian Angels by Issa Noor

So, you’ve got a published book—or two, or ten. But when the royalty statement comes, you’d think you’d written a pamphlet for ghosts. Many publishers do minimal marketing. They sit at their desks waiting for bulk orders while authors like you agonize over tiny royalty payouts—maybe 10% if you’re lucky.

Some won’t pay you a cent for two years. Others wait for you to walk in with a “starving artist” story before they release crumbs. Yet all the while, they’re earning from every copy sold. If you want some coins in your pocket while pushing sales, you’ll need to play smart. Here's a strategy I used when I was a broke, hustling writer—and it still works today with a few modern tweaks.

Step 1: Get Your Hands on Your Own Book

Visit your publisher and request at least 20 copies of each title. Don’t pay upfront. As the author, you’re entitled to copies on credit—after all, you wrote the thing. Let them deduct from your future royalties. If your publisher hesitates, remind them this move helps both of you sell more.

Step 2: Buy at a Discount, Sell Like a Pro

Negotiate a 25–30% author discount—same as bookshops get. If your book retails at KSh 1,000, pay KSh 700–750 per copy. Sell at full price. You pocket the difference, and you still get your royalty on top later. Whether you treat that margin as an advance or a side hustle bonus is up to you—but the math works.


A Swahili tale about an adventurous cockroach by Emmanuel Kariuki
A Swahili tale about an adventurous cockroach by Emmanuel Kariuki

Step 3: Be Your Own Bookshop

Always carry a few copies in your bag. Opportunity often hides in plain sight.

  • Talk to your circles: Coworkers, friends, extended family—they’re your warm market. Tell them about your book. Better yet, show it. Autograph it with flair.

  • Target traders and workers: People in offices, stalls, or buses often don’t step into bookstores. Bring the books to them.

  • Use printed flyers (or PDFs on WhatsApp): Not everyone buys right away. Hand them something with your photo, book cover, and contact info. Old school still works.

Step 4: Tap Bookshops Directly

Find small or independent bookshops your publisher may have skipped. Offer them stock at the same discounted rate you got it. They’ll make their margin, and your book gets shelf space. You both win.



A story with animal characters by Emmanuel Kariuki
A story with animal characters by Emmanuel Kariuki

Bonus: Add Digital Tools
Today, don’t stop at paper flyers. Include:
  • A QR code on your flyers linking to a blog, sample chapter, or your Buy Me a Coffee page.
  • Share short, punchy sales videos on WhatsApp status or Facebook.
  • Offer a small discount for bulk purchases or signed copies.
Final Word
This strategy won’t just put money in your pocket—it builds your brand and keeps your name alive beyond dusty royalty sheets. Don’t wait for your publisher to remember you. Move those books yourself. Be proud. Be visible. And if someone says, “I didn’t know you were an author,” smile and hand them a copy.
Ready to autograph some sales?

If you enjoyed this piece and would like to support more reflections like it, feel free to Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps keep Kenya’s voices and stories alive.

I am an artist who also writes fiction. I speak English, Kikuyu, Kiswahili, some French, and some Lingala. I understand several Kenyan Bantu languages and a bit of the Nilotic 'dholuo' (Obama's father's mother tongue). I can play some guitar and piano but I spend more time reading and writing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments are very important to this blog. Feel very free to make your opinion known. We will respect it.

Popular posts from this blog

Who care's in Nairobi?

Image
This article is a work of satire and fiction. The events and characters depicted are purely fictional and intended for humorous entertainment purposes. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect reality or endorse any specific behaviour. The City of Nairobi The streets of Nairobi are littered with garbage, hawkers, kiosks, etc. In fact, this former city in the sun has become one big open-air market with no planning whatsoever. Now that the election is round the corner, things are worse. Getting rid of the hawkers would be like throwing good votes into the sea so no politician will touch them.  Besides the garbage, refuse, and overflowing and bursting sewage system, the planning officers add to the pollution by spewing empty vitriol and unnecessary verbiage. We know that they are chasing rate defaulters because they want to raise money for the coming elections—the biggest ever in the history of independent Kenya.  On the sidewalks one faces the risk of fal...
Read more

The Dark Sparkle in Your Smartphone: Unpacking the Story of Coltan

Image
                                                           Image from https://rb.gy/9ly6qn Introduction: Ever wonder what makes your sleek smartphone, your trusty laptop, or that immersive gaming console tick? Well, pull up a chair, because it turns out a seemingly ordinary black rock, called coltan, plays a surprisingly pivotal role. My digging into the history of this mineral took me way back to the 19th century and the heart of the Kingdom of Kongo, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Minerals that constitute coltan were discovered were first discovered in the 19th century, though, at the time, its significance was not fully realized. Coltan is an ore containing niobium and tantalum. Niobium was discovered in 1801 by Charles Hatchett, and tantalum was discovered in 1802 by Anders Ekeberg Interestingly, while Europ...
Read more

Konza Techno City: Unpacking the Blueprint for Africa’s Digital Future

Image
Introduction Picture a city where Kenyan innovation takes centre stage—where startups powered by AI, biotech breakthroughs, and fintech pioneers shape the future. This is the vision behind Konza Technopolis, Kenya’s bold move to position itself as a continental tech leader. The city is conceived within the framework of the Kenya Vision 2030 blueprint. Konza is more than just another tech city—it’s Kenya’s bold step toward shaping Africa’s digital destiny. By pioneering smart infrastructure, fostering innovation, and driving economic growth, Kenya isn’t following tech trends—it’s leading them. It is envisioned as a smart, sustainable metropolis fostering innovation and designed to attract a dynamic mix of local enterprises, international startups, research institutions, and even potentially those major tech giants such as IBM, Microsoft, and Intel, who showed early interest, alongside other significant international players like General Electric (GE) and Huawei. While some, suc...
Read more