Can You Make Money Writing Family Oriented Stories?

by Nanette Snipes

When I was young, my mother delighted us with what I call “little stories”—
short, family tales with her infamous tongue-in-cheek dash of humor.

Those early stories became a jumping-off place for my own family short stories that have landed in multiple compilation books over the years, including Chicken Soup for the Soul and Guideposts books, among others.

But that’s not how I first started.

I began writing poetry at age ten, and one day I proudly showed my teacher. She made me feel like a rock star—until she showed it to another teacher who said I’d copied it. My disillusionment with writing set in when it happened a second time in the tenth grade. I didn’t attempt writing again until I was an adult.

I Determined Not Only to Write But to Make Money At It

After the last of my four children started first grade, the writing bug hit once more. I determined not only to write but to make money at it.

In the mid-1980s, I began writing columns for several newspapers, including a neighborhood Gannett newspaper. The columns soon morphed into another job as a features writer for a county digest covering a well-known lake community.

Along with those early jobs, I landed a project doing work-for-hire—writing devotions for Walk Thru the Bible’s Tapestry. I also wrote short stories for a children’s publisher, Sunday school stories, and stories for anthologies.

While none of these paid much, it was the beginning of a lifelong dream to create stories that mattered, not only to me but to others.

Through these seemingly insignificant projects, I learned that I felt compelled to write, whether or not I received payment.

For me, learning from the ground up was invaluable, as I now know where I excel, and more important, where I don’t.

My Writing Niche—Family Oriented Stories

I accidentally stumbled onto my writing niche when I wrote my first family-oriented stories, which sold to several Sunday school papers and later to compilation books.

One story, “The Greatest of These,” originally sold to Scripture Press, Standard and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Someone at Woman’s World noticed it in Chicken Soup for the Christian Family Soul and asked to publish it. I made $250, a hefty sum for such a short story.

Most of my family stories went hand in hand with my beliefs, so I naturally gravitated to writing for faith-oriented magazines and books. My family (four kids, a cat and dog, and hubby—not to mention eight grandkids) gave me more than enough fodder to keep my stories going.

To date, I have stories in more than 70 compilation books. However, few of them are paying projects. Although I sometimes receive anywhere from $50 to $150 per story, it’s rare. What is priceless to me is that these stories are personal, and long after I’m gone, my husband and children can reflect on them and share belly laughs.

According to a recent Chicken Soup for the Soul submission, they are accepting essays and poems for inclusion in their newest books. They are now paying $200 per story. Among the subjects and deadlines mentioned are: cats (deadline: Nov. 30, 2020); angels (deadline: Dec. 15, 2020); counting your blessings (deadline: Feb. 28, 2021); and elder care (deadline: Jan. 30, 2021). While $200 is a nice figure for a short story, be aware that Chicken Soup for the Soul guidelines are strict.

The Most Demanding but Best-Paying Editing Job I’ve Had

Discovering my editing niche was a God thing.

In 2004, I began writing articles for a statewide magazine, including acting as a photographer and taking a few covers and inside photos. During this time, two manufacturing companies my husband worked with left the country, leaving employees, including him, without a job. I prayed and then asked my editor if she could provide more assignments. I was disappointed when she couldn’t.

However, two weeks later, she called and asked if I would be interested in a project. Without hesitation, I said yes. Since my husband had been out of a job for weeks, it didn’t matter what the project was. I wanted it.

It turned out to be proofreading between 20 and 25 four-page monthly newsletters, using individual style sheets, with each one varied from the standard AP Stylebook. That was sixteen years ago.

It has been, by far, the most demanding, but the best-paying job I’ve had.

I Learned to Use Different Stylebooks for Editing

After the first year of proofing newsletters, I set up my website. I have a contact sheet listed, and occasionally, garner new clients through it. My website is still a work in progress, and I update it as I find time.

During my first year of editing and proofreading, I learned how to use the stylebooks and accompanying dictionaries. My business client used the AP Stylebook exclusively, with the exception of the individual newsletter style sheets.

About that same time, I tried my hand at proofreading and copyediting self-published books. That endeavor sent me to the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) and the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, which is almost as comprehensive as the CMoS but provides details like capitalization of religious terms, for instance.

Writing Allows Me to Capture My Family’s Funny Escapades; Editing Provides Financial Assistance

For the next few years, I used my newfound knowledge to help people with faith-based, self-published books. Then a good friend, a ghostwriter for royalty publishers, asked for my assistance with memoirs.

Fortunately, she was a good writer, since I don’t do content editing. I did freelance copyedits and proofreading on several of her books for publishing houses like Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, and others.

For new writers, it is an advantage to find your niche. My writing niche is family stories in anthologies; my niche for editing is proofreading/copyediting business newsletters, books, and memoirs. The writing niche allows me to capture my family’s trials, tribulations, and funny escapades; editing provides financial assistance, which, during this time of COVID-19, has been a blessing since my husband took an extended leave of absence from his part-time job.

Networking with Like-Minded Editors Opens Doors

I spent years learning from individuals on various writing lists and writing critique groups. These groups provided leads for anthologies and devotions and other job opportunities.

Later, I joined an editors and proofreaders group, where I gained knowledge of how to start my business and learn the basics of editing.

I garnered most of my newspaper columns and articles projects through phone calls and contacting people in person. Through my article writing for the statewide magazine, two of the articles brought in several thousand dollars of donations to their respective ministries. This made me more valuable to the magazine.

As a result, when there was a need for a proofreader, the client contacted me. The more you can prove your value to a client, the more work will come your way.

Currently, I’m a member of the Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network (PEN), and I pick up editing work from there. However, my business editing is demanding and occupies three weeks out of each month, which leaves about a week for smaller and less intense jobs.

One marketing technique I’ve used in the past was utilizing writing conferences. Just by attending a writing conference as an editor, you can network with a number of possible clients and hand out business cards. The most important thing is you’ll be getting your name out there.

Networking with like-minded editors opens doors. A few years ago, the owner of the Christian PEN contacted me for a project using the AP Stylebook since I was familiar with it. Other editors and writers have sent me projects too. 

My Most Lucrative Type of Editing

The most lucrative type of editing I’ve done, by far, has been writing for a business. Before my editor resigned, she continually sent me paying projects, some of which were extensions of the newsletters and the company itself, but one project was editing a book for the president of the company.

The way to receive more work from clients is to be dependable, go one step further than the next person, consider others’ time, and do a competent job.

Three Characteristics of Good Editors

1. Editors require thick skin because they need the ability to roll with the punches. While criticism occasionally comes from a client, I’ve learned how to shake it off. Most of the time, however, writers highly value their editors, and these clients turn into repeat clients.

2. Editors must have a sharp eye to spot mistakes, whether punctuation, usage, grammar, or style. Early in my career, I learned from Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors by Kathy Ide, owner of Christian Editor Network.

3. An editor should be a guide and mentor, and sometimes, teacher. It’s also the editor’s responsibility to organize the content and improve upon the writer’s skill, making the writer’s work the best possible.

How to Make a Living as a Young Writer or Editor

As a writer, know yourself and your interests.

That’s the best place to start. For instance, whether you’re a dog or cat lover or a fabulous cook, begin with those kinds of articles or stories. Make sure your articles are current, interesting, and either bring a note of excitement or a dash of humor to the piece. Keep in mind that editors love humor.

As an editor, be aware of what kind of editor you are.

Here again, lean toward what interests you most. If you read mostly nonfiction until midnight, begin with editing nonfiction. The same with fiction or creative nonfiction. In the beginning, try out different types of writing and editing to see where you fit. You’ll quickly learn that you’re not destined to write (or edit) sci-fi or picture books, for example, when your true interest lies in romantic stories.

As you gain more writing (or editing) credits, consider going to conferences where you’re able to network with publishers, writers, and other editors. While most conferences are at a halt right now because of the COVID-19 virus, consider looking for those that are taking advantage of Zoom. For one thing, the conference will be less expensive using Zoom since you won’t be adding costs of hotel or air travel.

Above all, don’t be afraid to try something new. You will make mistakes. Everyone does. But if you are persistent and work hard, you will succeed.

* * *

Nanette Snipes is a freelance editor, proofreader, and writer in the Christian publishing industry. She has contributed stories/devotions to more than seventy books (Guideposts Miracle series, Chicken Soup for the Soul, New Women’s Devotional Bible, among others, and has written dozens of magazine articles, devotions, children’s stories.

She has been published in Georgia Magazine, and currently edits their twenty-five monthly newsletters. She specializes in editing memoirs, children’s picture and chapter books, devotions. Clients are self-published and royalty published, including a ghostwriter who writes memoirs for houses like Revell, Tyndale, Zondervan, and others. Member: Christian PEN, Christian Editor Connection.

Owner of FaithWorks Editorial, Nanette can be reached at her website, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

_{Featured image by Emma Bauso from Pexels.}

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Chicken Soup for the Christian Family Soul: Like the original Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, this second volume celebrates wholesome, traditional values and principles. Themes of forgiveness, faith, hope, charity and love will lift readers’ spirits and warm their hearts. The stories in this collection will deepen readers’ faith and expand their awareness of how to practice Christian values in their daily lives–at home, at work and in the community.