A financial analyst discovered her creative side by writing romance novels — and turned it into a six-figure publishing business.
Challenge
Carrie H. spent her days crunching numbers for a living. But one night, after finishing yet another book on her e-reader, she felt uninspired by the options left to read. Every story she came across felt predictable — the characters too young, the romance too shallow.
That frustration planted a spark. What if I just wrote the kind of book I actually want to read?
With no formal writing background, Carrie opened her laptop and began typing.
Action
Her first attempt was messy — she wrote freely, without a plan, only to realize halfway through that the story had no conflict. After learning that compelling fiction needs tension, she rewrote the book completely, studying how successful authors structured their plots.
Once the manuscript was done, Carrie decided to self-publish through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). She hired freelance editors and designers, uploaded her finished eBook, and priced it at $3.99. The first few sales trickled in — then more followed. Encouraged, she kept going.
Over the next four years, Carrie wrote 15 novels, spanning three romantic series. To promote them, she offered the first book in each series for free, knowing readers would come back for the sequels. She built an engaged audience through a blog, newsletter, and social media, sharing updates and bonus content.
Result
To date, Carrie has sold more than 200,000 books worldwide. Her titles have been translated into multiple languages and released as audiobooks. With royalties of roughly $2.80 per eBook sold, she’s earned well into six figures, enough to eliminate debt and build savings for her family’s future.
Although the workload once led to burnout, she eventually found balance by publishing fewer books per year — and rediscovering the joy that started it all.
Lesson
Carrie’s journey proves that creative dreams and financial success don’t have to be opposites. By treating her art like a business — investing in quality, consistency, and marketing — she built a sustainable career on her own terms.
The best stories don’t just happen on the page; sometimes, they unfold in real life.
Inspired by a true story originally featured on Side Hustle School by Chris Guillebeau. This rewritten version is independently produced and fully original.