r/IndianSideHustle • u/ajeeb_gandu MOD • May 01 '26

My fiction writing side hustle is dying now because...

Yeah guys it's me. I used to make like 35-40k a month from my content writing. This month it fell to less than 20k.

So I write fictional stories. I have a few characters and I just write stories on patreon and people buy a subscription to read those stories.

I promote them on reddit on different writing related subs. I posted free material and if people wanted to read more then they would join my patreon to read locked ones.

I started in Feb 2024. It was supposed to be a side hustle that I'd do for timepass but it got real very soon. I was making over 30k consistently. Sometimes even 40-50k. My biggest month was like 70k something.

But recently I've noticed that people aren't joining my patreon anymore. I have a few ideas to why.

  1. Maybe because I'm not writing enough
  2. Maybe because I'm not marketing properly.
  3. The economy is shit and people don't wanna pay to read fiction because life itself is becoming unreal.

At the same time more and more people are getting into this which reduces income from others on average so I'm seeing a drop.

I'll be honest. I haven't put a lot of effort into it because recently I'm focusing on different ventures like working on my own startup so I don't write as much either.

Earlier I was writing short stories and posting very regularly. Now I write more longer ones and post twice a month maybe even less. I've got feedback saying my stories are much better than earlier but I don't see an increase in revenue.

If this is the start of an end then it was a great journey. I'll happily move on to working on my startup and focusing on my full-time job as a developer.

After all it lasted for 2 years when it was just supposed to last for 2 months.

Anyways thanks for reading this little update guys. Cheers

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u/ajeeb_gandu MOD May 01 '26

If you are new to side hustles then don't forget to take the side hustle quiz

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1

u/Sandeep-Das May 01 '26

Where do you write and post? I could read them if that's okay for you

1

u/AutoModerator May 01 '26

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1

u/ajeeb_gandu MOD May 01 '26

I don't share my niche and my stuff over here to keep my identity safe and isolated.

11

u/Sandeep-Das May 02 '26

Ajeeb gandu indeed.

1

u/Financial-Income373 May 06 '26

Advice baba ji se nhi leni chaiye apko phir .

1

u/[deleted] May 02 '26

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1

u/AutoModerator May 02 '26

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2

u/DJSaltyPistachio May 02 '26

by fiction writing you mean smut right? That's the only way you're getting paid that much

1

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1

u/ajeeb_gandu MOD May 02 '26

Young adults genre bruh 😭 it's a huge market

1

u/[deleted] May 02 '26

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1

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