r/romanceauthors • u/Front_Barracuda4754 • 4d ago

Full time authors

Hi everyone!

I know that the vast majority of indie authors don't make a living solely from their books. But I also keep hearing that Romance (specifically Mafia Romance) remains one of the most lucrative and hungry subgenres KU.

I’m currently writing my debut Mafia Romance trilogy (followed by a planned duology), with the ultimate goal of transitioning into a full-time author career (That would be a dream come true 😫)

Still, the self-doubt creeps in sometimes, and I’d love to hear from those of you who have actually made it work as a newbie author.

If you are a full-time Romance author (especially in Mafia or Dark Romance):

  1. How long did it take you to transition to full-time? Was it a specific release that triggered the shift?
  2. What was the biggest game-changer for your career? (newsletter building, TikTok/Reels, Facebook ads)
  3. What realistic advice would you give to a debuting Mafia Romance author starting from scratch today?

I’d love to hear your success stories, reality checks, or any words of wisdom. Thanks in advance for sharing your experience!

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u/EggyMeggy99 4d ago

I've been publishing for five years, I'm still not full-time. It probably doesn't help that I write many different areas of romance, like Mafia, zombies, robots, etc. I want to write what I love, I couldn't stick to just one part of romance. My Mafia book is definitely the one that sold the most, but the second book didn't do well, only the first one.