 Most of my readers know that I love creating my own yarn patterns because I have one of my original patterns in the back of each Yarn Genie Mystery novel. I also list some patterns for sale on Etsy. Costs keep rising everywhere, and it's no secret that Etsy fees have increased substantially. It is costly to operate a business, so I understand this is the cost of doing business on Etsy. Like with my books, I like to keep my pattern prices low because some buyers have little money, and I want everyone to enjoy my patterns. As Etsy costs have risen, I didn't raise prices on my patterns as I consider my craft endeavors a hobby that I only do occasionally when I am not writing.
I didn't understand until recently that when sellers like me list items below their production cost prices, this hurts those who rely on their Etsy business for financial support. Those sellers must factor in their time, materials, and other production costs to get a list price that will allow them some reasonable profit after Etsy fees are paid. It's hard for them to compete for business on Etsy when other sellers list their items below profit levels. So, I've gone through and adjusted my Etsy prices to take into account their higher fees. While being more favorable to those who do crafts for a living, they are still reasonable and affordable for everyone. And I do offer a few patterns here for free if your budget is tighter than Yarn Genie Imogene's purse.
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 Are you a full or part-time writer? I am a part-time writer with aspirations to be a full-time writer. I've had that aspiration for so long without achieving it that it's time to admit that I will never be a full-time writer. Just look at how negligent I've been in doing blog posts here. Or, I'm embarrassed to say just how long it's been since I've published a novel.
It may be time to rethink my approach to writing. I have at least 6 novels I hopscotch around working on. I dig in when I have time and neglect them when I don't have time to do a deep dive. I have four published novels that are doing reasonably well and four Kindle Vella novels that still need to be completed. Have you ever seen the entertainer who spins plates on the tops of long wooden poles? They keep adding more and more plates to the poles until the stage is full. That's wonderful if you can keep them all spinning. My plates aren't crashing, but they do each consume valuable time. It may be time to focus on only one novel at a time until that gets done.  Reading a heart-warming murder mystery while wrapped up in a handmade afghan is one of life's pleasures. It's one of the things to look forward to when the weather turns cooler. And why I love both writing and crocheting!
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Celeste BennettI'm a struggling author, these days what author isn't? I'm learning that life is better when you do what you love and I love writing, when I'm not crocheting or spending time with family. Archives
October 2025
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