Breaking the Myth: How Onkarabile Mokoto Turned His Passion for Writing into Profit.

When Onkarabile Mokoto first picked up a pen in 2017 in his hometown of Setlagole/Setlhwatlwe, nestled in South Africa's North West province, he did so not just with a dream, but with a mission. He wasn’t just writing to tell stories—he was writing to rewrite a narrative that had long been embedded in the minds of aspiring creatives: that authors are doomed to a life of struggle and starvation.

Onkarabile was repeatedly told that “authors are starving artists” and “you can’t make a living as an author.” But instead of letting these statements crush his ambitions, he took them as a personal challenge. He decided to prove that not only could one survive as an author—but thrive.

Fast forward to today, and Onkarabile has earned over R145,000 from his books—a figure that continues to rise steadily. His journey is not just a testament to his talent, but also to his entrepreneurial mindset. He didn’t wait for opportunities to come to him. Instead, he created them, using strategic planning, marketing, and innovative thinking to build a sustainable income stream through his writing.

However, his path was not without challenges. Early on, he noticed that many writers around him were publishing powerful and inspiring works but remained financially stagnant. The missing link, he discovered, was not in the quality of the books, but in the ability to turn those books into business platforms. Recognizing this gap, Onkarabile decided to help others avoid the same pitfalls.

This led to the birth of his empowering initiative, Money in Books: How to Turn Your Book into Streams of Income. Through this program, Onkarabile shares both his personal experiences and the techniques he’s used to build his brand and business as an author. He also brings in lessons from other successful writers who have broken traditional molds and found innovative ways to monetize their passion.

The Money in Books program teaches authors how to:

• Monetize beyond book sales by creating products and services related to their content.
• Build personal brands that attract readers, clients, and collaborators.
• Leverage social media as a powerful marketing and storytelling tool.
• Turn their books into workshops, speaking engagements, and online courses that further their reach and impact.
• License their content or partner with businesses to create mutually beneficial opportunities.

These methods are not just abstract theories—they are the very tools that have fueled Onkarabile’s success. From guest appearances on radio shows to facilitating workshops and being featured in media, he has used his books as stepping stones to broader platforms.

He emphasizes a crucial mindset shift: that writing the book is just the beginning. The true journey starts once the book is in the hands of the reader. For Onkarabile, a book is not an endpoint—it’s a gateway to multiple revenue streams and impactful connections.

What sets his approach apart is his deep understanding of the local context. Coming from a community often overlooked in the mainstream literary space, he knows firsthand the limitations and barriers faced by emerging authors in South Africa. This makes his mentorship not only practical but deeply relatable.

Through his story and his program, Onkarabile Mokoto is dismantling outdated beliefs and proving that with the right mindset, strategy, and tools, writing can indeed be profitable. He is not just building a career—he is inspiring a movement of authors who are ready to claim both their creative and financial power.