Is it too late to add a serious answer?

I joked at the start of this thread, when I said, "I wish I knew ... " (How to make money in folk music) but I have made a living at folk music for the last 4 years, modest as it has been, and it's getting better. I guess I've learned a few things, at least things that have worked for me.

There are a few good practical suggestions above, some that maybe I should have looked at - but I want to make my income from performance and from CD sales, so that is what I've stuck to. I work festivals, clubs and pubs. I sell 2/3 of my CDs from the stage, and CDs are an important portion of my income.

I do spend a lot of time digging, working at bookings, planning tours - and that could become a problem because the business of music can suck the joy out of it - but I'm quite motivated to make it work, so I accept that that is just part of the job.

I ignore the push to become more "marketable" because that would also suck the joy out of it for me - so I develop the music that I love, and hope enough of the "market place" will see the same beauty I do. In truth, rather then become more mainstream, I've become more parochial! But I love it, and I'm still working - so I go with it.

Small victories mean a lot to me. Every year I add new festivals, new concert venues - each one makes my life just a breath easier. I just keep plugging away at it. I work like heck to keep the calendar full, and always try to add new venues to the mix.

I used to travel in hopes finding places to play ... now I travel when I have places to play and there's enough money to make it worthwhile. I take chances, but calculated chances. I guess I try to build on the successes I've had, learn lessons from the places that didn;t work for me. Like that country pop songs says, "some girls don't like boys like me - ah, some girls do!" I stick to the ones that do.

I've read some of your poetry and listened to a bit of the sound tracks, John - you can make this work.