Trevor Klein has been known to write, make films, draw comics and produce complicated interactive projects, sometimes for money. Read on to learn Trev’s tips on turning your hobby into a great source of income:

It’s a pretty remarkable time to be in the UK.

Almost anyone can learn the fundamentals of filmmaking, get access to a camera (even if it’s in your mobile), shoot something, edit it on a standard computer (or even not edit it at all), and distribute it online for free with a potential audience of millions who, if they like it, will market it for you (again, for free) by sharing it with their friends.

It’s a phenomenally exciting time to be Making Stuff.

And it’s not just filmmaking. Photography, music, art, fiction, journalism, fashion – almost any form of creative expression has had the barriers completely torn down between amateur and professional, private and public. Creativity is being shared and has become a conversation with the rest of the world.

So what’s my point? My point is that for anyone creative it’s never too early to start building up your ‘brand’. If you’ve got a hobby that you’re really passionate about (filmmaking, writing, cooking, whatever), then start putting yourself out there online.

How do you do that? Well, the easiest way is to start a website (WordPress is good, easy, and free). If you have a few quid, register a domain as well, ideally with your full name. This will help you come up near the top when someone searches for you in google (and people WILL be searching for you, probably before and after every job interview you ever have). That way, you can make sure that what people find first is what YOU want them to see, not your old myspace account with those pictures of you making gangster poses in a bandana.

Start making connections with other people doing similar things, or even completely different things. Learn from them, collaborate, get your name out there. It’ll mean you get to do a bunch of cool stuff that you might never have done otherwise, and then, who knows? You might just get to turn your hobby into a job.