Most people dream of being able to write for a living, but for various reasons, this may not be possible for them. Some situations like being in prison or dealing with significant personal trauma can make writing very difficult or even impossible. But for the rest of us, there are options to pursue that may allow us to earn a living as a writer, even if we don’t have a lot of experience in this area.
The Many Ways to Make Money As a Writer
One way to make money as a writer is to pitch stories to media outlets. If you can get your name out there and start building a portfolio of work, you may be able to land some freelance writing gigs or even gain full-time employment. To get started, you can search for online writing jobs to find work that fits your skills.
Another way to make money as a writer is to become a ghostwriter. You will be responsible for taking a topic that the client wants written about and implementing it into a piece of content that they can use. You will get paid per piece, so the more you produce, the more you earn. To get started, you can browse freelance writing websites like Upwork or Fiverr to find clients who want written content for various purposes. Just make sure that you are careful when choosing your clients and read their feedback carefully to get a sense of their quality.
Become A Freelancer
If you want to try your hand at freelancing, the first thing you need to do is register with freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. On these websites, you can choose from a variety of independent contractors who are willing to take on freelance projects. You can choose to complete various tasks, from writing to designing to editing, and get paid per piece. The freelance platforms make it easy for contractors to find clients and vice versa. Once you have established yourself as an expert in your field, you can take on more lucrative projects and increase your earnings.
Become A Content Marketer
If you have a knack for marketing, you can put this to use to earn a living as a content marketer. You will be creating content (typically videos) to promote other people’s products or services. You will work closely with a client who supplies you with content for promotional campaigns, and you will get paid per piece based on the results of the campaign. You should look into content markets like Google Ads or Facebook Ads to get started. A highly productive content marketer can generate hundreds of videos per week, all with a potential audience of millions.
Start A Blog
If you want to try your hand at being a professional writer, but don’t necessarily want to pursue a traditional journalism career, you can always start a blog. This is where you will post articles on a variety of topics that you are an expert in. You can either do this yourself or find a professional blogging platform (like WordPress) and hire someone to help you maintain and grow the blog. The more you put out, the more you will attract potential subscribers who want to read your content. You can connect your blog to various affiliate programs, which means that you can earn a living by simply putting out content while also gaining additional income via affiliate sales.
Get Paid To Take Surveys
There are several survey websites where you can make money taking surveys. You will simply need to register, and then you can start earning money by simply surfing the web and looking for online surveys that pay. You get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more popular survey platforms include Swagbucks, OneOpinion and Ipsos iSay.
Try Your Hand At Editing
If you are an editor and feel confident enough doing so, you can always try your hand at editing for a living. You will be responsible for going through a piece of content and making it sound better. You will get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more common industries this applies to include web content and copy for blogs and websites, as well as social media posts and whitepapers.
Try Your Hand At Copywriting
If you have a knack for copywriting, you can put this to use to earn a living as a copywriter. You will write product descriptions, marketing materials, and various other types of ad copy for various businesses. You will work closely with a client who supplies you with copy for promotional campaigns, and you can get paid per piece. The more you do, the more you earn. You should look into copywriting platforms like HubSpot or Marketo to get started.
Try Your Hand At Translating
If you feel confident enough doing so, you can always try your hand at translation. You will be translating content from one language to another. You get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more common industries this applies to include website localization, social media content, and software documentation. Google Translate has a virtual assistant that you can use to look up words and phrases as you translate. You can train it to understand your vocabulary and pick up on your slang, and you can use it to translate entire documents for you while you work. If you want to get started, you can use the translator tool at Google.com/translate and enter your email address to access your free Google Translate account.
Try Your Hand At Proofreading
If you are a fast typer and have a good eye for grammar and spelling, you can always try your hand at proofreading. You will go through articles and read them aloud to identify any errors. You will get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. You should look into freelancing platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to get started.
Try An Online Stakeout For Cash
If you have a good ear for copy, you can try your hand at taking online stakeouts for cash. You will listen to audio files and then transcribe what you hear. You will get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more common industries this applies to include call recording and transcription for businesses, legal and financial affairs, and general reference. You can get started by taking online surveys for cash or by signing up with a freelancing platform like Fiverr or Upwork to find clients.
Get Paid To Take Calls
If you have a good phone voice and can multitask well, you can always try your hand at taking calls for cash. You will get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more common industries this applies to include telemarketing and customer support for businesses and tech companies. You can sign up with an online calling platform like RingVoice to get started.
Sign Up With An Email Marketing Company
If you have a marketing email list, you can sign up with an email marketing company to get paid to send campaign emails. You will get paid per email sent, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more popular email marketing platforms include MailChimp, HubSpot, and Marketo. If you want to get started, you can use email marketing software like Hive, Mailer, and Unsend to get started.
Try Your Hand At Rewriting
If you feel confident enough doing so, you can always try your hand at rewriting. You will be given a script or a paragraph that needs to be completed. You will need to follow the rules and format of the chosen publication, whether it’s a novel, blog post, or research paper. You get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more common industries this applies to include web content and copy for blogs and websites, as well as social media posts and whitepapers.
If you feel like you can handle the pressure of working for yourself, you can start a freelance writing business. You will be responsible for coming up with story ideas, searching for topic material, and then formatting and polishing the content for publication.
Try Your Hand At Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
If you are passionate about SEO and feel confident enough doing so, you can always try your hand at SEO. You will be responsible for coming up with story ideas, searching for topic material, and then formatting and polishing the content for publication. You get paid per piece, so the more you do, the more you earn. Some of the more common industries this applies to include web content and copy for blogs and websites, as well as social media posts and whitepapers.