Amateur writers are people who love to write but lack the connections or money to support their passion. Though it may seem like a waste of time to those who have plenty of connections or money, writing without compensation is the perfect way to learn how to write and develop your skills, while earning some extra cash along the way!
There are many ways to make money as an amateur writer. You can take a traditional approach and pitch your services to magazines for free. You can also create blogs for profit. Or perhaps you’ll decide to run a website where you can post your stories for people to read and enjoy. Keep reading to discover how you can earn as an amateur writer.
The Magazine Approach
If you want to make money as a writer, the first place to start is by pitching your services to magazines for free. Pitch your story ideas to the editors of general interest magazines. These magazines are places where your unique voice can be heard by the right audience. Though you will not earn very much money with this method, you will develop your skills and gain invaluable experience.
To succeed as a freelancer, you must be able to convince an editor that your story will be of interest to their readers. To convince them that you are indeed the best person for the job, you must have a strong portfolio, detailing your previous work, along with samples of your writing, or artwork. If possible, guest lecture at a local college or university about your career choices. This will also help you find potential sponsors for your work.
Blogs & Websites
In addition to pitching to magazines, you can use your unique voice to create a blog for profit. Though many amateur writers use blogs to practice their skills or to provide free content for their fans, you can use your blog to make money. Create a blog that covers a specific topic, such as fashion or lifestyle. Or create a blog that covers a broad subject and uses your talent to offer unique perspectives on the subject, like celebrity gossip or foodie blogs. Your main goal is to attract and retain a devoted following who will visit and engage with your blog on a regular basis.
To make money from a blog, you must be able to drive traffic to your site. To do this, you can join affiliate programs, such as Amazon Affiliate Program, or use a tool like Google Adsense.
Stories For Sale
If you’re looking to make quick cash, you can create and sell your own original stories, articles, or books as a writer. To get started, create a professional-looking website, or mobile app. Then, create content that’s unique to your site, or app, such as an article about how to choose the right wine to go with your meal, tips on how to travel to Italy on a budget, or how to be a better parent. Get the URL of your site, or app, and begin to build a following. Once you have a decent amount of content, create a short book about a romance subject, such as love, marriage, or family. Finally, create a piece of content that’s specific to mobile users and optimise it for their platform, like a news story for mobile users or an app review for those on the go.
Traditional Magazines
If you’re looking to develop your skills and gain experience, you can take a traditional approach and pitch your services to magazines for free. Though it may seem like a waste of time to those who have plenty of connections or money, writing without compensation is the perfect way to learn how to write and develop your skills, while earning some extra cash along the way!
To succeed as a freelancer, you must be able to convince an editor that your story will be of interest to their readers. To convince them that you are indeed the best person for the job, you must have a strong portfolio, detailing your previous work, along with samples of your writing, or artwork. If possible, guest lecture at a local college or university about your career choices. This will also help you find potential sponsors for your work.
Get A Business Degree
If you’re serious about making money as a writer, you should consider getting a business degree. Though it may seem like a long way to go to university just to further your writing career, earning a business degree will not only help you achieve your goals, but it will also land you a high-paying job, or allow you to become a successful entrepreneur.
To start, you can take a look at the BizEaze website, which provides a guide to getting a business degree and a career in business. As a business major, you will not only develop your skills as a writer, but you will gain additional job responsibilities, like marketing, sales, and management. Though the degree may be expensive, the return on investment is worth it.
Get A Professional Address
A professional address, like a business card or an email address, can really help you stand out in the crowd. Give yourself a professional vibe by getting a business card or an email address that looks as good as possible. A gorgeous business card will give you an instant professional identity. However, you must keep in mind that these are expensive options and good quality is necessary to pull it off.
If you’re looking to make quick cash, you can use your existing social media profiles to create a professional-looking YouTube channel, or Vimeo profile. Then, create content that’s unique to your site, or app, such as an article about how to choose the right wine to go with your meal, tips on how to travel to Italy on a budget, or how to be a better parent. Finally, create a short book about a romance subject, such as love, marriage, or family. If you can get the attention of publishers with these unique voices and talents, you may just be on your way to success!