You have a knack for writing. Whether you pen gripping novels or pen amusing blog posts, you can always rely on you to put your thoughts in writing. You’ve probably always dreamt of being able to make some money off your writing. Maybe you’ve even tried to write for magazines or newspapers but could never quite get the words out there in a way that would sell. Maybe you’ve even tried your hand at editing or even published a book; but you’ve always lacked the perfect platform to reach the audience you deserve.
Whatever your reasons for wanting to make money from writing, it’s totally possible. We’re going to tell you exactly how you can make money as a writer, including details on platforms that can help you along the way.
Join A Society Of Writers
A creative writing society is just what you need to help you make money from writing. Depending on the size of your membership, you can choose from a range of different writing activities that you can partake in. For example, you can sign up for a workshop with a professional editor who will help you polish your work and get it out into the world. You can also take a class on how to become a successful writer, participate in a mastermind group with other members, or even sell your work to a publisher. All of these opportunities are available to you as a member of a creative writing society. Essentially, a creative writing society is a great way to make money from writing and to connect with other authors; which is, of course, also totally worth it.
Make Money With Affiliate Marketing
This is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to make money as a writer. Essentially, affiliate marketing is the process of earning a commission when someone clicks a certain link or buys a product that’s promoted on your blog or website. You’ll need to set up sales pages on your site with a clear call to action (e.g. a button or link to click) for any affiliate products you promote. Whenever someone clicks that link or buys a product that’s been promoted on your site, you’ll earn a small commission.
There are various affiliate marketing platforms like Shopify, Big Commerce, and Wix which can help you get set up with an online store to sell your books and other products. If you’re looking to set up a side-hustle and want to make money from a variety of sources, then affiliate marketing is a great opportunity to do so. There’s also the added bonus of being able to promote your own products on your site which might also help your conversion rates.
Create And Sell Your Own Products
If you’re the creative type who enjoys coming up with new ways to make money from your writing, then why not take it a step further and create your own products? You can take existing products and transform them into books, greeting cards, e-cards, posters, or even T-shirts. If you’re looking to make money from home, this is an easy way to do so. All you need is a computer, some free time, and a quiet place to work.
There are various platforms like Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify that allow you to effortlessly create your own store. If you’re looking to make money from home, why not test the waters with a small side-hustle creating and selling your own products. Not only will it help you get the creative juices flowing, but it could also help you earn a legitimate income. Plus, you can use the money you earn to fund your next writing project.
Become A Freelancer
Speaking of which, if none of the above options sound good to you and you just want to make money online, you can always become a freelancer. There are various online freelancing platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Amazon Mechanical Turk that allow you to find customers and connect with businesses that need help with copywriting, editing, proofreading, and the like. Basically, if you’re a talented writer who can commit to some online freelancing, you could make a comfortable living doing so. Plus, you’ll be able to work remotely which might allow you to set up shop wherever you choose.
Working remotely as a freelancer is a completely different ballgame from the above examples. You’ll need to ensure that you maintain a good quality of work, that you meet deadlines, and that you deliver projects on a cost-effective basis. Essentially, you’ll be taking on clients and working to achieve specific goals and objectives. This is a great way to make money as a writer, especially if you want to be able to work remotely.
Try Journalism
If you’re looking to make a more permanent change to your financial situation, you can look into journalism as a means of making cash. If you’re a skilled writer who can pitch stories to major news publications, you can easily make a good living. You won’t be sitting at a desk all day long, but you will be working hard to become a well-known and experienced journalist. Once you’ve established yourself, you can look for opportunities to freelance or to establish yourself as a full-time journalist. You’ll likely need to put in the legwork and build up your contacts in the industry before you can make a serious living from journalism.
Start Your Own Blog
Now, this one may not seem like it fits perfectly under the umbrella of “how to make money as a writer,” but it’s an essential piece of information for any writer worth his salt. If you want to make money as a writer, the first thing you need to do is start a blog. This is especially crucial if you want to delve into personal writing, as it will help you maintain some degree of flexibility in your earnings. If you’re looking for a way to make money from home, this might be the perfect opportunity for you.
Blogs are quite easy to set up. You’ll simply need to register a domain name and launch a blog. From there, you’ll just need to populate it with content. Depending on your chosen niche, you might want to consider looking into content ideas for your blog. It is also essential that you establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your chosen niche. This is quite simply called “building an audience.” Once you’ve got a few hundred (or thousand) regular readers, you can look into monetizing your blog. There are various options like affiliate marketing, which we’ve already discussed, as well as ads, which you can sell and display on your site.
Monetizing Your Blog
Depending on the type of content you’ve published on your blog, how you’ve promoted it, and how much traffic you’ve gathered, you can choose from a diverse set of options for monetizing your blog. Some of the more common options are listed below.