Do you want to learn how to make money writing? Are you impressed by the people who can turn out words… and get paid for them? Well, this guide is for you. If you have a good command of your native language, you can make money writing and we’re going to show you how. In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Simple ways to get started earning money for writing
- Where to go to find writing gigs and jobs online
- How to write for pay and earn a passive income
Ready to put your fingers to the keys or your pen to paper? Let’s get started! Here’s how you can make money writing.
1. Consider joining a freelancing site
There are oodles of freelancing sites online that you can join if you have the skills that match what the sites are looking for. There are freelancing sites that are tailored specifically to writing, while others may include other jobs like virtual assistants and web developers.
Just do a Google search for “freelancing platform” and you’ll see what we mean. For many of these sites, you’ll have to take skills tests and verify your identity. After all, no one wants a French language article written by someone who doesn’t speak French!
But the process for signing up for these sites is actually super easy and you can begin to apply for jobs right away. Your customers (they’re called clients in the freelancing world) will pay you either hourly or by the job. Either way, you’ll have to decide how much you want to be paid – after all, the great thing about freelancing is that you choose your own rates! We’ll talk more about that in just a few moments.
- Freelancing platforms have clients who are ready for you – just sign up and get to work!
- You may have to pass some qualifications tests to be accepted to the platforms
- You will be paid either hourly or by the task when you get work through your freelancing platform
2. Know your worth
Freelancers who charge a penny per word make the rest of the freelancing world look bad. You need to know what you’re worth, and you need to charge that much.
Start by setting a goal for your hourly pay. Now, mind you, you may not receive that hourly pay to begin with. But let’s say you want to earn $50 per hour… that’s doable! After a while, you’re going to get a feel for how long it takes you to write certain things. For instance, it may take you an hour to write a 1,000 word blog post. Simply charge $50 to your client and you’ll automatically be making $50 per hour!
Remember that you’re going to have to account for marketing time and other factors – you probably won’t be writing all the time. But when you commit to make money writing, especially if you plan to do it full time, it’s important not to undersell yourself.
- You can make just about any hourly rate you want when you’re writing
- Don’t undersell yourself – know your worth and charge that much
- In time, you’ll get an idea of how fast – or slow – you are and can charge accordingly
3. Consider finding a niche you like
When you begin to make money writing, there’s a good chance your niche will actually find you. As an example, you may begin to work with a client who needs articles about natural healthcare. Soon, you’ll probably begin to see that as you send samples off to new prospective clients, natural healthcare will become a niche topic for you. The more you write, the more you’ll learn and your assignments will get easier and easier.
That’s not to say you have to commit to one subject area though. Many freelance writers make money by writing about a very wide range of things, from health and fitness to haunted houses and ghost tours. The beauty of it is that you get to choose your own clients. If there’s someone who wants medical writing or legal writing and that’s not your jam, you can simply politely decline.
The key is marketing yourself as a writer in one particular subject area. As you get referrals from your clients to new clients, they can put in a good word for you as an expert in your niche. Your business will grow in that way, and you’ll get very good at writing in your niche.
- Consider finding a niche, as this will make your writing easier and faster
- You don’t have to stick with one subject, but it helps to specialize in something
- Sometimes your niche will find you through referrals and the samples you sent to prospects
4. About those samples…
There’s a very small likelihood that you’re going to make money writing if you don’t have samples to send to clients. Be sure you have something in order that you can send to your prospective clients. They’ll want to see your writing ability, but clients also put a lot of value on your unique voice.
Different writers write in different ways. Some may write in the same way they speak: casual and light. Others may be more “professional” or technical. No matter which category you fit into, it’s okay! There’s a client out there who is looking for what you have to offer, you just have to find them.
The easiest way to keep your samples in one place is to create a digital portfolio. This is just a website that showcases some of the work you’ve done. If you like, you can also attach a business blog to your site. Then, you’ll simply direct prospects to your website and let them see for yourself what you can do. We’ll talk more about portfolios in the next section. But at the very least, have some writing samples to shoot over to clients who are interested in hiring you.
- Writing samples are critical to your success as a writer
- You aren’t likely to get hired if you can’t show your prospects what you can do
- It may be easiest for you to just set up an online portfolio of your work
5. Build your portfolio
Building an online portfolio is super simple, and in some cases it doesn’t cost a cent. Simply sign up for one of the free website builders (Google it and you’ll see what’s available to you) and get to work! If you like, you can choose a more professional looking URL such as yourname.com – it will be easier for clients to remember and just looks better.
Your portfolio should include several important things. First, your contact information! Your clients need to know how to reach you! This could be a phone number or a contact form on your website. They’re very easy to set up and will send messages directly to your email inbox.
Secondly, if you know what type of writing you’d like to do to make money include some samples in that genre. For instance, if you want to be a resume writer, add examples. Want to be a blog post writer? Add samples. The same goes with press releases, medical writing… whatever it is you want to do.
Once you’ve set up your website, link a friend. Have him or her test everything both on mobile and on a laptop to make sure it all looks good, is error free and that your contact forms and RSS feeds work. That’s all there is to it! Now you’ve got a simple way to show clients what you can do!
- Setting up an online portfolio is very easy – and doesn’t have to cost a dime
- Include samples of writing you’d like to be hired for
- Have a friend “test” your website to ensure it’s all looking good and working the right way
6. Side gig or full time job?
Do you want to make money writing as a full time job? You can – many people do – but you have to put in the work. In order to make your writing career a full time job, you’re going to have to treat it as a full time job. That means no working in your pajamas – get up in the morning and get to work just like you would a corporate job.
There may be days when you don’t have a whole lot of writing to do for your clients. Don’t take the day off! Instead, use the time to shine up your portfolio, market yourself and study your craft. See what others are doing that’s granting them success, then make a plan to emulate them. Don’t copy them, though! You’re your own unique business, so create your own unique work.
If you want this to simply be a side gig or a part time job, you can do that too. You’re still going to need to do some marketing, but you can start smaller and in a lower-stress way. Who knows? Maybe it will eventually turn into a full time job for you after all!
- You need to decide whether you want to write full time or just as a side gig
- If you choose full time, you must treat writing as a full time job
- Even if you choose part time, there’s always room to expand later on
7. Don’t forget social media
If you want to make money online, you’re going to have to create a brand for yourself. It’s best to have a business name, but it’s not absolutely mandatory. With that said, social media is a great way to build your brand, and it takes very little work.
The first thing you’re going to have to do is open a social media account that’s separate from your personal account. Let’s face it – there are just some things you don’t need your clients to see, including:
- Your political viewpoints
- Your religious viewpoints
- Personal information about your kids
- Less-than-professional language
- Things others may post on your feed
In other words, you want to keep your professional account professional. That doesn’t mean you can only post about work and writing. It just means that you should always keep your brand in mind when you post on social media.
Social media isn’t just a good way to create your brand, it’s a great way to network with other writers and prospective clients! You’d be surprised how an active social media profile can draw attention and secure you more work.
- Social media is an excellent way to create a brand for your business
- Keep your professional and personal accounts separate
- You can network with other freelancers and potential clients on social media
8. Never stop learning
There’s a lot you need to know before you can make money writing, especially online. You’ll need to know about basic writing skills, of course. But then you’re also going to need to learn about search engine optimization (SEO), marketing yourself, different styles of writing and more.
It’s absolutely imperative that you never stop learning! You can be a best-selling author of science fiction books and still have no clue how to write a romance novel. In that same way, you can be the owner of a blog with 100,000 visitors each month and have no clue how to write a press release.
Practice, practice, practice. Also be sure you’re reading what others are doing to generate success. Talk with colleagues on social media and collaborate on best practices. And don’t hesitate to take a course or two if you think it will help you improve and refine your craft. Whatever you have to do to keep learning, do it!
- You’ll never know everything there is to know about writing, so keep learning!
- Collaborate with others and read about what others are doing to garner success
- Consider taking classes, too, to help you improve your skills
9. Don’t limit yourself to the internet
Believe it or not, there are still print publications that will pay quite a bit of money for you to write for them. They’re becoming fewer and fewer, sure, but you can still find many great publications to partner with.
Take a trip to your local bookstore or library and check out the magazines and newspapers on the shelves. Do an online search, too, by Googling “write for print publications” or “write for magazines.” You’ll be surprised how many results pop up for you in your locality.
As with any publication, you’re going to have to carefully read the writer’s guidelines. If you don’t follow instructions exactly, your query will be rejected right away. You’re not going to make money writing if you can’t follow editors’ direction, so pay close attention and follow the rules.
Many print publications will accept your work then pay you upon publication, but others will pay upfront. Find out the terms of payment to see if they’re suitable to you before you submit work.
- Don’t forget that there are still print publications you can write for!
- You can make money writing for magazines and newspapers
- Be sure you follow the editor’s submission guidelines to the letter to avoid rejection
10. Don’t give up!
Not everyone can make money writing the moment they decide it’s what they want to do. Don’t give up if it seems that your business is slow to get started. It’s going to take time to build your skill, your reputation and your portfolio.
No matter what you do, get the word out about your business! Post your services on social media, on online marketplaces and even in local venues like your library or post office. Tell your friends and family what you’re trying to do and tell them that if they’d spread the word, you’d be grateful!
You absolutely can make money writing, and the internet is growing quickly, making it a great place to start. You can choose to work for individual clients or you can apply for a remote in-house writing position with a local business. The choice is yours, so we recommend you take a bit of time to research the options in your area.
When you first begin, plan to set your rates just a little lower. Don’t undersell yourself, but make your work accessible to clients while you gain your footing. Then, once your portfolio becomes stronger you can raise your rates and charge more per word or project.
- Don’t give up! Making money writing isn’t always an overnight feat
- Build your portfolio so you can raise your rates
- When you make money writing, you can choose your clients and your work structure – research your options
Conclusion
If you’re good at writing, you can make money with your skill. It’s going to take a little bit of preparation, but once you get moving there’s no limit to how much you can earn! Build a portfolio, start networking and network with clients and colleagues, then watch your business grow! Remember – don’t give up! Your business may not take off overnight but with talent and persistence you can earn an income with your writing.
