Making money from writing can be a lot of work and effort, but it is well worth it. Whether you are thinking about your long-term career or, you just write for money in your spare time, there are many opportunities waiting for you. To assist you in turning your writing skills into well-deserved cash, we suggest a list of the top 8 ways to make money from writing.
Make money from writing online
1. Become a copywriter
Copywriting is the ability (as well as the field of work) of creating sales promotions and other marketing materials for services, products, fundraising campaigns, and other purposes. The goal is to persuade people to take action, whether that action is to buy something, donate money, enter an email address, or click a button. A copywriter is a professional writer who is in charge of creating the text or copy, which appears in marketing and promotional materials.
If you have been looking into different types of writing jobs, you have probably looked for copywriting positions – this is a long-term career option rather than a quick way to make money. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for copywriters is around £29,000 (roughly £10,000 less than technical writers) at the time of writing. However, if you are an expert or senior in your field, the income will be a huge amount.
As a copywriter, Clayton Makepeace has earned more than $1 million every year since 1995. Clayton wrote his first promotion in 1968, and he took his first full-time writing job 6 years later. He is considered as “The World’s Highest-Paid Marketing Coach and Copywriter” by The American Writers and Artists Institute. For example, Security Rare Coin had monthly sales of $300,000 before Clayton joined. After one year, thanks to his effort, monthly sales hit $16 million, which is amazing growth.
To prepare for copywriting positions, try to gain as much experience as possible by contributing to a variety of publications with diverse audiences. Tailor your writing’s tone and arguments to each context, and create a portfolio that is as versatile and diverse as possible.
2. Work as a technical writer
Technical writing describes the operation of products, services, and processes. Its goal is to simplify complex ideas and usually entails writing on a topic or subject that requires some level of direction or instruction.
A technical writer converts complex and technically difficult written material into clear and concise documentation that target audiences will read. Technical writers work in a variety of fields, including engineering, medicine, technology, and the sciences.
If you want to be a copywriter, you’ll need a certain amount of experience. Therefore, the remuneration for this position is extremely attractive. As mentioned above, an average salary of a copywriter is just under £40,000 according to Glassdoor. This could be a great career for you if you are good at research, have good communication skills, and are comfortable working with technical information.
3. Ghostwrite online content
When another writer takes on the book writing responsibilities of an author or client, this is referred to as ghostwriting. A ghostwriter is someone who writes copy such as articles, books, speeches, blog posts, web copy, and so on but is not credited as an author.
As a ghostwriter, it’s difficult to say what salary you can expect because it depends so much on the industry you work in and the clients you write for. However, it could be quite profitable for large, high-profile writing projects.
You should have a lot of experience as a freelance writer if you want to become a well-paid ghostwriter. This could be demonstrated by having your own books published or years of experience writing websites and other types of business copy.
4. Start a blog
Blogging is a tried-and-true method of making money online for writers. As a blogger, you need commitment and consistency. It will take time for your blog to gain momentum before you start earning money, but it is entirely possible.
Choosing a niche is the first step in starting a blog. This is the subject of your blog posts. There are a lot of blogs on the internet, so if you can give your readers unique content, they will be more likely to stick around.
After that, you will need to choose a domain, design your blog, and set up everything. When you have established your blog, remember to post regularly, promote your posts on social media, and engage with your readers. Although no blog has ever been an overnight success, you can make good money from writing a blog.
There are many bloggers who earn millions of dollars a year. For instance, Arriana Huffington launched the Huffington Post blog in 2005, covering topics such as life and politics. It is the world’s most successful blog. Totally, this blog earns more than $1 billion, over $250 million per year, with banner advertisements serving as the primary source of revenue.
5. Write social media content
Writing social media content can be a lucrative business for anyone who has the ability to create viral social posts or build online followings.
If you want to focus on making money from your own social feeds, affiliate marketing is a good option.
We go into more detail about brand affiliation in our guide to making money on social media, but in a nutshell, it involves adding a specific type of link to your social media posts when you share a product or service.
When people click on that link and buy the item you are recommending, you will get a small commission (with no effect on the buyer).
6. Writing translations
Writing translations is a great way to make money with your language skills.
There will be plenty of companies willing to pay you to freelance translate text for them.
Some languages are more profitable than others. However, it’s worthwhile to look at sites like Fiverr to see how much freelance translators charge for different languages.
7. Write a book
As a massive goal for almost every aspiring writer, writing a book is neither the quickest nor the simplest way to make money on this list. However, it is very possible (and perhaps not quite as difficult as you might think).
There are numerous topics on which you could write a book. You could write a fictional novel, compile a collection of poems or short stories into a book, or even write something non-fiction.
The potential to make money from book sales is huge. For example, JK Rowling currently holds the title of the richest author in the world, with a net worth of $1 billion. She is also the first author to achieve this level of financial success through her writing. She is best known for writing the Harry Potter series of books, from which she has profited from book sales, movies, and a variety of Harry Potter-related merchandise.
8. Enter writing competitions
Entering writing competitions can be a difficult task, but keep in mind that someone has to win. Why don’t you try it?
We highly recommend you join any writing contests. Not only will it look great on your CV, but you also have a chance to boost your bank account. Here are some tips you should remember before entering writing competitions:
- Be creative, make the first impression with the judges
- Find winning entries from previous years, learn their writing techniques
- Check the competition’s Terms & Conditions
- Before submitting your work, go over it several times.
After reading our ways to make money from writing, it’s time for you to give it a shot and seize the opportunity. Remember to have faith in yourself, choose a path to follow, and start earning money. Anyone can make a living from writing online if they have the right attitude and enough determination.