How To Make A Living As A Writer

If you’re considering working as a writer, you will need to create opportunities for yourself to hone your craft. As you start out, consider writing for a site you have enjoyed reading. You may need to make time for a side hustle to provide you with the opportunity to invest in writing as a career.

By Timothy Mably

Similar to becoming an artist, there are a plethora of ways to make a living as a writer. Several professional routes exist for writing full-time, from copywriting to blogging to freelance reporting. However, finding high-paying writing jobs can be a challenge depending on your experience and interest.

According to Statista, the number of writers in the U.S. jumped from 2020 to 2021 by more than 5,000 people. As remote writing jobs continue to provide opportunities, the number of working writers across the country is approaching 50,000. If you’re interested in pursuing work as a writer, there are many things to consider.

Create Opportunities For Yourself

Before getting started professionally, you will need to refine your skills on your own. Unlike other career paths, writing always involves fieldwork. Whether you’re interested in creative writing, journalism, or another form, educational settings will provide a chance to find your voice and strengthen your craft.

Top editor and writer for Medium, Susie Pinon says, “Students need to create opportunities for themselves. They need to force themselves to grow as a writer by going out of their way. My first deep interest in writing came in my freshman year of college when I frequented the writing center on a regular basis, two to three times a week.”

Pinon recounts her favorite tutor who taught her “the art of proofreading” while she worked on a research paper. After spending hours on a works cited page, she learned MLA formatting and was able to dissect her writing in a way she never had before. “I learned more from her than I did in the classroom,” she says.

Reflecting on her career, Pinon wishes she could have attempted all available kinds of copy. She mentions other forms such as emails, white papers, social media posts, SME interviews, and more. Pinon says, “While you're starting out, it's important to experiment with everything before niching down, if you so choose. While my forte is long-form SEO blog posts, I am expanding my net to get better at email sequencing and now consider myself an expert copywriter.”

Since writing is such a broad field accounting for many different jobs, Pinon believes this process of self discovery is key. She says, “Writers need to create opportunities to eventually make their desired income doing what they love. The days of the starving writer are far over in the digital realm where it's high in demand and not going anywhere.”

Pinon suggests taking a step back to evaluate your skillset as you create opportunities. The career of a writer should always consist of learning, growing, and adapting to every role. Pinon says, “You must be leveraging free resources like LinkedIn to build a kick-ass portfolio that has leads coming to you.” She also recommends using a free blogging platform like WordPress to create searchable content that might help fill out your resume.

Founder of travel blog Jen on a Jet, Jen Ruiz, advocates for freelance writing as a full-time position. She has found it often to be more lucrative than staff writer positions. Ruiz says, “Starting your own blog gives you freedom to generate passive income and write about what you see fit. More and more writers are starting subscription communities on platforms like Substack to monetize their expertise and following.”

Contribute to Sites You Enjoy

Due to our digital age in which writing jobs are largely remote, opportunities are far and wide. The sites that might have contributed to your desire to write in the first place may have job openings.

Ruiz says, “I would start as a contributor to sites you already read and enjoy.” When she was beginning her career as a writer, she contributed to Thought Catalog and Elite Daily. “This allowed me to get my work seen broadly, build a portfolio, and make connections with editors,” she says.

Such opportunities typically don't require an MFA or even an English degree. Ruiz recounts that she was a political science major and lawyer before she decided to pursue writing professionally. Ruiz says, “The only thing you need to do to be a writer is write.”

Make Time For A Side Hustle

If it’s your goal to write full-time, you may need to make time for a side hustle along the way. Before securing a typical 9-5 job in copywriting, content writing, or editing, consider other jobs that can provide financially as you get started.

Pinon says, “Making time for that side hustle with steady income coming in is the way to go. Posting every day, taking courses, and staying up to date with the latest trends is mandatory. Or else, your writing peers will surpass you.”

She calls out a common assumption that writing doesn’t pay well no matter what kind of writing you do. Pinon says, “People think writers work for peanuts. Well, that's true if you choose to allow it.” Although you may require a side hustle, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Whether you choose to find full-time writing work or become an editor, you can make a steady income.

As you gain experience, you will sharpen your skills in proofreading and editing. These additions to your resume will open the door for many other jobs. Pinon says, “It goes hand in hand in some ways. But editing other people's work is a different experience. You need to get inside their head before you present feedback that doesn't make sense to you because that isn't how you would say it. Editing is an art form in itself. And you may be surprised to hear that not all editors are writers at heart!”

Ruiz agrees that editing may not be a preferred position for some writers. She says, “I do not believe all successful writers should consider becoming editors. There are many other career paths, like publishing a book, starting your own digital magazine, or helping younger writers learn about the craft and find gigs.”

The route to making a living as a writer may be more possible than you realized. Writing is only growing in demand as companies hire copywriters and social media managers. Remain open-minded as you search for writing work, as many kinds of writing jobs can be advantageous for your resume.

Top Takeaways

Do you know how you can make a living as a writer?

• As remote writing jobs continue to provide opportunities, the number of working writers across the country is approaching 50,000.
• Consider getting experience in as many forms of copy as you can, including emails, white papers, social media, SME interviews, and more.
• Create opportunities for yourself to grow in your craft by using a free blog platform or starting a newsletter.
• Consider contributing to a site you have enjoyed reading to gain experience.
• Before securing a typical 9-5 job in copywriting, content writing, or editing, consider other jobs as a side hustle that can provide financially as you get started.