19 Ways to Get Paid for Your Writing

19 Ways to Get Paid for Your Writing

Reader Comments (71)

  1. Hi Danny,

    Your ideas for smart entrepreneurs who are good at and enjoy writing are quite helpful. I am especially interested in the suggestions for writing guest posts. I will check out the two companies you mentioned, Freelance Switch and Smashing Magazine, to see what they require.

    Thanks!

    Pam

  2. Hey Danny

    Interesting post – lots of good stuff to chew on, but I want to focus in on Point 16 and Paid Guest Posts.

    Carol Tice was the first high profile blogger that I saw say she was going to start paying guest posters. She pays $50. I really loved the reasons why she decided she should take paid guest posts.

    Personally I think more sites should do it – for example it COULD be done here on Copyblogger, although perhaps that doesn’t fit the model that Brian has got going on. But I’d be interested to see Brian or Simone’s take on that….(and so you know, I’ve started publishing one guest post a month and paying 50 bucks like Carol for that guest post. First one should be live in a week or so…)

    Catch you around.

    paul

    • Not saying we would never do it, but up until now, we’ve found the best fit has come from regular guest writers who can wildly grow their business by getting in front of the larger audience.

      Jon Morrow (there’s a link to his stuff above) has a great story about how he made $5000 from one guest post. But it wasn’t because he was paid $5 grand for the post, it’s because he leveraged the exposure to create a business advantage for himself. Those are the writers we love to run here on CB.

      But never say never. 🙂

  3. Great points, all!

    However, I want to advise a bit of caution on #5 – expanding your network.

    Many people recommend Chambers of Commerce and business networking groups such as BNI, and for some people they work well. But with ANY networking, it’s absolutely essential to understand your audience first. Who are you trying to reach, and will they actually be at those locations? Chambers of Commerce networking groups are often comprised of very small businesses and individual practitioners who are frequently there on a single mission: to sell their own services. Although the Chamber itself may have many larger businesses as members, who you’ll actually meet at the networking meetings is a whole different proposition!

    Likewise, business referral networks can be a tad incestuous, if you know what I mean. For me, too, it’s very important that I know and respect the person whom I’m recommending. But referral networks like this usually require that you refer a certain amount of business within the group … not always something I’m comfortable with.

    I suggest that people expand their networks by finding professional and even social networking groups that are aligned with their businesses and with their values … and that they then get involved by volunteering with the group. This has been the most reliable way I’ve found long-term clients over the years, and I see it over and over again for colleagues and clients of mine as well.

    Not saying Chamber groups and business referral networks don’t work for some people; just saying, as with anything you do to promote your business, FIRST being very VERY clear about who you’re looking for, what your values are, and what results you expect … is essential.

    • I’m more a fan of those groups to look for partnerships and true networking, rather than prospecting for clients. I agree, they’re full of people who are prospecting for clients, not looking for service providers (writers or otherwise).

      I met my business coach at a f2f networking event, though, and that ended up being worth a ton to my business (and sanity), so you never know. If you go expecting to give and connect rather than endlessly prospecting, I find it works better. Also, freelance writing gets lonely, so sometimes it’s nice just to change out of the sweats and see fellow humans.

      For straight-up prospecting I think direct mail works a lot better, and hitting something like LinkedIn in a smart way will probably give more bang for the buck.

      • I absolutely agree – you aren’t likely to find a lot of clients in the room (though you might), but you’re very likely to find people with whom you can build relationships, and who will be in a position to refer you business down the line.

      • One billion percent agreed, Sonia: face-to-face can yield amazing connections, and they’re usually best looked to for referral partnerships.

        I was specifically picking on (!) Chambers and business referral networks, though, because my experience, and that of most people I know, is that those groups are … umm … let’s say very limited in their opportunities!

    • I’ve been learning this the hard way about networking. You can spend a LOT of time at lunches and events and start to see the same old people there. Seems there’s a dedicated group who really enjoy this type of thing. I’ve gotten a bit of business from networking, but mostly small jobs. People are really happy to meet a writer, because there aren’t many of us on the circuit, but I’m reassessing and looking at other opportunities to market.

  4. Wow! What great helpful information.

    Love that it was so tidily packaged in one post. I have written books, write online, have written for TV, and would love to write for print (yes, I know newspapers are dying dinosaurs) and magazines (magazines are struggling too).

    • You should definitely go for it, Summer – print publications are good ways of getting paid, and they still carry a good amount of prestige, which will translate into more money from other sources as well. 🙂

  5. I don’t know . . . do you guys have a tracking bug on my laptop or something?

    For the past few weeks I’ve been pondering the idea . . . and voila! The one blog that I religiously go on as I drink my morning coffee, perfectly gives me 19 ideas of where I can focus my writing.

    Thank you CopyBlogger — much love.

    Paul

  6. Great list – you’ve got a lot of good ideas here. But I think the most important point you make comes towards the end – that while certain things have worked for you, they aren’t guaranteed to work for everyone, as we all have our own strengths and weaknesses.

    It’s nice to see someone encouraging others to analyze what they bring to the table and what kind of business they’d like to create instead of just providing a set plan that “works” for everyone.

    Thanks for sharing!

  7. I understand that this is a general overview of what’s possible for a writer wanting to sell their words — and it’s a very good round up of most of the possibilities for paid writing. However, I would caution writers (especially new writers) that this article gives only an umbrella view of what’s possible for a freelance writer. I say this as a long-time freelance writer who once had to figure this all out on my own.

    But most importantly I want to comment on point number 7, where Danny writes the following: “You can also look at the websites of specific companies that you’d like to write for to see if they’re looking, though this is a bit more of a long-shot.”

    Actually, Danny, I have built my freelance writing career for 20 years on contacting the companies that I wanted to work for – not agencies, but the actual companies, including small, large, and start-ups. I didn’t wait for them to post ads for writers, freelance or otherwise. I just pro-actively cold called them. I have found this to be the most direct and efficient way to find the type of writing assignments that I enjoy and that pay the best. I’m always surprised by the number of writers who don’t take this step.

    • Hi Paige, thanks for sharing that! Actually, what I meant is that it’s a long shot for the website to actually say that they’re looking for a writer – I agree with you that it’s a great way of connecting with the companies that you want to work with, and I’ve done it on several occasions in the past. Thanks for pointing out the confusion, though – I hope this clears that up. 🙂

  8. Great list here. Another one to add to your list: blogging for corporations. Many pay for guest experts (and if they don’t, they should!). This has been a lucrative income stream for me.

    • That’s a great addition, Stephanie. You’re right, a lot of corporations are looking to outsource their content creation, and that can be a very lucrative opportunity for writers. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  9. Such a timely post – I just blogged about copywriters that settle for too little pay.

    My hourly rate is $125 (though more often than not my fees are based on the project – which sometimes works out to more), but I hear all the time of writers that charge $30/hour or even less! It’s absurd. I’ve never had a client balk at my rate. I’m pretty aggressive about prospecting, and I suppose that I work in a somewhat lucrative niche market – but ultimately, I think it comes down to believing that I’m worth more. I deserve to be paid, and I deserve to be paid well. This is my job, after all….

  10. I read Copyblogger articles religiously. I thoroughly enjoyed comparing my efforts to what you suggest and am reassured that I’m on the right track in my pursuits. I would go out on a limb here and suggest a 20th avenue for paid writing…greeting card companies. Many pay rather nicely for just a few resonating words of wisdom and well-wishing.
    Have a great week and thanks for keeping me on track…

  11. This is really a good overview of all the avenues out there. However, I would add a caution. Just because you can write well doesn’t mean you can move easily from one format to another. I found that out the hard way when I transitioned from writing for magazines like Health and Mothering to health copywriting. It was a completely different beast.

    Fortunately there are plenty of good resources out there (like Copyblogger) to help you develop the finer points.

    I’ve documented how I made the choice here:

    http://www.healthymarketingideas.com/How-do-I-become-a-freelance-writer-Part-1-The-Right-Way-To-Start-A-Home-Based-Business-Writing.html.

    The other reason this post is so useful is that it’s always good to not put all your eggs in one basket. In other words – as a writer, expand your business so you’re not always dependent on clients – or one kind of client. Teaching Sells is such a great resource for gaining more control over how you can use your writing skills to bring in income and diversify your income.

    • That’s a really good point, Sarah – writing about an industry and writing good copy for use within that industry are completely different things. But if someone is a good writer, that’s a learning speedbump that they can get past – as long as they’re willing to work at it. 🙂

      And yeah, I couldn’t agree with you more about Teaching Sells – it’s an excellent program, and I can’t recommend it enough.

  12. great tips – and i have also found approaching local businesses and publications has been a great source of (paying) writing gigs.

  13. I’m making my way through The Artist’s Way course, and just this week read the chapter that outlined the idea that as you continue taking action and being present in your writing practice, serendipitous things will come your way. Finding this article in my Facebook feed is the second thing in less than 12 hours that has happened to me that shows I am on the right path in expanding my writing pursuits. Thank you for the list- there’s a lot of meat here to consider.

  14. Hey Danny, great tips here! And timely as well. With more and more businesses recognizing the benefits of content marketing – do you think there will be an explosion in demand for writers/content producers in the near future?

    • That’s a great question, Daniel, and the answer is yes, absolutely! As more and more marketing goes in the direction of content marketing (because it works), more and more companies are just going to need more writing work done. Which means demand will increase. And unless there’s a sudden explosion in writing talent, that probably means writers are going to be able to charge a lot more. Happy days are a comin’… 😉

  15. Danny – you continue to amaze me with your guest posts on prestigious sites. You are the model for how to get exposure for your company, which leads to business. I would say you have the discipline to follow the very steps you’re recommending to the readers of this post. And it does take discipline to explore every avenue for writing assighnments. Thanks for the great list.

    • Thanks, Jeannette, and you’re very welcome! I think it’s important to remember, though, that nobody can do all of the things on the list at once – it’s a matter of finding the actions that best fit the individual, and focusing on those. 🙂

  16. I’m not sure if it qualifies, but one of the streams are working on for my writing (in partnership with someone) is a continuity site. It’s pretty small now and we have a lot of work to do, but so far this is one of the avenues that’s paying as well as being a staff blogger for a pretty cool e-commerce site.

  17. I am new to all this, and still trying to wrap my head around the various ways people make money online. I feel like I am in the right place. Thanks.

  18. I made my first sales to magazines using “over the transom” on spec articles. After the first one it gets easier. An editor finally told me I should send a “query letter” to find out if he liked the ideas before writing the whole article. He published the article I had sent, but that was my last work “on spec.” You have to love writing and love the subject matter. Editors will work with you if you have those qualities.

    • Nice! And yeah, you’re right, the first one is always the hardest, and once you get the hang of the whole querying process (much easier and faster now that there’s email), you can save yourself a lot of time, and make a whole lot more money. 😀

  19. Thanks for sharing Danny, unlike most “get paid” posts, this isn’t just listing off 19 different ideas, but it’s also inspirational for those of us looking to make money online and enjoy doing it.

  20. Writing has definitely been an area which has improved for me, after starting my own blog. Yet I strive to better myself. I will definitely try to improve it either by taking classes or courses.

    Yet most of my writing comes from inspiration rather than work. I doubt seeing myself earning much from my writing alone.

    • Well, that all depends on why you write, Jack. A lot of people write for fun, and don’t ever hope to make money from it (just like a lot of people play basketball for fun, without hoping to make money from it). But if you do it professionally, and want to get paid for the work, these are some avenues that you can pursue. 🙂

  21. Danny, this post is awesome, and a lot of this advice is very practical.

    I also filled out your survey today. Let me know when the results are out. I’m a fan of surveys like this. Have you had a good response so far?

    • Hi Joseph, thanks for your kind words, and thanks for filling out the survey! Yes, response has been great so far – we’ve already got over 100 respondents, so we’re confident that the data will be meaningful. And yes, definitely, we’ll share the results – stay tuned! 😀

  22. Wow, there’s definitely a lot of good things I’ve been doing after reading this. There are also a TON of things that I can be doing better. While freelance writing does have it’s benefits, it’s hard to juggle finding work, completing projects, meeting goals, and keeping a social life. This post is definitely going to help me out; so much so, that I’m printing it right now!

    • Thank you, Vin – I’m really glad to hear that the post was helpful, and I’m flattered that you’d print it out. 🙂

      Yeah, there’s a real challenge in the boom and bust cycles of freelancing, and having a stable system of actions can really be a great way of making it a lot easier. 😉

  23. Danny, thanks for highlighting these useful ways to make money out of writing. I’d just like to add one thing on top of the context here. It does take a lot of discipline and streamlined efforts to make money from writing. It is (most of the times) easy to get loads of writing gigs; but too many clients on hand will just make it hard on the writer. If they’re not having a strict work schedule and if they’re not well organized, they can end up getting committed with too many gigs and either deliver to fail or compromise at quality.

    Sorry to take it a bit off topic, but just thought I should mention this!

    • Jane, that’s a really great point, and it’s very important for people to be aware of. You’re right – keeping a steady freelance business going isn’t easy, and it requires juggling a lot of commitments without missing any deliverables or compromising on quality. Any tips on how people can do all of that?

  24. Hi there,
    This is superb. For me its like wish granted, I was wondering how can I make money from my passion to write. I was looking for like just 3 or 4 options and here you have spoilt me with about nineteen of them. But I would like to ask , How to get business in a non english speaking nation, where mostly businesses work in a different language. There is a Huge potential as the need for English writers might be up there. So I was wondering as I try to tap the market here, would I also be able to approach any International magazines and news papers for whom I can write. I am just 23 and want to be a full time writer as I feel, in this era of endless opportunities on the Internet , A writer can be the next big thing. There are not much of people who write, I dont know any in my circuit.
    Sorry for the long post. just got too excited with these 19 options.
    Can anyone help me out.

    Best regards,
    Mudassir 🙂

    • Hi Mudassir, thank you for your comment – I’m glad you found the post helpful!

      Yes, there is definitely potential for you to make money as a writer, regardless of your age, as long as you write well, and there is demand in the market.

      You said that you think there is demand – can you explore further where that demand would come from? Who would need those services?

  25. It is very hard to find any good writing on internet. People are just trying to copy paste here and there. I hardly get to find any new words when I read out any article & sometimes a few sentences does not bring in any meaning to the theme of the topic.

      • One last question Danny. How do you think a fresh writer can start his career? I agree there are alot of opportunities for writers but then these are only for the ones who are already in sync with the publishers, blogs or the corporations. How can a fresh writer get known among the ones who are hiring and truly impress them in order to take a piece of work pie. U r doing a great job. I dont really know anyone else, who actually help budding and aspiring writers as u r doing. I congratulate u on yr efforts.

        Best Regards,
        Mudassir

        • There’s no easy answer to that question. You have to just get out there and start working – even if the work is free at first (offer to do copywriting work on a volunteer basis) – at least that will get you started, and you can start creating a portfolio for people to look at. But really, you have to jump in with both feet, and just get started.

  26. The one thing I didn’t see on here was advertise. Did I miss it by reading too fast? I post ads on Craig’s List and have gotten plenty of work through them for editing, book ghost writing, and blogging for businesses.

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