Follow These Important Tips for Making Money With Your Writing
#1 – specialize in a clearly defined niche
While it might be tempting to write about a lot of different things, sticking to one niche or specialized area of the market will help you gain both visibility and credibility faster as well as put you on track to become an expert in that industry or area.
2. Build a strong online presence through social media, your podcast, and your blog or portfolio site.
This is essential today. If you’re hoping to experience any kind of measurable success without the use of social media, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. Those days have long since passed. Marketing yourself through social media sites is a must. Even traditional employers ask for and peruse the social media accounts of potential employees when considering them for hire.
#3. Network and market yourself to potential clients and publishers.
Do your research and know who the publishers and potential clients are that service your niche and lean toward your style of writing. Pay attention to what they’re putting out on a regular basis and begin interacting by leaving smart and thoughtful comments on their website and social media posts.
Get them familiar with your name and writing. Then when you do reach out and approach them, you’re more likely to get their attention and time.
#4. Offer additional services such as editing, proofreading, and coaching to increase your income.
Offering these services to new and growing writers can be a great way to bring in a bit of steady income while you’re growing your writing income to meet your full-time goals.
#5. Be flexible and willing to work on both short-term and long-term assignments.
Bottom line, if you’re capable and it doesn’t interfere with your values or other writing assignments, take the job!
#6. Continuously improve your writing skills through practice, self-education, and feedback.
This is a no-brainer! Always seek to grow and stretch as a writer. Write. Write. Write. And make it a point to stay in the know about current writing trends and practices.
#7. Be professional in your communication and deliver your work completed and on time.
Pretty much says it all. We should all know how to behave appropriately and professionally.
#8. Look for opportunities to earn passive income through self-publishing, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content.
A word about self-publishing –
There are a number of ways to self-publish that can be quite lucrative. In fact, self-publishing has become the method of choice over traditional publishing for many writers and authors today.
While there are many reputable resources and outlets available to help facilitate the self-publishing of your work, there are even more not-so-reputable scammers who are seeking only to take advantage of you.
When exploring this option be sure to do your due diligence. Research and ask lots of questions!
The same can be said – do your research and due diligence – of sponsored content and affiliate marketing. The two main concerns to pay close attention to are : 1- whatever you’re promoting is in line with your personal values and beliefs, and 2- review the agreement entirely and thoroughly prior to committing. Make sure you fully understand it and comprehend the entirety of the terms as laid out before you. Ask as many questions as it takes to either be comfortable or feel confident in walking away.
#9. Look for opportunities to write for digital publications and blogs, as this can be a great way to gain exposure and build a portfolio.
Medium is my #1 recommendation. A great place to gain exposure, as well as grow and stretch as a writer.
The feedback you receive from your audience, as well as other writers, is invaluable.
#10. Consider writing for content mills or freelance platforms to get experience and build a client base.
For this I recommend starting with Upwork.com. Accepting assignments can often lead to recurring job offers from the same clients.
#11. Create a steady stream of income by finding recurring projects or clients.
Sites like Upwork can be a good place to find clients, many of which like to stick with their favorite writers and often supply a steady stream of work that provides a modest monthly income.
#12. Utilize SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques in your writing to increase the visibility of your work online.
Focus on using long tail keywords in your online writing. If you’re new to SEO or just need to catch up with newer practices Reliable Soft’s, SEO Writing: How to Write for SEO is a good (and thorough!) how-to article to help get you started.
#13. Learn to write in different formats; such as blog posts, articles, e-books, and web copy, to increase your earning potential.
This comes down to, you guessed it. . . research. Explore popular blogs, websites, articles, and eBooks in your writing niche and familiarize yourself with the styles and formats of each. Then practice, practice some more and keep practicing.
#14. Be open to feedback. Make all revisions to the specifications of the client. Complete all edits and rewrites in an expedient manner to help ensure client satisfaction and gain repeat business.
It’s your writing and represents as such, but what you write becomes a representation of your client and they’re paying you to represent them in the manner they desire. Having said that, you do not have to produce content that goes against your beliefs or values or makes you uncomfortable in this way. You are in charge of you and what you write! You have every right to turn an assignment down or disagree to any changes in an accepted assignment that violates your terms.
Set clear boundaries for yourself ahead of time and it will be easier to spot potentially questionable assignments and avoid them from the start.
A few final bits of advice…
➡️ Stay current with the latest trends and best practices in online writing to stay competitive in the field.
➡️ As you begin to amass published pieces online, be sure to create a portfolio of your work to showcase your skills and experience.
Believing for your writing success,
Deanna