Do you love the written word? Do you dream of shaping a career out of putting pen to paper and crafting beautiful and marketable prose? For the aspiring full-time writer, there’s nothing quite as dreary as being forced to sit at a desk job all day and work at something they don’t like. Many fantasize about being able to spend their days tucked away in a corner of their house, writing. Many think it’s just a fantasy, except maybe for people like Stephen King or Nora Roberts. But is it? Are there truly no other ways to create a writing career?
The truth is, many people actually make full and successful careers out of their writing, even if you don’t know their names.
Read on to learn how they do it!
Decide What Type of Writing Career You’d Like
Many people dream of becoming fiction authors or memoir authors, but did you know that there are other lucrative writing gigs out there?
In fact, there are so many different types of writing that our first piece of advice is deciding what you want to write.
To make this easier, we’re going to break down writing careers into a few basic types.
Freelancing
Freelancing is one of the most common types of professional writing.
Freelancers spend their days writing content for different clients. Since every business needs someone to write crisp and clear content, there are freelance writing jobs in almost every field.
Freelancers acquire clients by responding to job posts, pitching ideas to companies, or guest blogging for other websites.
While they might be hired for ongoing work at a company, they often are paid per project.
Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting is perfect for people who love writing books.
Not everyone who wants to write a book is good at writing one. Some people become aware of this. They choose to use other writers, known as ghostwriters, to convert their ideas into full books
Ghostwriters work closely with their clients to create a well-written piece.
Writing for a Company
Almost every organization now needs a writer.
In fact, writers are often crucial parts of advertising departments, as they create the content that goes out.
If you become a writer for a company, you will get to live your dream full-time while also possibly being salaried and getting benefits.
Set up a Website
In the age of the internet, having a website is an important part of business success.
If you plan to make money off of writing, treat it like a business and set up a website. A well-built site will let potential clients know what you do and build trust.
Take the Plunge
Here’s a little secret: the only difference between a full-time writer and someone who dreams of writing full-time is taking the plunge.
Now, of course, we’re not encouraging you to do anything reckless. All writers, though, can start taking steps toward their writing career.
The plunge will look different for everyone. Maybe for you, it’s quitting your job and finding freelance clients. Maybe it’s searching for full-time writing employment opportunities.
Either way, dive in. Your writing career will thank you.
But first, take a look at the richest authors in the world for some encouragement!
Grow Your Business!
Maybe you’re pursuing a writing career because you enjoy making words sing on the page.
Yet, if you are doing it for money, it is also a business. To succeed and get new clients, you’ll need a strategy.
That’s where our articles come in. We give you top business advice so that you can succeed. Read more today!