Over the past decade, one of my favorite hobbies and part-time jobs has been writing online.
There are a few things to consider when it comes to writing online. You might expect me to say that it’s just about grit and working hard, and yes, that’s part of it. But, most of my writing opportunities have come down to being in the right place at the right time and putting myself in situations and around people that will create opportunities.
I should mention that I only write part-time, not full-time. This means I can be very particular and only commit to or accept exciting work that allows me to learn something new. Because of this, some months or years, I write less than others, and that’s okay with me.
So, consider what you want to get out of writing. If making money is the primary goal, then you might be willing to take on jobs you don’t enjoy as much.
On the other hand, if you want to earn a little extra money writing about things you like, you might decide to take on fewer clients to wait for opportunities that appeal to you.
Now, let’s get into the many different ways that I make money writing online.
1. Correcting and Giving Feedback to Non-native English Speakers
A. Writing Student Reports
When I started teaching Business English online, I thought everything would be verbal. But, I soon realized that I would also be writing. After each class I teach, I need to give a fairly in-depth feedback report. This includes both positive and constructive notes in 10 different areas.
B. Correcting Writing Samples
Another job I’ve done as a Business English instructor is editing writing samples and giving positive feedback and suggestions for improvements. If you like grammar and are the type of person who always spots grammar errors in books, this could be a good fit for you.
This is one of my favorite ways to make money writing because it can be extremely rewarding to help people who want to learn and to watch them grow and improve over the months or years.
How to Get into This Work:
If you want to focus on the writing aspect of ESL, the best method would be to work independently. You can find students in your community or on social media. Another option is to find students through a marketplace like Preply or iTalki. Using a marketplace will allow you to create lesson plans and market yourself as a teacher, focusing on writing skills.
You can also start with an online ESL company like Education First. With most online companies, you’ll be required to write student reports. During the interview, you can ask if they have any supplemental jobs or opportunities that include writing.
2. Writing Articles on Medium
If you are new to writing, Medium is a fantastic platform for building a portfolio, connecting with other writers, and gaining opportunities.
On Medium you can write about just about anything you are interested in. You can publish personal essays, poems, personal development content, book reviews, etc.
To learn more, check out this article on How to Make Money Writing on Medium.
Another benefit of Medium is that as you grow, you might have companies reaching out to you for partnership opportunities like writing blog content for a business or using their affiliate links in your articles in exchange for a percentage of sales when readers click on or purchase using your link.
A couple of years ago, I even had an audiobook company contact me about turning my Medium blog posts into a short audiobook.
How to Get into This Work:
First, you can check out this guide to set up a Medium profile and write and publish your first article.
As you get started, get a feel for the platform by reading content from different people.
When you find someone you like, follow them and leave comments.
In my experience, the best way to grow is to post consistently, publish high-quality content, follow Medium’s guidelines, and engage with the platform.
3. Creating Social Media Content for Clients
If you prefer short-form writing, social media content is a great option.
My first experience with this was when I co-managed a Facebook page for a personal development brand. In exchange for posting, I received free courses that the brand developed.
A few years later, I started volunteering with a microfinance organization and managed the social content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Then, I started writing weekly blog posts for a freelance writing client. A few months into the position, the client asked if I’d be interested in doing social media management for Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook. Because I already had experience doing this for my blog and for my volunteer work, I was able to jump into this new role.
How to Get into This Work:
If you have zero experience, you might try volunteering to gain experience. I did this a couple of times, and it was a great way to increase my skills in a low-risk way. As a volunteer, there are more opportunities to make mistakes, learn, and grow without much stress.
You can also work on growing your personal accounts. For example, if you enjoy writing about career tips, you could start posting regularly on LinkedIn.
Social media is something that many small business owners want to do but often don’t have time for, especially if they are a one-person operation. Try cold-pitching local businesses that don’t have a social media presence or aren’t actively posting, and try offering your services.
4. Writing Blog Posts for Clients on Upwork, Reddit, Etc.
If you want to make consistent money, freelance writing is my favorite way. If you can, you want to find opportunities with clients looking for freelance writers to contribute weekly or monthly rather than one-off posts.
I’ve had positive experiences using Upwork and Reddit to do this. As I mentioned before, this is due to persistence and good luck.
When I started with Upwork, I submitted a few proposals, but it took a few weeks before I found something I was interested in. I prefer to wait for opportunities that I’m excited about and then make sure to submit a high-quality proposal meeting all the submission guidelines. If I can, I look up the business to do some research.
I’ve also had a handful of clients from Reddit. One client published career guides, so I did research and then wrote guides for different technical jobs. I also wrote blog posts on running a small business for another client from Reddit.
How to Get into This Work:
With Reddit, you can promote yourself as a writer or apply for job postings. To promote yourself, follow r/HireaWriter. You can read through other examples and then post yourself. Share the type of writing you do and how your clients will benefit from working with you.
You can also follow subreddits about the topics you write about. For example, I found one client in the r/Entrepreneur subreddit. She was looking for someone to write about running a small business.
I’d also recommend following the r/freelanceWriters subreddit. This is a good place to find freelance writing tips and advice.
With Upwork, I’d recommend putting effort into creating a solid profile. After that, you could set aside a few minutes a day or week to browse open jobs. Have writing samples saved on your computer to make it easier when it comes to applying. Also, prioritize jobs that give you long-term work rather than one-off gigs. Lastly, customize each job you apply for, and don’t spam people.
I haven’t tried it myself, but Fiverr is another platform that some people have success with.
5. Sponsored Content on My Own Blog
If you have content with a blog or social media, companies might start reaching out to you about sponsored posts or other content.
This isn’t something I do often, but once in a while, a brand will reach out, and I’ll say yes if it is a good fit.
A brand will often pay you a flat fee in exchange for writing and posting an article about their product or service.
Most importantly, ensure that the brands you work with align with your blog’s topic and values.
How to Get into This Work:
A good first step is to create a media kit before you need one. In your media kit, you will provide information about your audience, demographics, traffic stats, social media, etc.
Second, I’d recommend reading up on how to get paid sponsorships, especially if you have a smaller following right now.
6. Affiliate Links in Blog Content and Newsletters
No matter where you are in the world, you probably see affiliate links numerous times throughout your day on social media, in newsletters, or in articles online.
An affiliate link is a link to a product that allows the person posting the link to earn a small commission whenever someone purchases that product using the link.
Once, a brand reached out to me about a blog post I’d already written. They were willing to pay me a set amount of money if I took the existing post and added a few of their affiliate links to it.
For me, this was a win-win situation. I’d already done most of the work by writing the post. Adding a few links only took a few minutes. I also knew the products would be a good fit in the post so it wouldn’t appear spammy or take away from the content.
If you have an email newsletter, this can also be a good place to share affiliate links. Just remember that some affiliates don’t allow links in emails, so make sure you know what each affiliate brand or network will allow.
How to Get into This Work:
I would start by reading this article about making money with affiliate marketing.
You can also do your own research by looking at some of your favorite social media accounts or blogs and taking notes on how they use affiliates and what you like or don’t like as a user.
Some brands require you to have a certain following before you become an affiliate, but don’t let this discourage you! Keep looking—there are plenty of affiliates, like Amazon, that will let you join regardless of your following.
7. Bartering or Trading Skills for Free Memberships
Another option is to barter or trade your skills for things you’re interested in.
For example, I had been part of a virtual community for a couple of years and paid a monthly membership fee. This gave me access to courses, coaching, online groups, and an online community.
About a year ago, I saw that the founder was looking for two women to be moderators for the online community. This would involve about 10-15 minutes of daily work, and in exchange, you would receive the highest level membership for free. I had wanted to become more engaged anyway, so this was a way to keep myself accountable, engage with other women online, and receive a free membership. It’s truly been a win-win situation for me.
How to Get into This Work:
When you find organizations or people you like, read their email newsletters and keep your eyes open for opportunities.
Or, do some cold pitching! Let’s say you’re part of an online pilates or yoga group. Browse their social media and website to see how you could add value. Maybe they rarely post on social media or their blog because the founder just doesn’t have the time. Offer these services in exchange for a membership.
If you do a great job, they might have future paid work. Or they can at least give you a good testimonial.
Skills to Help You Make Money Writing
- SEO (Search engine optimization)
- Subject matter expertise like technical writing
- Social media
- Editing
- WordPress and blog management
Tips for Getting Online Writing Work
- Have at least 5-10 samples of your work on hand. This could be personal blog posts, articles for clients, stats of social content you’ve created, reviews, or positive feedback from clients or readers.
- If you’re a complete newbie, try volunteering your skills part-time for a few months to build your portfolio, develop your skills, and get reviews.
- Always carefully follow the submission guidelines when you apply for a job.
- If you can’t find work, just go on Google and send cold pitches. Look for businesses that might benefit from blogs or other content writers and email them.
- Stay active on job boards like ProBlogger.
- If you don’t have a writing portfolio of previous writing gigs, search for blogs that accept contributors and write a few free guest posts.
- Try focusing on a niche and find a specific topic or related topics to write about based on your interests and previous experience.
How I Make Money Writing Online Wrapup
With writing online, the options are truly endless! In addition to everything I mentioned above, a few other ways I’ve used my writing skills were creating show notes and outlines for a podcast and doing email coaching, where I coached clients entirely by email.
If you enjoy writing, this type of entrepreneurship could be perfect for you.
As you read through these ideas, notice what sounds the most interesting and follow the suggestions. With many of these, you can get started quickly in days or weeks.
