While writing can be a lucrative career path, many writers struggle to maintain reliable sources of income, especially in the early days of their careers. Maybe you’re a writer who was recently laid off from your job, or perhaps you’re currently underemployed and working in a role that does not pay as much as you would like. If so, it’s time to find a side hustle. And by using your skills to earn money outside of a traditional job, you can improve your financial situation. Here, Inkwell Book Co shares are a few ways you can bring in more income as a writer.
Launch Your Own Business
As a writer, you’re more prepared than you might think to start your own business. But here’s an important piece of business know how: even if you’re not sure which services you want to offer just yet, you can start the process by registering your chosen business name as an LLC. By forming an LLC, you’ll secure benefits like tax breaks and limited liability. You can file the paperwork on your own, but every state has its own unique process, so if you feel confused, you can work with an online formation service instead. This is a more budget-friendly option than hiring a lawyer!
Determine How Much You Need to Make
It’s easy to throw yourself into a side hustle and take every project that comes your way. However, if you’re not careful, this can backfire, and lead to missed deadlines, sloppy work and unhappy clients. When you first start out, get an idea of what you really need to make so that you don’t overwhelm yourself and can maintain quality.
Assess your debts like student loans, car loans and rent, then consider your fixed expenses. Once you determine your budget and what you need to make payments and save, this is the number you should work toward. To help you stay on track, look to a loan API that will help you monitor all of your debts in real time, so you can see how your efforts are paying off.
Uncover Other Marketable Talents
Perhaps you’ve primarily spent your time writing in your previous jobs while occasionally dabbling in editing. But chances are, you’ve developed other related skills throughout your professional life. Take some time to think about all of the different projects you’ve contributed to throughout the course of your career and consider the variety of marketable skills you developed in the process.
For instance, if you’ve ever written content specifically for social media, you can learn the ins and outs of setting up a content posting schedule and using analytics to become a social media manager. You could also offer your assistance as a proofreader for everything from college admissions essays to resumes to self-published books.
Become a Personal Assistant
As a writer, you possess keen attention to detail, and if you’ve ever worked in an editorial role, you’re also adept at managing people. All of these talents could prepare you for side hustles that don’t necessarily involve writing but still allow you to apply your skills, such as working as a personal assistant. If you’re interested in thinking outside of the box and becoming a personal assistant, Care recommends offering your services to entrepreneurs running online businesses. You’ll be able to work remotely while balancing your time with other writing projects!
Finding Clients
You’ll need to approach your search for freelance clients differently than you would approach a traditional job search. In order to land your first clients, Indy recommends advertising your services on social media, letting your family and friends know that you’re taking on clients, and creating profiles on online jobs boards and freelancing platforms.
Working as a writer enables you to enjoy a high degree of independence. But if you want to fulfill your earning potential, you need to identify your marketable skills and offer your services to the right clients. With these tips, you’ll realize that you have the skills to drastically increase your overall income!
Are you an independent writer looking to publish your book? Inkwell Book Co can help! We offer a variety of self-publishing packages to fit your genre. Check out our services today to help get your book in front of readers!
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