Unfortunately so many people today neglect the abilities in them and go about broke. Some recognize theirs but always give it off for nothing, while they go hungry. This year I am poised to see as many people as possible, to put to use their natural abilities and generate income for themselves. In this post, I am interested in talking about the ability to write, and how to make money from it.
First of all, let me outline some of the benefits of writing.
1. Writing offers you an opportunity to earn additional income, while continuing on your full-time job.
2. Writing offers you an opportunity to affect the lives of people most of who you will never get to meet.
3. Writing exposes you to the rest of the world and because of that you gain respect and recognition all over the world. This could open big doors for you.
4. Writing makes you do a lot of research and thinking thereby developing you so much in the area of interest which you write on.
5. Writing can be done while you relax. Therefore, you earn income while having fun.
Writing today has gone far beyond the writing and publishing of large hard copy books. In fact about 60 % or more of writers are online. Many people are bloggers, some are web editors, some are web content creators, while others write for companies, magazines and newspapers, etc. The following are the steps to follow in order to make money from your writing skills.
Discover Your Writing Skills
Everything starts from making a discovery. You cannot make money from what you don’t know you have. Some people think they have the ability to write, until they try and find it so difficult. Others have the ability but don’t know that they have.
Sometime ago I would make simple posts on social media and my friends will ask, “Have you ever considered getting more formal about writing? Those are great motivational writing skills you got there.” I knew I had the ability in me but in the past I had never taken it so seriously. When these friends continued saying these things, I became more and more stirred up within me to work on my skills. Then I searched for a writing job and got it. That was the opening of a new page for me in writing.
You can know that you have a great writing ability from the following ways:
1. You don’t find it hard to compose the words to communicate what you know.
2. Writing for you is a hobby and you love it whether you get paid for it or not.
3. Whenever you write, people are so inspired and enjoy reading the things you write.
4. You have your own voice and are very original when you write.
5. Whenever you have to write on an issue, you find it hard to be brief.
6. You love to read a lot
7. Etc.
Read my post titled, “How to Know If You Can Make A Good Writer” as I expand on these and more ways to identify the writing ability in you.
Sharpen Your Writing Skills
No one is born an expert in anything. Even our natural inborn talents need serious sharpening for us to be effective whenever we put them to use. If it is well established within you that writing is your thing, then the next thing to do is to develop/sharpen the ability.
Generally, a great way to develop any gift is to put it to use very often even when it is not yet good enough. But there are many ways to sharpen your writing skills. Read my post titled, “How To Become An Outstanding Writer” where I share on great ways to bring out your writing prowess.
Focus Your Writings
When you write, you cannot write just about everything. You need to focus your writing to some particular issues of interest and audience. When your writing is focused on some particular issues, people will easily know where to meet you and what to expect from you. It will also help you build on your expertise in a specific area. These are some few things to think about when choosing on what to focus your writing on:
1. What are those issues I love to read and talk about? It could be business, sports, politics, fashion, motivational words, religion, economy, happenings, etc.
2. What are those societal issues I am burdened a lot about and would love to address? It could be poverty, illiteracy, health problems, unemployment, moral vices, divorce, etc.
3. Which group of people do I want to speak to, with my writings? It could be entrepreneurs, students, youths, classy ladies, married people, singles, etc.
4. Do I want to write fiction or non-fiction?
5. Do I want to start a blog, write for magazines, write for companies, write as a freelancer, etc.?
Your answers to the above questions will guide you to focus your writing.
Put To Use Your Writing Skills
This is where you go out and look for the writing opportunities that exist. I have noticed that there are so many unadvertised job-openings for writers on the internet. But there are also many fake writing opportunities online. Here below are some guidelines to follow in putting to use your writing skills.
- Find publishers and media houses online and offline, which you will like to write for, based on your areas of interest. It could be blogs, magazines, websites, companies, etc. Choose those that attract a lot of readers.
- Study the materials on their sites and get to understand the style and pattern.
- Send mails to the different media, indicating your interest to write for them. You could send a sample material you have written, in PDF formats. Your sample material is supposed to speak a lot about your ability. So make sure it is impressive enough.
- If you have enough money to publish your own works, you go ahead and do that. You could bring together other writers like you and you all form a writer’s forum where you produce wonderful pieces like magazines, newsletters and books, and take up writing jobs for companies.
- It is not bad to start writing for small non-paying publications and websites. You could do this just to gain experience and recognition as long as your works are published with your name. With time after building a good portfolio, you will be getting paid jobs for your writings. Besides, in looking for paid jobs, you could refer publishers to the site where your works have been published. This adds to your credentials.
- Beware of fake websites on the internet. If you are not sure if the website or blog is genuine, search on the web if it is genuine and you will read the testimonies of other persons who tried to work for them. This has always helped me so much. Some of such testimonies will even give you more tips of how to know fake sites.
Build On Your Expertize
To be successful in a writing job, you need to be very self-disciplined and organized and updated. Your writings are not relevant when they are not up to date. The following will help you build discipline and keep you updated always.
- Get a good writing space and time when you are most mentally alive, and stick to them daily.
- Set targets and deadlines for yourself and work hard to meet them always.
- Don’t take writing jobs that you are not sure to meet up with. Take just what you are sure you can do and know your limits.
- Be deliberate about getting time for yourself when you relax and think about nothing.
- Build on your language ability daily. One way to do this is by reading a lot.
- Read daily, materials of other authors on the theme which you write about.
- At the beginning, don’t be too driven by making much money from your writings. Focus on building on your experience and getting across your writings to as many people as possible all over the world. Let people get to know you from the works you publish.
- Maintain your writing style and voice and make your writings very interesting.
Writing can be a very wonderful and lucrative venture for you. But you must work on your skill and be patient to get known for what you write. It is very much like movie acting. When you follow the above steps, you will be making money sitting at home and having fun, writing. Make your comments below.
By Kadzem Claude
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Please, no email address or phone number in your comment. Tick "Notify me" to follow the conversation and get notified whenever there is new comment!