We will receive a commission if you make a purchase through our affiliate link at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure policy for more information.
Be it for documenting historically significant events or for telling stories, writers are and will always be an important part of society. If you are a writer in this day and age, you are in luck, as there are more ways to make money writing than ever.
You don’t need to be a published author or a journalist to get paid to write online. You can become as successful as an author by freelancing, blogging, or writing for online publications. As did Billy McIntyre, a writer who makes $14,000 by ghostwriting on Fiverr by just working 5 hours a day!
Writing is an art, and like every art, you get better with practice and consistency. What’s even better is that it can be done as a side hustle or even as a full-time career. So, if you have what it takes to be a writer, here are the best ways to get paid to write!
PIN THIS: I’ll be updating this post so make sure to pin this image here and save it to your Pinterest board. That way you’ll be able to come back to this page and learn about how you can get paid to write!
1. Freelance Writing for Clients
One of the best and easiest ways to make money from writing is by working as a freelancer. As a freelancer, you are your own boss and can choose what clients you want to work for. To get clients, the best way is to use writing sites that pay like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer. They are straightforward to use, and you just need to create a profile, list your qualifications, and add any sample work you’ve done.
If you haven’t written professionally before, you need not worry. Start by writing a few short articles on a specific topic. There are many choices, and if you’re an expert in something like finance or healthcare, you can write on popular topics like “Best Stock Trading Apps in 2025” or “Affordable Healthcare Services in the US.”
Once you have your profile ready, the next step is creating a gig. The last step is to optimize it by adding frequently searched keywords like “freelance writer” or “SEO writer” to the description. This will help improve the visibility of your gig and get more client responses.
2. Writing Articles for Online Publications
Writing is not only good for your soul but your wallet too! Some online publications like AARP, The Magazine, and Alaska Beyond can pay up to $1 per word! To put things in perspective, that is $1000 for a 1000-word article that will probably take you 3-4 days to write! I told you being a writer is a great way to make money online, didn’t I?
This rate will vary from publication to publication. AARP, The Magazine ($1 per word or $1,500 per assignment), Eating Well ($1 per word), and Discover Magazine ($1 per word) are some publications that pay the most. This is the average pay-per-word, and the actual rate will depend on the niche you are writing for.
It’s worth noting that all publications have unique writer guidelines (available on their websites). For example, AARP only accepts submissions from North American writers and in specific categories. As a general rule of thumb, always keep your pitch for the article short and the submissions 100% original and human-written.
3. Start a Profitable Blog
How about a way to get paid for months or even years by only writing once?
Starting a personal blog is probably the best and only way to do that, apart from authoring a book, that is. Starting a blog is a relatively simple and short process. The first step, like always, is to pick something you are passionate about. Now, after picking the category, choose a name that best suits your blog and host it using Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress or Bluehost.
A writer needs readers and to get readers for your blog, focus on relatable and engaging topics. This audience will help you make money through the blog using advertisements, affiliate links, and sponsorships. Take it from me—I started my own journey as a blogger and made $10,000 per month in less than 18 months.
4. Writing for Content Mills
Content mills or content farms are platforms that hire freelance writers to generate a high volume of content for clients. If you are proud of your efficiency and organization skills, this might be one of the best paid writing opportunities. Content mills are generally stepping stones for writers, where they learn how to write for a variety of niches before moving on to better-paying gigs.
This is because the pay for content mills is comparatively lower than writing for publications. To give you a better idea, top content mills like WriterAcess and CrowdContent pay 6.6 and 8 cents per word for high-rated writers, respectively. Besides that, specialized mills like Compose.ly can pay up to 14 cents per word, but they only accept 1% of all the applicants.
Content mills are great for learning the ropes of working as a writer. It is also one of the best online jobs to get paid regularly, while you search for better-paying clients through other mediums.
5. Copywriting for Businesses
When we hear slogans like “I’m Lovin’ It” or “It’s Finger Lickin’ Good”, we are immediately reminded of the brand it belongs to. That is exactly what a copywriter does! A copywriter essentially writes short, engaging content to capture the audience’s attention and build the brand’s image. Instead of long articles, a copywriter writes effective marketing copies for campaigns, websites, and social media.
It is a very specific skill, and if you nail it, you are already destined for success. Copywriters are in high demand as all businesses need informational and engaging content to boost user engagement and sales. This is done through newsletters, marketing emails, landing pages, social media ads, and notification pop-ups.
Copywriting can be a great work-from-home job where you work with multiple brands or clients simultaneously. Getting clients can be challenging but having a portfolio definitely helps. There are different ways to build a portfolio, but I would suggest using free website builder tools to build a simple webpage with your previous work.
6. Scriptwriting for YouTube or Podcasts
Some would argue that podcasts are the new biographies, and I will have to agree. The good news is that just like biographies, podcasts need writers too. Most YouTube creators outsource the scriptwriting part to writers, and this is where you come in. It is a great beginner freelance writing job where you can easily make over $100 a day working from home.
Scriptwriting is different from blogging or article writing, and not just in terms of formatting. Here, you are writing in a video format and directly talking to the viewer. It is more like storytelling, where you will need an introduction, a middle section highlighting the topic, and a call-to-action (CTA) to the story.
There are many ways to get scriptwriting jobs, such as using freelance marketplaces like UpWork, Fiverr, and LinkedIn. Apart from that, you can directly email YouTube channels and podcasters with sample scripts tailored to their channel.
7. Self-Publishing eBooks
While there are many ways to make money writing from home, nothing beats the satisfaction of writing a book. If you agree and already have an idea for a kickass story, why not use Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to self-publish books?
Who knows, publishing an eBook might be easier than you think. It is also a great passive income idea where you have the freedom to write about whatever you want. For example, if you grew up reading the likes of Charles Dickens or William Shakespeare, you might be more suited for writing fiction. Lucky for you, fiction books like romance and thriller are some of the most-read categories.
On the other hand, if you are more passionate about what’s happening around you, writing non-fiction books might be more up your alley. In that case, you should write how-to content, recipe books, or even travel guides, as they are generally easier to sell.
Bonus tip: Canva and Reedsy will help you with the basic formatting and structuring of your book.
8. Resume and Cover Letter Writing Services
As a resume editor, your job is to create, edit, and optimize a candidate’s resume. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Freelance resume writers can make anywhere between $10 to $35 per hour, depending on the clients. This works well for you if you already have experience writing polished resumes for yourself or friends.
As resume and cover letter writing services are not a specific job, LinkedIn, Facebook Groups, and Fiverr are your top choices for finding clients. Or, you can build a dedicated website highlighting some of your best work, along with testimonials from previous clients. Never underestimate the power of testimonials. They work like magic in building trust for new clients.
9. Writing Product Descriptions for E-commerce Stores
Have you ever read a description of a product on an eCommerce store like Amazon and thought you could do better? Well, here is how you can do that and make good money. Businesses ranging from Amazon or Walmart to local stores on Etsy or Shopify all need writers to create product descriptions.
The aim of these descriptions is not to just inform the potential buyer about the product’s features and benefits. They also improve search page rankings, which in turn, improve sales. Your job as a writer is to make that happen by placing keywords in the right places.
Bigger companies like Walmart and Amazon hire writers through their job portals. However, to work with stores on Etsy and Shopify, the more efficient way would be to cold-email them directly with your sample work. Small shop owners prefer hiring freelancers, which is better for someone looking for a side gig.
10. Writing LinkedIn Posts
If you are already spending several hours on LinkedIn looking for work, why not use this time to understand how LinkedIn posts work? Understanding these posts will help you as a writer because you can leverage them to help busy professionals by creating engaging LinkedIn posts for their personal brands.
As most professionals on LinkedIn don’t have the time or skills to write posts regularly, it can be a blessing in disguise for you. Publishing these posts is a great work-from-home opportunity where you can work alone and get paid per post.
Start by writing for your personal LinkedIn account to use as your portfolio when approaching clients. Beyond that, freelance marketplaces like Fiverr or Upwork, directly reaching out to LinkedIn creators, and asking for referrals will help you get work. Remember, your job as a writer is to ensure maximum engagement from the audience. Adding a catchy headline to your posts and keeping them to the point will help you do that.
Enjoyed this post? Don’t forget to pin the image below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest over here! 🙂
Leave a Reply