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- Dayana Sabatin writes articles for online platforms and made almost $5,000 in one month.
- Sabatin said writing as many posts as possible gives you the best chance at making more money.
- Her tips include scheduling 60 minutes of uninterrupted writing time per day, and reserving editing for later.
Writing online can often feel like shooting in the dark and praying you're aiming in the right direction. If you'd asked me if I'd be making money from writing my thoughts and opinions online, I would've laughed in your face.
And yet, here I am, entering my third year ofwriting online and making what I consider a decent income for someone with no college degree and who's still learning the ropes of this thing. If you're looking to create a side hustle from writing, and eventually turn it into a full-blown career like I'm trying to do, I'm someone who you can hopefully learn from.
With that said, here are my best pieces of advice.
"Write or don't eat"
I kept a sticky note on my computer with the words "write or don't eat" written on it. It was my daily reminder to myself that if I truly wanted this writing thing to work out, then I needed to treat it like it was my full-time job.
For a solid month straight, I woke up at 5 a.m. every day, made a cup of coffee, and opened a blank document. I'd choose one of the headlines I'd brainstormed from the night before and dive into it.
I'd break around 9 or 9:30 to go to the gym, and then edit the piece I'd written that morning. Slowly but surely, my earnings started to increase as I published more articles online. That month, I produced 22 articles, one of which made me over $1,000.
Here are a few more tactics I used:
- Create a motto for yourself that will motivate you on a daily basis — or in my case, scare you into doing it.
- Implement a routine for yourself that will allow you to write without interruption for at least 60 minutes. Do this for 30 days straight. When those 30 days are up, do it again.
- Don't focus on editing. Reserve editing for later in the day or pick one day of the week to edit all of your work.
Utilize books and free online training
While you don't need a degree to become a successful writer, educating yourself can drastically improve not only the style of your writing but what you're writing about in general.
My writing was sloppy and overly formal when I first started out. I turned to my favorite writers and studied their style, voice, and content. Some sold courses which I debated long and hard for before joining — but I'm glad I did because I was able to learn from their mistakes.
You don't need to buy a ton of courses or pay for online classes, but utilizing free online resources can benefit you — as well as a few books. Here are a few I leaned on:
"The Elements of Style" by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White
If you're someone like me and suck at grammar or structural writing rules, this is a great book. You'll brush up on the basics. If you don't know the basics, you'll learn them.
"War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles" by Steven Pressfield
This book will help you overcome the biggest obstacle you face as a writer: Your inner negative Nancy.
"How to Make a Living With Your Writing" by Joanna Penn
This book helped open my eyes to the possibilities you have as a writer. The author shares her multiple income streams and the breakdown of her six-figure writing income.
Identify what you're good at
When I started out, I also no clue what to write about — imagine that! A wannabe writer with little to no clue. Well if that's you, I hope you feel less lonely because I wrote about everything and anything that came to mind when I first started.
My writing coaches were the ones who taught me to niche down, which I was resistant to do until I realized that not focusing in on what I was actually good at meant I would stay stagnant.
To find the best topic to write about, ask yourself the following questions:
- What can I talk about all day long?
- What do I think about all the time?
- What am I genuinely interested in?
- What do my spouse or best friend and I always talk about?
When you have your answers, identify the common themes and come up with two or three major topics. Then, narrow it down even more and pick one.
I picked two and went with relationships and self-improvement. If you check out my profile, that's the bulk of what my writing consists of. As you get better at writing within your niche, you can dabble in other topics.
Be passionate about whatever you choose to write about — because you may not make money right away
You've created a successful routine by writing every day at the same time, you've been utilizing online resources to find your voice and get better at it, and you've got your niches.
You're still not rolling in dough. So, now what?
The answer is a simple: screw the money. That's not the point when you're first starting out. Writing isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. Trust me, I thought it was at first too, but the two cents I made my first month of writing online humbled me.
It took me a year of writing every single day to make my first $1,000. It took me nearly two years to make $5,000, and that was from hustling daily and having multiple writing income streams.
The best advice I could give is to write with passion when you're first starting out. Keep your day job or have a part-time job that provides you with enough security, so you're not feeling pressured when you write.
Your audience will find you if you show up every day and prove that you're in it for the long haul.
Branch out
When I first realized I wanted to be a writer, I wanted to write fiction — so writing online felt like a maze I didn't want to even try and enter.
I had no idea I was interested in writing about dating or self-improvement until I branched out and tried it.
When it comes to writing, you have to be brave and just go for it. Dabble. Play. Read books and learn. And then, once you feel a little more confident, explore other writing platforms. Maybe you'll start your own blog — some bloggers make 6-figures a year. Maybe you'll get into ghostwriting or copywriting.
Having multiple streams of income will make you feel more secure and, of course, help you make more money — which in turn, will allow you to quit that day job if you so wish.