I'd love to hear stories of how writers here make ends meet. I've been doing some research and I see a lot of opportunity for people to take my money in exchange for a six figure income, lol. But there also seems to be markets to exploit based on my background. Do you do work copywriting, ghost writing, blogging, etc? How has it worked out for you? Do you have any references and warnings?
I'm a bid writer. I don't know if people generally understand the bid process (I didn't have a clue before I fell into the role) but when public sector organisations need suppliers, they have to put the opportunity on the open market and let eligible suppliers bid for the work. My job is to write a bid that convinces the authority my company is the best one for the job. It's great for my fiction writing in several ways: - There are always word/page limits, so I have to be disciplined in writing very tightly. - It has immovable deadlines (really immovable, pleading doesn't work) so I can't pretend writer's block exists. Well, I could, but then I'd be out of a job... so I know that it's always, always, always possible to write. - It requires creativity, because sometimes we AREN'T the best people for the job but I have to make it seem like we are. It's a great career IMO. There aren't many of us, so we're in high demand. It pays anywhere from £30k - 70k depending on experience and level of responsibility.
I did a little bit of ghostwriting. It paid OK and was interesting, but I just rely on my day job now.
Now I made it with blogging and, sometimes, ghostwriting. I have enough money to pay bills and go to college. But when I will earn my degree, I'm not sure that I will keep doing ghostwriting.
I am a Technical Author in my first role. Very different from my 'other' live as an Historical Non-Fiction author, but great in one respect to be able to call myself a 'professional writer' and not feel bit of a presumtuous fraud. I AM an author; that is now how I introduce myself, and it makes a massive difference in mindset. That's why I am here; I am now taking my writing seriously in all respects because it is my LIFE, professionally and as a hobby.
I have done few freelancing gigs with sports pages but mainly rely on the day job. I would say don't quit your day job unless you have something definitely in line.
What the hell do you call a handful of readers? I work outside of writing, as I am a nobody. It all comes down to exposure, and the more of it the better no matter which way you go about it publishing wise. Write things that are highly marketable, and write well. Or you will be like us nobodies. (Basically don't be me.)
I freelance as a copywriter and editor. I made sure from the get-go not to under-bid myself. Doing so breeds questions about the quality of your work and sets you up for a steep slope of "proving yourself". This is especially in situations where you are using a platform that tracks your performance. I also abide by a strict code of production, in which I will completely re-write anything that is not satisfactory to my clients. If my writing's going to be in the world (even under someone else's name), it needs to be ethically done: well-written, fairly paid for, and intellectually engaging.
Writing about cars can be a good gig. Part of my work used to involve driving to classic car dealerships, testing cars, getting good pictures of them and writing honest appraisals for a well known classic car rag. It's known in the trade as "chasing". It managed to be glamorous and cool, and tragic and tiring at the same time. I got paid £80 a car (plus expenses). Do four cars a week and you can make a modest living doing only that. If you do car shows at the weekend, and fill the time between walking round a field getting sunburn and your week days breaking down and dealing with slimy car dealers with writing features, and you can do pretty well.
