I have a full time job, but I wondered if there is any way to make a little extra money by writing part time? Any idea where I could check for such work? My degree and profession is not in writing. Will this work against me? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Freelancing articles for newspapers or magazines Writing novels (don't give up your day job unless you strike it big!) Web design (requires additional skills, but there are a lot of part timers out there) I'm sure there are many others, but these came to me right off the bat.
I dont know about the other two, but i did free lance web design for about 5 years, and it was pretty good living actually while i was in school. The thing is cog is right you need some additional skills to get an edge on other people that are also doing the same thing. I recommend learning some kind of server side web programming language (ex: PHP), anyone can use Dreamweaver and make a site, takes some skill to use PHP and databases and what not
You could try submitting short stories to fiction magazines. Depending on how many stories you get published, you can make a decent amount. Not enough to live off of, but its still extra cash.
I've worked as a Web Developer before, so I would like to stay away from designing web sites. I've had enough of that. I just want to write. I have been volunteering and writing for one of our web sites at work. Then I write fiction on the side. Freelancing for newspapers and magazines sounds like what I want. I guess I need to build up a portfolio first. The fiction magazines that Scarecrow28 mentioned sounds good too. But I am not aware of these magazines. Can you give me some examples?
I wrote for fishing magazines for over 15 years. The pay was not great, averaging $300-400 per article (more if you supply all the pictures). I made $4000 in a typical year on 8-10 articles, although I made a lot more in one particular year. It was fun and you do build a fan base if you're a regular. The key to getting those opportunities is authenticity. You can't fake it. If you have a hobby or other activity that you are passionate about, then you can probably write about it and get published. The "literary" standards for each magazine vary based on the subject of the magazine and demographics of the readership. For example, if you are writing about wine tasting for high brow society, your literary standards must be high, as the magazine's subscribers are often a well educated crowd who expect lots of syllables. On the other hand, if you're writing for a bunch of fishermen (as I did), you actually write to their vernacular and you'll be accepted. In fact, if you attempt to write "above" them, your articles will be rejected. Ain't that great?! So, if you want to write articles for magazines, you will have to pander to their base . . . write what their readers want and in a style their readers find familiar. As far as writing short stories for fiction magazines, I imagine the same basic rules apply. In either case, fiction or nonfiction, study the magazine's prior content and figure out what their readers want. Then, submit.
I can't think of what kind of fiction writing a newspaper would be interested in. One idea, though, is to try to do book reviews for local newspapers in your area. You could offer to do it for free or for just the price of the book. That would allow you to build up a portfolio. Also, you might be able to talk a publisher to send you free copies of books. Just a thought.
Go on Craigslist, check out the Writer's Market. There's plenty of sites you can contribute to quickly to build a resume. Check out the Gothamist, LAist, Philliest Network. Local entertainment publications are a great way to go to. Then contact alt weeklies around the country. From there, you can really go anywhere if you're good at it. You can branch out to any subject too. You could do this in a year. That's how long it took me to go from doing it for free to getting $500 to $900 an article, although those sort of pieces are rare at this moment (Although I did 5 of those last year). In a year though, I wouldn't be surprised if I was making that much more regularly. Here are a bunch of alt weeklies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alternative_weekly_newspapers Keep track of your expenses! Also, use college students to transcribe interviews or keep them short. Otherwise it will make you procrastinate! That's what it did to me because transcribing is not fun.
WritaBurst, if I knew how to make decent money off writing, I'd be doing it. My only suggestions are selling short fiction to anthologies and magazines (usually very small money there) or doing some freelancing work for websites and zines (again, usually very low paying and often more trouble than it's worth, money-wise.) Both options are a lot of fun though, as long as you're reconciled to the idea of putting in a lot of hours for little pay.
I have a deal with a couple of sailing magazines and write 4-6 articles for them a month. Have to say though can't guess at how much they're paying me for them because I got into it through working as their copy editor. But we accepted freelance work and do on a regular (although not regular in terms of writers just regular in terms of work coming in) basis. So there's freelance work available although as people have said it doesn't tend to be fiction but specialist writing. I think building up a good portfolio is a good idea, esp if you're looking to get a novel published in the future. Working as an online content writer might be good - lots of sideways movement in that. Have to agree with ParanormalWriter though - If I could make good money out of this, I'd be desperately trying to do it now!!
Thanks guys. I'm not looking to make "good" money doing this, but I thought a little would be nice. I did find a couple of sci-fi online magazines that pay for stories. I may give that a try. I have submitted some work to my local paper too. I wouldn't mind doing some specialized writing at all.
scams: if you see something that says you can make $56/hr for writing, don't click on it. But Jk rowling hit pretty big
I'm posting this poll because I was curious. As a community, we have writers ranging from published authors to newbies, and people who would like to do this professionally alongside folks who write in private, for themselves, with no intention of ever submitting their work to an editor -- or, in some cases, with no intention of showing anyone else, ever. So, if you're interested, tell us where you'd like to go with your writing. What are your ultimate writing goals, as of right now? (If you had different plans before and have changed them for whatever reason, put the most current version in the poll.) Rough categories: Private writing (not for anyone else to read), Personal writing (shared with friends and family, not for publication), Community writing (letters and essays in newspapers or newsletters), Casual writing for publication (you'd like to be published now and then, but it's no big deal), Semi-pro (you'd like to have a non-writing career and be published regularly on the side), Pro writer (you'd like to write full-time and make most of your income from your work), Award-winning writer (you'd like to make the bestseller list or win some serious recognition within your genre). For example, a University Professor would be a "Semi-pro" because they're both teaching and publishing their findings. Someone who writes editorials for the paper would do "Community writing." Someone who wants to make it big would be "Pro writer" or "Award-winning writer."
Quite a question and one which I have been asking myself. There again some people do crossword puzzles others Sudoko. In the case of writing I don't think you can categorize in the way you do. For many of us it is not a question of what we would like to do, it is more to do with what we are capable of doing - even whether we can break into the world of publishing. I can liken it to another hobby of mine - horse riding. I would love to be able to ride my mare in the same way as can a young woman whom I have met and who now looks after her. The fact that I was riding horses before the woman was born has nothing to do with the issue. I have not the ability to ride and to train a horse in the modern way of dressage - I'd like to - perhaps - but I know I can't and what is more will not try. Similarly I'd like to write a book which folks will pay to read but I do wonder if I have the ability not only to write the book but to thrust my way through the route to publication. And it is this issue which I think has brought us to the theory behind the vanity press industry. I can write as an amateur but could I write as a professional? Sadly at the age of 72 I do not think I have the time to find out.
I would love to be able to live off of my writing, but I need to get over the fear of letting others see what I've written.... Writing and reading is such a big part of my life and who I am, that I can't really call it a hobby. I think I'd go insane if I didn't write.
Yeah, it's not really only 'your choice' in the end. But let's say I could choose, then semi-pro would probably be the option that would make me the happiest.
The desire to write is for myself, but the motivation comes from being known around town as a writer, and presenting at open-mic events. I've tossed around the idea of self-publishing chap books for trunk sales, but have relatively little desire to go pro. Sure, if it fell into my lap I would in a heartbeat, but I'm having too much fun with life to put the time and energy into going pro. -Frank
Interesting question for me, anyway. I'm studying archaeology as an undergraduate, which means my career choice is basically either work for the government with Cultural Resource Management or get a job in academia as a professor (after some serious grad school)--provided I stick with it, of course. Either way, I will be writing reports and/or books about my research, so I'll fit your description as a "semi-pro." But I plan to doubly fit your description as a semi-pro, because I also want to write fiction and get that published! Hm, maybe I'll write archaeological fiction?
I have no idea where I am going with this. In some ways I have acheived my goal - I have produced a novel. I am writing more. I have people that enjoy reading my work. I am trying to get my first story published - however realised when I got my first rejection I wasn't that upset. My work entertains people and has a small fanbase. If I could have my dream then would love to write a script for Dr Who but not expecting it to happen either.
I've already missed the boat on making writing my career, mostly because I didn't have the confidence to pursue it aggressively when I was young. On the other hand, when I retire in a few years, I plan on putting a great deal of effort into getting one (or more) of my novels published.
