4 Effective Ways To Make Money Writing

Let’s face it: Writing, blogging and speaking have their costs. We invest not only labor, time and soul but also money. 

For example, we have the costs for domains, website hosting and design; professional tools and software (design, email marketing, editing, scheduling); and ongoing training and development (courses, coaching, writer conferences). Self-publishing or hybrid publishing also need a solid financial investment. 

So even if we are not out for profit or do not want to earn our living as full-time writers, it is wise to develop several revenue streams to cover at least our ongoing costs. Here are four effective ways to make money writing. 

1. Freelancing. 

Freelancing is an effective way to earn money, but it involves a lot of research and flexibility. A good starting point is to make a list of suitable, paying publications (online and print) and get acquainted with their style, topics and calls for submissions. Then you can make a yearly or quarterly plan for when to submit to each publication and monitor the rejections and acceptances. If a publication often accepts your submissions and the payment is OK, you can plan to submit regularly there. 

Freelancing needs time, focus and patience, but it is an effective way not only to earn money but to build an audience and readership. Don’t forget to check our Freelancing Focus Group in COMPEL Pro, where at the beginning of each month, we provide a list of submission opportunities, including paid ones. 

2. Writer Platforms That Pay. 

There are online platforms for writers that pay based on reading time, “likes” (or “claps”) and other criteria. One such platform is Medium. This platform has a partner program, which is now open to nearly all countries in the world. As a member of the partner program, if you set your article behind a paywall (e.g., a members-only story), then you will receive money when somebody reads, “claps” or comments. Payment is monthly. 

Of course, the more stories you have published, the higher the chance of getting a higher income. There are also Medium publications for which you can write and increase your reach. Medium also needs time, but it is a great way to earn money each month. 

3. Paid Book Collaborations.  

Paid book collaborations are a wonderful way not only to earn money but also to become a published author if you don’t have a published book of your own. Many book collaborations are not paid (at least not in money), but there are also paid opportunities. They usually pay the contributing authors once for the contribution but in rare cases offer a percentage of the royalties.

To take part in a book collaboration, it is normal to undergo a submission process, meaning your submission can be approved or rejected. Nevertheless, it is worth trying. 

4. Digital Products.

Selling digital products is another effective way to earn money writing. Such digital products can be e-books, workbooks, cheat sheets, planners, Bible reading plans, coloring pages or anything that fits your audience. 

You can sell these products on your website or on special selling platforms like Etsy, Gumroad and others. You can also create some of them using Amazon’s self-publishing program, called Ingram Spark, and sell directly on Amazon. There are many possibilities. 

It is not only OK to make money writing; it is necessary. If we want to develop and grow as Christian writers, we need to invest a lot. That’s why we also need to use our opportunities not only to earn money to cover our costs but also to perfect our writing, build connections and partnerships, and serve more people in deeper ways. 

Blessings,
Hadassah Treu

Are you ready to earn money with your writing? Which of these ways do you find the most suitable for you? We’d love to hear from you!