How I Make $2,170 as a Writer Working 5 Hours a Week
And how you can, too.
Who I Am
I’ve been writing every day for ten years and have been working professionally at it for five. I didn’t get here overnight. It took a lot of work, a lot of failures, and a lot of not having any idea what I was doing. I’m a professional Hugo Award finalist editor and writer with work appearing in or forthcoming in top publications like Rue Morgue, Tordotcom, Vice, WIRED, and more.
I write and edit fiction, poetry, and nonfiction professionally, which simply means, I get paid higher than average rates for my services. I’m not pulling in 6 figures a month and only work 5 hours a week, but I get by and know that with a simple system switch, I could pull in 6 figures a month.
But I really love only working so few hours on my paid work while spending the rest of my 20 hour work weeks on my creative practice—novel writing, game design, deliberate practice, reading, other creative work. The other part of my time is spent living life.
My Practice
I’ve refined my practice over the years to be as lean as can be. That way I can work as little as possible while still pulling in what I need to survive.
When I first started freelance writing, it’d take me up to a week or two to finish one article. That was not efficient in any way. I know a lot of writers out there say that they love being able to spend weeks and hours on one piece, I tend not to if I don’t have to.
“Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, pizza is knowledge” —April Ludgate
Essentially, I don’t want to spend weeks on a project just because I love it if it isn’t serving the story or my time.
This is how I work and operate to afford my career. If you work like this, there isn’t a way that you won’t succeed. In fact, a lot of writers who aren’t succeeding at their career, usually aren’t doing one or more of these things.
Niche B*tch
When I first started out, I always viewed niches as pigeonholes. I didn’t realize that they were keys to readers and communities. Choosing a niche opened up an actionable path to success. I went from writing whatever I felt like in tons of topics with no connections or overlays, not having success outside of self-publishing, to earning money and getting gigs within my chosen field.
I became knowledgeable about the craft, about my niche, and about publishing. While I grew, I also had fun doing it. I wasn’t being pigeonholed. I had given myself the freedom and voice to write what made me the happiest.
Saying No
Jaclyn DeVore, the Editor in Chief of DeVore Editorial, once told me to say no to every project that isn’t an instant yes. If it doesn’t excite you, say no. If you’re hearts not racing for it, say no.
By saying no, you’re freeing yourself up for the big yeses.
When she told me that, I was like no way. But I tried it because skepticism doesn’t have to mean you have a closed mind. And within a couple of months, I landed a big client and signed my first five-figure multi-book deal.
It plays into two factors: niche writing and the law of attraction. You pull in what you really want while pushing away what you don’t.
Keep it Separated
I write, edit, and research at different times. Writing comes first. That helps get my thoughts out. I can leave notes throughout the piece of where I need to edit or add research later. I used to force myself to do it all at once. That didn’t work for me.
By separating things, I’m also working in isolated flow states. Giving each task or item my full attention and creativity. This allows me to spend an hour at most on most projects or tasks.
This principle stretches across my entire work ethic. When it comes to pitching, I research, pitch, idea plan, and negotiate all at different times, coming to each fresh and energized.
Write Less, Consume More
My career and writing go in stages or flows for long periods of time. I usually spend the least amount of time in my writing phase.
Let me make something clear, though.
I write every day. But that type of writing is different from when I enter into my writing stages. Those consist of up to two months of solely writing, practicing, and creating.
Editing and learning are some things I tend to sit on and digest and argue and conversate with for several months. Most of the past year I’ve spent in a learning phase in hopes of taking my writing to another level and digging deeper into language, craft, and genre.
This practice allows me to always come to the page with more knowledge and experience than anything. I also think it plays into why I never have a fear of the blank page. I yearn for it, crave it. Give me a blank page and I’ll give you a show.
My writing wolves are always hungry.
My Streams of Income
If you’re a writer who wants to earn consistently, diversifying your streams of income is the key. It’s the only way to avoid the much-feared income draught. Some say passive income streams are the way to go, and I will say they are nice.
But like I always advise, do what works for you. If you don’t want passive income, don’t waste your time creating or developing it.
Below are all the different streams that I’ve set up and where my income comes in every month. Some I spend more time in than others. What’s not listed, though, is the unpaid hours I spend on my novel, readying that up for its query season. That takes up 20–35 hours a week.
- Online courses
- Books and games
- Freelance editing for clients
- Freelance coaching for clients
- Freelance mentoring for clients
- Investing in stocks
- Writing and editing for publications. (This is my biggest earner.)
How You Can Earn
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. What you need to do to start reaching the earning milestones you crave.
- Believe that you can do it
- Deliberately work on your craft consistently
- Work in niche topics
- Network within the areas you want to work
- Let go of the projects and people that aren’t serving or fulfilling you
- Learn how to market and sell, not only your products but yourself
- Consume and analyze more than you produce
- Build your confidence
- Study your niche topics and the high earners within them
- Diversify your revenue streams
- Split your work up into tasks and smaller projects
- Only work on what excites you
- Find the leak in your process and fix it
- Let your content do more than one thing
Further Reading
Aigner Loren Wilson is a queer Black Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer of America, Horror Writer of America, and Codex writer. Her work has appeared in and is forthcoming from WIRED, Anathema, Tordotcom, Fiyah, and more. She is a Hugo Award finalist for her editing and is the author of several speculative fiction books and games.
