Summary

The article provides unconventional advice for aspiring writers to find unique opportunities, balance humility with self-belief, and aim for an ideal while accepting the journey of growth.

Abstract

The author of the article shares personal insights on how to make money writing, emphasizing the importance of being open to unique opportunities that may not be widely known or advertised. The journey begins with persistence, as demonstrated by the author's own experience of sending out numerous proposals on Upwork before landing a first client. The article suggests that success in writing often comes from unexpected paths and leveraging each opportunity to its fullest, such as parlaying a podcast into writing bedtime stories for an app. The author advocates for a blend of humility and a secret belief in one's potential to become a great writer, advising to start small and even work for free initially. Writers are encouraged to pick an ideal to strive for, knowing that their understanding and goals will evolve over time. The article concludes by urging writers to explore writing for themselves, their audience, and everyone in between, stressing that finding one's unique storytelling groove will ultimately attract financial success.

Opinions

Traditional paths to making money as a writer quickly become saturated and less effective.
Personal connections and shared passions can lead to unexpected and rewarding professional partnerships.
Writers should be willing to work for free initially to gain experience and build their reputation.
A writer must balance the humility required to endure rejection with a delusional self-belief in their potential greatness.
Choosing an ideal or role model to emulate is important, but one must be prepared to adapt and change as they grow.
The pursuit of perfection is futile; instead, writers should focus on continuous improvement and learning.
Writers should experiment with writing for different audiences to discover their own unique voice and style.
The world is in need of good storytellers, and those who excel will find that opportunities and financial rewards will follow.

How To Make Money Writing

It’s A Bit Like Saying “How to Lose Your Virginity.”

If you want to lose your virginity, be 17 in a small private school in the South. Confide in a friend that you are nervous about the whole thing and are afraid you’ll be bad at it. Accept her offer when she asks if you “just wanna get it over with.” Be really bad at it. She’s polite and supportive. (Thanks Tori)

Isn’t that helpful?

Be Open To Unbelievably Unique Opportunities

Any time you see a pre-made path to making money as a writer, it’s too late. That ship has sailed. It worked for the first few people to stumble upon it, but if you’re hearing about it, it’s already too late.

That’s not to say that it can’t happen. You just have to be willing to keep your mind open enough for it to happen in ways that you just can’t predict.

My first client came to me through Upwork. I must have sent out 200 proposals before I got a response. I didn’t have any experience, so I told him I would do a free sample of work. On a call, we happened to connect over a shared passion for storytelling and mental health. We started a podcast together. It grew to the #12 podcast in mental health. I used that to leverage other writing opportunities and land on what my storytelling business would look like.

Thanks to his reviews, I started writing bedtime stories for a popular health app. I worked very closely with my two clients, and I discovered I had a talent for uncovering what was brilliant about them, and bringing it to the page.

Then, I launched my website, promising a “spiritual partnership.” Phrasing I found while talking to my clients.

Now, I love helping people discover the storyteller in themselves. I even started doing this with friends and their work.

When I started out, I had no idea that I would do any of this. I uncovered it as I went and in reaction to each present moment. If I had tried to take the “right path” I never would have found it.

Be Humble, But Secretly Delusional

Start small and work for free. Know in your heart of hearts that you are the next great American writer.

This creative business is an odd balance. It is the most humbling thing in the world-the constant rejection, the rocky beginnings — and yet we have to believe that we have something to say, else we wouldn’t be talking.

Find a way to believe both. Don’t worry about the truth of it all. You are exactly who you think you are, for better or worse. Think that you are good.

Pick An Ideal And Aim At It

Pick the sort of person you want to be. Maybe it is a specific person you look up to and want to be more like. Decide what you like about them and aim at that.

It will be incorrect. What do we know? But in order to become a master, we have to start out stupidly. It’s the only way. Perfection is a poisonous illusion.

Once we get going, we will know a little more, be able to pick a new ideal and aim at that. Repeat ad infinitum.

Write For Yourself, Write For Your Audience, Write For Everyone

The right way is somewhere on that spectrum. You don’t know what it is yet.

Try all of them. The important thing is to just write. Get it wrong, learn, and try again.

The world needs more good storytellers badly. It will throw money at you if you find a groove. So don’t worry so much about money in the beginning. Worry about finding your groove.

Originally published at https://www.taylorforeman.com on July 25, 2020.