Why I Chose Writing as My Side Hustle

You can’t find a better side hustle than writing

I’m an engineer by profession and a writer by passion. I love to write. But you know what they say, “love is blind".

Being an engineer, I can’t base the foundation of my side hustle on some baseless emotions. Fortunately, I have valid reasons to choose writing as my side hustle.

I’ve tried several options before anchoring to writing on Medium.

I have a full-time job. If the side hustle demands me to be present all the time, I won’t be able to do it. When you can’t be present for your business, anyone can take advantage of your absence.

So a few options left for me to choose from. From the few that left, I chose writing on Medium as my side hustle.

Writing is one of the best investments

1. You make money even while you sleep

The best type of investment earns you money even while you sleep. Writing is one of them.

When you send your writing out there for the world to read, it isn’t limited to your timezone or country’s borders.

Anyone can read your writing anytime from anywhere. And when they read your writing, you make money — even while you sleep. How cool is that?

2. You earn money practically indefinitely

Articles you write on Medium can earn you money as long as there’s a reader interested to read it. An article you wrote today can earn you money for an indefinite future.

If people find your articles interesting enough that give them good times, make their days, and change their lives for the better — you’ll have an influx of readers.

3. Writing helps to invest in yourself

I needed a side hustle for an extra income source. I also needed to improve myself. Writing gave me the opportunity to have both.

To get better at writing, I need to write more. To write more, I need to learn more.

Reading books allows me to learn continuously. It gives me the opportunity to increase my knowledge, broaden my outlook, and become a lifelong learner.

I can write more persuasively when I have knowledge from hundreds of books.

Writing gives you the flexibility to work

1. You can write from anywhere and in small chunks

I don’t have to be at a specific place for writing — any place would do.

I need not be on my chair to write. I can write from my favorite desk, in lunch breaks while in the office, or while on vacation.

You don’t need to finish your article in one sitting. You can write a small chunk from your warm bed in the winter morning, write another chunk while stuck in the traffic jam during daily commutes, and finish the article when waiting for someone outside.

2. You can write anytime you want

Writing doesn’t have any time limitations. No one’s telling you when to write. Unlike a 9–5 job, you can write when it suits you.

You can write while waiting in the supermarket when your wife is shopping, you can write when you’re waiting for the office meeting to start and you can even write when you can’t fall asleep at night.

Writing doesn’t need you to do it at the same time every day. Though it’s better to write at the same time every single day.

3. You don’t need expensive gadgets to start writing

The requirement to start writing is minimal. Anyone can be a writer.

Unlike almost all the side hustles, you need not buy anything new to start writing. Everything you need to start writing is already there. You just need the will to write.

To write on Medium, I need an internet connection and a device I already own — my laptop or smartphone. Sometimes I need both.

Most of the time, I write on my smartphone because it’s convenient to write — I can write at any time, from anywhere. Then I use my laptop to edit my writing and publish it.

Though you need to buy books and maybe a writing course or two to improve yourself as a writer, you need not buy anything new to start writing.

You can change people’s lives

Writing is the best side hustle because it earns you money and gives you the opportunity to change your readers’ lives. I don’t know of any other side hustle that offers this rare combination.

I write articles that teach you to live your life better.

I believe in constant improvement. If you don’t change and improve yourself, your life will remain stagnant.

We only live life forward. To move ahead, you need to prepare yourself for the “new normal”. You’d better be ready for the challenges of the new age.

As you develop your inner self, you level yourself up. You become better than your past self.

The future you demand a new you. You must enrich your inner self with all the knowledge needed to become the best version of yourself.

If you don’t change and improve yourself, your life will remain stagnant

I add values to your life — my reader — through my writing. Through my writing, I offer advice and life lessons to those who need them most.

From all the benefits writing offers, the best one is adding value to people’s lives — nothing else comes close. Earning money will not, getting claps will not, getting views will not.

It’s a blessing to move people to do and achieve more.

In conclusion

What do you search for in a side hustle?

I had few requirements for a side hustle.

1. You need not buy anything new to do it
2. You can work from anywhere
3. You can do it anytime
4. You can do it in small chunks
5. It earns you money even while you sleep
6. It earns you money practically indefinitely
7. You can help people change their lives

Writing as a side hustle gave me more answers than I originally had.

So when are you starting to write?