Writing For Money

Some Thoughts on Paying the Bills With Your Creativity and Passion

Before we get started, let’s note that I have not had much success at this. But also, I have not made much effort to. And yet, I feel the need to reflect and sort out some ideas and ways forward.

In this new now, many of us are home or many of us wish we could be home. The work from home lifestyle has been one I have longed for my entire life. I just do not ‘fit in’ with most workplaces. I think I am a super neat person, but I am not a person who can be around people and do things very well person. I get nervous. I make mistakes. I get confused. I get rebellious. I do not like ‘workplaces’ per say.

I like creativity and freedom. I like balance. I like working in my robes and maxi dresses on my couch and feeling at peace. I like giving all of me but in quiet, in silence, in written word, via email exchange.

There are a lot of avenues out there for writing and writing online. For writing as work. But it can be a hodge podge mess. It can be a lot to keep track of. It can be overwhelming.

I have just two things going right now. And it is enough especially as I am also teaching. However, I would like to invest more time into writing and writing online so that it can be this thing that helps keep my bank account from hitting that 0.00 spot around the 15th of every month.

The kind of writing I do, mostly is not the kind of writing that makes the big bucks. Poetry, sweet poetry, how I love you. I have bounced around ideas for making poetry become a thing that can make money. But you all know, already how hard it is to get these ideas down into things that are real. However taking the online world of work as template I have seen many people combo so many things into some sort of ‘career.’

This means writing, and writing well but then combining this with social media efforts, videos, products that are of use — t-shirts maybe or coffee mugs, with your words on them, and so on. Mostly the world of working online and the world of making money from writing involve a lot of combining things with other things.

Also involved but daunting would be the knowing people who know people route of writing online. Knowing how to pitch things. Knowing how to get your ideas to a blog or website that pays. Being brave.

Writing takes bravery. Every single time.

We know this. It thrills us.

We know this. It freaks us out.

Many have had success with Fiverr, and I have done a few things with this service but wow does it take a big cut and also do you take a big hit when you do things like oh, say, not reply to messages for a few days. Yikes! Oops!

I think creativity might have a place on Fiverr. Coming up with unique gigs along with general gigs is an idea. But please also have integrity. Don’t just take crappy assignments for money. I know that sounds lofty but look, I will tell you I make less than 1,500 a month teaching, not going to hide it, not going to lie, not going to be ashamed. But this does not mean I will take a Fivver gig that is below me or against my core sense of spirituality and morality — and believe me, they come in. I delete and report.

I stand by the idea that there are no get rich quick schemes or plans or paths when it comes to writing online, writing as work. I know there’s plenty of articles on this topic floating around. It takes you being you, it takes you making time, it takes you having a voice that people want to spend time with. And it takes this strange combo of luck and pushing your work all over social media in ways that are often exhausting.

Writing is a creative process.

Writing is a spiritual process.

Writing is work, paid or not paid.

But again, we are all scrambling to get paid for something that is real, that is passion, that is creative, that is fuel for our souls. And why not? This is as it should be. Work should be the best of us, not the worst of us.

I have tried a lot. And I have been meh at a lot. I tried to tutor and edit. I tried to make millions with poetry (LOL). I tried self-publishing. I tried online writing platforms. I tried pitching to magazines and blogs.

And I will keep trying.

And you will keep trying too.

That is the thing. The only thing. The how to make money thing. Write and try. Write and search for your audience. Write and see what your writing can do, where it can go, who it can go to. Write and be joyful in it. Write for freedom and fulfillment. Tiny little money moments might follow. You never know.

People tire of formula. People tire of reading things that do not have a voice. People tire of the same old same old. So, take your writing, work on it, make sure it sounds like you, and see what happens.

©Jenny Justice. All Rights Reserved.

Jenny Justice, Poet. Author of Love in the Time of Climate Change and Reveal. You can read more of her poetry at Justice Poetic. Sign up for her newsletter here.