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How to Become a Writer: Our Complete Guide
Krystal N. Craiker
So, you want to be a writer. Welcome! You've come to the right place.
Writing is a fun, dynamic career, and it can be a lucrative field. But writing isn't a get-rich-quick scheme, no matter what personal-finance and side-hustle blogs will tell you. It's hard work, but the freedom and creativity make it worth it.
If you're passionate about the written word, you want to leave a legacy through writing, and you're looking for a career that's always needed and always changing, then a writing career is perfect for you.
Today, we'll take a look at the different types of professional writing. Whether you want to be a top-earning freelance writer or the next bestselling author, this guide will explain exactly how you can break into the writing community.
How to Become a Successful Writer (or Author)
Types of professional writer careers, how to get into freelance writing, how to become an author, how to get into writing: conclusions.
Anyone who writes is a writer. I stand by this. If you're writing fan fiction or poems no one will ever see, you're a writer.
A professional writer is someone who earns money from their writing.
Professional writers make writing a career, but that doesn't mean you need to quit your job and become a full-time fiction writer! You can be a professional writer alongside whatever else you do.
Professional writers who become successful and earn a full-time income dedicate time and energy to building their career. They understand the importance of quality writing, and they know their worth. Most importantly, successful writers write. They write consistently and always seek to improve.
The first step in learning how to become a writer is to know what type of writer you want to be. You don't have to pick just one niche! Let's start by understanding the difference between a writer and an author.
What's the Difference Between a Writer and an Author?
All authors are writers, but not all writers are authors. This sounds like the start of a logic problem! The definitions of author and writer vary from source to source.
An author is someone whose work has been published. While some sources say that this includes anyone who has published an article, most people assign the title of "author" to someone who has published a short story or book. Nonfiction authors who publish books are still authors!
Most professional writers who do not write books or publish any fiction do not use the title of author. For the intent of this guide, we'll use author to mean one who publishes fiction writing or nonfiction books.
Brush up on Your Writing Skills
A professional writer understands the importance of high-quality writing, and they will use any tool at their disposal to improve their writing skills.
Brush up on the mechanics of grammar and style. Books like Dreyer's English and The Elements of Style are a great starting place. There are also great blogs and online courses to help improve your skills.
You can also use an editing tool. Even the best writers need to run their work through an editing program to catch typos, strange wording, and obscure grammar mistakes.
ProWritingAid is more than just a grammar and spell checker and will offer style feedback through our twenty reports.
For these eight popular reports, and many others, sign up for ProWritingAid .
There are many types of professional writing paths you can take. We're going to cover some of them here.
You might find that you want to write in more than one niche. That's okay! Keep in mind that it's easier to build a successful career the more specialized you become, but there's no rule that says you can't write grants and short stories.
We're not covering journalism or news writing and reporting in this guide because that field has its own requirements and code of ethics.
The writing careers in this guide are open to anyone and many don't require experience or a specific degree to break into.
Technical Writing
Technical writing is a great niche for people who have backgrounds in specialized fields. A technical writer conveys complex information in a specialized industry. This might include writing guides or support documents or even journals.
Within technical writing, there are countless subfields. If you have an interest in healthcare, you can become a medical writer. If you're passionate about the law, you might consider a career as a legal writer.
Technical writing jobs can also include the tech and software fields, engineering, and more. A bachelor's degree in English or work experience in a related field is helpful but not required.
Business Writing
Business writing is another broad niche, and it is often the most lucrative writing career. We can break this niche into a couple of broad categories.
First, there is business-to-business writing, or B2B. This type of writing focuses on the interactions between businesses. Then there's B2C, or business-to-consumer, writing.
Under both the B2B and B2C umbrellas, there are two other broad categories: copywriting and content writing.
Copywriting focuses on sales and conversions. This includes website copy, ad copy, email marketing, and more. Copywriting is persuasive and encourages the reader to take some sort of action.
Content writers focus on information and education. This might include a business's blog, product guides, social media, ebooks, or other informative content. Content writing helps build a brand and develop relationships with the target audience.
Grant Writing
Quality grant writers are always in high demand for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Grant writing is a specialized style of writing with the goal of obtaining competitive funding for an organization.
It's harder to become a grant writer than other types of writer because the stakes are high and the writing style is so specific. If you're interested in becoming a grant writer, find a grant writing course or certification program.
It might be harder to break into grant writing, but it's a stable career path. Plus, you can really make a difference by helping amazing nonprofit organizations get much-needed funding.
Creative Writing and Fiction Writing
It's possible to build a successful writing career with creative writing, but it's much harder because you won't be hired by companies with a writing budget.
There are many different types of creative writing. Personal essays fit well on many blogs and websites, and they can pay very well. But the work is less consistent and requires lots of pitching. We'll talk more about pitching later.
Fiction writing includes short stories, novellas, and novels. Independent publishing has opened many doors for fiction writers to have lucrative careers and reach a wide audience.
Traditional publishing is a slower process, but some people still build solid careers on this path.
Narrative nonfiction writers can author long-form essays and books as well. Even poets can find success in the creative writing field.
Other Types of Writing Careers
There are plenty of other fields you can enter as a writer. There's entertainment writing, video script writing, blogging , and e-course development . You can get hired as a ghostwriter to write books for other people.
It might not be your own writing, but it's a viable career option. Resume writing is another great option.
Online writing has opened the doors to infinite opportunities for budding writers.
There are several steps you can take to become a writer. The order of these steps isn't important.
Some people will tell you to choose a niche first. Others will tell you to take unpaid jobs to build your portfolio. You can make the steps to become a writer work for you.
A freelance writer is someone who is not an employee of a company. They might take long-term contracts with a company, but freelance writers are self-employed. Be mindful of tax laws, healthcare benefits, and how to read a contract before pursuing freelance writing.
Take a Writing Course
A good writer in any field is dedicated to becoming a better writer. An online writing course is a great way to learn how to become a writer, learn a new skill, or get a certification.
Many online writing courses created by successful freelance writers outline step-by-step how to become a writer. Every freelance writer has their own personal recipe for success.
You can take a writing course to improve specific aspects of your writing, such as grammar, copywriting skills, or pitching.
There are also courses and certification programs for more specialized writing niches. There are certifications for medical writing, grant writing, resume writing, and more.
Build Your Portfolio
To become a writer, you must have writing samples . This gets easier as your career progresses, but there are ways to build your portfolio when you're just getting started.
Here are some things you can include in your beginner portfolio:
- Personal blog posts
- Editorials for college newspapers
- Academic writing samples
- Fake samples of your niche
- Free samples for a friend or family member
Early on, you want to prove that you can write. You might pull from a neglected blog or a paper you had published in an academic journal.
You can also create fake samples within your chosen niche. Did you write a practice grant in a certification course? Could you craft some fictitious ad copy?
There's a great debate about the merits of taking unpaid writing gigs for exposure. They can be beneficial for building a portfolio, but time is money.
As a freelance writer, I am generally opposed to unpaid writing gigs. The unpaid "exposure" jobs I, and many of my colleagues, took early on did little to actually help us get good writing gigs.
If you are willing, however, offer to spruce up website copy or take on an email newsletter for someone you know and trust.
Don't overextend yourself and only write for someone who won't take advantage of you. You can't make money or find well-paying writing jobs if you're spending all your time on unpaid labor.
Start Pitching
There are many articles on how to become a writer that make it sound easy to find writing jobs. They downplay the time it takes to find open positions and pitch for them. However, pitching is a numbers game, and a good pitch can open doors for long-term writing positions.
Anyone who has ever been unemployed knows that job hunting can be a full-time job. Freelance writing requires a large amount of time spent pitching or applying for writing positions, in addition to actual paid writing positions.
Search job boards for freelance writing positions. Update your LinkedIn profile and make connections. Watch for calls for pitches from your favorite websites and blogs.
You can also cold-pitch companies and blogs you want to write for. The worst they can say is no.
A good pitch is friendly and gets straight to the point. Don't aim for too-formal language like a cover letter. You need to show off your voice in your pitches. They're hiring your writing skills, after all!
Include a link to your portfolio or a relevant sample. Run your pitch through an online editor and proofread it several times. It doesn't look good for a hopeful writer to make writing mistakes in a pitch.
Also, carefully read pitching guidelines for the position. Editors get dozens of pitches a day. Some will have you include a specific phrase to weed out the less serious candidates. There might be a specific format for the subject line or other guidelines on pitch ideas, format, or samples.
Choosing a Niche
There's a well-known phrase in the freelance writing world: "the riches are in the niches." In other words, the more specific your niche, the more money you can make. This is a catch-22 for a new writer.
You aren't a specialist in your niche yet, so being too narrow can severely limit your jobs. However, being too broad could lead to low-paying and unsatisfying writing gigs.
Budding writers also may not know what they want to niche down in. You might think you're interested in grant writing and, a few months down the road, decide you hate it after significant investment.
I believe in finding a happy medium at the beginning of your career, then letting your niche find you. If pitching is a numbers game, start by casting a wide net. Apply for positions that sound interesting and may be something you want to niche down in.
For example, I started with a broad niche of blogging and B2C content writing. Eventually, I found gigs that turned into consistent jobs with niches in entertainment and the writing field.
Perhaps you have a biology background and want to get into medical writing? You can start by looking for technical writing positions, healthcare blogs, or web copy for healthcare providers. Who knows which of those you'll love best?
You might think that the first step in how to become an author is to write a book. Surprise! While you should be writing, there's another step that is important to do concurrently.
Build an Audience
You can't sell books if no one knows about your books. Whether you choose an indie publishing or traditional publishing route, you must build your audience first. It's much harder to build your audience after you've published because you sound sales-y. They don't know you, so why would they read your book?
Traditional publishers look for writers who have a social media following. It doesn't have to be a huge following, but they do want to see an active social media presence. Even a couple thousand followers with regular engagement is enough.
You don't have to be on every social media site to build your audience either. Decide who your ideal reader (that's author-speak for "target audience") is and research which social media platforms that group spends their time on.
You also want to curate a newsletter mailing list. Those are the people who are a step away from buying your book.
What do you talk about if you haven't written a book yet? Here are some ideas for content to build an audience before you publish:
- Books you love
- Your writing process
- Behind-the-scenes
- Writing struggles
- Writing memes and book memes
- Themes you discuss in your books
- About the author facts
- Quotes from your work-in-progress
Follow other new authors and see what they posted before they published for more ideas. Interact with your followers and your ideal readers. Remember, building an audience is about building a connection, not sales.
Write a Book
You can't be an author if you don't write. Whether you're writing short stories, novellas, novels, or nonfiction books, you have to get those words on the page.
Writing can be a lonely field. Find a writing community to commiserate with. Critique groups, book coaches, and accountability partners can be crucial to your success as an aspiring author.
If you've never written a book, it takes time to find your process. You might be more of a "pantser" or discovery writer who flies by the seat of your pants. These writers sit down in front of a blank page with an idea and just write.
Plotters spend time developing characters and plot lines before they ever write a line of the story. Most people fall somewhere in between.
I always recommend writing challenges like National Novel Writing Month (NanoWriMo) or Alan Watt's 90 Day Novel to new writers who are intimidated by a blank page, but not everyone likes these time-bound approaches.
Read books about how to write a novel, like our Novel Writing Training Plan or Ready, Set, Novel by Chris Baty, Lindsey Grant, and Tavia Stewart-Streit.
Then sit down and write that story!
Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing
Traditional publishing involves pitching to a literary agent who will then sell your book to a publishing house. This is generally done after you have a completed manuscript.
Literary agents have specific submission guidelines, so read them carefully!
Some want only a certain word count of the beginning of your novel, while others want the whole manuscript.
Some agents prefer to read a synopsis and will ask for your manuscript if they are interested.
Self publishing is a larger investment. An indie author is responsible for hiring their own editors, sensitivity readers, cover artists, and more. It's a lot of work but that doesn't mean a book isn't good.
There are great books and terrible books in both strands of publishing. What are some of the reasons an author will choose one path or the other?
Traditional publishing comes with clout. It's easier to get into libraries and bookstores. It's possible to get a significant monetary advance when a publisher picks up your book.
Some of your marketing will be done for you by the publisher. If you perform well, you can get multi-book deals.
However, traditional publishing requires you to give up some creative control. The publisher looks for trends that they think will sell. You might be forced to change something significant in your novel, and you don't usually get much say on cover design.
You're still required to do most of your own marketing and promotion unless you hit the bestseller list.
Self publishing allows you to retain complete creative control, but that requires more work. There's a stigma that self-published books aren't as good, even though that's not true. It's faster than pitching, but it's also a larger up-front investment.
What about earnings? Traditional publishing might help you sell more books, but the royalties on each sale are significantly lower than self publishing. You can make more per book going the indie route, but it can be harder to sell enough copies.
Choosing your publishing route is a cost-benefit analysis. Decide what is most important to you.
Becoming a writer isn't necessarily easy, but there are infinite career paths you can take within the field. For people who are passionate about writing and using their words to impact people, it's a fun career that is rarely dull.
Know your worth, but don't expect to get rich quick. Learn what you can to be a better writer. And keep your passion for writing alive no matter what — it will shine through everything you write.
Now is a wonderful time to be a copywriter. Download this free book to learn how:
Turn Yourself Into a Prosperous Copywriter
With the advent of the internet, the copywriting industry is exploding. content is now seen as critical for all online businesses., this guide breaks down the three essential steps you must take if you think copywriting is the career for you..
Be confident about grammar
Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.
Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author and blog manager at ProWritingAid. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound.
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Last updated on May 02, 2022
How to Become a Writer: 7 Practical Steps
If you’re dreaming of turning your passion for writing into a full-time career, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll go through a series of actionable steps that you can take to start writing professionally.
Here are 7 steps to help you become a writer:
1. Create a solid writing routine
Here are a few tips for establishing a writing habit:
Make writing a priority. If you want to be a professional writer, set non-negotiable writing time in your calendar and arrange your other commitments around it.
Define your writing goals. Whether it’s a daily number of words or completing a task in a set number of days, goals help break larger projects into manageable chunks — so you’ll be less overwhelmed and more likely to knuckle down and write.
Identify your ideal writing times . Do you tend to get the most done right after waking up in the morning, or during the quiet hours of the evening? Figure out your windows of productivity and capitalize on them.
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However, no matter how watertight your writing routines are, every author can benefit from a helping hand to perform at their best and become an even better writer. Thankfully, there are some apps for that.
2. Use writing tools to improve your output
Different tools can impact your output in different ways: for example, online whiteboards like Miro can help you visually sketch out your book’s outline and character bios, and help you define the mood of your world-building. Tools like Grammarly can identify and fix typos and grammatical errors, whereas browser blockers like Cold Turkey can help to minimize distractions and stay productive.
When it comes to using professional writing software, you could use tools like Reedsy Book Editor to enjoy smooth collaborative editing, keep track of your word count goals, and format your book for distribution.
Which writing app is right for you?
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Finally, workspace tools like ergonomic chairs and standing desks can also largely influence the quality and proficiency of your writing (we also hear that houseplants can boost creativity, but don’t quote us on that).
But, before you get too comfortable in your writing nook surrounded by all your lovely tools, you may want to consider going back to class…
3. Take classes to pick up credentials
- Journalist — write for newspapers and magazines. Requires top-notch research skills, the ability to be objective, and to meet strict deadlines.
- Columnist — write for newspapers and magazines. Unlike journalists, columnists offer their subjective opinion and insight on current events.
- Travel writer — chronicle your adventures across the globe to give advice and inspiration to other travelers.
- Copywriter — write marketing copy for brands, companies, or organizations.
- Technical writer — turn complex jargon into concise information that users of a product or clients of a company can clearly understand.
- Web content writer — write online blog posts and articles for brands, companies, or organizations.
- Ghostwriter — write content on behalf of other people or organizations. Learn more about becoming a ghostwriter here!
- Grant writer — write documents to help organizations seeking grants.
The options are plentiful. But if you think you’ll need academic credentials, let's take a look at your choices in closer detail.
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You needn't look too hard to find authors who emerged from MFA programs to establish glittering literary careers. For example, both Flannery O’Connor and Rachel Kushner are MFA babies.
Then again, you can find just as many authors who didn’t study anything related to writing and worked in completely unrelated industries before becoming bestsellers — like Charles Bukowski (a postman), Haruki Murakami (a jazz club manager), and even Harper Lee (an airline ticket clerk). After all, life experience is a key ingredient of any good fiction.
Becoming a novelist doesn’t require any specific credentials beyond the ability to write (and market) a great story. Pursuing an MFA can certainly help you develop your craft, network with established and aspiring writers, or lead you to some creative writing gigs, but it’s not a shortcut to success. In addition, the majority of MFA programs focus on literary fiction, creative nonfiction , and poetry . So if you want to become a fiction writer, an MFA is likely not a necessary stepping stone for you.
Bachelor’s Degree (BA)
While higher education is not a required credential for becoming a novelist , academic qualifications can be more important for nonfiction writers. In many cases, success as a nonfiction author relies upon your subject authority and often necessitates the relevant credentials as proof. That might include a degree or other relevant experience in the field. Imagine yourself picking up a nonfiction book and turning it over to read the author's bio : what kind of credentials would assure you this is someone who knows what they’re talking about?
In terms of journalism, most news outlets will require applicants to have completed a Bachelor’s degree before adding them to the payroll. While majoring in journalism is certainly a sound option, many news outlets require a literature degree or similar, as you’ll have many of the same skills but no biases in your journalistic practices. It's also typical to double-major or major-minor in a combination of journalism and the field you’re interested in writing about.
Doctorate (Ph.D.)
A Ph.D. in literature or creative writing is often preferred by people who want to teach literature or writing at college or university levels. Overall, a doctorate may also be appropriate if your writing draws extensively from academic research or scientific findings — as it will give you more subject-matter authority.
Associate Degree
An associate degree typically lasts two years and can be more industry-focused than a BA. If you’re hoping to become a copywriter or web content writer, pursuing an associate degree in media, marketing, or writing might be a good way to lay the foundation for your career.
Certificate
Certificates are short-term programs that provide foundational education and skills-based training. They typically last a few weeks to a few months, and, as with the associate degree, it’s a good option for aspiring freelance writers .
4. Seek opportunities to publish your work
If you’re an aspiring fiction writer, follow the likes of Ursula K. Le Guin and Ernest Hemingway, and get your foot in the door by submitting your short stories to magazines and contests . Here are a few places where you can do just that:
- Literary magazines accepting submissions
- Vetted writing contests and their deadlines
- Reedsy’s own weekly short story contest
- Publications accepting short story submissions
To ensure your t’s and i's are all properly crossed and dotted, here is a submissions checklist that’s sure to keep you straight!
Make the process of writing your first novel easier by using a story template like the one below.
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Nonfiction writers have ample opportunity to get their byline out in the world too. If there’s a particular niche you’re interested in, start by putting together a list of relevant publications. Most websites will have a submission section with guidelines for submitting a piece.
Follow specific editors on Twitter to keep up with when magazines are accepting pitches. They will usually tweet when their inbox is open (and what they’re looking for in a pitch) — plus many of them are open to questions. If you don't know where to find them, look for names via magazine websites, the publication’s LinkedIn page, or simply use the Twitter search function. Editors of magazines usually tell you who they are in their Twitter bio!
Put your pitches and deadlines in a calendar
Next, get your ‘pitching calendar’ organized by listing the outlets you want to write for, your premise for each pitch, and any deadlines to keep in mind. You might also want to make note of any feedback you receive. For instance, an outlet might let you know that your piece wasn’t right for them “at this time,” or they might clarify what they’re looking for in more specific terms.
Here are a few resources that connect writers with publications looking for submissions:
- Authors Publish Newsletter
- NewPages Classifications
- Funds for Writers Newsletter
Consider self-publishing
If you have a book idea you can’t stop thinking about and your goal is to see it materialized, then you might want to consider self-publishing. Getting your book out into the world is easier than it’s ever been, and we’ve detailed the whole process in another guide . Plus, you can do it in your own time.
Though some traditionally published household names nab hundreds of thousands in advances, those are the outliers. Many more self-published authors make a living from their writing than their traditionally published counterparts: this report found that the number of indie authors earning five to six figures per year from book sales was much higher than the number of Big 5 authors earning the same.
If you’re still on the fence about which publishing route to take, why not take this one-minute quiz to find out for sure which option is the most viable for you?
Is self-publishing or traditional publishing right for you?
Takes one minute!
Once you start to get a few publications under your belt, it’s time to put them together in a nicely bundled portfolio that shows the world (and potential clients) what you’re capable of.
5. Create a strong portfolio
Create a website
To create your own website, you must first register a domain name on services like GoDaddy or Namecheap (e.g. authorname.com), or sign up for a free site with services like WordPress, Wix, or SquareSpace (e.g. authorname.wordpress.com) 一 although the first option is more professional. If you're not too confident in your tech skills, consider hiring a professional web designer who can help you build a website that stands out.
Use a portfolio site
If you don’t want to spend too much time designing a website, you can always turn to a trusted portfolio site. All you need to do is create an account with them and input your personal information. Here are a few popular options:
- MuckRack: a popular platform for journalists and PR professionals.
- Contently: a useful site for content writers.
- Clippings.me: provides a clean-cut design for every kind of writer.
Perfect your website
Your author website should reflect your personality, list your credentials, and most importantly — show your work.
There are different ways to present your portfolio: you could divide your writing into different niches like Jennifer Fernandez , or you could go for a concise bio that packs a punch in terms of insight into your professional background as in Alice Driver ’s portfolio. For author websites , it’s key to give visitors a clear route to buying any books you’ve published (check Austin Kleon ’s example).
Once your website is live, it might take a while for word of mouth to spread and for job opportunities to come your way. So, while you get the ball rolling, consider reaching out to organizations that could help you support your dream (read: paying the bills!).
6. Apply for writing grants
Here’s a reliable list of grants for you to peruse — some will have no stipulations regarding what the money is spent on, and others will be for specific reasons, like traveling to a writers’ retreat or conference. There are also many grants specifically intended to help marginalized communities get a leg up in the industry. Make sure you check out our video guide for some helpful advice on making a successful application.
Whether or not your career will benefit from scoring a grant, you’ll soon learn that if you want to reach new literary heights and establish yourself as a writer, you’ll need the help of other professionals in the space.
7. Collaborate with professional editors
An editor’s bread and butter is to revise your work so that it’s ready for the big stage, from spotting plot holes, improving text quality, and examining your manuscript for inconsistencies before its release. More than that, working with an editor will teach you about the ins and outs of the publishing industry — including the all-important standards and best practices of the literary world.
Finding a good editor is always a type of collaboration worth investing in if you want to speed up your development and make a leap forward in your journey to become a professional writer.
Hopefully, this post has shown you how to get things going so that you can make writing a financially viable career. To wrap things up, there’s nothing quite as inspiring for budding writers as words of wisdom from those who have achieved writerly acclaim. So tuck into these brilliant books about writing , and then pick up your pen and get going. We look forward to seeing your name in print!
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How do you become a writer? The short answer is: anyone who writes is a writer. However, becoming a writer who’s serious about their professional career requires lots of work, and if you’re wondering how to become a professional writer, you’re ready to start the journey towards a productive and successful literary career.
You don’t need a degree to be a writer, nor do you need to be a certain age. Becoming a writer simply requires an admiration for—and a longing to create with—language. So, don’t worry about becoming a writer later in life or lacking a formal education. (That’s what Writers.com is here for!)
No one can teach you how to admire the written word, but the instructors at Writers.com are experts at turning longing into language. That’s why this article covers everything you need on how to become a writer. From the personal to the professional, let’s dive into everything writers need to build a successful literary career .
Everyone Can Become a Writer
Even today, there’s a persistent myth that writers are elite, born-with-it Ivory Tower folks who possess some ineffable gift of the Muses. Yes, some great writers were born with greatness, but anyone who calls themselves a writer does so because they labor with the written word.
Becoming a writer simply requires an ardent exploration of language.
In others words, you don’t need an MFA from the University of Iowa to call yourself a writer. Becoming a writer simply requires an ardent exploration of language. If we had to boil a writer down to three requirements, it wouldn’t involve age or degree. The 3 traits for becoming a writer are:
- Passion for the written word,
- Desire to expand the boundaries and possibilities of language, and
- Willingness to grow and learn continuously.
Many writers who have these traits stop themselves from writing, because they’re wondering how to become a writer without a degree. Now, writers certainly benefit from a university education or a family legacy in literature, but countless writers have acquired respect and success without a degree or name recognition.
Ernest Hemingway never went to college, but he still won a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize; neither did Maya Angelou attend university, yet she’s celebrated as the “black woman’s poet laureate” and later accepted a professorship with Wake Forest University. Degrees are just paper; it’s words that matter.
It’s Never Too Late to Become a Writer
Becoming a writer has no age restriction; the act of writing is rated G for the General Public, and those 3 aforementioned traits are found in writers from ages 2 to 99+.
Many writers discover their writing talents in their later years. Why, exactly? Neurology reveals there are two types of intelligence : fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence. “Fluid” refers to creative and adaptive thinking, including activities like writing and problem solving. “Crystallized” refers to the solidified body of knowledge people draw from—all the words, definitions, and experiences that build a foundation for the world.
Generally, younger adults have more fluid intelligence, whereas life experience builds one’s crystallized intelligence over time. The two intelligences tend to converge in a person’s 40s, since this is an age where the faculties for fluid intelligence haven’t declined, and crystallized intelligence abounds. Not-so-coincidentally, many writers see their careers flourish in their 40s and 50s!
Many celebrated writers didn’t put pen to paper until middle age or later.
In fact, many celebrated writers didn’t put pen to paper until middle age or later. Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t start writing until her 40s, and her Little House series didn’t start printing until she was 65. Likewise, Most of Wallace Stevens’ work was published after he turned 50; despite being a poet, he worked at an insurance company, and most of his coworkers were shocked when he won a Pulitzer at 75. Nobody knew that he wrote!
Finally, many university students return for a writing degree after establishing a career elsewhere. BFA and MFA programs around the world educate students in their 30s and beyond; in 2017, the average age of a low-residency MFA student in the U.S. was 35.4, according to LitHub and AWP .
Whether you’re 19 or 90, you’re never too old to write. The best time to write is yesterday; the second-best time is today.
Where to Begin your Writing Journey
Rather than an If-Then structure, the writing profession follows a Became-Because structure.
How do you become a writer? Where do you begin? The writing profession is unlike most professions, which follow an If-Then structure. If you get a bachelor’s degree, Then you can work as a nurse, computer scientist, or accountant; If you join a worker’s guild or apprenticeship program, Then you can find work in a number of trade jobs.
The writing profession follows a Became-Because structure. Zora Neale Hurston became a writer because she obtained degrees from Howard University and Barnard College, encouraging her to dissect the African American experience through a literary and anthropological lens.
Conversely, Haruki Murakami became a writer because of a baseball game .
The qualifications for becoming a writer are unique to the individual, and every writer is formed by personal interests and experiences. As a result, no one can tell you where to begin your writing journey; however, if you’re wondering how to become a writer, you’ve already started your journey by thinking about it.
If you’re wondering how to become a writer, you’ve already started your journey by thinking about it.
How to Become a Professional Writer: What “Professional” Means
One distinction to help you think about your writing journey is the difference between amateur and professional writers. If you’re not sure what you want to become, start with the following question: what does “professional” mean?
There are, generally, two classes of writers: amateurs and professionals. Before describing the professional writer, let’s be clear: “amateur” is not derogatory, and professional writers are not “better” than amateurs. Amateur comes from the Latin amator , “lover.” An amateur writer loves the written word just as much, sometimes even more, than the professional; amateurs simply have less pressure, deadlines, and financial dependence on writing. It’s a pastime, not a career.
If you want writing to be a significant portion of your income, then you aspire to being a professional writer.
If you want writing to be a significant portion of your income, then you aspire to being a professional writer. Professional writers have to approach their writing as a business, building a literary audience and keeping a regular writing schedule. Professional writers need to understand the ins and outs of the publishing industry—which they often learn through obtaining a university degree—and it also helps to have formal training in the publishing world and experience operating literary magazines.
How do you start to work toward becoming a professional writer? Below are resources to get you started.
Some Resources for Becoming a Professional Writer
At some point, the professional writer needs to know the ins and outs of writing as a business. This list covers the essentials of how to become a professional writer.
How to make money as a writer
- Explore freelance writing opportunities (updated weekdays at F.W.G.)
- 6 writers explain how they make money (NY Mag)
- Self-publishing versus traditional publishing (Self-Publishing School)
- Writing to market (Funds For Writers)
Taxes as a self-employed creative
- Taxes on freelance writing and royalties (TurboTax)
- Tax tips and unique situations (The Balance Careers)
Resources on publishing
- Poetry journals
- Fiction journals
- Creative nonfiction journals
- How to get published in a literary journal (Reader’s Digest)
- Book: What Editors Do by Peter Ginna ($25 at UChicago Press)
Becoming a writer online
- Basic guide to each social media platform (Kindlepreneur)
- Building an author’s website (The Write Practice)
- Free website template for authors (Copyfolio)
- Running a mailing list (Your Writer Platform)
Things to know before taking writing classes
- Poetry courses
- Fiction courses
- Creative nonfiction courses
- Why take a writing course?
Additional resources for learning how to become a writer
- Setting SMART goals
- Reading like a writer
- The golden rule: show, don’t tell
- Overcoming writer’s block
Becoming a Writer: Developing a Writing Habit
How do professional writers spend their workdays? Perhaps the trickiest part about becoming a writer is establishing a writing habit. For example, Haruki Murakami runs a 10K every morning to support his writing, and Charles Dickens wrote (and slept) facing north to improve his creativity.
Perhaps the trickiest part about becoming a writer is establishing a writing habit.
What works for one person rarely works for another, so experiment with writing habits—and when you find one that works, stick with it.
Generally, you can parse the writing business into 3 separate components:
- The writing life—putting pen to paper at regular intervals.
- Scheduled time for “the business of writing”—literary submissions, applying for grants, etc.
- An active media presence—blogging, tweeting, emailing, etc.
You’ll want to schedule time for each of these elements in your daily writing habit. Of course, this is easier said than done. Budding writers often overestimate their ability to work: they think they can spend 3 hours writing, 2 hours replying to emails, and 2 hours submitting work to journals. Then they spend the afternoon watching reruns of BBC quiz shows. (Yes! I did do this recently.)
That’s why forging a consistent writing habit is essential—for amateur writers as well as professionals. Writing at the same place at the same time encourages your brain to write every day. And, if you can’t keep yourself focused on writing, try experimenting with different writing rituals. If a 10K helps Murakami write, something equally unique could help you, too.
Take Your Next Step with Writers.com!
The classes we’ve curated in our upcoming schedule will take your writing life to the next level. Whether learning a new writing style or mastering the business of writing, becoming a writer feels a whole lot simpler with Writers.com.
Sean Glatch
11 comments.
Brilliant review Misty
I hope, I can be a better writer with your support.
Yeah. Same thing as with all other fields. Practice, practice, and once again, practice! It’s like a sport, you should always find new ways to practice.
This really helped me out. Thank you so much!
I’m 14 and i hope to become a writer someday. Thank you so much for the info.
Thank you for the information About to start my writing journey and thus really helped.
I’m a senior that would like to turn my love of writing into a profession. The information you have presented here has inspired me to continue moving towards that goal.
I live in a rural area of Uganda with very little education but always aspired to write a book on families. I am much encouraged. started it but got stuck ..
I love writing and thank you for information you have given meand am obliged to say thank.
i am very eager to become a writer be that script know how or fiction. i am a sponge for knowledge so i learn as i work. i treat everyday as a school day. i want to learn every single part of the writing career-be that if the editor drinks tea or coffee and how they like there papers folded. i soak information as i do a task. i love to build the bullet points for a story because everything needs a beginning. if you are baking a cake the eggs and flour are needed before you think about putting anything in the oven. to prepare a cake you need a tray to put it in-before you build a story you need a starting and then ingredients to put in along the way. i really love to build a story from different snippets of things. i have a thirst for many different aspects of life having spent a majority of time in hospitals and then being taken advantage of my my family because of my brain injury. so i know more than most in a lot of different subjects and matters in life, i have lost more than most in life but i am here telling my version of it to the big bright world. 0874762400 is my contact number
Discovering the path to becoming a writer is both exhilarating and daunting. It requires a blend of passion, persistence, and honing one’s craft. From mastering the art of storytelling to navigating the intricacies of the publishing world, the journey demands dedication and resilience. Embrace every word written, every rejection faced, for they are stepping stones on the road to literary success.
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Home / Book Writing / 16 Best Online Courses for Writers in 2024 [Free & Paid]
16 Best Online Courses for Writers in 2024 [Free & Paid]
Table of contents.
- Best Overall Online Writing Courses: MasterClass
- Best Course to Help Finish Your Book: The 100-Day Book Program
- Best Writing Course for Beginners: Writing With Flair
- Best Course for Children's Book Writers: Children's Book University
- Best Course for Amazon Self-Publishers: AMS Ads for Books
- Best Online Memoir Writing Course: Memoirama
- Best Course for Indie Publishers: WCU's Publishing MA Program
- Best Online Course for Bloggers: Freedom Machine
- Best Course for Sci-Fi Writers: Writers of the Future Online Workshop
- Best Course For Writing a Novel Step-by-Step: A Fearless Way to Write Novels
- Best Free Online Writing Courses of 2023
What is the best online course for writers in 2024? In this article, I’ll cover the highest-quality online classes that are free…and not so free. How can I improve my writing skills online? You can improve your writing skills using online classes that push your creative writing, business writing, and academic writing skills to their maximum potential.
A writer needs to keep improving his or her craft. Online writing courses aren't just for amateurs or writing hobbyists; they're for all writers. However, all online writing courses are not created equal. Some courses available are a waste of money, while others are the best money can buy. (Some of the best courses are free .) When looking at the prices, try not to think how steep the cost is. Think of the money you will make if you take the course. Think of how much it would cost to earn an MFA for a specialization in creative writing. These are (often tax-deductible) investments in your career. I've devised a comprehensive list of my favorite online writing courses in 2024, including their cost and what type of course they are. This way, you'll know exactly what you're getting into when you enroll.
- Best general online writing courses
- How much each course costs
- Best genre courses for writing sci-fi, children’s books , memoirs
- What free , high-quality courses Kindlepreneur offers
- Best free online classes (in case you're on a tight budget)
Links in this article may give me a small commission if you use them to purchase products. There’s NO extra cost to you, and it helps me continue to write handy articles like this one. This does not detract from the quality of the courses; there's a reason I affiliate myself with them. It's because they're awesome!
If you’re specifically interested in self-publishing courses, check out my article on the Best Self Publishing Courses .
MasterClass is a massive archive of online courses providing training in specific subjects by titans of that particular industry. MasterClass features the biggest names in writing, such as Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oates, and Dan Brown. What course should I take to become a writer? MasterClass is the best use of your money as an online course to become a writer . Learn from the best. MasterClass courses are the best overall online writing courses because bestselling authors teach them. Plus, your monthly subscription fee gives you access to all of the fantastic MasterClass courses. The courses are self-paced, comprehensive, insightful, geared toward an “intermediate and above” student, and undeniably invaluable. How much does MasterClass cost? MasterClass costs $180/year ($15/month, billed annually). You can also pay $90 for a single class. They seldom offer discounts or coupon codes. MasterClasses features big-name authors, such as:
- Malcolm Gladwell
- Joyce Carol Oates
- James Patterson
- Neil Gaiman
- Margaret Atwood
- David Sedaris
- Shonda Rhimes
- Aaron Sorkin (for screenwriting)
Which writing MasterClass is the best? I recommend Malcolm Gladwell’s writing MasterClass. It is the best course for finding the story you need to convey, instead of just telling the reader what to believe. Bonus: If you sign up for MasterClass, you not only gain access to incredible online writing courses, you can listen to all the MasterClass courses, like Gordon Ramsay talking about cooking, RuPaul talking about self-expression, and Hans Zimmer talking about film scoring. Check out my in-depth MasterClass review for more details.
The 100-Day Book Program by The Write Practice gives you a proven process to actually finish your books. Starting a book isn't all that tough. But finishing one — that's a different story. How many unfinished manuscripts are tucked away in desks and forgotten file folders? Although it’s easy to get distracted and difficult to get motivated, the 100-Day Book Program helps you stay on task and gives you the resources you need to finish that book. How much does the 100-Day Book Program cost?
- $49/month for 12 months, OR
- $490 as a one-time payment
It’s worth noting that you get a $100 incentive if you meet all your deadlines and finish your book by the end of the course, which (in 2023) runs from May to September. Utilizing over 100 daily lessons (video, audio, and written lessons), this course covers everything you'll need when putting together your story, including:
- How to structure your novel or non-fiction book
- Character development
- World-building
- Point of view
- Tone and voice
- Editing and revising
It's not just a technical course; it's also highly motivating. The Write Practice teaches you how to keep writing when writing gets hard, how to beat writer's block, and how to manage your time. If you've ever found yourself struggling to finish your book, you should try this course.
Writing With Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer is a perfect course for writers of all skill levels, but it's especially beginner-friendly. This course is taught by an ex-Wall Street Journal editor with one goal in mind: how to write with style, confidence, and impact. Over 240,000 students have enrolled in this course on Udemy by Shani Raja. He teaches you how to master 4 basic principles of writing:
- Evocativeness
How much does Shani Raja’s Writing With Flair cost? This writing course costs $94.99, but Udemy often offers discounts, as you see in the screenshot above. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee. Buying the course gains you lifetime access to the 7 hours of on-demand video training. His basics form what he calls his “secret sauce” of writing. As stated above, this course is for writers of all types and skill levels. Even those learning to write English as a second language can form great writing habits with this course. This isn't the only writing course on Udemy. Check out my in-depth Udemy review for more course info.
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Children’s Book University by award-winning, bestselling author Eevi Jones takes a welcoming, comprehensive, and shrewd look at the children’s book self-publishing world. Not only does Jones guide you through the writing process for a children’s story, she even helps with the business side of things. I love reading with my kids, and that's only possible because of dedicated children's book authors like Eevi Jones. Writing a kid's book is more complicated than you would think. Often, books for kids are full of vibrant illustrations, creative fonts, and simple yet gripping storylines. Now imagine getting all of that ready to publish. It's a lot of work. There's a good chance beginners will get lost. That's why Jones’s course is so valuable. She carefully breaks down her process for you from start to finish. It's a critical resource for aspiring children's book writers. As an added bonus, you can go through her online writing classes at your own pace. According to Jones:
“I have interviewed more than 100 aspiring children’s book authors to ensure that this program covers and addresses every single burning question you may have.”
How much does Children’s Book University cost? This course costs $497, as long as you use Kindlepreneur’s link to enroll. This gains you immediate lifetime access. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee. Typically, Children’s Book University costs $997 — and it's worth every single penny. However, Eevi has given Kindlepreneur an amazing 50% discount on her program! This is a special deal that you can only get here. If you're looking to take your children's book writing to the next level, now's your best chance. Be sure to read Eevi Jones’s guest post on How To Write a Children’s Book , here on Kindlepreneur.
AMS Ads For Books is Kindlepreneur’s free course on how to sell more books with Amazon ads . (AMS stands for Amazon Marketing Services.) This robust course is free , on-demand, and easy to follow. Are you a writer wanting to sell more books on Amazon? Enroll today! Now, I'm not looking to boast here, but I honestly believe that my AMS Ads course is an absolute must if you plan to run ads on Amazon. AMS ads aren't very user-friendly. While they have the potential to send your book sales into the atmosphere, they can also eat up your advertising budget while you get them figured out. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't use them. You just need to learn how to set up your ads, manage your campaigns, and make necessary adjustments. How much do Kindlepreneur’s courses for authors cost?
- Kindlepreneur’s AMS Ads for Books course is free .
- Kindlepreneur’s MailerLite for Authors Email course is free.
- Kindlepreneur’s Mastering Keywords and Categories costs $49.99.
There’s no credit card required for either of the free courses and no hidden fees, ever. Check out my in-depth look at Amazon Ads for Authors if you’re still considering whether to take this free course. AMS campaigns aren't just set-it-and-forget-it. In my free course, I show you how using Publisher Rocket can help you construct your book’s best possible ad campaign. If you're looking to create an AMS ad campaign or even self-publish on Amazon, I highly recommend you head over and check out my course.
Memoirama is the brainchild of Marion Roach Smith — an author featured in The New York Times and on NPR and a professional memoir coach. Smith's approach to teaching memoirs has been likened to a precise mathematical formula. She literally teaches you her writing algorithm. Writing a memoir might seem like an easy undertaking at first. You lived through the facts. It can't be that difficult to write them down. Right? Wrong. Navigating these life events can be overwhelming, confusing, and difficult to fully explain to a reader. That’s where Marion Roach Smith comes in to ease your mind, guide you through the process, and equip you with the necessary tools to write a memoir. Unlike other click-through courses, Marion teaches her course live. Seats for her class are limited to 30 people. That way, everybody gets to ask questions at the end. How much does Memoirama cost? Memoirama costs $59. It is taught live mostly on Fridays, with a few Tuesdays thrown in for good measure. This is the first of a 4-part series for learning how to write memoirs. It's highly recommended that you take the courses to get the maximum effect. These courses are broken down into easily digestible parts — with the first only 90 minutes long. Whether you're a beginner to memoirs, need a refresher, or looking to have some fun learning, this course is the one for you.
Western Colorado University’s Publishing MA Program is one of the only comprehensive master’s degree programs in the US that offers hands-on experience in the publishing industry, (mostly) from the comfort of your own home. Let me preface this course by stating that it is not entirely held online. You get to spend two weeks in the gorgeous Colorado mountains for summer orientation. After that, you can complete the rest of the course online. Or in the picturesque Rockies, if you decide to move there — your call. Seriously, this is the best course for indie publishers available today. For the first 2 in-residence weeks, you'll go through an intensive training regimen on the basics of publishing. Once that's done, you'll be put to work. Literally. You'll work for a small commercial publishing company, getting paid pro rates to:
- Develop a concept for an anthology
- Solicit submissions
- Read the slush pile and choose what gets published
- Issue contracts
- Edit the piece
- Design and produce the book and book cover
- Publish the book
- Market the book
How much is WCU’s tuition? WCU’s tuition for graduate students is $17,371/year. Like most master’s degree programs, WCU’s Publishing MA Program is a 2-year program. Of course, you may qualify for student aid. Also, great news for any of you Sci-Fi guys and gals out there looking to take this course — it's taught by Kevin J Anderson, a legend in the Science Fiction genre with over 56 national and international bestsellers. This includes his work on Dune , the Star Wars canon, the Seven Suns series, and so much more. Anderson’s personal publishing company, WordFire Press, has released over 350 titles from 95 different authors.
Freedom Machine is a great tool for bloggers who want to make a living by guest posting . If I had to pick just one online course for bloggers, it's this one. Created by one of the world's best bloggers, Jon Morrow, this course is the real deal. I make all of my new hires take this course as part of their on-boarding process. This course covers blogging from start to finish — from how to choose the right opening line to pitching a guest post idea. Morrow really drives home some extraordinary fundamentals of blog writing and guest posting. He also provides you with his “little black book” of websites for guest posting, sites that meet his criteria as great places to guest post. At the end of the course, you get a certificate of completion that carries some weight as a blogging qualification. Morrow makes it abundantly clear that if you don’t put the time and effort into his course, you won't go anywhere with it. You need to buckle down and get motivated, as well as do your daily assignments and homework. This is not a course for quitters or those looking to breeze through nonchalantly. How much does Freedom Machine cost?
- $99.45/month for 12 months, OR
- $999/one-time payment
Freedom Machine’s content and resources are valued at $10,000. For all the value it provides, the company even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Free MailerLite Video Course
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Writers of the Future Online Workshop is an amazing course if you're a science-fiction writer or looking to become one. Mind you, this is an intermediate course, not necessarily for writers who are just starting out. How much Writers of the Future Online Workshop cost? This course is completely free. The course is 11 lessons long with 13 videos chock full of priceless information. You also gain access to personal essays from the workshop founder, L. Ron Hubbard. This online writing workshop features 3 top-notch teachers:
- Orson Scott Card
- David Farland
If you're a sci-fi fan, you've heard of at least one of those names, if not all 3. They're legends in the sci-fi community. This is like the ultimate masterclass for science fiction. One of the coolest parts of this course is its associated contest. The Writers of the Future contest is open to beginning writers only — meaning you can't have published more than 3 short stories or any novels or novellas. By the end of the course, you'll have already written your submission. And since this course is free (along with the contest entry), you may actually win $5,000 just by learning and participating.
A Fearless Way to Write Novels is taught by award-winning, 7-time New York Times bestselling author Alessandra Torre. She uses her experience to teach simple, step-by-step methods to write a great novel. Novel writing is a lot more than simply throwing a story on paper. There’s social media, equipment, software, idea generation, outlining, writing scenes, cliffhangers, copyrights, book blurbs, book descriptions, etc. It can get overwhelming if you don’t have an experienced guide. What I love about Torre’s course is the breadth of topics she covers. From generating story ideas to perfectly typing up a book’s conclusion, this course covers it all with over 75 video lessons. Besides step-by-step lessons, there are also practical writing assignments and bonus content interviews with other bestselling authors. Course lessons include:
- Finding Your Story
- Developing Your Idea
- How to Actually Write
- Your First Chapter
- Rewrites and Final Steps
How much does A Fearless Way to Write Novels cost? This course costs $297, or 3 monthly payments of $100. You gain immediate, unlimited, lifetime access, including future updates, at no extra charge. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Sometimes the best things in life are free. When it comes to the best online writing courses, free does not have to mean bad. Here are a few free online writing courses you can consider:
- Coursera : Founded by Stanford professors, Coursera offers many free creative writing classes, such as creative nonfiction, on top of many other subjects. These free video lectures and online assignments are on-demand at your leisure. Just search “free writing” at the link.
- The Crafty Writer's Creative Writing Course : This course is for anyone interested in creative writing. Discover your personal writing style and how you can use it to build vivid worlds . This course even touches on the basics of publishing and marketing.
- Brandon Sanderson’s lectures : Much revered in the writing community , Brandon Sanderson has made some of his lectures free-to-view on YouTube . They cover sci-fi writing, worldbuilding, and even a little bit of publishing.
- The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction : Offered by Reedsy’s Azul Terronez, this 10-day email course gives you the lowdown on high-quality non-fiction writing. He teaches you how to avoid writer's block, hit word count goals, and stay focused while writing.
- Start Writing Fiction : This free class teaches you everything you need to know about the basics of fiction writing, including journal keeping, plot development, and dialogue. Over 350,000 people have joined this 8-week course. Once 8 weeks pass, you lose access to the lecture materials. However, you can upgrade for $64 to keep the course material for future reference.
- Arizona State University's Introduction to English Composition : Great for all skill levels, this class is about building the fundamentals of writing. Although this course is free, you can pay an extra $499 to get a verified certification. But the course alone is just fine for most.
- Finally, check out my Book Marketing Show Podcast , mainly covering — you guessed it — book marketing . It’s free, fun, and informative (if I do say so myself!).
What’s your favorite online writing course?
Let me know what your favorite online writing courses are. Did I miss any excellent ones? Remember, these courses aren't just for those who don't know how to write. Don't be afraid to go out there and expand your knowledge base, no matter how much experience you have. I believe my breakdown of the best online writing courses will guide you to make the best decision for your individual situation. What's the best online writing course you've ever personally taken? Was it cheating to list all MasterClass courses under one umbrella? Let me know down in the comments below. I keep up with comments long after posts are published.
Dave Chesson
When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.
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Titling your book can be hard…really hard. As you go through choosing your book title, use this checklist as your guide and make sure you have a title that will sell!
6 thoughts on “ 16 Best Online Courses for Writers in 2024 [Free & Paid] ”
What about academic graduate writing courses online?
Haven’t come across one yet. But if you do, let me know.
Thanks Dave … the Marion Roach Smith Webinar was AMAZING. Packed full of information, tips, and advice about getting a memoir off the ground. Thanks for hosting .. and I hope all went well with getting your daughter from college …. crazy times indeed!
You bet…and no kidding!
Hi, I am going through Holly Lisle`s writing classes – in particular her How To Write A Novel class – at the moment and I am finding that she is one of the most thorough teachers in writing craft that I have found on-line. She is a published author with around 30 books and has moved from traditional publishing in the 1980`s/1990`s through to self-publishing today. She has many paid short courses for a small price and also much larger classes. She offers a short (3 week) flash fiction class for free called “How To Write Flash Fiction That Doesn’t Suck” so you can test out whether her teaching style suits you and learn new skills at the same time. As a satisfied student I highly recommend her courses to anyone wanting to learn writing craft. Cheers Fae
Yes, my sister took Holly`s class and said it was tremendous. If you get a chance to take a dialogue class from Kristen Higgans, that is all you need for dialogue.
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Our Publishing Guarantee – Everything You Need to Know
One of the hardest parts of starting a freelance writing career is getting the published writing samples to prove your skills to potential clients. The solution? Our publishing guarantee.
If you graduate from Becoming A Freelance Writer with a distinction score, you’ll have the chance to take on a one-off project with the Knowadays content team. You’ll experience the reality of working as a freelance writer and come away with three professionally edited pieces for your portfolio.
Here’s how our blog-writing offer works:
Pass with a distinction and get onboarded by the team
Achieve a score of 80% or more in the final assignment and our content team will send you an onboarding pack. They’ll walk you through the process, and assign your first writing brief.
Write your first pieces of content
Our team will be on hand to guide you through the drafting process. After you submit your first piece, they’ll review it and provide you with constructive feedback to help you to further develop your writing skills. You’ll then follow the same process for your remaining two blog posts.
Get three expertly edited portfolio pieces
We’ll have your content professionally edited to help it really shine. You’ll then write a bio to receive full credit for your work published on our blog.
Launch your freelance writing career
You can use your blog posts as samples to gain more freelance writing work. As you expand your experience and roster of clients, you can earn a median of $56K per year as a freelance writer.
Freelance Writing Course Reviews ⭐
Here’s what our graduates say:
Not only does this course teach you to be a better writer, but it also helps you become the kind of professional that companies want to partner with.
“The Becoming a Freelance Writer course has everything you need to know to get started in a freelance writing career. Its comprehensive and well-structured lessons have you covered—from becoming a better writer, to setting up a successful business. It’s practical, up-to-date, and filled with example briefs and templates that you can download and adapt to your needs right away. The editing sections alone are worth the cost of the course, with step-by-step, illustrative walk-throughs.”
This course covers everything you need to step into the world of freelance writing with confidence.
I wish I’d had this course three years ago when I started my freelance writing journey! Writing is one thing, but writing for a living is something else entirely. This course gives you the insights and confidence you need to handle clients, find work, set your prices, and so much more. It’ll hold your hand through what is often a bumpy journey – transitioning from writing for fun to writing professionally.
This course wasn’t just like reading through a textbook. It was interactive and packed with fascinating, engaging information which helped me stay focused!
“Before taking the course, my challenge was I didn’t know what a freelance writer needs to do their job properly. As a content strategist, I wanted to know how I could best support the freelance writers I was collaborating with. Thanks to the course I learned how to write a good brief and how a freelance writer should act and communicate with clients. Understanding it from their perspective was incredibly helpful for me.”
Becoming A Freelance Writer Course Curriculum
What each in-depth module contains
Module 1: Introducing Becoming A Freelance Writer
Module 2: freelance content writing, module 3: preparing for a content writing project, module 4: writing professional blog posts and articles, module 5: search engine optimization, module 6: case study – writing an article, module 7: building your business, module 8: the final assignment, why is our becoming a freelance writer course better than the competition.
Find out how we compare
Get to Know Our Friendly Tutors
As Knowadays graduates, our team members have walked the path you’re about to take. They’re on hand to help you progress through the course with confidence.
Full flexibility. A boost in income. A brand-new skill set. They received all this – and more – by taking our courses and embracing the freedom of freelancing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Writing Course
How does this writing course work.
Becoming a Freelance Writer course is made up of eight comprehensive modules, each focusing on a different aspect of writing or freelancing. You can progress through the course at your own pace and revisit completed lessons for a refresher whenever you like.
Along with informative written content, each module includes interactive elements such as writing exercises and quizzes. These are designed to test your skills as you progress through the course and highlight any areas you might want to revisit.
When you reach the final module, we’ll guide you through key revision areas and provide you with a mock assignment. This is an opportunity to practice for the final assignment and see the kind of industry-standard writing we’re looking for. The mock test isn’t marked by a tutor, but you can check your work against our model version..
When you’re ready, you can continue to the final assignment. You’ll write a 700-word blog post on a preselected topic, which will then be marked by our tutor team. You’ll receive detailed feedback on your work, and if you score 80% or above, we’ll offer you the opportunity to write three articles for the Knowadays Blog. You’ll come away with professionally edited, published samples for your portfolio to use as proof of your writing skills and help you gain your next clients!
If you don’t pass the assignment the first time, it’s no problem – you can easily buy additional resit attempts.
Who can I work for?
As a successful graduate of Becoming A Freelance Writer, you’ll be ready to take on professional content writing assignments. You could choose to work independently as a freelancer and build your own client base or pursue permanent employment with a single business.
With your Knowadays qualification, you have the flexibility to pick the approach that suits you best.
How long will it take to complete the course? Can I start it at any time?
One of the brilliant things about learning with Knowadays is that you set your own pace. When you invest in one of our courses, you gain lifetime access to the material. This means you can start whenever you want and take as little or as much time as you need.
How do I know writing is the career for me?
Before making any kind of career pivot, we recommend asking yourself three questions:
- What do I enjoy doing?
- What skills do I possess or would be willing to learn?
- What work would make me happy?
A career in freelance writing might be for you if you:
- Love reading, writing, and researching
- Want to work from home or while traveling
- Enjoy working with a range of people in varied industries
- Want a rewarding career where you’re always learning
- Prefer to work at your own speed
With so many writing courses available, how do I know this is the right one for me?
There are so many different options out there, and weighing them up can be a tricky task.
One of the best ways to decide if a course is right for you is to get a feel for it – which is exactly why we offer two lessons from the course completely free! You can gauge what it’s like to learn with Knowadays by exploring our example modules, complete with interactive elements such as writing exercises and quizzes.
It’s also worth asking yourself:
- Does the course cover the basics?
- Does it include practical exercises to test my skills?
- Do I get access to learning support?
- Do I receive a certification?
- Does it have positive reviews?
Knowadays’ courses tick all of these boxes – and more!
What do I need to take the course?
To complete Becoming A Freelance Writer, all you need is a laptop or desktop computer with an internet connection.
While Microsoft Word is ideal for completing the exercises and final assignment, Google Docs is an excellent free alternative, and our tutor team will be on hand to help you with both programs.
Other than that, all you need to do is set aside some study time, get motivated, and be open to learning about all things freelance writing.
Do I need any qualifications or previous experience to enroll in the course?
You don’t need qualifications or previous experience – we teach you everything you need to know to start working as a freelance content writer. This course is your path from complete beginner to confident, trained professional.
That being said, lots of experienced professionals take Knowadays courses too. If you’re looking to brush up on existing skills and improve your writing samples, Becoming A Freelance Writer (and our work guarantee) can help you do just that.
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Freelance Writer?
There are a number of skills you need to succeed as a freelance writer. They can be split into two categories – hard skills, and soft skills.
Hard skills, also known as technical skills, involve the use of specific software or tools. As well as being a confident writer, you’ll need to be comfortable with word processing software, and communications tools like email and video conferencing.
Soft skills, also known as non-technical skills, are about how you manage your workload, and how you interact with clients. You’ll need to have good communication skills, be self-motivated and good at managing your time, and know how to manage stressful or challenging situations.
Is Becoming A Freelance Writer a certified course? Do I get a writing qualification?
Becoming A Freelance Writer is accredited by CPD , a professional body that assures excellence in training. CPD-certified courses are rigorously assessed by industry experts, making them a vital addition to your resume.
When you complete Becoming A Freelance Writer, you’ll receive a digital certificate via email to showcase your abilities to potential clients.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes! We’ll refund any course purchase in full if requested within 14 days of the purchase date.
If you’d like a refund, all you need to do is email us at [email protected] and we’ll be in touch.
Is there a demand for freelance writers?
Freelance writers are highly sought after! From businesses and nonprofits to publishing houses and content agencies, all types of companies need written text for marketing purposes. There’s an increasing demand for professional freelance writers who can write content to a high standard.
Will generative AI replace human writers?
While generative AI has caused seismic change in the freelance content writing industry, it will never fully replace real writers.
Our partner company, Proofed, has witnessed clients experiment with AI in content production and realize that humans are necessary for fact-checking and editing the writing.
To stay up to date in this new landscape, writers will need to know how to craft compelling content that is data-rich, thought-provoking, well researched, and persuasive – which is precisely what we teach in our course.
Can you make a living writing?
Absolutely! There are several factors that influence how much a writer can charge, and figures on average income vary depending where you look. However, they all have something in common – they show it’s 100% possible to make a living writing!
As with any freelance career, you have to be willing to put in the work to develop your skills, find clients, and gain experience. But with some work and determination, you’re sure to succeed.
How much money do writers make?
Top freelance writers regularly report earnings of more than $100,000 a year. According to Salary.com, the average annual income is $56,512 in the US.
The EFA (USA) suggests a minimum hourly rate of $61–$70 (depending on the nature of the project).
The rates you charge as a writer can vary significantly based on factors such as:
- Your experience
- The job’s complexity
- Whether you specialize in a specific subject area
- The type of client
When you begin, you might not be able to charge high rates for your services immediately. But as you build experience, skills, and a roster of clients, you can raise your rates.
How do I get my first writing job?
If you pass your final assignment with a distinction score of 80% or above, you’ll get fast-tracked into your first writing project with Knowadays! As part of our guaranteed publishing offer, we’ll give you the chance to write three blog posts. Here’s the process:
- If you gain a distinction on the final assignment, our content team will send you an onboarding packet with all the details.
- You’ll research and write a blog post with support from our team.
- You’ll submit your first draft, and then an editor will review it and send you feedback.
- You’ll use this feedback to develop further and write the remaining two blog posts.
- You’ll produce a bio to accompany your blog posts, so we can credit you when the pieces are published.
You’ll then have three professionally edited samples to help convince potential clients to work with you!
After this, there are a number of things you can do to gain more projects.
- Make sure your resume is up to date
- Build an online presence (e.g. by using social media and your own website to network and promote your services)
- Consider joining a freelance marketplace
- Sign up to freelance writing groups
- Cold email potential clients
- Volunteer for non-profit organizations (e.g. charities) to gain experience
We’ll teach you all of the above and more in Becoming A Freelance Writer, which features a dedicated module on building your business.
Who can I discuss my questions and doubts with?
Email us at [email protected] with your questions, or ask about scheduling a chat with one of the tutors.
- Develop an in-demand skill set and tap into 100k writing jobs
- Write blog articles for Knowadays with our publishing guarantee
- Learn how to find, work with, and impress a diverse range of clients
- Start earning $56K on average as a freelance writer
- Stop clock-watching and find success in a flexible, fulfilling career
Writing Courses
- Social Sciences
Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
Gain critical communication skills in writing and public speaking with this introduction to American political rhetoric.
Effective Writing for Health Care
This Harvard Medical School one-year, application-based certificate program is designed to help clinicians, researchers and allied health professionals achieve their writing career goals.
What Courses To Take To Become a Writer (Solved)
As an aspiring writer, one of the best questions you can ask yourself is, What courses do I need to take to become a writer? The answer may not exactly be obvious or simple but the mere act of asking signals that you are on the right path of understanding and growth.
What courses to take to become a writer :
There are no required courses to become a writer, much less a successful one. Some of the most popular and best-selling authors of all time never took an official writing course or class. Everyone’s journey is a bit different. There are many helpful courses to accelerate your writing career.
While taking courses might not be neccesary to become a writer, taking courses may be necessary (or super helpful) for you. Everyone’s journey to ultimate success as an author is personal and unique.
What Courses to Take to Become a Writer: Quick Self Assessment
Table of Contents
The first step is figuring out what makes the most sense for you. To find out what courses to take to become a writer, ask yourself the following set of questions: ( I highly encourage you to write the answers to these questions down on a physical piece of paper that you can keep for review)
- Beginner (unpublished, 0-3 years of experience, 0-$100 of writing income)
- Intermediate (some published credits, 3-10 years of experience, $100-$3,000 of total writing income)
- Pro (many published credits, 10+ years of experience, full time writer, $3,000 + of recurring writing income probably from multiple sources)
- What are my strengths as a writer? Your strengths might be your writing skills, your marketing skills, your network (who you know) or your experience.
- What areas do I need to grow in as a writer? Your growth areas (or current weaknesses) reveal where you might want to focus. Your growth areas might be in writing skills, understanding how to get published, marketing your writing or setting up your freelance writing business.
- What is my ultimate goal as a writer? Your destination determines your path. You might want to get your ideas out into the world, get published or launch a full-time writing career. Whatever it is, write it down.
Ok, now that you have completed the quick self-assessment, you probably have a much clearer grasp on where you are now, your skill or information gaps (growth areas), and where you ultimately want to go.
This is highly valuable information that can help you decide what courses, if any, to take to become a writer.
As we go through the different degrees and courses you might want to consider, I’ll mention what I think might be best for each writing stage and writing goal.
College or University: What Courses To Take to Become a Writer?
What degree do I need to become a writer? What should an aspiring author major in? These are the questions aspiring authors often ask themselves.
You don’t need a specific course or degree to become a writer. A degree, however, can be helpful. After all, Stephen King , Dean Koontz, and many other mega-successful authors earned an official degree in English, journalism, or literary arts.
Just as many (and maybe even more) popular and best-selling novelists either didn’t pursue a degree or earned a degree completely unrelated to writing.
- J.K. Rowling studied French
- Michael Crichton studied biological anthropology
- John Grisham studied accounting and law
- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. studied chemistry and engineering
- Noah Sparks went into pharmaceutical sales
- James Patterson studied marketing and business
Are Writing Courses Worth It?
Before we dive into specific university and online courses, let’s look at the overall pros and cons of taking any course to become a writer.
The pros of taking any course to become a writer
- Shortens your learning curve
- Exposes you to great writing
- Surrounds you with like-minded passionate writers
- Challenges you to write more often and consistently
- Provides professor and peer feedback about your strengths and weaknesses as a writer
- Connects you with a network of both aspiring and published authors
The cons of taking courses to become a writer
- You can spend years and a whole lot of money with no guarantee of success
- You can develop bad writing habits but don’t help you succeed in mainstream publishing
- You can become a literary snob (harsh, but true)
- You can lack real life and real world experience that can hold you back from better and deeper writing
Are writing courses worth it? The final answer depends on your current experience, goals and the preferred path you want to take.
I believe writing courses can be more than worth it if you choose the right one for you paired with an insatiable hunger to continuously improve your craft.
The Best University Courses To Take to Become a Writer
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular university courses to take to become a writer. These courses can help accelerate your growth and shortcut the time it takes you to reach your writing goals. This section of the post will help you answer the question, What is the best degree for aspiring authors?
- English or literature: These courses can expose you to the evolution of effective narrative. You’ll study the classics, Shakespeare, and develop a framework for compelling stories. In these degrees, you will get experience writing short stories, poetry, and reports. You will also analyze writing.
- Creative Writing: These courses will teach you the overall story outlining or plotting process, how to come up with story ideas, and everything you need to know about each part of an effective story (character, setting, conflict, story arcs, etc). You will get experience writing poetry and short stories.
- Journalism: This degree will teach you to write well and quickly with clarity and conciseness. You will learn to be detailed and to produce regular content. These are all useful habits for the professional writer.
- Pursuing an MFA in Modern or Popular fiction is probably the most helpful degreed course for becoming a successful and popular author in today’s market. You not only learn the elements of compelling fiction, you also learn how to apply those elements to today’s audience.
- You’ll learn about immediate tension, pace, and plotting to maintain the reader’s interest while also advancing the story. You’ll learn about mixing dialogue with action and developing scenes with emotional depth.
Big List of Great Writing Schools, Colleges, and Universities
If you want to look into earning a degree from a college or university, start your search by checking out these recognized schools offering great writing programs. This is not an exhaustive list, but it includes many of the most popular schools with esteemed writing programs.
Before you commit to a school, perform due diligence by researching these schools for the best personal fit for your current and future goals as a writer.
- Northwestern University
- Emerson College
- Wesleyan University
- Columbia University
- University of Iowa
- University of Notre Dame
- Cornell University
- University of Michigan
- New York University
- John Hopkins University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (depending on the type of writing you want to pursue)
- University of Nottingham, England
- University of Reading, England
As you think about these schools, keep in mind the following helpful criteria:
- Is this an accredited institution?
- Is this a large school or smaller school?
- What kind of writing are they best known for? (creative, literary, nonfiction, etc.)
- How much is tuition?
- Do they offer flexible schedules for adults with full-time day jobs?
- Do they offer online education and learning?
- Are the professors published authors?
- How many published, successful authors have they produced in the past 1-3 years?
- What networks and resources do they offer to connect you with literary agents and publishers?
- How much support do they provide alumni?
Of course, even if you don’t attend an accredited school, there are many good courses on writing available online. Degreed courses might fit into your lifestyle best if you are young, just beginning out and have the time and resources to pursue higher education.
But traditional school isn’t for everyone.
Many beginner, intermediate and even advanced writers regularly take online writing courses to enhance their skills, fill an information gap and build their writing careers.
Best Online Courses to Take to Become a Writer (Or a Better Writer)
As I was getting serious about my own writing career, I searched around for the best courses I could find online.
I wanted to reach my goals faster but I knew I had a lot to learn. The courses below are what I found to be the most helpful.
Some of these courses are expensive, some are cheap and at least one is free. When putting together the list, I was more interested in quality than price.
MasterClass Courses
The MasterClass courses on writing are some of the very best in the world.
First of all, they are taught by current bestselling authors such as James Patterson, David Sedaris, Dan Brown, Malcolm Gladwell, Shonda Rhimes, Judy Blume, and more. You won’t find better writing teachers with more practical experience anywhere on the planet.
MasterClass courses offer these features:
- Bestselling authors and writers as teachers
- Downloadable content to watch offline anytime
- PDF workbooks for every class
- Hours of exclusive content, detailed lessons, and practical advice
Cost: $15 per month/billed annually.
Udemy Courses
For great courses on a budget, Udemy is hard to beat. Most of these courses are deeply discounted for under $13. And, yes, they can be very good.
Ninja Writing: The Four Levels Of Writing Mastery
Writing With Confidence: Writing Beginner To Writing Pro
Here are two other Udemy courses worth noting:
- The Foundations of Fiction (Writing Mastery)
- Write a Bestselling Novel in 15 Steps (Writing Mastery)
Nonfiction Writing Courses
How to Write a Nonfiction Book
This course by bestselling author Joanna Penn covers everything from coming up with your idea to marketing your completed nonfiction book.
This course offers 5 modules: Before You Write: Mindset, Before You Write: Business, Writing and Editing Your Book, Publishing and Product Creation, and Marketing Non-fiction Books.
Cost: $297 (with several flexible payment options)
Self-publishing school
More than a mere course, this is a community where you can learn how to take an idea for a book and make it a self-published bestseller.
The course covers how to come up with a winning idea, write the book, format the book, find a book cover, self-publish and launch the book and market the book.
Cost: $6,997 (super expensive for sure but something to consider when your income reaches a certain point)
Get Published: Query Letter Writing
If you want to get traditionally published, you need a query letter. A query letter is a one-page letter that introduces you and your book to a literary agent. Literary agents, in turn, connect authors with publishers.
Even if you plan to self-publish, learning how to pitch your story (sometimes called a book description or blurb) is indispensable.
My Query Letter Masterclass Book (Query Letter Swipe File)
The Query Letter Swipe File is basically a query letter master class of done-for-you templates in a book (ebook or print version).
The Query Letter Swipe File is your roadmap to getting published.
It contains hundreds of “Mad-Lib”-like phrases you can immediately plug into your fiction query letters, so you can get manuscript requests and offers of full representation by literary agents.
Although you need to fill in the details with your specific story, the Query Letter Swipe File practically writes your query letter for you.
Announcement: Here’s What to Expect from my next query letter follow-up book, Query Letter Magnets:
- Each chapter is jam-packed with the best query secrets
- Breakthrough, specific, and proven tactics that you can put to use TODAY
- Insider shortcuts on writing a bestseller query letter
- Next level query secrets you won’t find anywhere else
- Zero rehash of exactly what you can find a million other places online
- Zero fluff or filler
Here’s a quick summary of some of the Lessons in Query Letter Magnets:
- Secret Structure of a Bestseller Query Letter
- The Number ONE Way to Easily Master Query Letters In Record Time With Zero Experience
- The PAS Formula for Writing the Perfect Pitch
- The Movie Trailer Method
- Summary and Conclusion (with exclusive bonuses)
Publish date: TBA
Post Recap: What Courses To Take To Become a Writer
So as a quick recap, what courses to take to become a writer depends on your experience, skill level, and resources.
You don’t have to take any courses, but there are many excellent courses to shorten your learning curve and accelerate your transition into full-time income as a writer.
Read more posts on becoming a writer
- What Do I Need To Start Writing A Book ?
- How To Start A Blog For Free and Make Money
- Can Writers Become Actors? (The Complete Answer)
Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.
1.3 Becoming a Successful College Writer
Learning objectives.
- Identify strategies for successful writing.
- Demonstrate comprehensive writing skills.
- Identify writing strategies for use in future classes.
In the preceding sections, you learned what you can expect from college and identified strategies you can use to manage your work. These strategies will help you succeed in any college course. This section covers more about how to handle the demands college places upon you as a writer. The general techniques you will learn will help ensure your success on any writing task, whether you complete a bluebook exam in an hour or an in-depth research project over several weeks.
Putting It All Together: Strategies for Success
Writing well is difficult. Even people who write for a living sometimes struggle to get their thoughts on the page. Even people who generally enjoy writing have days when they would rather do anything else. For people who do not like writing or do not think of themselves as good writers, writing assignments can be stressful or even intimidating. And of course, you cannot get through college without having to write—sometimes a lot, and often at a higher level than you are used to.
No magic formula will make writing quick and easy. However, you can use strategies and resources to manage writing assignments more easily. This section presents a broad overview of these strategies and resources. The remaining chapters of this book provide more detailed, comprehensive instruction to help you succeed at a variety of assignments. College will challenge you as a writer, but it is also a unique opportunity to grow.
Using the Writing Process
To complete a writing project successfully, good writers use some variation of the following process.
The Writing Process
- Prewriting. In this step, the writer generates ideas to write about and begins developing these ideas.
- Outlining a structure of ideas. In this step, the writer determines the overall organizational structure of the writing and creates an outline to organize ideas. Usually this step involves some additional fleshing out of the ideas generated in the first step.
- Writing a rough draft. In this step, the writer uses the work completed in prewriting to develop a first draft. The draft covers the ideas the writer brainstormed and follows the organizational plan that was laid out in the first step.
- Revising. In this step, the writer revisits the draft to review and, if necessary, reshape its content. This stage involves moderate and sometimes major changes: adding or deleting a paragraph, phrasing the main point differently, expanding on an important idea, reorganizing content, and so forth.
- Editing. In this step, the writer reviews the draft to make additional changes. Editing involves making changes to improve style and adherence to standard writing conventions—for instance, replacing a vague word with a more precise one or fixing errors in grammar and spelling. Once this stage is complete, the work is a finished piece and ready to share with others.
Chances are, you have already used this process as a writer. You may also have used it for other types of creative projects, such as developing a sketch into a finished painting or composing a song. The steps listed above apply broadly to any project that involves creative thinking. You come up with ideas (often vague at first), you work to give them some structure, you make a first attempt, you figure out what needs improving, and then you refine it until you are satisfied.
Most people have used this creative process in one way or another, but many people have misconceptions about how to use it to write. Here are a few of the most common misconceptions students have about the writing process:
- “I do not have to waste time on prewriting if I understand the assignment.” Even if the task is straightforward and you feel ready to start writing, take some time to develop ideas before you plunge into your draft. Freewriting —writing about the topic without stopping for a set period of time—is one prewriting technique you might try in that situation.
- “It is important to complete a formal, numbered outline for every writing assignment.” For some assignments, such as lengthy research papers, proceeding without a formal outline can be very difficult. However, for other assignments, a structured set of notes or a detailed graphic organizer may suffice. The important thing is that you have a solid plan for organizing ideas and details.
- “My draft will be better if I write it when I am feeling inspired.” By all means, take advantage of those moments of inspiration. However, understand that sometimes you will have to write when you are not in the mood. Sit down and start your draft even if you do not feel like it. If necessary, force yourself to write for just one hour. By the end of the hour, you may be far more engaged and motivated to continue. If not, at least you will have accomplished part of the task.
- “My instructor will tell me everything I need to revise.” If your instructor chooses to review drafts, the feedback can help you improve. However, it is still your job, not your instructor’s, to transform the draft to a final, polished piece. That task will be much easier if you give your best effort to the draft before submitting it. During revision, do not just go through and implement your instructor’s corrections. Take time to determine what you can change to make the work the best it can be.
- “I am a good writer, so I do not need to revise or edit.” Even talented writers still need to revise and edit their work. At the very least, doing so will help you catch an embarrassing typo or two. Revising and editing are the steps that make good writers into great writers.
For a more thorough explanation of the steps of the writing process as well as for specific techniques you can use for each step, see Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” .
The writing process also applies to timed writing tasks, such as essay exams. Before you begin writing, read the question thoroughly and think about the main points to include in your response. Use scrap paper to sketch out a very brief outline. Keep an eye on the clock as you write your response so you will have time to review it and make any needed changes before turning in your exam.
Managing Your Time
In Section 1.2 “Developing Study Skills” , you learned general time-management skills. By combining those skills with what you have learned about the writing process, you can make any writing assignment easier to manage.
When your instructor gives you a writing assignment, write the due date on your calendar. Then work backward from the due date to set aside blocks of time when you will work on the assignment. Always plan at least two sessions of writing time per assignment, so that you are not trying to move from step 1 to step 5 in one evening. Trying to work that fast is stressful, and it does not yield great results. You will plan better, think better, and write better if you space out the steps.
Ideally, you should set aside at least three separate blocks of time to work on a writing assignment: one for prewriting and outlining, one for drafting, and one for revising and editing. Sometimes those steps may be compressed into just a few days. If you have a couple of weeks to work on a paper, space out the five steps over multiple sessions. Long-term projects, such as research papers, require more time for each step.
In certain situations you may not be able to allow time between the different steps of the writing process. For instance, you may be asked to write in class or complete a brief response paper overnight. If the time available is very limited, apply a modified version of the writing process (as you would do for an essay exam). It is still important to give the assignment thought and effort. However, these types of assignments are less formal, and instructors may not expect them to be as polished as formal papers. When in doubt, ask the instructor about expectations, resources that will be available during the writing exam, and if they have any tips to prepare you to effectively demonstrate your writing skills.
Each Monday in Crystal’s Foundations of Education class, the instructor distributed copies of a current news article on education and assigned students to write a one-and-one-half- to two-page response that was due the following Monday. Together, these weekly assignments counted for 20 percent of the course grade. Although each response took just a few hours to complete, Crystal found that she learned more from the reading and got better grades on her writing if she spread the work out in the following way:
For more detailed guidelines on how to plan for a long-term writing project, see Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” .
Setting Goals
One key to succeeding as a student and as a writer is setting both short- and long-term goals for yourself. You have already glimpsed the kind of short-term goals a student might set. Crystal wanted to do well in her Foundations of Education course, and she realized that she could control how she handled her weekly writing assignments. At 20 percent of her course grade, she reasoned, those assignments might mean the difference between a C and a B or between a B and an A.
By planning carefully and following through on her daily and weekly goals, Crystal was able to fulfill one of her goals for the semester. Although her exam scores were not as high as she had hoped, her consistently strong performance on writing assignments tipped her grade from a B+ to an A−. She was pleased to have earned a high grade in one of the required courses for her major. She was also glad to have gotten the most out of an introductory course that would help her become an effective teacher.
How does Crystal’s experience relate to your own college experience?
To do well in college, it is important to stay focused on how your day-to-day actions determine your long-term success. You may not have defined your career goals or chosen a major yet. Even so, you surely have some overarching goals for what you want out of college: to expand your career options, to increase your earning power, or just to learn something new. In time, you will define your long-term goals more explicitly. Doing solid, steady work, day by day and week by week, will help you meet those goals.
In this exercise, make connections between short- and long-term goals.
- For this step, identify one long-term goal you would like to have achieved by the time you complete your degree. For instance, you might want a particular job in your field or hope to graduate with honors.
- Next, identify one semester goal that will help you fulfill the goal you set in step one. For instance, you may want to do well in a particular course or establish a connection with a professional in your field.
- Review the goal you determined in step two. Brainstorm a list of stepping stones that will help you meet that goal, such as “doing well on my midterm and final exams” or “talking to Professor Gibson about doing an internship.” Write down everything you can think of that would help you meet that semester goal.
- Review your list. Choose two to three items, and for each item identify at least one concrete action you can take to accomplish it. These actions may be recurring (meeting with a study group each week) or one time only (calling the professor in charge of internships).
- Identify one action from step four that you can do today. Then do it.
Using College Resources
One reason students sometimes find college overwhelming is that they do not know about, or are reluctant to use, the resources available to them. Some aspects of college will be challenging. However, if you try to handle every challenge alone, you may become frustrated and overwhelmed.
Universities have resources in place to help students cope with challenges. Your student fees help pay for resources such as a health center or tutoring, so use these resources if you need them. The following are some of the resources you might use if you find you need help:
- Your instructor. If you are making an honest effort but still struggling with a particular course, set up a time to meet with your instructor and discuss what you can do to improve. He or she may be able to shed light on a confusing concept or give you strategies to catch up.
- Your academic counselor. Many universities assign students an academic counselor who can help you choose courses and ensure that you fulfill degree and major requirements.
- The academic resource center. These centers offer a variety of services, which may range from general coaching in study skills to tutoring for specific courses. Find out what is offered at your school and use the services that you need.
- The writing center. These centers employ tutors to help you manage college-level writing assignments. They will not write or edit your paper for you, but they can help you through the stages of the writing process. (In some schools, the writing center is part of the academic resource center.)
- The career resource center. Visit the career resource center for guidance in choosing a career path, developing a résumé, and finding and applying for jobs.
- Counseling services. Many universities offer psychological counseling for free or for a low fee. Use these services if you need help coping with a difficult personal situation or managing depression, anxiety, or other problems.
Students sometimes neglect to use available resources due to limited time, unwillingness to admit there is a problem, or embarrassment about needing to ask for help. Unfortunately, ignoring a problem usually makes it harder to cope with later on. Waiting until the end of the semester may also mean fewer resources are available, since many other students are also seeking last-minute help.
Identify at least one college resource that you think could be helpful to you and you would like to investigate further. Schedule a time to visit this resource within the next week or two so you can use it throughout the semester.
Overview: College Writing Skills
You now have a solid foundation of skills and strategies you can use to succeed in college. The remainder of this book will provide you with guidance on specific aspects of writing, ranging from grammar and style conventions to how to write a research paper.
For any college writing assignment, use these strategies:
- Plan ahead. Divide the work into smaller, manageable tasks, and set aside time to accomplish each task in turn.
- Make sure you understand the assignment requirements, and if necessary, clarify them with your instructor. Think carefully about the purpose of the writing, the intended audience, the topics you will need to address, and any specific requirements of the writing form.
- Complete each step of the writing process. With practice, using this process will come automatically to you.
- Use the resources available to you. Remember that most colleges have specific services to help students with their writing.
For help with specific writing assignments and guidance on different aspects of writing, you may refer to the other chapters in this book. The table of contents lists topics in detail. As a general overview, the following paragraphs discuss what you will learn in the upcoming chapters.
Chapter 2 “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?” through Chapter 7 “Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique?” will ground you in writing basics: the “nuts and bolts” of grammar, sentence structure, and paragraph development that you need to master to produce competent college-level writing. Chapter 2 “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?” reviews the parts of speech and the components of a sentence. Chapter 3 “Punctuation” explains how to use punctuation correctly. Chapter 4 “Working with Words: Which Word Is Right?” reviews concepts that will help you use words correctly, including everything from commonly confused words to using context clues.
Chapter 5 “Help for English Language Learners” provides guidance for students who have learned English as a second language. Then, Chapter 6 “Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content” guides you through the process of developing a paragraph while Chapter 7 “Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique?” has tips to help you refine and improve your sentences.
Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” through Chapter 10 “Rhetorical Modes” are geared to help you apply those basics to college-level writing assignments. Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” shows the writing process in action with explanations and examples of techniques you can use during each step of the process. Chapter 9 “Writing Essays: From Start to Finish” provides further discussion of the components of college essays—how to create and support a thesis and how to organize an essay effectively. Chapter 10 “Rhetorical Modes” discusses specific modes of writing you will encounter as a college student and explains how to approach these different assignments.
Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” through Chapter 14 “Creating Presentations: Sharing Your Ideas” focus on how to write a research paper. Chapter 11 “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?” guides students through the process of conducting research, while Chapter 12 “Writing a Research Paper” explains how to transform that research into a finished paper. Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting” explains how to format your paper and use a standard system for documenting sources. Finally, Chapter 14 “Creating Presentations: Sharing Your Ideas” discusses how to transform your paper into an effective presentation.
Many of the chapters in this book include sample student writing—not just the finished essays but also the preliminary steps that went into developing those essays. Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” of this book provides additional examples of different essay types.
Key Takeaways
- Following the steps of the writing process helps students complete any writing assignment more successfully.
- To manage writing assignments, it is best to work backward from the due date, allotting appropriate time to complete each step of the writing process.
- Setting concrete long- and short-term goals helps students stay focused and motivated.
- A variety of university resources are available to help students with writing and with other aspects of college life.
Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
9 Great Side Hustle Ideas for Creatives Who Want to Earn Thousands per Month
Are you looking for profitable side hustle ideas ?
It’s not a good idea to depend on one income source. If you’re working a full-time job, you could lose it and find yourself scrambling to pay the bills.
That happened to me back in 2008 when I was a freelance journalist dependent on one client. It happened again in 2012 when a charity I was working for let me go.
Even if you don’t depend on your employer, profitable creatives avoid trading all their time for money. They create assets that help them focus on what they love making without worrying about paying the bills.
You can too.
Writers Work contains freelance writing opportunities for writers who want to start their career
What Side Hustle Skills Should You Learn?
1. writing on medium, 2. freelance writing, 3. self-publishing, 4. creating an online course, 5. starting a newsletter, 6. producing and selling an audiobook, 7. becoming an affiliate marketer, 8. building an authority or niche website, 9. building your personal brand, picking the best side hustle ideas for creatives.
Several side hustle skills are important, including:
- Building and maintaining a website: Learn WordPress…
- Outsourcing and collaboration: …or hire someone who knows WordPress.
- Marketing: Combine marketing with writing, and you’ll be one step ahead of many creatives.
- Copywriting: Write words that sell your services or products.
- Validating business ideas: Avoid spending time or money creating products people don’t want.
- Personal productivity: The responsibility to get stuff done lies with you.
- Metrics and analytics: What gets measured gets managed.
You’ll need to become more comfortable asking hard, qualitative questions about your business or side hustle too, like:
- What should I do more or less?
- What’s working right now?
- What’s not working?
You can start a side hustle relatively quickly, but scaling into a highly profitable business takes time. Don’t worry if you lack these skills today. Acquire them by doing.
In this guide, I’ll cover nine types of easy side hustle ideas for introverts and creatives.
If you write nonfiction, Medium is the ideal place to start a side gig. Between 85 and 100 million members or readers interested in topics like entrepreneurship, writing, creativity, artificial intelligence, and personal development read Medium articles.
Writing on Medium is a way of finding, refining, and testing your writing in front of an audience without the technical parts of running a website. To get paid, join the Medium Partner Program.
Medium Partner Program members typically earn over a hundred dollars a month, minimum. Top Medium writers earn five figures a month.
- No technical skills required
- Many publications across many niches are looking for writers … like you
- Easy to earn a few hundred dollars
- A great way of building a writing portfolio for other side hustle ventures
- Offers exposure
- Hard to earn more than a few hundred dollars
- Pay is performance-based, i.e. trade time for money
- Takes time to build a sizable following who will clap or engage with your work
Services to try:
If you want to sound like a top-level writer on Medium … you don’t need to try anything! Simply read a few great books about writing.
If you still need help, invest in a premium grammar checker like Grammarly .
It will help you find and fix errors in your writing and check for matters of style in a way that traditional spelling or grammar checkers can’t.
Resources and further reading
Great Books to Read
Audible: Is It Worth It?
Earning potential
Three to five figures a month
Difficulty rating
Freelance writing is a good side hustle idea because you can work on freelance articles and projects in the morning, evening or at the weekend.
I’ve worked on and off as a freelance writer over the years writing for magazines, websites and more, recently Forbes.
I’d encourage picking one or two areas to specialize in. I usually write about creativity, leadership, and productivity. Business-to-business freelance copywriters are always in demand. They earn six figures a year easily, with the caveat that the subject matter is often bland.
This focus will help you build authority in a particular area and find more clients for your side gig.
- Lots of freelance opportunities are available, as the internet thrives on content
- Ideal for side-hustlers who prefer writing around work or at the weekend
- Assets don’t belong to you
- Requires trading time for money
Services to try
If you want to become a freelance writer, consider trying FlexJobs, SolidGigs, or Bonsai . All of these feature freelance writing jobs. Alternatively, sell freelance writing services on UpWork.
Flexjobs Review: Is It Worth It?
A freelance writer can easily earn an extra $500 each month without a lot of effort. A good writer could earn $3,000 – $5,000 per month.
I’ve always gotten a kick out of self-publishing. I love that authors today don’t have to ask for permission to press publish. It’s a great side hustle-from-home idea. Within a few months, you can write, edit and sell a professional book that builds your name and authority as a writer.
Selling nonfiction books on Amazon is harder than genre fiction, but still, you can earn over a thousand dollars each month with some work.
- Represents an asset you own
- Opens the door to other opportunities
- Can become other assets e.g., a course, audiobook, workbook, etc.
- Writing a book is hard and time-consuming
- Selling books on Amazon requires learning how to run profitable ad campaigns
It’s hard to self-publish a professional book without help. Try 99designs or Logomaker for a book cover. Use Reedsy to find an editor and proofreader.
How to Make an Audiobook and Self Publish on Audible Today
The Real Cost of Self-Publishing a Book: What New Writers Need to Know
How to Write a Book
The Art of Writing a Non-Fiction Book
Writing a book isn’t the fastest route to earning more money . My first book earned less than $100 per month. After I published four books, I broke $1,000 per month.
If you’ve written a nonfiction book or have an email list of readers, consider creating an online course. It’s relatively easy to transform individual book chapters into lessons that solve problems for paying students.
Although many popular online courses include videos and presentations, I’ve taken courses delivered over email or through audio.
Some writers feel like transforming their work into a course is derivative, but people like learning in different ways. Top creatives and authors currently teaching courses include James Patterson, David Mamet, Malcolm Gladwell, and Margaret Atwood.
- Low barrier to entry
- Faster than writing a book
- An asset you can sell repeatedly, at scale
- Requires learning new skills like video creation and copywriting
- Requires an audience
- Often needs updates
I create, host, and sell my online courses using Teachable. That service is affordable. Teachable takes care of everything from managing the tax to some customer support.
Teachable Review: Is It Worth It?
Three to four figures per course or launch.
A newsletter is a great way to build a relationship directly with readers. I recently subscribed to several newsletters via Substack. Hamish McKenzie, Christopher Best, and Jairaj Sethi set up Substack in 2017. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company raised $15.3 million in funding this past July.
You can create a free or paid newsletter about almost any topic.
I recently subscribed to the newsletter Flowstate for $39.99 annually. Each day they email music, tracks, and playlists that help cultivate a state of flow. Other Substack newsletters range between $5 and $15 a month.
Attract several hundred paying subscribers, and your newsletter will become a profitable side hustle. Substack cites the example of a newsletter writer with 800 paying subscribers. If subscribers paid just $7 each month, the newsletter writer could earn $4,400 per month.
McKenzie told me, “If you can get 10,000 people to pay you money for a subscription newsletter, then you can not only support yourself, but you can get pretty wealthy.”
Substack isn’t a requirement for starting a newsletter. A good email service provider like ConvertKit can work too.
- Perfect for writers
- Takes time to build a list of newsletter subscribers
- Takes even more time to build a list of premium subscribers
Substack or ConvertKit
How Newsletters Make Money for Writers with Hamish McKenzie of Substack
Is Starting a Newsletter Your Passport to Riches?
The Blank Page – my newsletter
Two-to-three figures per month, although those maths scale upwards if your newsletter takes off.
As good side hustle ideas go, selling audiobooks will help supplement your income. In 2019, audiobook sales increased by 43% in the United Kingdom alone.
I’ve produced and published several audiobooks over the past few years. I recorded one at home, and I hired narrators for others.
It’s easier to narrate nonfiction than fiction, as no voices or accents are required. You’ll need a good microphone, a quiet room, and patience. Hire a producer who can prepare the audio files for services like ACX.
If that sounds like too much work, outsource the creation of an audiobook via ACX; however, you’ll still need to review the audio and identify errors.
- An asset you can sell over time
- Can build your readership
- Sells without ads
- Takes several months to turn a book into an audiobook
- Requires a basic understanding of audio production
- Return on Investment (ROI) is slow
How to Make and Record an Audiobook
Three figures per month. Again, more books equal more opportunities to find paying readers.
What products do you use, love or trust? Consider turning your answers into articles, guides, podcasts or videos. If you have a website or readers, you could write about these products and services and how you use them.
Many top influencers got their start through affiliate marketing. For example, Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income earned five figures per month as an affiliate for web hosting company Bluehost and other services.
On Become a Writer Today, I offer discounts for writing services I trust, like Grammarly , and I earn a commission if a reader signs up.
- Highly profitable
- No customer support or service required
- Product creation isn’t necessary
- Proven business model
- Time necessary to scale
- Some sleazy affiliate programs
- Competitive
If you’re looking for products to promote, consider joining Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Rakuten Marketing, Impact Radius or Clickbank.
Affiliate marketers should also invest in email marketing software like ConvertKit. This type of software will help you follow up on informational articles with discounts and deals for your audience.
ConvertKit Review
How to Start a Blog
Four to five figures a month. Top affiliate marketers earn over seven figures a year.
An authority website covers a broad topic like writing. For example, Become a Writer Today is an authority website that helps readers build authority and earn more money.
I started a technology blog back in 2008 and gave up. I started another productivity blog back in 2013 and gave up on that one as well.
I started Become a Writer Today in 2014, but it took another year before I earned an income from it and even longer to find an ideal audience.
A niche website covers a specific topic in detail. For example, Own The Yard reviews outdoor games, equipment, and tools. Niche site owners understand SEO deeply.
They often sell these sites on Australian sites Flippa or Empire Builders for four, or even five, figures. It’s a nice side-job-from-home idea, as niche sites don’t require a lot of work once they’ve attracted website traffic.
You can supplement earnings on an authority site via additional services like coaching, teaching, selling books and so on. A niche website typically monetises through ads and Amazon associates. It’s possible to combine elements of both sites.
- An asset you own and control
- Niche sites can be sold for about 30 times their monthly earnings
- Takes time to build and scale
- Requires large amounts of content
- Siteground web-hosting
- Astra web themes
- Ahrefs, which can help you grow traffic through SEO
Four-to-five figures a month. If you attract more qualified web traffic, earnings from ads or Amazon associates will increase.
4/5 for a niche site
5/5 for an authority site
Personal branding is more important than ever. It reflects what you say and how you say it.
Mike Dillard, Ramit Sethi, and Marie Forleo are three examples of online influencers who get personal branding right.
Mike Dillard’s homepage explains,
“I help entrepreneurs start and grow the businesses of their dreams.” He even asks readers a series of questions like, “Do you struggle to make sales and get new customers?” and “Could you use a guide to show you the ropes?” These questions help readers establish if Dillard –– and his paid materials –– is for them.
On his site , Sethi promises to teach his followers to lead a rich life through entrepreneurship, finding a great job or changing their mindset. A while ago, I interviewed Sethi, and he told me:
“When it comes to starting an online business, there are so many things you could focus on –– a fancy-looking website, building Instagram followers, brainstorming the products you can sell, or the ultimate copy that can increase your conversion rate by 0.049% –– but all those don’t matter if no one is willing to pay you for your skills!”
Finally, Marie Forleo helps her followers become “the person you most want to be.” She targets mostly female entrepreneurs with videos on MarieTV.
You can monetize a personal brand by offering coaching, books, courses, and more.
- Opens the door to opportunities like speaking, media interviews, sought-after jobs, etc.
- Becomes a sustainable asset you can build over time
- Time-consuming
- Hard to get right
- Not profitable at first
- Difficult to sell a personal brand
What Most Writers Get Wrong About Personal Branding
You’re probably wondering what type of side hustle you should start to make money . The simple fact is many lucrative side hustle ideas are available for introverts and creatives.
Pick one that resonates with your area of expertise or interests. Set aside 5 or 10 hours a week to build, test and refine your side hustle idea.
Learning how to make money on the side isn’t something you can do alone. Take courses from others who’ve already achieved your goals. Study what works. Discard the rest.
Keep metrics to your side hustle in place so you can figure out what to spend more time on. When you start to earn a little money from it, invest that income back into the business so you can scale. For example, you could improve your branding or hire a contractor who takes care of technical headaches.
Ultimately, your side hustle could become a full-time gig or something you sell for profit.
The choice is yours.
- Where to find easy part-time jobs
- Where to find writing jobs
- Top freelance job ideas
- Writers Work review
- Best freelance writing websites
Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.
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How to Become a Freelance Writer, Plus Tips for Success
F reelance writing is a booming industry, and it could be a great way to enjoy remote work and set your own schedule. Yet becoming a freelance writer can be difficult and confusing, especially in the beginning.
Today, let's explore how to become a freelance writer step-by-step, plus break down some extra tips to ensure success in this field.
1. Decide what kind of writer you'll be
No freelance writer can do it all, so you need to decide what kind of writer you'll be before starting on this career path.
Here are some examples of freelance writing niches and focuses:
- Technical writers : have technical expertise or in-depth knowledge about a specific subject, like manufacturing, finance, programming, etc. This type of writing is the most profitable side hustle. However, it's also the hardest for new freelance writers to break into as small businesses.
- Content writers: create blog posts for a variety of websites, often retail or affiliate websites. Content marketing includes high-qualitycontent writing. Such content might include guest posts for bloggers and business owners. It might also include other freelance content, like creating social posts or email copy. Helpful skills to know are how to use WordPress, Slack, Google Suite, Asana and similar.
- Copywriters : create content for brands by mimicking brand voice, tone and language rules. This freelance writing work means providing writing services to a brand's own blog. Such purposes typically revolve around SEO/search engine optimization purposes.
Of these types of freelance writers, you can further specialize. For instance, you can be a retail content writer exclusively, a finance technical writer and so on. In many cases, you should choose your freelance writer niche based on your previous experience, interests or specializations.
Consider your working schedule, too. Full-time writers will have more access to freelance writing jobs. However, you can still build a writing portfolio with stellar writing samples to attract potential clients, even as a part-time writer.
There are lots of online writing clients to attract. In any case, you'll build up a byline reputation after you get your first client and start flexing your creative writing skills.
Related: How Much Should You Charge as a Freelance Writer ?
2. Learn your niche's writing conventions and strategies
Next, you'll need to learn and master your niche's writing conventions and strategies.
As an example, if you become a copywriter for retail brands, you need to understand typical writing conventions like:
- Reading through your clients' tone packages or portfolios (sometimes called brand guides). These will give you the information you need to mimic your client's voice appropriately.
- Writing in streamlined, short sentences without a lot of fluff. These days, most online readers skim written content rather than reading it word by word, so you need to know how to create compelling, attractive headers and content blocks.
- Using bullet points frequently (just like this.) to convey key informational points quickly and succinctly.
Many of these skills can be learned and practiced as you hone your writing skills and as you determine your ultimate freelance writing niche or focus. Outside of learning by pursuing writing opportunities and building an online presence, many good writers have positive experiences with writing courses designed to build professional writing skills for different types of content.
3. Build a portfolio and join freelance job sites
No one will want to hire you as a freelance writer without seeing some samples of your work. This can sound counterintuitive, as at the beginning of your career, you won't have any work to showcase. However, you should create a portfolio of sample or trial blog posts, copy and more. Even if you come up with this content from scratch, it can serve as a good example of the work future clients can expect.
Once you have your portfolio, put it up on your personal website and your social media pages (particularly your LinkedIn profile). Then add to freelance job websites like Upwork. Make profiles on all the freelance job boards you can.
In the earliest days of your freelance writing career, you'll be pursuing as many jobs as possible. The more places you have to advertise your skills, the better.
Related: Leaving a Steady Job to Start a Freelance Career ? Here Are 5 Things You Must Know
4. Start looking for work
Now it's time to put your nose to the grindstone and begin looking for work. As a freelance writer, the initial months of your career will be filled with proposals and requests for work. Don't expect to get a lot of clients initially. In fact, you'll probably spend most of your time seeking out clients instead of writing.
This isn't a bad thing. During this time, you'll learn how to write effective, persuasive proposals to your clients and how best to represent yourself as the ideal freelancer for their needs. In time, you'll get a few jobs, then use those jobs to open further doors and new professional opportunities.
5. Request good reviews
Each time you get a job from a client, do it to perfection. Then, at the end of your contract, request an excellent review or testimonial. Many freelance job board websites allow you to post reviews or automatically calculate a review or star score based on your performance.
The better your review score is, the easier you'll find it to acquire new, high-paying clients. In this way, your freelance writing career will start off very slow, then quickly pick up speed.
Related: The 9 Skills it Takes to Succeed as a Freelance Writer
6. Market your writing aggressively
As you earn initial success, you should market your writing aggressively. There are a few different ways in which you can do this:
- You can create a personal website for your freelance writing business, showcasing your best samples and reviews or testimonials.
- You can make online ads promoting your skills as a knowledgeable copywriter, particularly in a specific industry or niche.
- You can and should market yourself on social media by regularly posting that you are looking for work or new clients.
Don't feel bad about announcing your skills in this way: You have to hustle to make it in this industry, a truism that holds for all freelance professionals, in fact.
Other tips for freelance writing success
You now know the basics about how to become a freelance writer. But even with the step-by-step process above, you might not see initial success unless you keep some key tips and strategies in mind.
Pick a niche to excel at
First, and perhaps most importantly, you should pick a niche or specialization at the earliest opportunity. Generalized freelance writers don't make nearly as much money as specialized writers. That's because specialized writers can provide more raw value to their clients.
Imagine a situation in which a programming company needs a writer to create some in-depth blog posts for B2B clients. They can hire a generalized content writer or a specialized technical writer who knows the ins and outs of programming languages and computer science. The latter choice is always the better option for that client.
To that end, find a niche in which to excel based on your previous schooling, your interests and more.
Price your writing properly
Many freelance writers struggle with getting a living wage, partially because they price their writing too low. True, in the earliest stage of your career, you'll probably earn about one cent or two cents per word. However, as you earn your first initial reviews, you should counterintuitively increase your price to five cents per word or more.
Why? If you price your writing too low, clients will think that you aren't worth their time. By pricing your writing sufficiently high, you show that you are confident in your ability to deliver results to those clients.
Always be looking for new clients
The life of a freelance writer involves constantly looking for new clients and work opportunities. Even if you have a handful of solid clients who send you work consistently, don't rest on your laurels.
Always be cultivating new contacts and finding new professional clients who you can approach for work. You never know when your current jobs or projects might dry up, leaving you in desperate need of new income streams.
Always improve your writing skills
Similarly, always work to improve your writing skills by learning new words, practicing your grammar and so on. As a writing craftsman, it's up to you to make sure that your skills are as sharp and desirable as possible. Don't let your writing skills fall by the wayside just because you have achieved some initial success as a freelance writer.
Related: Examples of Writing Business Ideas
Start your journey as a freelance writer
As you can see, you can become a successful freelance writer in a variety of ways and niches. But keep the above tips in mind, and you'll be sure to land high-paying clients and master your new business in short order.
Check out Entrepreneur's other guides and resources for more information on this topic.
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Updated By Sakunth Kumar on 28 Sep, 2021 11:20 A.M
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How to Become a Writer
About writer.
Are you interested to become a writer? Are you passionate about writing? Creative Writing is a potential career for those who are interested in writing and have a passion towards the field. A career in creative writing offers excellent monetary returns. However, creative writing is not a career for all. A career in creative writing is an artistic work, and the person who wants to become a good writer must have both creative and language skills. Creative writers are known by several names such as novelists, poets, lyricists etc. A writer is capable of inculcating feelings in a person through his writings. Creative writing requires a lot of research and hard work. A writer has to express his/ her feelings through imaginative ideas and thoughts.
A writer is a specialist at using words. They use words to express ideas, information, and particular kinds of messages. Writing, which was once limited to pen, paper, and typewriters, now thrives on the Internet and other digital media and has a worldwide effect. Writing careers exist in almost every field because writers are crucial to communication. Words are used by writers to express ideas. They work in a variety of media, including books, magazines, and print media, as well as blogs and the Internet. Writers can use words, phrases and photos, and words combined with other kinds of media like video streaming. Writers work in a variety of settings, including advertising, magazines, and newspapers. Writers create digital content for the billions and billions of Internet pages. E-commerce, online ads, and messaging are examples of this connectivity. Writers also create scripts, plays, and screenplays for films.
Eligibility to become Writer
For taking up Under Graduate courses in different languages, Journalism Mass Communication, a pass in Class 12 with a minimum of 45% marks in qualifying exams
For certificate and diploma courses in creative writing, Class 12 is the minimum qualification
Steps to Becoming a Writer
There is no one way to become a writer; successful writers come from a wide range of perspectives, personal histories, or rather educational backgrounds. Jobs as a writer typically necessitate some degree of education. Most companies will require a bachelor's degree in a field related to writing, such as English Literature. Hiring managers seeking to fill higher-paying and more demanding positions frequently require significant relevant work experience as well as a master's degree.
Step 1: Complete your Basic Schooling
A writer typically needs to have a minimum level of education, such as a high school diploma or an equivalent, in order to be employed by others. The fact that self-taught people have achieved success as writers is one of the special characteristics of the writing profession. Courses in English, writing, grammar, and reading provide significant advantages and skills for aspiring writers in the realm of formal education.Many students start out as columnists for school publications such as newspaper articles, bulletins, and school books.Reading is a fundamental skill of good writers. By consuming a large amount of meaningful writing, writers gain firsthand knowledge of the power of written words. In some ways, writing is the ability to convey an experience; writers assist people in visualising and comprehending things, including fresh and unfamiliar subjects.
Step 2: Complete a Bachelor's or Writing Education degree
A formal writing education can be achieved at an accredited school, college, or university. Writing education can also be acquired through practical roles that help strengthen technical writing, knowledge, and skill sets. After high school, formal education generally consists of a bachelor's, or master's degree in a writing-related field. Several aspiring writers major in literature, English, or sociology. Writers with a solid foundation in writing, composition, and literature can benefit from a wide variety of minor and major disciplines. Writers must exhibit their expertise, knowledge, and any areas of specialisation. The writer's portfolio is one frequently used tool. A portfolio is a collection of the author's writings that serve as examples of their style and subject expertise. The portfolio can show depth in a few topics or the writer's voice expressed across a variety of subjects.
Step 3: Identify Areas of Interest
Writing is not a restricted field; writing and written communications are used in almost every artistic, commercial, or social activity. When starting a writing career, it may be beneficial to begin in areas of interest. Motivation comes from a strong interest, as well as writers can take advantage of work that helps them develop and refine their professional writing skills. Hobbies, athletics, technology, and entertainment can all be pursued alongside writing.
Step 4: Acquire Experience
Writing jobs can be dynamic, and employers will base their hiring decisions on academic achievement, writing samples, portfolios, and expertise. Internships, cooperative projects, and other similar opportunities can help a writer gain experience. Training programmes, vocational schools, colleges, and universities frequently assist students in obtaining internships and awarding academic credit for them. Internships can provide you with valuable contacts, a body of specific experience in a profession, and on-the-job learning and training in some fields such as healthcare, international trade, or business.
Step 5: Find Work
Writers with an education or a degree as well as some experience can find work. Full-time writing jobs are available in almost every type of business, industry, and commercial company. State, regional, and federal governments hire writers to manage the massive amount of content required by public functions. Because writing work is portable and easily outsourced by a variety of individuals, businesses, and organisations, writers today have several options in the 'gig economy.' Several writers are self-employed experts who work online and in their local areas on a variety of writing projects. They can take advantage of on-demand employment opportunities as well as the high demand for digital content and marketing. Poets, novelists, and nonfiction writers who want to publish their work must find publications and sell their work. Some writers hire literary agents to help them market their work and search for publishing opportunities. However, creative writers do not always have complete control over their outcomes, and the process can be complicated with temporary failures. Authors now have a plethora of self-publishing options available through large Internet publications and book sales platforms.
Step 6: Earn a Master’s Degree
A writer may find it easier to find employment in their desired fields with advanced degrees. A Master of Arts in English or Literature, or a Master of Fine Arts degree, can advance your career and present you with new opportunities. In the writing industry, advanced degrees are a source of authority, and many hiring managers prioritise this level of education.
Tools Needed to Become a Writer
To become a good writer, one must first understand the fundamentals of content creation. Knowledge of tools for identifying grammatical errors and plagiarism. To become a writer, you must use specific tools.
When you write a paragraph, you will notice spelling and grammar errors. To avoid these errors, use Grammarly's tools for detecting grammatical and spelling errors. This tool will strengthen the content's quality and make it easier for users to understand
- Another tool, called a plagiarism checker, is used to determine whether the content is original or tried to copy. You can use this tool after you've written the content to test it and ensure its uniqueness
- Some of the articles have been written in the WordPress tool, which allows for various modes of writing with text and special characters
Guidance for Aspiring Writers
Use the guidance given below to improve as a writer.
- Make it a habit to read books that will help you with your language every day
- Watch English-language movies to learn sentence structure
- Try to submit brief articles daily to various journals
Types of Job Roles Writer
Here is the list of some of the popular job designations available for a creative writer/ writer: -
Copywriters: The responsibility of a copywriter is to create content describing a particular product, its features, benefits etc. Copywriters also write advertising letters, brochures, newsletters, catalogues etc.
Article Writers: These writers are responsible for writing articles on varied topics such as education, food, sports, entertainment, business, health etc.
Author/ Book Writer: A writer can become an author of a book by narrating a beautiful story on any topic. They can write fictional and non-fictional books for children and adults. The popularity of the writer depends on upon his writing and creativity.
Content Writers/ Online Writers: These writers have different roles from content writing to blogging to freelance writing to technical writing.
Script Writers: Writers who are good at writing dialogues can become scriptwriters. These writers write content for movies, television shows and plays.
Novelists: Writers with outstanding power of imagination can excel in the world of fiction by writing novels.
Lyricist: Writers who are most skilled with figures of speech, metaphors and poetry can turn into lyricists by writing songs.
Technical Writers: A writer who can translate or explain the technical terms of companies’ products in simple language for an understanding of the common person is called as a technical writer.
Employment Opportunities for Writers:
Creative Writers/ Writers are required in numerous agencies and companies. Candidates with excellent writing skills can get jobs in the following fields: -
- Advertising Agencies
- Books Publishing Agencies
- Transport Agencies (Technical Writer)
- Software Companies
- Online Shopping Portals
- Freelancing
- Movies/ Entertainment
Top Recruiting Agencies for Writers
Here is the list of top companies that recruit content writers, article writers, technical writers etc: -
- Times of India
- Eenadu (Telugu News Paper)
- Triumph India Software Services
- Cisco Systems
- Careers 360
- CollegeDekho
Skills Required to Become the Best Writer
To become a writer, candidates must possess some special abilities:
- Communication abilities
- Creative writing abilities
- Language Determination Knowledge
- Outstanding verbal communication abilities
- Understanding of media production
- Thinking ability and creativeness
Planning to choose Writer as your career?
Pay scale/salary of writer.
The salaries offered to a deserving writer are not constant, and it depends on creative skills and experience. However, fixed salaries depending on the experience will be offered to some of the positions in creative writing.
Scriptwriters, lyricists etc will be paid as per their popularity, skills and experience. There are senior or junior level positions in these fields.
Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company.
Books & Study Material to Become Writer
Here is the list of some of the top special education books for enhancing your skills in writing: -
Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley
Write Tight: Say Exactly What You Mean with Precision and Power by William Brohaugh
The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker
You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins
Stein On Writing by Sol Stein
1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience by Chuck Wendig
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
Pros of becoming a Writer
Creative writers with outstanding skills can earn high salary packages.
Flexible working hours and the nature of work
Cons of becoming a Writer
Starting salaries are low compared to other fields
Sometimes, there will be stress and pressure to meet the deadlines.
Top Colleges to pursue career as Writer
Career path for writer.
Language skills and creativity are the key skills that a writer should possess besides relevant educational qualification. Pursuing special courses in creative writing will add advantage to your professional career. After Class 12, students can take up a course in the English Language, i.e., B.A. English to improve their literature and language skills. If you want to become a writer in your native language, then you can take up specialised course in your language. For example, B.A. Telugu, B.A. Bengali, B.A. Hindi etc
Subjects Combination: Usually, there is no specific subject combination required to become a writer.
Paths for Being Writer
Do you think this is the right career choice for you.
Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.
FAQs about Writer
A writer in India earns in the bracket of INR 10K to INR 12K per month during the initial stages. Freelancers can earn between 25,000/- rupees and 40,000/- rupees per month whereas a content writer associated with an organisation can bring home something around 20K per month and 60K per month.
No, it is not that hard to become a writer provided the aspirant has strong writing skills to stand apart from the crowd of aspiring writers.
Freelance writers in India usually charge as low as 1 rupee per word and as high as 10 rupees per word depending upon the quality of the content they produce.
Yes, you can become rich by choosing writing as a profession provided you strike the balance between your vision as an author and meeting commercial imperatives.
No, you cannot become anything without experience, let alone being a writer.
Benyamin, a Malayali Author, is currently the richest writer in India.
Dorothy Straight is currently the youngest writer in the world.
There is no right age to become a writer.
J K Rowling is currently the highest paid writer in the world.
To become a successful writer, one must be a voracious reader but must also possess certain other qualities like strong research skills, organizational skills, adaptability etc.
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White People Are Outraged at The North Face for Offering 20 Percent Discount to Customers Who Take ‘Racial Inclusion’ Course: ‘Completely Bonkers’
Outdoor clothing and gear company The North Face has incited outrage among white people and conservatives with its United Kingdom-based digital course on allyship and racial inclusion, which the company is offering people a 20 percent discount to complete.
The Denver-headquartered company’s course that launched in November starts off by stating that the hour-long session is meant to “help you understand the challenges that people of [color] face when accessing the outdoors” and to offer training and resources for course takers to become better allies.
A recent article in The Sun led to more people hearing about the course – and becoming outraged about it.
The course, which states people should take it with “an open mind, includes statistics like, ”People of [color] are three times more likely than white people to live in an area that is nature deprived,” and “a 2017 study found that just 26.2% of Black people and 25.7% of Asian people spend time in the countryside, compared with 44.2% of white people in England.”
At least one person – an Irish writer – completed the course and found it “genuinely eye opening, very thoughtful and mindful,” as they wrote on X.
However, the online course hasn’t gone over well with many others on the social media platform, where several people, in some cases who identify themselves as conservatives, have blasted The North Face as being a woke company that they now intend to boycott.
One person shared on X that they found the course “completely bonkers.”
The course’s mention of “white privilege” seemed to upset some people on the social media platform.
“In this particular context we refer to ‘white privilege’ meaning that your race and skin [color] can give you access to the outdoors when others can be excluded because of historic, enduring racism and biases,” the course says.
“White privilege, however, does not imply that white people have not or cannot experience struggles in life; it means that any struggles that a white person has faced or may face is not related to the [color] of their skin,” it continues.
One upset X user wrote, “North Face would cease to exist without its white customer base. Naturally, they’ve attacked their white customer base for existing.”
An X user posted that the company’s course turned them off of spending money on the brand. “I used to be a regular customer. Gone.”
Another person advised The North Face to “sell clothes, not politics,” while someone else accused the company of now “joining the ranks of companies pushing woke garbage and divisive racism.”
A U.K.-based group called The Free Speech Union posted on X that the course is “open to all customers willing to learn woke dogma by rote in exchange for slightly discounted access to its clothing range.”
The North Face told The New York Post in a statement, “The North Face has always believed the outdoors should be a welcoming, equitable and safe place for all. This course aims to bring light to the barriers to entry preventing all people from sharing equally rewarding experiences in the outdoors.”
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In This Heartbreaker, Hard Choices Come With Hidden Costs
An editor’s ambition. A coveted manuscript. The gift of a cow. Lives and lies graze one another in Neel Mukherjee’s tragicomic novel.
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By Jonathan Lee
Jonathan Lee’s latest book, “The Great Mistake,” is out in paperback.
CHOICE, by Neel Mukherjee
Neel Mukherjee’s “Choice” is a novel full of characters deciding how much truth to tell. As in “The Lives of Others,” the author’s 2014 Booker Prize-shortlisted novel, we are confronted with subtle, powerful narratives within narratives exploring the gap between wealth and poverty, myopia and activism, fact and fiction. But here these themes deepen into an exploration of free will. A line from V.S. Naipaul’s “In a Free State” comes to mind: “The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.”
In the first of the novel’s three parts, we follow a South Asian man named Ayush. The lie he is telling himself is that he can control his career, his family, his future. As the editorial director at a London publishing house, he reports to a white woman “reputed to have a ‘nose for a winner’” — but the press is called Sewer, and Ayush can’t “shake off the feeling that he is their diversity box, ticked.”
At home his husband, Luke, worries about Ayush’s O.C.D. tendencies, but also his attempts to expose their two children to the repercussions of their choices. When they choose to eat meat, Ayush swaps out a bedtime story for a video of pigs being slaughtered. And when the kids seem as if they might still take their privilege for granted, he redirects 200,000 pounds from their education fund to “three different climate change charities.”
These choices may seem like the actions of a crackpot, but Mukherjee’s trick is to make them also read as the plausible acts of a man clinging to a social conscience. Late capitalism doesn’t seem to have helped Ayush’s mental health, but when he acquires a brilliant manuscript, he is unburdened. Other people’s stories offer a space within which he can stop struggling to control his own narrative.
One such manuscript forms the second section of “Choice.” We have already experienced Ayush’s excitement about a short story by a publicity-shy author who goes by the pseudonym “M.N. Opie” — a tale about a young academic named Emily who gets caught up in a car accident. Now, in an enactment of Ayush’s own thrill, we get to read that very story.
Emily’s memory of the disastrous cab ride is fuzzy. But she is almost sure her driver, a struggling immigrant from Eritrea, committed a hit and run. “The familiar reasserted itself before she could react,” Mukherjee writes. “She was out of the car, standing in the cold rain, shaking, watching the car flee.”
Should Emily call the police immediately — or wait and see if her memory chooses to settle upon a more definitive version of the truth? “It was not even a decision, not a withholding, but a momentary inertia that ripened, without any intention on her part, into something weightier.”
Mukherjee is brilliant at tracing the ways a choice deferred becomes a fate sealed. But the book’s tripartite structure is even better at showing how we graze one another’s lives with our decisions, some of which may be catastrophic for our conscience but beneficial for our art.
Much like Ayush, Emily has been stuck in a job that has turned out to be “hostile ground for the flourishing of a love of literature.” Now, feeling complicit in the killing of another human being, she finally has something meaningful to write about. A death on the road has given her life on the page.
The final section of Mukherjee’s novel picks up the thread of another story dangled at the start — an anecdote Ayush is told over drinks about a cow being given to a poor family in West Bengal. For the family, this “grand, majestic gift” is just as transformative as anticipated — but in unexpected ways. The animal needs fresh water every day, and clean, dry straw. Not easy to find during monsoon season.
What happens to our choices when reality prefers not to comply? The answers, it turns out, are tragicomic and alarming. The “milk begins to spoil with increasing frequency.” The animal gets pregnant and requires the family, weak with hunger, to “massage her behind.” When the humans finally get to fill their bellies with her milk, “they get flatulence shortly afterwards and then the runs a bit later.”
A lesser writer would offer only pathos. Mukherjee is alive to all that — but also to the rich, cruel comedy of being saddled with an asset you can’t digest, a gift that costs you everything, a choice you can’t unmake.
This pattern of well-intentioned error bonds the three sections and makes for a strangely uplifting, exquisitely droll heartbreaker of a book. To be in the company of his cool, calm, all-noticing prose is to experience something like the helpless wonder his characters experience when they concede that the cursed cow now controls their lives. The milk of human kindness can be found — but we may not have the power to stop it souring.
CHOICE | By Neel Mukherjee | Norton | 320 pp. | $28.99.
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Here and meow: Why being a cat lady is now cool (Just ask Taylor Swift)
Forget the stereotype of the solitary spinster, muttering to a clowder of cats, a lonely old lady whose only friends are feline and whose connection with the outside world is tenuous at best.
Cat ladies are cool . And they know it.
"People are pushing back against their experiences around sexism − and especially Gen Z ( those born after 1997 ) are doing that with things that were previously seen as pejoratives, or marginalized, things that were always popular within the queer and female communities," said Adrienne Massanari, an associate professor of communications at American University.
Massanari, who's written about internet culture and feminism ‒ and whose American University faculty photo includes her late cat, Mr. Pants ‒ said women are "reclaiming the narrative" of the crazy cat lady and finding that reclamation empowering.
"A lot of that is done by people who in other ways don’t feel accepted, so it makes sense you create community around these creatures," and that community can be found online, she said.
"The internet provided people with a place to explore niche, what we in academics would call non-normative things," she said. Cats, with their reclusive, independent nature, are seen as complex, thoughtful, private, making them the perfect "cyphers for things like memes," videos and other internet staples.
"All the things we ascribe to them as humans," Massanari said. "They're cuddly, but on their own terms."
Time magazine ran headfirst into 2024 cattitude when it tapped Taylor Swift as Person of the Year . The planet's most popular woman had one query for the photo shoot : "Can I bring my cat?"
Famous or not, meet some other feline owners who are thrilled to purr about their pets.
'Useful critters, but not really loving,' until she met Mars
At a rescue run by a friend and law school classmate, Renee Trotter and her daughter, still reeling from being bullied at school, were told this particular cat, plucked off the streets as a stray, might not be a good match for their family. He wasn't particularly affectionate. Wasn't interested in human company.
That was fine with Trotter, who wanted a cat because she discovered a mouse in her Washington, D.C.-area home. "I thought of cats as useful critters, but not really loving," she said, explaining she'd always been more of a dog person.
But the black cat, who would eventually be named Mars, "came to the gate at the kennel to love on (her daughter)," Trotter said. "And I thought, well, this seems like it might be OK. And he's been the best addition to our family − and he's really good at killing rodents."
Better than his skills as a mouser, though, Mars is a de facto therapy cat for Trotter's teenage daughter, who'd struggled with anxiety so badly she required homeschooling for a time.
"He could figure out when she was having a bad day better than any human could," said Trotter, a civil rights attorney. When Trotter's daughter was anxious but didn't want to open up to her parents, Mars would lie on her and "you could actually see her relax," she said. "I will see her having conversations with him in her bedroom. They have a language only they understand."
Trotter, who later adopted another cat, Minerva, from the same rescue, rejects the idea that being a cat lady means being single, lonely or unloved. "They're a stabilizing thing in people's lives, and I think cat people are as diverse as any other group. There's a misperception of women trying to bond with something that doesn't reciprocate, but a cat does reciprocate; they just don't have to be clingy. It's like women ‒ we can be in a relationship and still be independent."
Cat caretakers, and cats as caretakers
Heidi Wysocki rescued a cross-eyed Siamese Manx, Dr. Booples, but he's hardly the first cat who's been in her life.
When she was 20, Wysocki moved to Washington, D.C., and adopted a cat from a man entering hospice because of AIDS. "He cried when he said goodbye to her and thanked me for taking his cat," Wysocki remembered. "He called a month later with a horrid cough, to make sure she was adapting well and told me to tell her how much he loved her still. I had Miss Kitty for 10 years."
In between, there was Frank, Luper the Pooper and Dingdong, who accompanied her on her lap for a three-day car trip when she moved from New York to Texas.
"Boops sings the song of his people ... has a stuffed animal that he drags around the house, and he spends most of his time crammed into boxes," Wysocki said. "He likes 'em tight, like your friend from 1990 who insists that shirt she wore to the Arcadia concert where she made eye contact with Simon Le Bon still fits." He also likes to "supervise" Wysocki as she works from home as a project manager, showing his backside to government clients on video meetings.
Cats, she said, are the perfect pet for Gen Xers like her: "They thrive with little supervision and are adaptable ... until they don't want to be."
Kelley Bevis co-founded A Cat's Life Rescue , based in Prince Georges County, Maryland, with Niki Cochran. The all-volunteer rescue, which adopts out about 250 cats and kittens each year, also offers TNR (trap, neuter, return) services, collecting strays to be neutered and vaccinated then released back to where they were found.
"Cats have a little bit of a bad reputation but they can be wonderful, comforting animals," said Bevis, the rescue's executive director and an attorney for a charity monitoring organization. One example: Trotter, who adopted her daughter's feline best friend from A Cat's Life.
Being called a cat lady doesn't bother her.
"I am definitely known as the crazy cat lady in the neighborhood," where she lives with her wife and their four rescue kitties. "I get tagged on every Facebook post; people come to my house with strays. I embrace it; it's who I am."
Big cat lady; an international cat lady
Cheryl Holtzman is "definitely a crazy cat lady," but the 41-year-old with 21 cats and several strays she feeds takes it a step further.
"I am what I like to call a psycho cat lady," the Riverside, California, resident said. After earning a degree in exotic animal training and management from Moorpark College, she's worked with big cats: bobcats, servals, lions and tigers. In addition to training and rescuing cats, she works with special effects artist Eric Fox , a career that, she said "just adds to the craziness of my life."
Cats have always been part of Karen James' life, and when she married her husband, they became part of his, too: Her wedding vows included the usual "love, honor and cherish," but also that she might not tell him before she brought home another animal.
"My husband never owned pets growing up and didn’t know how wonderful cats were until I brought them into his life," she said. "But now he loves Luna as much as I and we are a little family because of it."
Their little family is separated right now, though, while James and her husband are in South Sudan. She's in U.S. Agency in International Development's ( USAID ) Foreign Service so Luna is with a friend in El Salvador. The 49-year-old and her husband have adopted cats from Morocco, the Philippines, Afghanistan and Guatemala.
Luna was adopted while James and her husband were living in Guatemala City and took a short trip to Antigua. While there, they met a woman who, despite being very poor, took care of stray cats and dogs. "Suddenly a very pregnant cat with beautiful blue eyes came and plopped her pregnant belly down by my feet," Allen said.
"I told the lady that I would take one of her kittens if they were healthy and if she agreed I would pay for the mama’s sterilization and bring cat food," she said. "She was very excited about that plan and once the kittens were old enough I was able to come and get my girl. "
Cats who help fill a void
For some, cats are a way to experience unconditional love. Carole Olimbe isn't able to have children, but the Fargo, North Dakota, woman said her two orange cats, Albert and Norman, "fill a deep seated need to nurture."
"They make me laugh and keep me sane, they give me a reason to keep going when my depression gets severe, and they fill a void for me that I just don’t think anything else could."
Lauren Tiede left her beloved cat, Bailey, with her parents while she battled addiction. Bailey felt like "an emotional support cat," and upon Tiede's return home after treatment, never left her side.
"She was with me through the worst times and then the best, my first five years sober she followed me wherever I went and slept with me every night. She passed in 2020 and I got a memorial tattoo for her shortly after."
Phaedra Trethan still misses her cat, Hobbes, an excellent mouser and an even better friend, who died in 2012. Reach her at [email protected], @wordsbyphaedra on X and @by_phaedra on Threads.
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Deadpool’s new series has big TV sitcom vibes — plus murder, of course
The family that slays together stays together
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Share All sharing options for: Deadpool’s new series has big TV sitcom vibes — plus murder, of course
When Polygon asked Cody Ziglar for his favorite Deadpool story, he mentioned writer Fabian Nicieza’s foundational series Cable & Deadpool , naturally. But where he really waxed eloquent was when he talked about one single Deadpool scene in one single issue of Uncanny X-Force .
Polygon is looking ahead to the movies, shows, and books coming soon in our Spring 2024 entertainment preview package, a weeklong special issue.
“There’s some funny Wade stuff in [ Uncanny X-Force ], but also there’s some really, really great emotional weight stuff,” Ziglar said. “That [scene] stuck with me for 10, 15 years now. I think about that interaction all the time when I’m thinking of who Wade Wilson is and who Deadpool is.”
A veteran of Rick and Morty and Marvel Comics’ own Miles Morales: Spider-Man and Spider-Punk , Ziglar has been thinking about Wade Wilson a lot lately, for his new Deadpool solo series with artist Roge Antonio ( Carnage , She-Hulk ) at Marvel Comics. “Funny Wade stuff” combined with “emotional weight stuff” sounds very much like his plans for Deadpool, which at the top level are about forcing Wade Wilson to stop ignoring his daughter.
How did 2011’s Uncanny X-Force #5 earn such a spot in Ziglar’s heart? In the series’ first arc, the mutant black-ops team spends four issues attempting to assassinate a child-aged clone of the villain Apocalypse. In issue 5, Deadpool commands the group’s attention.
“Wade has a big blowup where he’s like, Hey, yo, I didn’t get into this to kill kids. That’s not my thing . And we realize that all the missions that we’ve seen, all the issues that Wade has been in, he’s never cashed the checks. He’s been doing it, essentially, from the goodness of his heart, because he thinks he’s doing something [good]. [...] You think he’s comedy, comedy, comedy, but you also learn a little something about him just normally as a character.”
Ziglar has his sights on that overlap between comedy and character, and the weapon he’s chosen is family. When Marvel Comics announced the series in December, it was with the news that the book would feature Deadpool’s biological daughter Ellie in a major role. And — judging by the Marvel Comics preview pages you can see exclusively on Polygon — Deadpool’s other “biological daughter,” Princess the talking symbiote dog, is along for the ride as well.
“I’ve been reading Deadpool for such a long time,” Ziglar told Polygon, “and something that I really enjoyed over the past couple of runs is the introduction of family. For the longest time [Wade has been like], I’m this solo, unkillable guy; I only care about myself . [...] I really resonated with Alyssa Wong’s run, I loved the inclusion of Valentine and Princess. And we had this floating thing with Ellie out there — she hasn’t really been picked up in a couple of runs.”
“And also,” he quipped, “it’s fun having Take Your Daughter to Work Day when your job is being a mercenary.”
In Wong’s Deadpool , concluded in August of last year, Princess was born xenomorph-style from Deadpool’s guts after a mad scientist grafted a symbiote to his organs. But Ellie’s origins are quite a bit more mundane: Wade wasn’t aware she existed until her mother (an old flame of his) tracked him down. Since then, Deadpool stories with Ellie have tended to be about Wade keeping Ellie safe from his enemies, and Ellie living with her loving foster parents far away from him.
Ziglar wants to break that streak of Ellie getting threatened, rescued, and put back in safety because Wade thinks she’s better off without him.
“If Deadpool is like, ‘I can’t father you because I have to protect you,’” he told Polygon, “what if her answer is ‘Fuck that, I’m not going to be a damsel in distress to my own dad. [...] I’m going to track you down and I’m going to make you be a parent to me.’”
One certainly wonders how Princess, a rather cheerful character, all things considered, will react to having a sister. Fans of the big red murder dog will be glad to see her reappear beyond Wong’s Deadpool , but may be wondering about the absence of another character. Wong’s series, in between all the carnage and assassinations and symbiote birth via eating Deadpool’s flesh from the inside out, was a genuine rom-com, introducing the nonbinary mutant scientist/assassin Valentine Vuong as Deadpool’s new sweetie.
In these preview pages from Deadpool #1, however, Wade and Valentine appear to have parted ways. But Ziglar brought up Wong’s run and Valentine even before we could, and while he didn’t want to get into spoiler territory, reiterated that he was a big fan of the character. “I’m also a big fan of having people of color in books, and not having them disappear or be killed off screen.” So fans of Valentine can rest assured that there is more to their story coming.
“A lot of this book is Wade processing,” Ziglar said of Wade and Valentine. “You get something — you’re in love or you get the job — but there’s acquiring things and there’s actually maintaining it. [...] ‘Maintenance’ is the word that I’ll use without spoiling anything. What can Wade do to maintain something after he has acquired something?”
If this all sounds weighty for the fourth-wall-breaking, gross-out gagging Merc with a Mouth, Ziglar is well aware. If nothing else, comic book comedy’s better left on the page (which you can read below!) than rehashed in an interview. But he told Polygon that he thinks of writing a Deadpool solo series as a different kind of balancing act than writing him in a buddy book, like Cable & Deadpool , or a team book, like Uncanny X-Force .
“If Deadpool is only going to show up for X amount of pages in a team book, yeah, he can be your joke factory, or he can say funny, funny things. When he’s the center of a book, from my perspective, anyway, you’ve got to find that balance, or else I know I’m, as a reader, going to be like, I don’t want to hear another joke, I want to hear a little bit about the drama of it all! That’s inspiration that I took from my TV work, specifically Rick and Morty . Rick can be very funny, but also, I think you can strike this really beautiful balance, where it’s 70% goofy and then 30% really grounded and wholesome. That’s what I’m trying to bring to this book.”
Deadpool #1 hits shelves on April 3, and you can read the first five pages of it below.
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