It’s an age-old adage that making a living as a writer is (nearly) impossible. Publishers Weekly recently reported that, “median book and writing-related income for authors in 2022 was below the poverty level.”

That’s not great news for us writers.

I’m a full-time student with funding in an MFA program, but the stipend I receive from my fellowships doesn’t cover my cost of living in coastal North Carolina—not even close. And that’s despite the fact that I live with a partner who works full-time. Rather than go into debt, I decided to work throughout the program.

I wanted to find jobs that aligned with my writing and publishing goals. As one would expect, this is easier said than done.

It’s not a lie that this kind of work is indeed a “hustle”, which the dictionary defines as “busy movement and activity.” It’s a constant meditation on where is my next source of income and how do I get it — and it requires jumping on any opportunities that present themselves, hoping that at least one of them turns into a “yes.” It can be exciting. It can be exhausting. Either way, here’s all I’ve learned:

1. Professional Writing Gigs

There are a number of writing jobs that exist outside of the creative space, including grant writing, copywriting, ghostwriting, etc. Oftentimes, these jobs require a developed ability

to conduct and incorporate research, exemplary grammar skills, marketing skills, and a willingness to write what you are told to write rather than what you want to write. These are also generally corporate or non-profit gigs, meaning that there are meetings, strict deadlines, and yes, everything you earn will be taxed.

The Upsides:

• Depending on the contract, this type of work can be more consistent and therefore provide a greater sense of financial security
• There are many jobs available for this kind of work—just type in “grant writer,” “copywriter” or “content writer” on LinkedIn and you’ll see several opportunities pop up
• It’s possible to find above-minimum wage hourly pay working in this field

The Downsides:

• There is very little creative expression involved in writing content for other people—i.e. writing blogs on B2B businesses, developing a research and financial-based grant proposal, or literally writing down the ideas of another person in a coherent way that they then publish under their own name (welcome to ghostwriting!)
• The content can be extremely boring and detail-oriented, but you still have to write it and write it well
• It can be hard to get your foot in the door, especially if you have no prior experience. There may be extra expenditures to gain access, such as taking a certification course specifically in copywriting or grant writing
• These roles can be competitive—they generally pay well and can be done remotely, which is a sought-after combination in today’s world. You have to be more than a good writer to land these jobs—you have to have an amazing cover letter, have a strong CV, and be able to interview well.

2. Freelance Writing Gigs

This is the world of pitching article ideas and finding one-off writing gigs. It is a never-ending search, with at times unreliable rewards. While some outlets pay thousands of dollars for an article, others pay a few hundred (or less!). An accepted pitch also doesn’t guarantee an accepted and fully paid-for article—most of the time, you have to write the piece and then they will decide if they go ahead with publishing it. It’s risky business at its finest, but it can be lucrative when done successfully.

The Upsides:

• These gigs are the epitome of independence in contract work—you only pitch the articles you want to write, and only to the outlets that you are interested in being published in
• Some places will pay you thousands of dollars to write a feature article and pay for your travel, etc. if research is required. You can get paid to write and get a fully-covered trip—not too shabby (For a few examples, see: Noema, Atavist, Sierra)
• By writing for a variety of outlets, you not only have a diverse portfolio of your work but you also learn how to write different types of content for different audiences. These are skills and experiences that aren’t always learned in academic writing programs.

The Downsides:

• This type of work can be extremely unreliable—there is no guarantee that your pitch will be picked up, or that if you have had success with one pitch your next will also lead to paid work. If financial security is your goal, this route can be rough.
• You need to know how to write pitches—good ones. This is a skill and as with all skills, it requires cultivation and development.
• You likely need to be an expert in things outside of writing. For example, a backpacking and camping company is paying $500/article and you pitch them having no backpacking or camping experience at all. Hint: that’s not likely to work out for you. In other words, sometimes you need hobbies outside of writing, or strong research and journalism experience.

3. Editorial Gigs

This is where your editing, copyediting, proofreading, and editorial jobs come in. To land one of these, you will undoubtedly need to show a history of experience in successfully executing these tasks on a professional level. Most of the jobs I have seen also require samples that you have worked on—a piece you edited, proofread, etc. Finally, there is often a skills and/or aptitude “test” associated with applying for these jobs. They can be (and often are) decently paying roles, with time commitments varying from 15-20 hours/week for part-time work vs one-off contracts focused on a specific project. While editorial gigs don’t often involve too much writing, they are a natural fit for writers who are also good editors—it’s still a chance to work with words.

The Upsides:

• Similar to professional writing gigs, these roles can be well-paying and provide a stronger sense of financial security.
• There are usually several job openings available for this type of work, remote offerings included
• If you’re interested in working in the publishing industry as a writer, these types of gigs can be a great way to build your profile as someone who is not only an adept writer but capable of editing and fulfilling those roles as well

The Downsides:

• These jobs can be hard to get—the application process can be rigorous and undoubtedly competitive.
• You likely won’t be editing creative novels, essays, or poetry—more likely it will be medical textbooks, business reports, or academic papers. This can be, well, extremely fucking boring.
• These are jobs with deadlines and meetings and often require months of commitment. If you are looking for an independent lifestyle with no set obligations, this may not be the best fit.

My reality as a side-hustle writer?

To give you a sense of the practicalities, here’s a breakdown of my various writing and editing gigs:

• Ghostwriting (part-time, independent contractor): $28/hour or $800-$1000/month
• Guest editor (part-time, independent contractor): $30/editorial feedback letter or $1000-$1,200/month
• Freelance journalism (part-time, independent contractor): $0.40/word but no guarantee of a monthly income or story acceptance

*Total hours of work: ~100 hours/month (~25 hours/week)

I’ve been published a few times in literary magazines as well, but rarely do the payments I receive cover the cost of submitting a piece to 10-15 places.

So in terms of my creative writing, I am actually losing money. Thus:

• Literary magazine submission (voluntary, masochistic): -$30-100/month

Beyond the sketchy finances, one of the hardest things for me about working these jobs is that they utilize the same energy that I would otherwise be investing in my own work.

Even when I am ghostwriting for clients about neurodivergent web design or the importance of coaching in conducting 360 reviews, I am still trying to find the words and phrasing that will captivate an audience and create a compelling story. When I edit other people’s work, I analyze characters, plot, dialogue, and scenes as I would edit my own work. What this all means is that when it comes time to do my own writing and editing, I am often mentally and creatively exhausted.

While I’m still working on how to find a balance between writing and editing for work, and writing and editing my own work, at the end of the day all of these gigs are building my resume as a professional and creative writer and editor. I ultimately want to land a writing or editing job when I graduate from my MFA program, and this work is a part of getting me there. Most of us writers won’t be able to pay the bills with what we make from our writing, and being a side-hustle writer is just one of many ways to generate that missing income.

We compiled a list of places where you can find side-hustle writing and editing gigs - check them out!

• Write Jobs PLUS+
• The Writer’s Job
• Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week Newsletter
• Freelance Writing Jobs
• Best Writing
• Freedom with Writing
• Peak Freelance
• Kaitlyn Arford
• Write At Home
• One More Question
• Harlow
• Freelancing with Tim
• Anna Codrea-Rado
• LinkedIn search (try typing in these words under “Jobs”): copywriter, grant writer, content writer, editor, copyeditor, writer, proofreader, editor

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