Here’s the question we’ve all been asking. Is freelance writing dead? Should you throw in the towel and switch careers? Short answer: No!
Freelance writers have had a rough go of it lately. A Google update in March 2024 caused a dramatic reduction in website traffic – and, consequently, a decline in blogger and affiliate marketing revenue. The demand for online content dropped quickly. Prior to this, writing jobs have been lost to AI. Many of the go-to content mills are drying up as well. Established freelance writers with many years of experience and a healthy portfolio of writing samples have lost some or even all of their clients, and new jobs are hard to come by.
According to Glassdoor.com, most freelancer writers earn between $45,000 and $81,000 per year. Many professionals, however, will tell you that this once was the case. Those days seem long gone.
Surviving and thriving in the current climate takes a different approach – and plenty of hard work. What do you need to do to earn a living writing today?
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5 Ways to Profit from Writing in the Changing Market
If you are like many others, you grew content over the last few years working with the same clients on the some types of assignments. That’s natural. After all, there’s comfort and stability in sticking with what works. Now that things are changing, though, it’s time to find a new strategy. What can you do to profit in the current market conditions?
1. Branch Out
For some, writing can still pay the bills with proper effort. For others, it makes sense to diversify your income by using talents for other related activities. For example, if you’ve never tried technical writing, product descriptions or various other types of assignments, now is the time to give it a shot. Beyond putting words on the screen, you could get into editing and proofreading.
How do you land jobs without prior related experience? Remember when you first started? You took any assignment that came your way simply to get experience and test the waters. Take that approach here as well to get experience. Regardless of the pay, take on a few new types of assignments to add a few lines on your resume and a few samples to your portfolio.
2. Burrow In
While some writers will find success branching out, others will benefit by focusing on a niche. If you had a previous career or you have a specialized degree, this is the time to put that expertise to work. Competition for new jobs is fierce right now, but you will be a top contender for jobs in your niche.
If you’ve been working for the same few clients for the last couple of years, you may have developed. You don’t have formal experience in the industry or related education, but you’ve been around the industry or niche long enough to know a thing or two. This can also put you at a strategic advantage over other job seekers.
3. Find New Clients
I know. You’re reading this and thinking, “Well, duh…” Many writers, though, have given up on finding a new client or two, but it’s not time to give up. On LinkedIn alone, there are currently several thousand openings. Some of these are scams, but there are legitimate jobs mixed in there. LinkedIn is only one of many job-seeker websites that you can focus on.
Before applying, though, update your portfolio and resume. If your portfolio isn’t online and easily accessible via the click of a link, now’s the time to fix that. Make your own website, or add a portfolio on Contently.com. Then, add the link to your LinkedIn profile and your resume. While you’re on LinkedIn, make sure all of the info is current.
4. Fill in the Gaps
Of course, many writers aren’t independently wealthy. If you have bills to pay and mouths to feed, you can’t realistically take weeks or longer to build up your client roster. You don’t have to completely give up on your passion when things get tough. Instead, pick up a part-time or temporary job to cover your needs. At the same time, keep working hard to find a new job and to build up your resume with new writing experiences. Consider it a temporary solution to ease some of your financial stress.
5. Develop New Income Streams
Without a solid day’s work waiting for you each morning, you’ve likely got a few hours to fill here and there. While you’d rather be using this time to earn mos y that you can get your hands on right away, this doesn’t have to be dead time. Devote some of that time to building new income streams. Consider these ideas:
- Creating and monetizing a blog
Is Freelance Writing Dead?
There is one instance when freelance writing is dead. When you give up.
Every industry has its challenges. Mass layoffs. Companies going belly up. People replaced by machines. Freelance writing is no different. The bottom line is that people need skilled writers. AI might get there someday, but it isn’t there now or anytime soon. There are many writing jobs out there, and there are other opportunities to make money writing. Your career is what you make of it!