How to Make a Sustainable and Profitable Career out of Writing

Being a diverse writer with an innovative approach to personal development could be the basis for a fulfilling career

Writing and the gig economy

The modern labour market is all about diversification and temporary work. When hit with the Great Recession in 2007–2009, the global labour market responded with a rebound that largely depended on the creation of new temporary jobs and the gig economy. In the US alone, temp workers accounted for more than 3 million employments by 2016. Writing was no different.

How has the labour market reacted?

While temp workers were, by definition, required to attain skills in a wide variety of industries to compensate for the lack of job security, writers faced a slightly different challenge. Previously, there existed a strict distinction between the individual fields of writing such as grant writing, technical writing or science writing. The modern economy, however, blurred the difference between these areas. This meant that diverse writing became the core of having a successful writing career.

The latest labour trends in the US constituted one possible highlight. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the projected job outlook on writing was 0%, meaning that no significant changes to the number of writing jobs were expected within the next year. However, the number of people wanting to become full-time writers was expected to grow by an unspecified percentage. This meant that increased competition was a very real threat facing writers in the US and other developed countries.

Diversifying your writing

For people choosing to become writers or already established writers, this clearly signalled that confining yourself to one field was just not cutting it. If you were unable to take orders from a wide variety of sectors, you were out of luck. Take grant writing, for example. If you’ve already made a career out of searching for grants, and writing proposals and outlines, there’s nothing stopping you from expanding into technical and science or essay writing services. You already know the terminology, the requirements of different journals, the preferences of editors and the criteria established by various universities. All you’re getting out of it is a stable stream of orders and an increased customer base.

Learning new skills

You could also become a far more competent and attractive professional writer by learning some marketing skills. Modern employers are reluctant to offer increased job security, meaning that your career is ultimately your responsibility. Taking a marketing class or an online course could drastically improve the quality of your pitches to different publishers. Being aware of the latest marketing trends would also mean that you’ll gain knowledge of the techniques used by other writers and editors. If you’ve ever struggled with meeting specific requirements (such as formatting), taking a formal class might be a great solution.

Looking for unconventional jobs

Another interesting point is that you don’t necessarily need to confine yourself to looking for jobs online. Every other writer on the market is doing the same thing, so there’s no harm in doing something different. Browsing local magazines or other print media for any job openings might be a good way of covering any possible shortages of job offerings posted on the Internet. If anything, the local writing and editing scene is great for expanding your social circle and learning some new skills from other experts.

Creating a steady supply of work

The rise in temp working also means you can’t confine yourself to only taking a couple of very lucrative orders per year. To make writing a truly sustainable career, you’d need to find a steady stream of revenue even if the money pales in comparison to some high-paying but irregular orders. With job security at its lowest, relying on employers to draft new orders is almost taking to a rigged dice game. Taking a couple of low-paying jobs may seem like a chore that doesn’t really contribute to your development. Having a steady job, however, would not only alleviate financial stress but also provide you with an opportunity to reflect on your writing and address your weaknesses.

Writing as a fulfilling career

In an era of job ambiguity, writing could seem like a daunting profession. With an emphasis on discipline and responsibility, it’s certainly not a choice for the faint of heart. But with a little bit of diversification and expanding your horizons, writing could be a sustainable and a fulfilling choice.