Can You Really Make Six Figures as a Writer?

If you're interested in becoming rich as a writer, then you should be aware that it is possible. Many writers earn a six-figure salary, and you can too. Here is what you need to do in order to become the next high-earning writer.

Find your Niche!

It may seem unnecessary to focus on one type of writing when you can seemingly write about "everything" and make so much more money. However, it doesn't work like that, and finding a niche in the beginning is important. Why? First of all, when you identify your niches, you're able to focus on one type of writing in order the perfect it. Becoming an expert in your niche might make your target audience a lot smaller than writing "everything", but the quality of your writing will be significantly better, helping you to retain a more loyal audience.

How Do You Find your Niche?

It might seem impossible to determine what your niche is in writing when your interests are so vast. However, if you take the time to sit down and think about what you really like, you can then figure out what your writing focus should be. It will be necessary to do some exploration by writing in different genres as well as reading all sorts of material. Only then will you have the ability to discover what truly stands out for you. This will also enable you to discover what you really enjoy, as well. For instance, if you like writing articles, you might find technical writing boring, but beauty and fashion really excite you. You also need to determine whether you prefer writing fiction or non-fiction. I struggled to find my niche for years, but I finally found it by following the steps I've outlined for you.

You'll know when you find your niche when you find what makes you feel passionate. Writing on this topic will come easily, and you will enjoy the process. Once you've discovered and perfected your niche, you might even expand it a bit to accommodate a few more possible niches, but don't allow yourself to get carried away.

Create a Blog

Once you find your niche, one way to start making a six-figure income is to start a blog. While it takes time to write and establish a blog, over time, you will find that your income will steadily increase, as long as you continue to regularly provide high-quality content.

Simply starting a blog will not earn you any money unless you implement a plan to monetize it. How do you monetize a blog?

In order to monetize your blog, you can opt for:

• Google AdSense - AdSense enables you to display relevant ads on your website for profit. Every time someone clicks an ad, you earn a small commission

• Affiliate marketing - Whether you choose to sign up with Amazon.com or one of the many other sites, you can earn money each time someone subscribes to a service or makes a purchase after they've clicked on a link from your site

• Subscription - you could offer subscription-based viewers of your blog, who would gain access to exclusive material

• Get sponsored - If a company discovers your blog, and you receive an immense amount of traffic, then the company may sponsor you as long as you feature their product or service on your blog

• Ask for donations - Buy Me a Coffee and PayPal donations are just two possible ways to request donations that allow users to donate any amount of money to you that they desire. The donations can be a one-time gift or ongoing, and is solely at the giver's discretion

There are other ways to monetize your blog, so once you've started your blog, it's important to explore as many options as possible.

Gain Some Experience

Most writers don't start out earning six figures, so you need to work yourself up to making this amount of income. I started out making a measly $1 an article as an amateur, then I worked my way up over the years. The amount of time it takes to gain enough experience to start earning big money depends on several different factors: How often you're writing, what you're writing, the quality of what you're writing, and more. It has taken some writers as long as a decade to start earning big money, while others start earning a respectable income after a year or two.

If your goal is to start earning six figures within a year, then it's certainly doable, but you can't simply sit back and wait for it to happen. You have to work hard to make it happen, and it can.

Self-Publish Books and/or Newsletters

Many writers who earn a six-figure income regularly publish books and/or newsletters. Oftentimes, the books are self-published via a platform like Amazon Kindle or Nook. These books don't have to be full-length, and if your niche is in a self-help genre, then your books are more likely to sell.

If you decide to publish a newsletter rather than books, then you might want to sign up for one of these sites, as they allow users to create free newsletters.

• Substack

• Ghost

• Beehiiv

Once you've decided to write books or newsletters, attracting buyers and subscribers to your material is important. Marketing your material that you've published is essential if you expect to be found, as there are so many similar books currently on the market, and therefore, a great deal of competition.

Teach Other Writers

One way that many writers who make six figures is by teaching other writers how to become professional writers. Some offer paid webinars, which contributes a significant amount to their income. YouTube videos is another way well-paid writers make their six figures. They create videos that can provide newbies with useful information. Writers earn money by ads, sponsorships, subscriptions, and more.

This is not an exhaustive list of how to earn six figures as a writer. If you're motivated to earn six figures, then you can certainly do so. However, be ready to put in a lot of hard work, especially in the beginning. Once you've established yourself, a majority of your income can be earned passively, which is what many writers strive for.

How to Find Clients as a New Writer

If you're interested in becoming a writer but you have no idea how to get started, then you're not alone. It can seem daunting to start out as a writer, especially when you don't have anyone to show you the ropes. Luckily, there are easy ways to get started making money, so you can grow your writing in whatever manner you desire.

Check Out Some of the Various Writing Websites

One way to find clients to write for is to seek out content boards or writing websites. What are content boards and writing websites? These are boards/sites that list various types of writing jobs. The specific board will determine the manner in which you will obtain writing opportunities. While some boards require you to pitch clients, other boards provide the writing assignments for you, directly for their clients, and once you accept an assignment, it's yours and there is no competition.

Other writing websites might simply provide a list of writing jobs and you must apply for them individually with each company that created the post. Here are some sites to check out as a beginning writer:

www.textbroker.com

www.constant-content.com

www.fivver.com

www.writersdomain.net

www.zerys.com

www.freelancer.com

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the number one job network there is, and there are companies on LinkedIn offering freelance writing assignments on a regular basis. If you're not registered on LinkedIn, it's easy to sign up for an account, and then you can personalize your profile so that you have "available for work" displayed near your profile picture. Prospective clients will immediately know that you're seeking work, and if they find your profile appealing, they may contact you to see if you're interested in writing for them. You can also search for and apply for numerous writing assignments on this vast site as well.

Craigslist

Many writers underestimate the power or Craigslist when it comes to finding writing assignments, but there is an abundance of writing assignments available on this popular website. I have found clients on Craigslist who I have written college papers for, resumes, and even press releases and blog posts. When searching Craigslist for writing assignments, make sure you check other areas in addition to your local area. This gives you access to a greater number of jobs that are likely remote positions, so you can complete them from anywhere.

Your Own Website

Believe it or not, having your own website with a blog is a great way to attract prospective new clients. Not only will prospective clients have a sample of your writing style, but you can personalize your own website or blog and inform the public that you're available to write assignments. Specify what you specialize in, as well as provide some samples. While your blog is an example of your writing, an official portfolio is a great way to show possible new clients what you can do.

The sky is the limit when it comes to finding new clients as a writer. Not only can you use one or more of the techniques above, but you can also contact prospective clients directly by cold calling and sending letters, emails, and faxes. This is a great way to avoid the competition that is often associated with using job boards. However, regardless of how you decide to find new clients to write for, as long as you remain persistent, you will eventually achieve your writing goals and build a full list of clients to write for.

A Typical Day in the Life as a Freelance Writer

I realized that I wanted to become a writer when I was just 12 years old. I wasn't sure then what type of writer I wanted to become, but I just knew I wanted to write. Writing is fun, and with the right assignments, it can be very lucrative. Here is a detailed overview of what a typical day is like as a writer.

Research, Research, and More Research

Regardless of what I'm writing on any given day, each day usually consists of a great deal of research. Whether I'm working on a fiction novel or short story, or a self-help article, research is always essential. Why? Adequate research is necessary to ensure that what I write is accurate. This is especially important when writing nonfiction material, but it's just as important when I'm writing fiction.

For instance, when I was working on my short story, Escape from Doom, which is about a woman who presses a button on an unknown object and ends up in an unknown, hell-on-earth type dimension, I needed to research sawed-off shotguns. One of the characters in the story used this weapon, and I needed to research this type of shotgun to make certain that it was capable of doing the things that I described in my story.

Despite the fact that fiction is made-up material, in order to increase the chances of your story being successful, you need to ensure that it's believable. If I had put in the story that one shot from the sawed-off shotgun had destroyed an entire home, that would have been so ridiculous and unbelievable that people would likely not want to read my stories in the future.

A writer wants their material to be credible, believable, and realistic, even if the story is a speculative science fiction novel. This is why I spend at least an hour or two conducting research on a daily basis.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming, which usually involves a group discussion, is part of my writing routine each day. Although I do what I call "solo brainstorming," this is a necessary part of my day. Brainstorming helps me to decide what type of writing I want to focus on for the day, as well as how I'm going to go about transforming what I have in mind into written form. I try not to spend too much time brainstorming, but sometimes it can take up to an hour, depending on how I'm feeling that day, whether I created a to-do list the night before, etc.

A Great Deal of Writing

To be a successful writer and productive writer, it's necessary to write as much as I possibly can. Since I quit my job as a mental health professional to pursue a fulltime freelance writing career, I must write at least four - six hours a day. I would really like to write more, but when you have a family, it's kind of difficult to dedicate so much to writing. I already spend at least two - three hours a day doing non-writing tasks related to writing, so that's a total of six - nine hours of work a day. Yes, it takes a lot of work to make a living as a writer, but in my opinion, it's very much worth it.

Marketing & Promotions

It's necessary for me to spend a few hours each week on marketing and promoting myself. If people aren't aware that I exist, then how can I expect them to visit my site and find out about my books and everything else I have to offer? I make sure that I find as many free ways of marketing myself as possible, but paid marketing is often necessary as well. My belief is that it takes money to make money, and by spending money on marketing, I'm merely investing in myself.

Seeking Additional Work

Unless you have a number of regular clients or a contract with a publisher, you will need to constantly look for new writing assignments. I spend at least an hour each day perusing freelance websites, prospective book publishers, and other sources of possible writing assignments. There is a great deal of competition out there, especially with the introduction of AI, but there are still many writing assignments out there, and I work hard to seek them out.

Interacting with Other Writing Professionals

Interacting with other writing professionals is a great way to network, increase your customer contacts, obtain and provide advice, and much more! While I don't do this on a daily basis, I try to reach out to other writers on Medium.com, and well as in other places, as it can be mutually beneficial. I am even thinking about starting a local writing or creative professionals' group.

Submitting Work and Sending Pitches

Another important part of my day as a writer is submitting my work to prospective publishers, as well sending pitches to editors. It's how most writers find new assignments to keep them busy and ensure that the money continues to roll in. There are job boards like Freelancer.com, Guru.com, and more, but these sites are very competitive, so I try to find clients in other ways.

As you can see, a typical day for me as a writer is incredibly busy! If you want to earn a living as a writer, you must work a lot, especially in the beginning. Once you've established yourself as a writer and published books and other material, you might be able to work a lot less and partially rely on passive income. Passive income is income that can be earned while you sleep and basically do nothing, but this is only possible once you've created subscriptions, books, short stories, and other material for fans to purchase. That's my ultimate goal.