So, you’re finally ready to do it. To take that big, exciting step towards becoming a full-time writer. Before we really get running, let us take a moment to say congratulations.
After all, it’s one thing to write habitually, putting all of your ideas down with pen and paper in your journal or storing manuscripts on a cloud-based drive; it’s another thing entirely to turn this habit into a profitable, full-time job. But you’re a talented wordsmith who has loved writing ever since you left the school system, and you have the drive and the skillset to make writing into a career. Whether you’re looking to become a full-time novel writer, a contract writer with an agency, or a guest blogger who contributes to a wide variety of publications, your ambition is to make this practice that you love into a lucrative, self-sustaining job.
Before you completely cut ties with your old career job, you should take steps to make sure the transition into your new role goes smoothly. Writing for a living is more than possible, what with the wide variety of outlets looking for opinion pieces, indie author sensations, and augurs that can translate corporate values into coherent messaging. But it is not easy, especially if you’re just breaking into career writing now.
Let’s talk about how you can best prepare yourself to become a successful full-time writer.
Creating a Safety Net
First, you need a substantial amount of cash in your back pocket. Why? Well, no matter which niche you choose to make your own, chances are it’ll be a hot minute before you see steady income start to roll in. Contract agencies might not have consistent work to offer, indie publishers may take weeks or months to sort through submissions, and freelance offers may range in the low end — especially because your mettle hasn’t yet been tested as a first-timer.
To give yourself a financial cushion that will buoy you through a possible ebb in income, you can try:
- Setting aside a part of your savings as an emergency fund: Dig into your savings and set aside three months of living expenses, including rent, utilities, and groceries.
- Drop down to part-time at your old job: Have your cake and eat it too, buoying your writing career with a consistent source of income until it kicks off.
- Leverage crowdfunding platforms: This is especially useful if you’re writing fiction, and if you’ve already attracted some audience interest. Providing readers with exclusive stories, merch, and other perks in exchange for donations can be a great additional source of income.
You can also consider obtaining a line of credit as a fallback, though this approach has pros and cons. Lines of credit allow you to borrow money when you need it and often have lower interest rates than credit cards. An additional benefit is that they also facilitate building credit, making them effective fallbacks for burgeoning career writers between projects. Possible cons are recurring interest rates, extra fees, and the temptation to overspend — but as long as you read your contract carefully and exercise self-control, they can serve as a helpful safety net that won’t get you tangled up in debt.
Plotting and Executing Your Work
One of the most time-consuming aspects of any creative endeavor, whether you’re outlining a novel or assembling a blog, is the planning. It can take a good chunk of time to put together a logic flow, back it up with sources section-by-section, and add enough connective tissue between points to make the piece read smoothly. Worse, if the planning process isn’t thorough enough, you may spend even more time self-editing, hastily trying to make everything fit together until your planned piece is a Frankensteined shadow of your original vision.
Visual planning tools like a mind map maker can facilitate this process, cutting down on self-editing and rewriting by helping you plan a cohesive piece from the start. Flowcharts and diagrams help you connect themes and ideas into an unbroken logic flow, helping you transition from brainstorming to drafting in an efficient, speedy manner. Using these tools can cut down on self-editing; though if you find yourself still spending a long time rewriting, self-editing techniques like simplifying complex language or using technological tools can help.
You should also look into tools to facilitate the drafting process, like spell-checkers with browser extensions, author-friendly word processors, or productivity apps. We’ll avoid name-dropping any brands, as each option on the market has different features that may be valuable to different writers. However, we do want to caution you that some publications aren’t too crazy about work facilitated by AI – so if you shop around for AI-supported tools, make sure your would-be clients are okay with their use in your work.
Internet speed is a must for any writer, especially since many of them work remotely. If a client wants to chat with you on Zoom, you’ll need stable internet or risk looking unprofessional. There’s nothing worse than losing opportunities from technical difficulties. Consider investing in a reliable internet for remote work, especially if you live in a rural area. Make sure to look at the different types of services — like fiber-optic or satellite — and pick one that fits.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article gave you the insights you needed to get your writing career off the ground, preparing you to make consistent income with tools that amplify your effectiveness as a writer. Establish a solid financial foundation as you transition, leverage your safety net when times get tough, and use the above tools to deliver quality work speedily – you’ll be well on your way to making money as a writer.
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