You can explore careers for writers as part of a traditional job, as a side gig, or as your own business. Iโve co-authored this post with Sara Barry, who writes for a living. Weโre sharing ideas for viable writing jobs, where to find them, and how to choose, plus freelancing tips. โจ
Careers in writing can be a great fit for introverts. Sara and I are both introverts and drawn to writing.
Do you love to write, but put that aside along with the idea of the starving artist? People who love to write often write โon the side,โ meaning outside of their โday job.โ If you are working on a novel or a screenplay or memoir, you can keep doing that no matter what your career is. Creative pursuits have a lot to offer! But maybe you wish you could write for a living.
The good news is you can. Many people who love to write find jobs that let them work with words every day and pay the bills.
This list of writing career ideas is just a starting point. As you read through, notice which options spark curiosity, even if you’re not yet trained in that specialty. Then, gather more information on those. (See below for ideas on how.)
Youโll want to get enough information about jobs that intrigue you to help you decide which ones fit your skills, interests, financial needs, and your need for balance. (Itโs not as simple as just picking from a list.)
In this post:
- Meaningful Career Ideas for Writers
- Where To Look for Writing Jobs
- What About Freelance Writing/ Self-employment?
- How to Choose
45+ Meaningful Career Ideas for Writers
As you browse the ideas, keep in mind that most people combine more than one thing within what they do, especially if freelancing. Writing business example: writing coaching + workshops + editing.
11 Decent Paying Writing Careers in Demand
These can be decent paying and meaningful if you find serious-minded clients or employers. It might not be hard to get training on most of these.
- Grant writing
- Rรฉsumรฉ writer
- Social media/ online content manager/ digital marketing (There’s a big demand here. Free, legit course here can help you learn and gain credentials.)
- Copywriting/ online content creator (most typically for blogs, e-newsletters, websites)
- SEO copywriter (a high demand specialty that you can learn)
- Technical writer (such as technical guides, software user guides)
- Medical writer (health websites, textbooks, etc.)
- Science writer (usually for those with a science background)
- Paralegal (Itโs a lot to do with writing.)
- Non-profit communications (such as fundraising letters, grants, public relations)
- Book coach (Help people get their book done and published. Sample book coach training.)
10 Career Ideas Specifically for Creative Writers
- Memoir writing classes and/or memoir writing coach
- Writing coach (Sample specialties: for authors, academic writing, college essays, etc.)
- Writing workshops or groups for fiction writers
- Writing workshops or groups for non-fiction writers
- Blogging (monetize your own blog)
- Blogging for other businesses/organizations
- Columnist
- Storytelling consultant (example of a storytelling consultant)
- Communications consultant or communications manager
- Public relations manager (press releases, blogs, newsletters – example of a writer/editor/PR pro)
12 More Careers for Writers
- Content strategist
- Documentary film script writer
- Ghostwriter
- Article/ feature writer
- Instructional designer
- Online course creator
- Online writing community host (sample writing community)
- Social media platform specialist (such as specializing in Instagram marketing)
- Speech writer (could be for non-profit leaders, business leaders, etc.)
- Web content manager
- Recipe writer/editor (great for people who enjoy cooking)
- Use your writing in any business venture such as coaches who create courses, blogs, presentations, program descriptions. (That’s where I use writing, like right now!)
13 Alternative Ways to Work with Words
Some writers enjoy jobs related to writing. See if these might be a fit:
- Editor (developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading โฆ)
- English teacher (or other languages)
- Writing tutor
- Digital content manager (overseeing websites, blogs, communities, social media, etc.)
- Policy research, development, and writing
- Project managers on writing or marketing projects
- Researcher
- Communications consultant
- Branding consultant
- Transcriptionist (Here’s aย place for getting experience in freelance transcribing.)
- Translator (You can get experience on a freelance platform like Gengo but you’ll likely want to find your own work for better pay.)
- Sensitivity reader/ authenticity reader (Help authors be more accurate based on your lived experience.)
- Court reporter or proofreader
Where To Look for Writing Jobs
A good place to start:
If you want to write more in your work, you could try starting with your current employer (if any). For instance, ask for more writing or editorial assignments in your current job. Or is there another position within your company that offers more writing within that job?
Many organizations need:
- articles for trade publications
- articles or columns for general publications about a specialized field
- blog articles
- whitepapers and reports
- product descriptions
- print promotional materials
- video scripts or presentations
- social media content
- user manuals, tutorials, and training materials
- educational content, online classes
- internal communications
- public relations communications
- online course creation
- fundraising appeal letters
- slide presentations
- written policies and procedures
- on-boarding packets and forms
If you are looking for new work:
Publishers and media organizations may seem like a logical starting point, but remember that all kinds of organizations need writing and editorial help.
You might have better luck searching for writing related jobs in the kinds of fields that interest you. Youโll stand out if you focus on fields in which you have the most passion and experience.
For instance, interested in green technology? Focus on networking and job searching in those fields. (This is also a great approach if you are considering freelance writing. Thatโs up next.)
What About โFreelance Writingโ/ Self-employment?
There are a lot of opportunities for freelance writing work, and this is a popular career direction for writers.ย It’s especially great those of us who love to be in control of our own time and space for working (like most introverts).
This might even be the easier path since a lot of writing is outsourced to independent contractors/ freelancers.
Freelance writing can include long-term contracts or ongoing work or short projects. You can even take on writing or editing projects on the side to see if a particular type of work is a good fit. This is also a way to start building a client base before committing to self-employment.
For specific ways to find writing and editing gigs:
โ How to Find Freelance Writing Work
If youโre going with freelance writing, the most successful ones specialize in a particular niche. Youโll be better and faster at things in your niche topic range, and you’ll stand out in the market. Plus it makes it fun, and that matters for your well-being.
Self-employment feeling strange or scary?
There can be so many worries about self-employment, from money, to marketing, and energy, to how in the world to make the transition and stay sane.
I can’t address all the worries here, but I offer answers and guidance on all the big worries in my self-employment 101 course (especially for introverts and HSPs). It also contains lots of real-life stories of people making it work, including writers and other creatives.ย It could help you decide if it’s for you.
How to choose your best writing career path?
Did you see something that intrigued you on this list of writing career ideas? You might take some time to explore what that option looks like. That might mean reading more online, connecting with a writers or editors group, or having a conversation with somebody doing the job that interests you.
You might also find this useful, where I explain the key ingredients for work that will work for you:
Roadmap to Your Career Sweet Spot (a free tiny course especially for introverts and sensitive souls)
Many people combine more than one. 3 real examples…
I recommend combining things, as with a quilt that comes together to make a beautiful whole.
For instance, many people do writing projects on the side of another job or mix a few types of writing and editing services in their freelance business. What you add in or subtract might change over time.
Here are 3 quick stories to help illustrate.
Both Sara and I started down one writing-related path that morphed into another. I did some freelance copywriting, when I started my path to self-employment. That morphed into business coaching in my case, and while writing isnโt my job title, itโs definitely still a big piece of what I do, including blogging and course creation.
Sara worked at a job for a textbook publisher, a professional organization, and a health publisher before becoming a freelance writer and editor. Then her freelance writing shifted from working largely for book publishers to copywriting for entrepreneurs.
Ann Harikeerthan was a doctor who followed her dream to leave that to become a writer. She writes articles online, is working on a book, and leads an online writing community. [Ann’s writing career story in her own words.]
The journey though long and tedious has been worth it. Iโm happier today than Iโve ever been. and I know Iโm doing meaningful work.” ~Ann Harikeerthan, professional writer
Where to Start To Clarify What You Want
Starting with something that intrigues you might help you find the right fit or mix of things that fit โ even if itโs not the first thing you try. I like to say, follow what feels fun.
But how do you choose well before going too far down one path?
These might help you find your way:
- What if you donโt know what you want?
- When you think you have too many interests to choose from.
- Roadmap to Your Career Sweet Spot (a free tiny course especially for introverts and sensitive souls)
I know thatโs a lot of information coming at you. You might bookmark this page and just research a little bit at a time. Enjoy the exploration. Youโre probably great at research and learning. I welcome questions and comments below.
About Sara Barry, the co-author of this article
Sara Barry is a content strategist and copywriter who loves using words to build community and connection. She helps clients find clarity about what to write about and how to say what they want to say. Sara worked in-house in writing, editing, and communications jobs (with freelance jobs on the side), and has been self-employed since 2000. She also writes articles and essays and has a memoir in progress.
I interviewed Sara about her writer career story (it’s full of wisdom):
Introvert Success Story: Freelance Writer Business. Meet Sara Barry.
2 thoughts on “Career Ideas for Writers/ People Who Love to Write or Edit ๐”
This article really helped me understand it is OK to feel a little confused about the future and what place you have in it. Some tips…the use of a Venn diagram was particularly useful for me-Thankyou x
Claire, I’m so glad you found this useful. I’m also glad you found my Venn diagram or “Career Roadmap” that explains how to choose. You must have found it by following a link since it’s not on this page. You can find the full description of how to choose your best path in this free tiny course (free for my subscribers): https://valnelson.com/courses/career-roadmap-for-sensitives/