Can you get rich from writing content and articles?
Most people start out writing and ask, “can I make a living doing this?”
That’s a reasonable question to have.
Getting rich is another matter. What is rich? The term rich or wealthy means very different things in different parts of the world. But for most of us it simply means having more than enough money for the essentials in life, and a lot left over the for the things we want (like a nice car, a bigger house, vacations).
Getting rich from writing content will not be easy.
Firstly, you would have to work out if you plan to write the content for clients or for your own products, services and websites.
Freelancing as a content writer puts you in the position of having a limited income. But this doesn’t mean a low income – it just means you are limited by the number of hours in a day which you can’t change. What you can control is the amount you charge for your content.
New content writers simply will not be able to charge what, for example, a New York Times writer can earn. The average wage of a journalist at the NY Times (certainly one of the most respected publications in the world) is around $80,000 per year. This is a fairly modest salary.
Are there freelance content writers who can earn above and beyond $80,000 per year? Absolutely. Will you get there in your first year as a freelance content writer? Probably not. You’d have to be prepared to work hard and work long hours.
There’s one exception here: if you are already an authority, an expert, a qualified professional in a particular field or on a particular subject then you are going to be in a prime position to charge a significantly higher amount for the articles and other content you write for clients. More and more, people are looking to hire experts in their field to create long lasting, authoratitive content.
The key is that you need to find the clients who are looking for your expertise. And then you need to pitch yourself as the best option for their content writing needs. Once you’re established, you will no longer be working at a writing rate that is set by clients. You will be able to set your own rates.
How much can a qualified subject matter expert earn writing content for clients?
There’s no limit here. It will depend on your field of expertise (for example, a legal professional might be able to garner a higher rate compared to a plumbing expert), and the complexity of the writing project. Being paid upwards of $300 for a 1000 word article is not unrealistic for a true expert. In fact that can be at the lower end in some cases.
Is content writing a good career option?
You can make a career out of content writing with enough dedication to the craft. In this case, a career is considered a full time living. Where you are making enough money regularly to not require any additional income from other sources, like a day job.
In time you can build a portfolio and showcase your work, making article and content writing more than just a casual gig – but an actual career that you can continue doing for decades. The world will always need high quality, talented content writers. This is a skill that will continue to be in demand well into the future.
How do content writers grow?
Like in any field or career, as a content writer you want to grow your skill as time goes on. The more you write, the better you get at it. The more challenging work you take on, the better your writing will become and so your confidence will grow. All this leads to being able to charge more for your increasingly valueable writing work.
How do I start a career as a content writer?
There’s probably no easier career to start than as a content writer. You can literally become an article writer today. The number of platforms we have available for finding writing clients is seemingly endless. This presents its own conundrum: how do you decide where to sign up to find your first clients and start your content writing career? You’ll want to know that this is a career path that you want to follow. That means starting small, evaluating how you cope with various projects, and determining which direction you want to go. Platforms like Fiverr, Freelancer and iWriter make is simple and fast to sign up, and start claiming small writing projects to get you started.
Which type of writing pays the most?
This is where it gets interesting. Content writing can take on so many different forms. Some are potentially much more profitable than others. Writing articles for web publications, business websites, newsletters and so on can absolutely have you earning a decent amount of money with consistent work. Another level up from that can be the world of copywriting and sales writing. Those who are gifted in the art of writing to persuade and connect with readers with the main goal of converting them to potential customers can be very highly valued by businesses. In these cases it’s not unusual to be paid into the four figures to write sales copy. Potentially, this is the type of writing that can pay the most but it does take a certain skill and experience to be able to deliver what clients want – which is why they are often willing to pay a premium.