Sitting at your favorite coffee house, drinking a latte while tapping on your laptop. There are no office politics and no dress code. Just you and your writing. This is the dream of many people who take up paid online writing jobs.
What is the big deal with these gigs? These gigs are a great way to escape the grind of 9-to-5. You aren’t tied down to a particular location or cubicle. You want to work from the beach in Bali? You can do it! The freedom is intoxicating.
But let’s be careful not to get ahead of ourselves. The world of remote writing is not all sunshine and rainbows. It requires discipline, lots of it. Imagine writing an essay while your neighbor’s dog is barking incessantly and Netflix is a mere click away. Distractions can be found everywhere.
Let’s talk about the money. Many people wonder whether remote writing will pay the bills. Spoiler Alert: It’s possible! How you navigate through this gig-economy jungle will determine your success. Upwork, Fiverr and other freelance platforms can be goldmines for those who know how market themselves.
Content mills are a thing. These mills produce articles as fast as a fast food restaurant flips burgers. Although they may not pay well, they can be a great way to gain experience and get your first bylines.
Diversification should be a writer’s secret weapon. Don’t place all your eggs into one basket. Write blog posts and social media content. Try copywriting.
Talking about versatility, let’s discuss niches. Finding a specific niche will make you stand out from the crowd. Tech is your passion? Are you passionate about cooking? Love cooking? There are probably people who would pay to have your skills.
A second ace is networking. Join writer groups in Facebook or LinkedIn, go to virtual conferences and connect with fellow writers online. It is not always what you know about the industry, but rather who you know.
Then there’s a question about tools: What do you require to be successful? You can’t compromise on a good laptop, unless you want to chisel words into stones tablets. Grammarly is a great tool to have when you’re on a tight deadline and mistakes sneak up.
Let’s take a look at those nagging deadlines. Ignoring a deadline can be just as damaging as forgetting an anniversary (trust me). Remember to always give yourself buffer times because you never know when your internet might crash or if your cat will decide to nap in your keyboard.
The feedback can hurt, but you should see it as a loving challenge from a publisher who wants to make sure that you are shining brighter than ever. It is important to embrace it and learn from it.
The thrill of juggling torches on unicycles while balancing multiple clients is thrilling, but also terrifying. Trello or Asana help keep your balls (or torches!) up in the air.
Burnout is also real. This sneaky beast can creep up on you when you’re least expecting it. Breaks are not only advisable, but essential to maintaining your creativity and sanity.
Try switching routines or surroundings on days when inspiration is elusive. It works wonders. Today, maybe it’s more important to brainstorm ideas than crank out words?
We’ll sprinkle some humor because, why not? Imagine using voice dictation and it misinterpreting “write” to mean “right”. You’d be ready to scream, or laugh until you were in tears.
It’s important to note that remote writing jobs are a blend of freedom and responsibility.
You have already made it this far. Now go and get your dream job, where your pajamas are also used as office attire.