I knew in high school that I wanted to pursue a writing career—I just wasn’t sure exactly what that would look like. In the twenty plus years since then, I’ve worked as an editor for the Alberta government, written for websites and magazines, volunteered as an editor on several magazines, written and edited the content here on theKoalaMom, and self-published three books on Amazon while raising my family.
Writing has taken me in directions I never expected, and that’s one of the things I love about it. It has also allowed me to support my children while also being present to them as a work-at-home, homeschooling mom.
If you enjoy writing, you don’t have to limit yourself to becoming a novelist or journalist. Today’s writers work in publishing, education, marketing, business, and online media. Whether you want to write full-time or earn extra income on the side, there are more opportunities than ever before.
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How to Launch a Successful Writing Career
The internet has made it easier than ever for writers to connect with clients around the world. For example, I just had to explain to my teenager what a SASE was — a Self Addressed, Stamped Envelope that I mailed with my submission to an editor, so that if they didn’t like my piece, they could mail it back to me (at my expense) and I could mail it out to another editor. These days, being able to submit articles to magazines and websites via email and online submission forms is so much easier.
At the same time, competition has increased. Building a successful writing career usually takes time, persistence, and a willingness to keep learning. I’ve seen a lot of changes in this industry over the last two decades and I haven’t always kept up with all the trends. Here’s what’s worked for me in building my career.
Build a portfolio.
Whether you have a website, blog, or LinkedIn profile, potential clients want to see examples of your work.
Choose a niche.
Generalists (like me) can succeed, but specializing in a niche like travel, parenting, finance, healthcare, or education often makes marketing yourself easier.
Keep learning.
SEO, accessibility, AI tools, editing, interviewing, and digital marketing all make writers more valuable. While I know where my strengths are, I’m also constantly researching and trying new things.
Build relationships.
Many freelance writers find work through referrals and repeat clients rather than job boards. Although the internet is a huge place, jobs can still come down to who you know.
Be persistent.
Every successful writer has received rejections. Keep pitching, improving, and writing.
8 Great Writing Careers
Artificial intelligence has changed parts of the writing industry, especially first drafts and brainstorming. Rather than replacing professional writers, it’s shifted the skills clients value most. Strong writers still bring skills in creativity, critical thinking, interviewing, editing, and the ability to capture a unique voice—qualities AI can’t replicate on its own. Here are 8 writing careers that are still in demand.
1. Freelance Writer
I began my writing career as a freelancer, reading magazines and pitching article ideas that I thought would be a good fit for their readers. While major publications such as National Geographic and Reader’s Digest can pay well for accepted articles, they’re also extremely competitive. Smaller magazines, websites, and blogs pay less, but they can be excellent places to gain experience, build your portfolio, and develop relationships with editors.
Today, freelance writing includes far more than magazine articles. Many freelancers write blog posts, website copy, newsletters, case studies, product descriptions, and other content for businesses and organizations. Some specialize in a particular niche, such as travel, parenting, finance, or health, while others enjoy writing about a wide variety of topics.
One of the biggest advantages of freelancing is the flexibility. You can choose the projects that interest you, set your own schedule, and gradually build a client base. The downside is that you’ll also spend time marketing your services, pitching ideas, reading calls for submissions, managing deadlines, and running the business side of your writing career.
Resources to help you get started:
- Make Money As A Freelance Writer: 7 Simple Steps to Start Your Freelance Writing Business and Earn Your First $1,000
- Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $100,000 a Year or More
2. Content Writer or Copywriter
While freelance writing describes how you work, content writing and copywriting describe the type of writing you do. Many content writers and copywriters work as freelancers, but others are employed by businesses, marketing agencies, or organizations.
Content writers create helpful, informative material designed to educate or connect with an audience. This may include blog posts, articles, newsletters, social media content, guides, and website resources. For example, a travel company might hire a content writer to create destination guides, while a business might hire one to write articles that answer common customer questions.
Copywriters, on the other hand, focus more on persuasion. They write content designed to encourage readers to take action, such as purchasing a product, signing up for a service, or joining an email list. Copywriting may include advertisements, sales pages, email campaigns, and product descriptions.
Both types of writing require more than simply putting words together. Successful content writers need research skills, the ability to explain complex topics clearly, and an understanding of what readers are looking for. Copywriters need to understand their audience and know how to communicate the benefits of a product or service.
If you enjoy researching topics, explaining ideas, or helping businesses connect with their customers, content writing or copywriting can be a flexible career option. Many writers build a specialty in areas they already know well, such as parenting, travel, education, finance, health, or technology.
3. Writing Tutor
Are you good at writing, with a solid understanding of grammar, sentence structure, and organization? Better yet, do you enjoy helping others become better writers? If so, working as a writing tutor could be a great fit.
This provided some income for me during my first university degree, when I tutored fellow students as they worked on essays and research papers. As a mom, I’ve also spent plenty of time helping my own kids learn to communicate their ideas clearly for school assignments.
Writing tutors need patience, especially when working with students who are convinced they hate writing or dread every essay assignment. You’ll also need to look beyond surface-level mistakes and identify what’s really holding a student back. Does the student mainly struggle with spelling, sentence structure, organization, or developing their ideas? Rather than simply correcting the paper for them, your goal is to help them recognize those issues and develop the skills to fix them independently. The best tutors eventually work themselves out of a job because their students become confident writers.
Many writing tutors work online with students from around the world, while others prefer to work locally. You can advertise your services through colleges, universities, homeschool groups, libraries, or community organizations. If you have experience with specialized writing—such as academic essays, resumes, or college application essays—you may be able to build a niche serving those students.
4. Business Plan Writer
Business plan writing combines research, organization, and strong communication skills. If you have an interest or experience in business, understand basic financial concepts, and enjoy helping people turn ideas into clear plans, this could be an interesting writing career.
A business plan writer helps entrepreneurs explain their goals, target market, competition, operations, and financial projections in a way that makes sense to the intended audience. Sometimes that audience is an investor, but business plans are also used when applying for loans, seeking grants, launching a new venture, or creating a roadmap for future growth.
This type of writing requires more than simply putting words on a page. You’ll need to ask good questions, research the industry, understand the client’s goals, and organize information in a way that is both realistic and persuasive. A good business plan writer helps clients clarify their own ideas while presenting them professionally.
If you enjoy writing but also have an interest in entrepreneurship, marketing, or business strategy, this could be a niche worth exploring. Courses in business fundamentals, accounting basics, or entrepreneurship can help you build the knowledge needed to serve clients confidently.
5. Resume Writer or Editor
Finding a job can be stressful, especially in a competitive employment market. A strong resume helps job seekers communicate their experience, skills, and accomplishments in a way that catches an employer’s attention.
Resume writing is a specialized form of writing because the audience is very specific: the hiring manager or recruiter. A good resume writer doesn’t simply list someone’s job history—they help clients identify their strengths, highlight relevant achievements, and explain their experience clearly and professionally. In many ways, resume writing is a form of personal marketing: you’re helping someone present their experience in a way that connects with the needs of a specific employer.
This type of writing requires more than excellent grammar. Resume writers need to understand what employers are looking for, ask the right questions, and often translate a client’s everyday responsibilities into language that shows their value. Familiarity with different industries or hiring practices can also be a valuable advantage.
For example, many stay-at-home moms have developed valuable skills that transfer well to the workforce—organization, project management, budgeting, communication, problem-solving, and more. However, it can be challenging to describe those skills in a way that helps potential employers recognize their value. A good resume writer can help clients identify and communicate the experience they already have.
Another option is offering resume editing services. In this case, the client writes their own resume and you provide a second set of eyes to improve clarity, organization, and wording. Sometimes a fresh perspective is all someone needs to turn a good resume into a stronger one.
Either of these careers, like tutoring, can be a flexible side business rather than a full-time career. Many people who are good writers don’t necessarily want to build a full freelance writing career, but they enjoy helping others polish important documents. If that sounds like you, consider offering your services to students, newcomers to the workforce, professionals making a career change, or parents returning to paid employment after time at home.
6. Editor
Editors do far more than correct grammar and spelling. Depending on the role, an editor may help authors strengthen their arguments, improve organization, fact-check information, refine the flow of a piece, or prepare a manuscript for publication. Editors work in many different industries, including book publishing, magazines, newspapers, education, government, businesses, and online media.
Editing was actually one of my first writing-related careers. After university, I worked as an editor for Alberta Education, where I was part of a team that edited teaching guides and other educational resources for spelling, grammar, clarity, and style. During university, I worked as the story editor for the student newspaper, reviewing submissions before publication. For more than a decade, I was also the editor of a quarterly writers’ magazine, where I worked on everything from copyediting articles to preparing the layout.
There are many different types of editing. A copyeditor focuses on grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency, and style. A proofreader usually works on the final version of a document, catching errors before publication. A developmental or structural editor looks at the bigger picture, helping authors strengthen the organization, pacing, characters, plot, or overall message of a piece.
For example, when I self-published my books, I hired a proofreader to provide a final review before publication. Even experienced writers benefit from having another set of eyes on their work because it can be difficult to spot problems in something you’ve written yourself (and stared at a lot).
If you enjoy writing but also love helping other people communicate their ideas more effectively, editing can be just as rewarding as writing. In many ways, editors are the behind-the-scenes partners who help good writing become great writing.
7. Ghostwriter
Ghostwriters help clients publish books, articles, newsletters, speeches, and other content under the client’s name. Success in this field requires strong interviewing skills, adaptability, and the ability to write in someone else’s voice. If you’re curious about this unique career path, read my complete guide to ghostwriting.
Conclusion
There has never been just one path to becoming a professional writer. Some people publish novels. Others build freelance businesses, edit manuscripts, teach writing, or help businesses communicate more effectively. Many writers combine several of these careers over the course of their lives.
Past experience can also be useful to your writing career in many ways. For example, someone who has worked in healthcare, construction, education, or technology may eventually find clients looking for a writer who understands that field. Many well-known novelists have degrees in unique fields that let them write their protagonists and unique settings with veracity and attention to details that draws the readers in.
My own career has certainly taken unexpected turns, and I’m grateful for all of them. Each opportunity has helped me grow as a writer while allowing me to keep doing something I genuinely enjoy.
Have you ever considered a writing career? Which of these options sounds most interesting to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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