A nurse writer uses their clinical knowledge to write about healthcare, medicine and patient care. They help share accurate information with readers, whether for medical journals, educational content or general health tips.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the writing industry is projected to grow by 5% over the next 10 years, showing a rising need for skilled writers. If you’re looking for nurse writer jobs to grow your freelance business, this guide is a great place to start.

Whether you’re writing for healthcare professionals or the public, nurse writers play a key role in delivering trustworthy and helpful information in the healthcare industry. Keep reading to explore nurse writer jobs and start writing today!

What is a nurse writer?

A nurse writer uses knowledge from nursing to create informative content about healthcare, medicine, and patient care and make money writing.

These writers produce clear, accurate materials for various audiences, from healthcare professionals to the general public. They may work as freelance nurse writers or join larger healthcare organizations.

What qualifications do I need to find nurse writer jobs?

To get into the nurse writer niche, most professionals first earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher. They must also pass the NCLEX-RN to become a registered nurse (RN).

Clinical experience in healthcare settings, such as hospitals or clinics, helps these writers develop the expertise needed to communicate complex medical topics.

Some nurse writers may also have advanced degrees or certifications, which can help them tackle specialized subjects like mental health or pediatrics.

As a nurse writer, what can I write about and for what publications?

A nurse writer’s work spans many areas within healthcare. They might write training materials, patient brochures, case studies, white papers or continuing education courses for healthcare professionals. These materials often focus on patient safety, disease management and healthcare practices.

Freelance nurse writers may create marketing content for pharmaceutical companies or medical device advertisements, while others might write articles for medical journals or online platforms.

Nurse writers can also contribute to medical apps, create recruitment materials for clinical studies or write content for healthcare websites. They often rely on their own hands-on experience to provide valuable insights and accurate information to readers.

Whether creating articles, newsletters or grant proposals, these writers play a key role in making healthcare knowledge accessible and understandable.

While some nurse writers seek job stability with healthcare organizations, others prefer the freedom and flexibility of freelance work.

Freelance writers choose the clients they want to work with, the types of projects they accept, and when they work. They must be skilled in research, editing, and communication to produce high-quality content on time.

How do I get into writing as a nurse?

Becoming a freelance writer allows you to combine your nursing expertise with writing skills. By sharing your knowledge of patient care, healthcare topics and medical practices, you can create content for health websites, blogs and educational materials.

Use your nursing experience

Start with your experience as a registered nurse. This gives you knowledge that helps you write about patient care, health issues and treatments. Clients look for this expertise in medical writing.

Improve your writing skills

Good writing skills matter. You don’t need extra degrees, but knowing how to write clearly and accurately is important. Learn writing styles like AP style, especially if you want to write for medical journals or health websites. Practice writing about nursing topics to build confidence.

Create a portfolio

Start building a portfolio with your best work. Include blog posts, patient education materials or healthcare articles. This shows potential clients your writing style and expertise.

Network and pitch

Networking is key to finding writing opportunities. Contact healthcare groups, health websites and educational platforms. Pitch your services and explain how your nursing background makes you a good fit.

Consider specialized training

You can take extra courses or earn certifications to build credibility. Courses in medical writing or certifications like Medical Writer Certified (MWC®) can help you grow in the field.

With a solid nursing background, a few writing courses and networking with other freelance writers through communities like the Freelance Writers Den, you can start your journey in medical writing and build a rewarding career.

10 sites that post nurse writer jobs

Nurse writers have many opportunities to find work in the healthcare industry, whether they prefer freelance nurse writer jobs or permanent positions.

Freelancers can work for a variety of clients, creating content for medical journals, health-related publications, academic papers and more. They can also collaborate with healthcare providers, marketing agencies, pharmaceutical companies or government organizations.

Some nurse writers even consult on projects for media outlets, contributing their expertise to portray nurses in books or TV shows.

If you’re a nurse looking to expand your career into writing, numerous organizations and websites offer opportunities. Here’s a list of trusted sites that pay to write, but keep in mind this is only the beginning!

1. Savvy Nurse Writer Job Board

Savvy Nurse Writer offers a job board tailored for nurse writers. Positions range from blog posts to specialized content in areas like pediatrics or oncology. Writers can apply by filling out a form for each listing and must create a profile in their writer database. Pay varies based on the project and client.

2. Allnurses

Allnurses provides resources and forums for nurse writers, including discussions on freelance writing tools and strategies. While it doesn’t directly list jobs, it’s a valuable community for networking and advice.

3. American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)

AMWA offers a freelance directory and job board for medical communicators. Membership provides access to job listings, networking opportunities and resources for professional development.

4. Nurse Jungle

Nurse Jungle is a comprehensive job board built specifically for nurses. On this site, there are job search tools, nursing licensure information, professional nurse associations and career hunting articles. While many of the jobs are nursing-specific, it’s worth checking for crossover writing jobs as well.

5. Nurse.com

Nurse.com is a popular source of continuing education, job opportunities and resources. This site has a robust job board, which has filters to search by title, specialty or state. The majority of the postings are for traditional nursing roles, but it’s worth setting up alerts for writing opportunities. 

6. Indeed

Indeed lists various nurse writer positions, including roles like Clinical Consultant RN, Medical Policy Writer, and Clinical Appeal Writer. Salaries range from $41.77 to $50.30 per hour, depending on the position. Requirements typically include a valid RN license and strong writing skills.

7. ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter features numerous nurse writer jobs with pay ranging from $28 to $62 per hour. Positions include roles like Clinical Content Editor and Nurse Medical Writer. Requirements vary but often include a BSN and relevant writing experience.

8. LinkedIn

LinkedIn’s job board lists over 200 nurse writer positions, including full time, part time and contract. Employers on LinkedIn seek candidates with clinical experience and strong writing skills. Salaries and requirements vary by position.

9. Scripted

Scripted is a freelance writing marketplace connecting writers with clients seeking content. Writers set their rates, and pay depends on the project. However, you must have strong writing skills and a professional portfolio.

10. Freelancer

Freelancer is a global platform where nurse writers can bid on various writing projects. Pay varies widely based on the project and client. A strong profile and writing samples can help attract clients.

Start pitching for nurse freelance writing jobs today!

A nurse writer can make between $40,900 and $132,680 annually, depending on experience, education and location. Simply put, experienced nurse writers with advanced degrees and strong portfolios earn more.

Many people find freelance nurse writer jobs with previous employers or through referrals. After gaining some experience they can build a successful business. To boost your income as a nurse writer, focus on building a niche and gaining experience in medical writing. Learn SEO and content marketing, use various writing tools, network with healthcare professionals and continue developing your skills to stand out and attract higher-paying clients.

FAQs

Can a nurse write a book?

Yes, many nurse writers choose to write books, combining their experience in healthcare with storytelling or informative content. Nurses with a passion for sharing their knowledge can create educational resources, personal stories, or case studies to help others in the healthcare industry.

Medical writing for books often requires significant research and fact-checking to ensure the accuracy of the content. Freelance nurse writers can develop niche expertise, allowing them to tap into various opportunities, such as healthcare topics related to patient safety or working with pharmaceutical companies. Many nurses find this a rewarding way to contribute to the profession.

Can nurses write scripts?

Nurses can definitely write scripts, especially those interested in medical writing or freelance writing. Nurse writers with experience in patient care can create educational scripts for healthcare training, patient safety protocols or medical documentaries. By focusing on accurate information and research, nurses can craft scripts that effectively communicate medical concepts.

Freelance nurse writers can also collaborate with healthcare professionals, providing scripts for medical journals, health websites or pharmaceutical companies. Nurses seeking remote jobs or side hustles may find script writing a great way to apply their expertise while maintaining work-life balance and professional growth.

What is professional writing in nursing?

Professional writing in nursing involves creating clear, informative content tailored to healthcare professionals, patients and the general public. Nurse writers contribute to medical journals, health websites, case studies, and educational materials. This writing requires accuracy, research, and fact-checking to ensure patients and healthcare providers receive reliable information.

Nurses with advanced degrees or specialized expertise in fields like patient safety can use their knowledge to write educational articles, training materials, or patient resources. Many nurse writers pursue freelance writing opportunities to enhance their professional growth and work-life balance while contributing to healthcare education.

Becoming a nurse writer lets you use your nursing skills in a flexible career. By improving your writing, using resources like Freelance Writers Den and networking, you can find freelance writing jobs and build your career.

An original version of this story previously appeared on this page. We updated the post so it’s more useful and accurate for our readers.

If you’re writing $15 or $20 articles now, you should be looking for $50-an-article clients who would allow you to slowly drop your lower-paying gigs and raise your average hourly rate.

To investigate move-up markets more, I trolled online job ads for gigs that paid around $50 to $100 an article

These aren’t ordinarily ads I look at, so I was surprised once I focused on this price point to find quite a few listings.

Obviously, this doesn’t include the many, many higher-paying gigs you could find by networking, approaching small businesses in your town, using social media to prospect, and otherwise aggressively marketing your business.

In addition to the ones I found, Writers Weekly lists many jobs at move-up rates…the issue linked here had quite a few, including $125 to $300 from Alaska Business Monthly, and assignments from $75 to $150 about hockey from Puck Life.

And over at All Freelance Writing, Jennifer Mattern posts job listings only for gigs that pay over $50 a post. What easier way is there to screen out the slave-wage jobs and concentrate on move-up markets?

Here’s what I’ve learned—the marketplace will not set healthy pay boundaries for you. There will always be cheapskates. You have to set the boundaries yourself.

If you entertain the notion of $15 articles, you end up writing them. If you turn down low-paying jobs as simply below your bottom asking price and keep looking until you find better-paying ones, you’ll likely end up being better paid.

Why doesn’t everybody do this? Because switching up can cause a short-term cash-flow problem while you get new clients lined up. You have to overcome your fear that you’re going to starve if you hold out for better gigs, or even spend part of each week prospecting for better assignments instead of writing your current cheap articles. Saying “no” to prospective clients—or to that oh-so-easy to access assignment page on a content mill—can feel harsh, scary, confrontational, maybe in this economy even a little crazy. But that’s exactly what you have to do to move up.

I’m polite with prospective clients who call and offer me $20 an article, or $50, or $70. I thank them for their interest, and let them know they’re not in my ballpark. I offer my rewriting services in case they discover the content they got cheap isn’t up to snuff, and encourage them to be back in touch when they can pay professional rates. I don’t go away mad, I just go away, and leave the door open. Try it—you’ll find that valuing your time enough to turn down lowball clients feels great. It also leaves room in your schedule for better-paying clients.

What’s your move-up goal, and how do you plan to achieve it?

This post originally appeared on the WM Freelance Writer’s Connection.

If so, there’s a newly minted online writing “expert” who’d love to take your money.

You may have heard that if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.

Well, if someone tells you that freelance writing is an activity even a “broke, jobless dummy” can for-sure earn a middle-class income with, because “anyone can write” and “earn a safe, secure income” from home (all quotes from this pitchster’s website)…please be wary.

Here’s what I ‘ve learned about the wild promises being made to online writers about the easy riches that supposedly await them…

Promising the moon, delivering heartbreak

I’ve written before about how to bust unqualified faux experts online by asking basic questions about their expertise…but even more recently I received an email that set new records for spinning tall tales about how easy it is to be a well-paid freelance writer.

Yes, easy to earn—in a career that’s been called “the most difficult way to earn money quickly,” by experienced coaches including Diana Burrell.

Here’s an excerpt from the pitch I got to sell this total stranger’s offer (I’m omitting identifying details, since I wouldn’t want to inadvertently lead any writers who read me to this site):

Hi Carol,

Do you have any interest in doing some cross promoting a writing product for a big commission? If so, here’s what I have for us: I recently release a book called “TITLE.” It’s a guide based training program on how to become a home based writer. The book sets a target of $5,000 a month with several action paths to get there (and beyond).

I figured since we’re in the same niche, we could be a great fit to work together.

Here is the link to my website, you can check it out: [LINK] and let me know what you think!

All the best,
Freelance Writer XXXX

Now, I never affiliate sell products or services that I’m pitched by total strangers. I only affiliate sell products and services created by people I know, usually, ones I’ve used and benefited from myself.

But this guy’s angle sounded just weird enough that I went to take a look.

What I saw really made my jaw drop.

When you assume freelance writing is a sure thing…

There’s a common problem with people who want to hop into selling how-to-write products without any experience working in the writer community and talking to struggling writers. They make a very basic, bad assumption.

They broke into freelance writing fairly easily, and have been able to earn a living with it.

Therefore, they conclude, everyone can.

But that is a faulty assumption. One person’s experience cannot be extrapolated to all, or easily duplicated by others.

Every writer, their abilities, and their life experience, is different! This isn’t widget assembly, but a creative career.

If it were super-easy to earn $5,000 a month as a freelance writer (the claim this “expert” makes), I wouldn’t get emails every week from writers who are literally starving and desperate to figure out how to earn anything beyond a pittance online.

So this guy’s sales angle—that this is a “safe” and “foolproof” career, really made me see red.

Reading the red flags

Besides the ridiculous pronouncements about what a cinch freelance writing is, what were the “tells” in his website copy that made me suspicious he was selling snake oil?

• His story includes moving to Thailand two months into his freelancing career to cut his expenses by 70% (why is that needed, if it’s so lucrative?)
• He names no freelance clients he’s worked for, and includes no portfolio
• The testimonials for his book have no head shots or website links, so there’s no way to verify they’re not fictitious
• A tiny footnote reveals he’s using a pen name! Do you trust a coach who’s hiding their true identity?

I called him on what seemed like obvious flaws in his claims with this note:

[NAME], if freelance writing were a safe bet, EVERYONE WOULD BE DOING IT. You have very scant experience with the marketplace if you think this is a sure thing. And maybe it’s safe if you’re a young, single guy with no expenses. What about safe for women with children to feed, who live in a developed country?

Sounds like you lucked into a few gigs. That doesn’t qualify you to teach others.

This was the response I got:

Writing is a safe bet, I stand behind that.

“I had no writing experience starting out (I have a finance degree and mediocre English grades). I just emailed companies, cold called, and got jobs.

To repeat: Just because something happened to you, does not mean it is a foolproof career path for everyone who’s ever dreamed of writing for a living. But over and over, you’ll find freelance writers who’ve had a flush of initial, personal success online promising they can teach you how to replicate their success.

The final straw with this scammy site—he claimed to have statistical proof that writing is a no-fail career that you’ll earn $60K a year at. So let’s take a look at that claim.

Lies and statistics

This book-seller’s site has a top headline that screams: “Two out of three writers work from home and earn $60,000 on average.”

Where does this figure spring from? It’s from a career thumbnail on writers’ and authors’ careers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Wow, that sounds incredible, doesn’t it? Gotta be too good to be true?

Well, in fact, that IS exactly what BLS has to say about the career of writers and authors.

So, is freelance writing a sure thing? Does this prove that it’s a sure thing for all interested writers to make $60K a year? Hardly.

Let’s look a bit deeper into these federal figures about writer jobs—so you can see why the claim made by this charlatan is deeply false.

Median pay is the point at which half of respondents make more, and half make less. It doesn’t mean most writers make $60K, or even that the average pay is $60K. Many make more, and many make less.

It could be that every writer on the downside of that figure makes $1,000 a year—that would still be the median if it’s #68,250 in sequential order of earning least-to-most, of their 136,500 writers they’re tracking.

BLS says two-thirds of these writers are home-based. That means one-third of them have staff writing jobs.

There are 136,500 of them in all. So that leaves roughly 90,000 home-based writers that BLS is tracking.

BLS estimates 90,000 people work from home as writers and earn something from it.

Writers who earn nothing? Not counted here. Writers who earn a little on the side and don’t report it on their taxes? Not counted.

Which would be many, many writers.

The figure BLS doesn’t supply is how many people would like to write from home for a living (or the people who’ve tried and given up, either). The people for whom this would supposedly be a “sure thing,” if they followed this guy’s book.

No stats are readily available on that, but after a decade of coaching writers, I’d have to say that aspiring writers number easily in the millions. And BLS says there are 90,000 of them that manage to get paid.

Finally, let’s look at what BLS says about growth of the writing career. Essentially, there is none. It’s a flat market.

When US population is growing roughly 1% a year, and the career is forecast to grow 2% a year, not a lot of jobs are being added.

By contrast, there are nearly twice as many civil engineers, and 8% forecast growth. They earn more, too. Now that’s more of a sure thing.

Who knows freelance writing?

Let’s look at the next big problem here: How does BLS get its data? From a monthly sample of payroll records. Translation: BLS’s expertise is employer data, not freelancer data. It’s out of its wheelhouse here.

Also, BLS data is only completely updated once a DECADE. So the agency tends to be deeply out of touch with current market realities, and slow to understand how employment is changing. If you’re looking for stats on niches such as freelance blogging, for instance, you’re out of luck.

Assuming BLS has a clue about who’s writing from home, that’s a very tiny number of people earning a good living at writing. With the outlook that not many more jobs will be added, in a country of 322 MILLION people.

How can freelance writing be a ‘sure thing’ when there are only about 90,000 positions, in a country of 322 mililon people?

Easy: It can’t be.

There are not that many freelance writing gigs. Most who try—especially, most who try without advice from coaches who really do know the marketplace—will fail.

Remember, as Mark Twain so wryly noted, statistics can be made to lie, or to prove anything you like, if you misuse them.

If it sounds too good to be true…

Please writers…do your homework before you buy. Look for:

• A teacher using their real name
• Testimonials with pictures and/or website links
• A portfolio of proven freelance work with links you can check
• A substantial timeframe of writing experience
• Coaches who don’t paint blue-sky pictures of how easy it will be

I don’t think I have once, in a decade of coaching writers, ever told anyone this is an easy career. It’s a wonderful one, and a rewarding one, but it takes work.

Those of us who’ve done it know that delivering solid writing on deadlines, week after week, year after year, is no walk in the park.

Beware of anyone telling you freelance writing is a snap—if only you’ll pay them to get the details.

When you go from, say, writing $20 blog posts to writing white papers that can pay $1,500-$10,000, it’s a big leap.

But just how do you may that leap? How exactly do you get into writing white papers? Where do you even find white paper writing jobs? And what are some mistakes to avoid along the way?

That’s what we’re about to discover. Keep reading.

What is a White Paper?

A white paper is a cross between a magazine article and a corporate brochure, sharing an organization’s often-complicated message in an easy-to-understand, formal, and persuasive manner.

Most clients want to read the educational magazine article part of the white paper to find out the solutions to their problems—but the persuasive brochure part of the white paper does its job too, and convinces the readers to buy the product or use the service.

How Much Can You Make on White Paper Writing Jobs?

The unique balancing feature of the white paper—to both educate and sell—makes it one of the most powerful marketing tools. This is the reason why clients are ready to pay $1,500-$10,000 for a six to 14 page document.

It’s a great way to make money writing!

The huge upside of writing white papers is why we did a comprehensive training bootcamp on the topic over on the Freelance Writers Den. You can access this entire four-week bootcamp plus over 300 hours of other trainings by becoming a Den member.

How to Get White Paper Writing Experience

If you know how to write articles or marketing materials, you should be able to learn how to write white papers with a little effort and practice.

The first thing you need to do is read all you can about writing white papers from books, blogs, articles, etc. That also means studying examples so you know what’s expected (check out this example). More and more companies are posting white papers online to build their authority—download a few and give them a read.

Now start writing…

After you learn the process of writing white papers, you can start practicing your skill on a hypothetical or real company. Choose a business-to-business company, as B2B tends to commission more white papers than B2C. They usually have complicated offerings and need to convince business owners to purchase their product or service.

Another idea: create a white paper to sell your writing, about how businesses benefit from using freelance writers. Post it on your site as a free download for prospects.

Sharpen your skills by writing white papers as often as you can. Once you feel that you’re ready, start looking for clients.

Where to Find White Paper Writing Jobs

1. Let your existing clients know what white papers are, how they work and why their business needs one. Show them the samples you’ve created. If you can convince them that they need a white paper, you will be on your way
2. Look for business owners who are getting articles or brochures written. Explain what a white paper is and why it’s better than a regular article or brochure. Propose possible topics that would be appropriate to their business. Hopefully, you will be able to entice them into asking you to write one
3. Write one for less. If it’s your first job, then it doesn’t matter if you charge less. Maybe you will not earn enough for all the effort you put in, but you will get a sample that will help you land lucrative jobs in the future

Once you have a few samples in your portfolio, you can look for better jobs.

The best thing is to advertise your services as a white paper writer through your website, cold calling, and other marketing methods. Look for companies that are involved in fields like technology (cloud computing, CRM, content management, IT healthcare), or finance (insurance, banks, re-insurance).

Of course, you can also look for white paper jobs on sites like LinkedIn.

White Paper Writing Mistakes to Avoid

While you’re gaining experience, there are some critical mistakes you should try to avoid as you enter this market.

Here are some mistakes Carol Tice, founder of Make a Living Writing, made on a white paper writing gig:

Mistake 1: Not vetting the client

When a writer-friend tells you, “Hey, this is a chance to work with an amazing end client that’s a Fortune 500,” I don’t know about you, but I tend to get stars in my eyes.

It turned out that I’d be working not directly with this client, but with one of their approved marketing agencies. The guy who headed it was a former staff speechwriter and marketing writer at this F500. Once again, I was wowed.

“Man, this guy must know *exactly* what he’s doing,” I thought.

What I didn’t find out? He’d just recently quit the company and set up this agency…and had no experience running an agency. He’d never had writers working under him before. He hadn’t written white papers either.

That turned out to be something he sucked at. In the course of my project, everyone he had hired as a “staffer” for his little agency quit.

He would have his staff minions give assignments to the writers—and guess what? It was like a big game of telephone.

Almost every single thing I was told, from deadlines to wordcounts, turned out to be wrong. A lot of frantic rewriting ensued.

Takeaway: If I’d asked around about this guy, I might have learned he was a legendary prima donna—and would have trouble delegating writing work.

Mistake 2: No direct client contact

Everything I did on this white paper writing job came down secondhand. I couldn’t even have told you who at the big company this agency reported to.

I’d receive word trickle-down style, about who to interview about what. Then, after I interviewed them, I’d be told I didn’t ask them the right things, or that I needed a different source. These kinds of miscommunications are an epidemic in agencies that keep their clients close to the vest.

In his efforts to keep us from poaching the client work (not even possible with this company, since they only used a few approved agencies), he would parcel out parts of projects to different people. You never knew who else might be touching different parts of your same elephant. The result: chaos.

Takeaway: I should have gotten clarity off the bat on who I’d be reporting to for this white paper writing job, who was on my project, and who I’d be able to access.

Mistake 3: Skipping the research

I basically worked with what I was handed, instead of doing my own research to learn more about the types of charity programs I was documenting. I might have had better backup ideas for interviews, or programs to compare it (favorably) to, if I’d taken the time.

More than once in the course of the project, I was sitting around for days on end, and then having to do a rush job on an interview, where I probably could have more quickly found sources on my own and just asked for approval.

Takeaway: Don’t sit with your hands folded waiting for info from your client—do your own legwork, so that you have more to work with.

Mistake 4: A key question omitted

One big question I really wish I’d asked is, “What is your writing process like?”

After all, I’d never written a white paper before. So I didn’t realize that I needed a few key things:

• Approval of each of my sources from higher-ups
• A signed release from each of my interview subjects
• To let each interview subject read their copy before turning it in
• To obtain stock photos from my subjects

Long after some of my interviews, toward the end of the project, I was suddenly asked to “turn in my releases.” To which I replied, “What releases????”

I’d never been given a form or told my interviews had to fill it out…but suddenly, I looked like a clueless fool. It had been weeks since some of my interviews, and it was extra work to dig some of them back up and get them to sign off.

Takeaway: Find out what *all* the elements are that are your “deliverables” in the project—and be sure you get them as you go. Don’t leave paperwork to the end.

Mistake 5: Running in circles

One of the things that was dangled in front of me on this white paper writing job was the idea of foreign travel. Their program is global, and they were including some stories from other countries.

When it was strongly hinted that I might snag one of these assignments, I turned my life upside down to run out and get an expedited passport. Which, of course, turned out to be a total waste of time. In fact, I never left my house, even.

Takeaway: Don’t chase phantoms on a gig. If someone’s hinting you might need to do something for the project, get more details and find out if it’s real, before wasting time.

The good news is that the project did eventually get finished…and it came out real nice. I got a great clip out of the deal. It was definitely worth doing, despite all the problems.

But I wish I’d taken a more thorough attitude to scoping this out before I dove in. Then, I might have had a smoother road and ended up getting more white paper writing gigs for this client, instead of having a relationship that went down in flames.

As it worked out, it was a long time before another white paper writing job opportunity came around.

Do you feel like it’s a pipe dream to find freelance writing jobs that pay pro rates?

I hear a lot of comments like this from writers who are about ready to give up on their writing dreams.

They write me to say:

“It just seems like there aren’t any good-paying clients out there.”

Have to say, I disagree. But whether you think freelance writing is a land of unlimited opportunity or a field no one can earn a living at seems to depend on your personal experience.

If you want to find better freelance clients, you probably need to do two things. Here’s what you need to know

Well-paying freelance clients and writing jobs are out there

Just before writing this article, I heard from a writer who’s found daily papers that still pay $1 a word. Another writer let me know she dropped a $30-a-post client and replaced them with one that pays $175 per post.

How do you go from getting paid crappy rates for freelance writing jobs to pro rates? The two things that I think matter most are:

• Make a mindset shift. My experience is that if you have the mindset that lucrative writing jobs are out there and you’re not going to stop until you find them, you can end up earning a nice living

If you buy into the negativity that all articles are now worth $10, you won’t earn more. So ditch your pre-conceptions for starters.

• Look for work in the right places. Once you make that mindset shift from scarcity to abundance, you’re ready to look for the kind of clients that will help you move up and earn more

What can you do to find better-paying freelance clients? Here are three tips

1. Swim in a smaller pool

Are you looking at mass job boards such as Craigslist, just like 10,000 other writers? Stop.

Instead, find niche freelance writing job boards that fewer writers see, with jobs not all writers could do. These more exclusive job listings can take a little sleuthing to turn up—they might lurk on a professional association website, or run on the back page of an industry trade publication. But it will be worth the effort, as the quality of the jobs offered will often be worlds removed from what you see on Craigslist. I got a gig writing for a major TV network’s website through a niche board.

2. Ask around

Get on a local writer listserv or go to local writer networking events. For instance, I’ve attended local Media Bistro live events in my town, and belong to a Seattle LinkedIn group, Women in Digital Journalism, that’s a gold mine of info about markets in my town. (These are also great places to get referral business too.)

Especially for local markets, other writers in your town are the best sources to get the real dirt. Who takes six months to pay you? Who pays $1 a word?

Who’s growing, and who’s about to fold? Other local writers can be a great source and save you a lot of time. So find your local equivalent of these types of networking groups, whether virtual or in-person.

3. Think bigger

Instead of guessing who might be able to pay a decent rate, do some research to identify prospective markets that are likely to pay well. Remember, most writer jobs are never advertised—the business owner or editor is too swamped to wade through resumes or to even write an ad!

Many good gigs happen when you tap into the huge pool of hidden demand for writers.

How can you tell if a market can pay well? Your clue is that the organization has money.

Many startup online job sites have little or no revenue. To earn more, you need to move beyond these shaky operations to find more established, successful markets.

Target publications that pay pro rates

If you write for publications, get Writer’s Market with online support, dial their search engine up to five dollar signs (the highest pay rate), and see what comes up. Make that your pitch pool, instead of whatever magazines you happen to see on your local newsstand.

You’ll find national publications with big circulations tend to pay better. Also good are niche publications that have a well-heeled readership (CEOs, doctors, lawyers, etc.).

Pitch profitable companies

If you write for businesses, research revenue and target bigger companies. Move up from whatever you’ve been focused on—if it’s been solopreneurs, find companies with a few employees. If it’s been $1 million businesses with one store or office, try $10 million ones with multiple locales.

• Use annual revenue as a guide. The best pay is usually with companies with $10 million or more of revenue. My best client ever in terms of hourly rate was a $1 billion privately held consulting firm. It’s a myth that the Fortune 500 don’t hire freelancers—I’ve written freelance for several of them, so I can tell you they do
• Pitch companies that sell products and services. I like to look for companies that sell a physical product or valuable service that they deliver in the three-dimensional, real world. Steer clear of websites whose only revenue is online ads and the only “products” are your articles. That model isn’t succeeding for most of the businesses that try it
• Also look for longevity. If they’ve been around five years or more, they’re likely profitable, and serious about marketing. And that means opportunity for you, at professional rates

Find great freelance clients

If you’re hoping to make this your banner year for freelance writing, but you’ve struggled to find work that pays well, get your mind right. Then use these strategies to find great clients and get paid pro rates.

Where are you looking for freelance writing jobs? Let’s discuss on Facebook.

Many people wonder if it is worth it to become a freelance writer in 2024, especially with the rise artificial intelligence software and other technology that makes pumping out content easier than ever.

There are many factors that affect overall writing income statistics, such as niche, type of writing, and country. However, there is still valuable trend information and benchmarks we can glean from general data to give us an overall impression of where the industry is at.

Another thing to keep in mind is there are both salaried writing positions and freelance writing options in this analysis. This can have an impact on total income because they’re dealing with two different types of work. However, we will try and keep these separate as much as possible.

How Much Can You Earn As A Freelance Writer in 2024?

While people may joke about being a starving artist or living at the whim of the feast and famine cycle, the truth is that the sky’s the limit for how much you can earn from freelance writing.

Further reading: Survey results: The State of Freelance Writing as of May 2023

The Content Marketing Writer

Writer Income Stats

There are many freelance writers who don’t earn a living wage from their writing, and there are many reasons for this. Some are doing it as a side-hustle, some are just getting started. However, there are a lot of possibilities and opportunities when you find yourself unshackled from a corporate 9-to-5 job. You can choose how much you work, how much you charge, and when you work. Pretty exciting, right?

More Workers Are Turning to Freelancing in 2024

Whether it is the need for a side hustle or the desire to be in control of your own schedule, freelancing is on the rise. According to a study done by Fiverr, 73% of workers are planning to turn to freelancing this year.

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

There is no doubt that AI is having a huge impact on the writing industry. While there are not a lot of stats (yet) on how much AI is impacting pay or jobs for writers, it has quickly become a welcome addition in many offices and organizations.

There are writers who are concerned that AI will replace human writers, but more seasoned professionals aren’t as threatened. They see AI as a tool to be used, but not something that will take away our need for skilled wordsmiths.

Of course it may change how we work as writers. For example, some people may use AI software to generate an outline or a first draft, but someone will have to give the software prompts, check the output for accuracy, edit for tone, style, and voice, and optimize it for SEO.

The truth is, a lot of clients do not know how to manage written AI work or understand how to make it work for their business (and they likely don’t have the time to figure it out!).

Whether or not you choose to work with AI as a writer, it would be worth it to at least know the basics.

Average Pay for Writers

At the time of writing this article (August 2023), the US national average for writing wages is $1,196 per week, or, $5,186 per month. That breaks down to give or take about $30 per hour.

Keep in mind, this is writing as a whole, which encompasses many different positions, roles, companies, and skill levels.

When it comes to full-time wages in the US, the average salary for a writer is $66.143.

Writers have the highest salaries in these States:

• Massachusetts
• California
• North Dakota
• Vermont
• Washington

Fun fact: writer salaries at Apple are the highest compared to any other company in America.

In 2015, freelance writers earned an average of $21 per hour, so the jump to $31 per hour is a good sign.

The Best-Paying Salaried Writing Jobs

If you’re curious about which area of writing to get into, here are some of the highest-paying writing jobs and the current annual salary:

• Senior Medical Writer: $136,484
• Technical Writing Consultant: $116,112
• Documentation Writer: $112,073
• Senior Technical Writer: $101,756

The Top Freelance Writing Niches and Types of Content

Elna Cain conducted this survey to discover the best niches for making money. Here are the results:

1. Digital Marketing
2. SaaS/eCommerce
3. Health/Lifestyle

And as for the most popular types of freelance content, this same survey found these are the most lucrative writing types:

1. Blog Writing
2. Website Copy
3. Copywriting
4. Email Writing

Future Writing Trends

Yes, learning how to live and work with AI will be important, but it’s not the only trend to watch for in the freelancing world.

For example, more companies are relying on freelancers as hiring has stalled, according to Forbes.

Another interesting stat from this Forbes article is that 33% of US workers feel like freelancing is the less risky option compared to having a traditional job.

Interesting!

Is It Still Worth Becoming A Freelance Writer?

Overall, yes!

It is still worth it to pursue freelance writing, whether you choose to do it full time or as a side hustle.

While freelancing is a huge term to describe many different types of workers, you should know stats such as Google having more freelancers (54%) than permanent workers (46%).

On average, freelance writers earn around $42,000 US per year. While this may not sound like much to some, keep in mind this is taking into account all types of writing incomes—full time, part time, side hustles, and many different types of writing.

Considering that freelancing is something you can start or stop at any time, and have as many clients as you want (or can handle), it is still a great option to pursue. Plus, improving your communication, writing, and business skills is never a bad idea!

According to findings from a survey of 643 freelancers, 82% of US freelancers are writers and, of that, 24% earn more than $50,000 a year for their freelance writing services.

Zippa

Ready To Become A Freelance Writer?

If you’re ready to jump into freelance writing, then make sure to check out the Freelance Writers Den!

The Den is an online community created for freelance writers. It helps them grow their income—fast.

It is easier than ever before to become a freelance writer, but only if you have the right tools and tactics at your disposal. The Den will give you that plus so much more. Join today!

Substack is an online platform that lets writers publish their work while also offering subscriptions so they can make money in the process. For writers looking to make extra money or find a way to make a full-time income, Substack is a great option.

If you are looking for advice and tips on if it is worth it to join Substack for writers, we will be going over all the basics of this platform, including how much money you can make and how to get started.

What Is Substack?

Substack is a subscription newsletter platform that lets writers publish newsletters and get paid if they choose to. You can also offer a free newsletter if that is what you would prefer to do.

It is a place where thought leaders start to create content and get paid for sharing their emails to their audience. You do not need to be an expert in order to start to publish your newsletters, you can simply sign up and start publishing right away.

Substack has a loose approach when it comes to censorship and for that reason has drawn criticism and attention, but it is also why many writers and journalists have come to this platform.

Substack decided to use the subscription model to fight against clickbait and rage-filled articles. When there is a subscription model, companies do not have to rely on advertising to make their money. If they do not need advertising, then they do not need to worry about getting clicks to make money.

That way, it’s a win-win for almost everyone, especially for writers and readers.

If you care about the nerdy details of a company, you can know that Substacks was started in 2017 by Chris Best (one of the original co-founders of the famous messaging app, Kik Messenger), Jairaj Sethi (also from Kik), and Hamish McKenzie who was a tech reporter.

As you can imagine, three people who were involving in writing and communication would make a good app for writers in the first place.

Why Writers Should Use Substack

Now that you know the basics about Substack, you probably understand why it is a popular platform for writers.

There are a lot of platforms out there for writers to share their art and grow an audience. However, there are not a lot of platforms that pay writers for their time and energy to create their content.

Or, the ones that do pay writers have a terrible pay rate which does not end up being worth the effort.

With Substack, you are in charge how much you make from your subscribers and it is more possible to earn a living through this platform instead of some other platforms.

Some writers who use Substack:

• Roxane Gay with a newsletter called The Audacity
• Heather Cox Richardson who is a historian
• George Saunders
• Blake Nelson
• Daniel M. Lavery
• Chuck Palahniuk
• Salman Rushdie

Pros and Cons of Substack for Writers

If you are a writer and you cannot decide whether you want to use Substack or not, let’s go over some of the pros and cons to joining and help you make your decision.

Pros of Substack

• A great way to build a portfolio and grow your brand as a writer
• Able to get paid for your hours of writing and work
• You own your content, mailing list, and payment relationships
• Can publish some posts for free to give readers a good idea of what your content is like
• Get paid directly instead of waiting for an editor or publication send you money months later
• Reliable income from your subscribers

Cons of Substack

• Will need to get people onto your list through your own efforts
• Not a guaranteed way to make money or build an audience
• Will need to keep up with a publishing schedule to keep subscribers happy

How Much Money Can You Make With Substack?

As of writing this article, there are 500,000 subscribers representing one million subscriptions on Substack. That should give you a good idea of how many people use and trust this platform to host their content and get subscribers.

Keep in mind, not everyone is making good money on the platform, but if you are willing to put in the work, you can make decent money.

Substack gets paid by taking 10% of your subscription revenue (and about 3% or so in processing fees), which means you get 90% of your revenue. Generally, beginner writers charge around $5 per month of $50 per year for subscribers, but you can hunt around to see what other writers in your niche are charging.

You can offer monthly or annual subscriptions to your subscribers, depending on what make sense for you. You can also choose to offer your newsletter for free, which is an interesting idea for writers in the beginning while they try to build their reputation.

The sky is the limit with how much you can make, but you will still need to attract the readers yourself and convince people to pay you for your writing.

There are a ton of writers out there are who are at least making a nice side income with their writing on Substack.

It is easy to set up your account and start getting paid, compared to other ways to make money with your writing.

If you do not end up liking Substack, you can quickly and easily move your subscribers so if you are not happy, you can switch platforms and still bring your readers.

How To Get Readers on Substack

One thing that is harder for some writers to figure out is how to get subscribers on Substack. There are a lot of ways, but let’s just mention two of the best.

Offer free editions

If you want to give readers a good idea of what they can get when they subscribe to your work, you should offer a rew free versions of your newsletter so they can see what your writing is like.

That will give them a good idea of what they will get when they buy your subscription.

Mention your Substack where you can

If you are already on social media platform (which most of us are), you should be mentioning over and over the fact that you have a Substack that people can subscribe to.

You can post clips from your substack or do whatever you need to do to mention it.

Alternatives to Substack

If you are not sold on using Substack to make money with your writing, let’s take a look at some alternatives you could use instead.

Patreon

Patreon is another option for writers to make their money in a subscription format. You can also offer different “tiers” for subscribers, based on different types of perks you want to provide.

Medium

While Medium is a little different from these types of models, you can offer subscriptions and get paid for your writing. It is more for people who write blogs instead of newsletters, but it is an option to know about.

Want To Make More Money As A Writer?

If you’re sick and tired of wondering how to get your freelance career off the ground, help is on the way! We’ve created a guide to help you figure out what you need to know and do to really get going.

Submit your email address below and we’ll send you The New Freelance Writers Quick-and-Simple Guide to Getting Started.

There are a lot of ways you can make more money as a technical writer but also quite a few ways you can grow your experience and start to make more when it comes to your salary.

Whether you are new to technical writing or you have been in the game for a while, this article will go over some of the basics you need to know and explore various avenues for you to make more.

Each time you improve your salary, you will also need to improve your skillset as a technical writer. That is a given, but you might not understand exactly how to do it.

So let’s dive in.

What is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is quite different than other types of writing.

To summarize it in a sentence, technical writing is the art of taking something complicated and making it easy to understand or implement.

This could be things such as:

• User manuals
• Press releases
• Case studies
• White papers
• Documentation
• SOP’s (Standard operating procedures)
• Installation guides
• Any company documents
• Legal disclaimers
• Safety instructions
• Medical or legal writing

Technical Writer Salary At Different Levels of Experience

Let’s take a look at each level of being a technical writer and what you can generally expect for a salary at each level.

Keep in mind, every writer and company is different. The numbers below are just nationwide averages across the United States. Your country and experience might be different.

However, this should give you a good starting point and help you figure out what to expect, and give you something to measure your own salary against.

Entry Level

To become an entry level technical writer, you need to master some of the absolute basics in the field.

You should understand how to start putting together a technical writing document. You have great grammar and writing skills. Not every document you create is perfect, but you are eager and ready to learn as you go.

This is the level where you want to absorb as much as you can. You should buy some of the foundational books on technical writing and learning in your off time.

You also want to develop a practice to improve your skills and be ready to apply feedback when you get it. Keep in mind, not all feedback will feel great and your ego might be bruised, but it is essential to your growth.

As an entry level technical writer, you can expect anywhere between $54, 501 and $68,001 for your salary.

Mid Level

To consider yourself a mid level technical writer, you need at least a few years of experience under your belt.

At this stage, you should still be learning as much as possible, but what matters more at this step is making sure your skills are improving.

This is when you take on projects that challenge you and force you to grow. You know what you are doing, but you continue to push the limits of what you think you can do.

You are open to feedback from even more people so you can continue to learn and grow.

At the mid level, you can expect a salary of closer to $73,100 per year, with $81,700 being in the higher part of that range.

Expert Level Technical Writer

Once you are at this level, you truly know the ins and outs of technical writing and how to create stellar results. This level is sometimes referred to as the Senior Technical Writer.

To consider yourself at this level, you should create excellent documents that stand out amongst your peers. People are thrilled with your work and go to you for advice.

You continue to learn at this stage, but you also might be at the stage where you are now teaching people at the beginning of their technical writing journey.

At this level of expertise, you can expect a salary range between $83,400 and $101,400.

How to Make More As A Technical Writer

There are quite a few things you can do to increase your salary or hourly rate as a technical writer.

#1 – Increase your education

If you want to make more money as a technical writer, the first thing you will want to consider is taking more classes to improve your skill set.

This doesn’t always mean formal education, such as going to get an advanced degree, although it can include that. You could simply find online classes on your own to sign up for and complete.

You can often ask your employer if they will help with the cost of classes, which some companies are happy to do.

#2 – Get more experience

The more times you get a chance to improve your technical writing skills, the more you can ask for as a technical writer.

This could include taking on extra certifications, projects, or finding ways to increase your skillset in general as a technical writer.

You might even want to consider taking on freelance jobs just to increase the amount of experience and knowledge you have around technical writing.

While a lot of the basics around technical writing stay the same, there are also a considerable amount of ways this field can change.

Staying ahead of the curve and being able to bring that knowledge back to your company can help you stand out and also earn more as a an employee.

#3 – Ask your boss

If you want to increase your salary as a technical writer, you might want to have a discussion with your boss about possible ways to make it happen.

Many people sit around and wait for a boss to give them a raise, completely forgetting that you can be the one to open the door to that conversation.

It does not mean they will immediately drop everything and give you a raise, but you can have the discussion and expectation for what you can do to earn a raise. It can help you and your boss get on the same page for key expectations and help you know exactly what to focus on.

You could set certain benchmarks or projects that will showcase your skills and why they should be paying you more money.

#4 – Switch employers

If you have hit the absolute cap at your current job, it might be time to switch companies.

If you have taken the time to advance your skills, and you know you operate at an advanced level, but your employer will not compensate you for that, then it is possibly time to leave.

Of course, this will depend on how much you like your current job, but it is essential to know what other technical writers are making in this field so you can gauge if you are making what your are worth.

Ready to Become A Freelance Writer?

If you are ready to fully commit to learning what it takes to go on your own and become a freelance writer?

You won’t want to miss out on the Freelance Writers Den! It gives you all the tricks and tips you need to set your rates, find clients, and earn what you are worth.