The key to a successful and long-lived writing career is diversification. A diverse writing career doesn't necessarily mean you have to be an expert on a large variety of subjects, although that certainly helps. Instead, it means that the way you earn your living must come from different sources and ways to make money. Diversification means, for example, that if your primary source of income is by online writing, you also add ebook sales or magazine articles in the mix as well.
Here are some tips on how to diversify your writing career.
Diversification in Blogging
Many freelance writers also earn money by blogging. If your primary source of income has been from a blog network, you might want to also begin making money from your own blog or by adding corporate contracts into the mix. The reason is simple. If the blog network you work for folds, you will still at least have income from your own sources, or from corporate clients that are in a different industry.
Blogging also works as a great backup for freelance writers who make their money online. Blogging helps showcase a writer's unique talents and subject area, and also allows for another revenue stream. A writer can sell ebooks, online courses, ad revenue, or even consulting services from their blog, which acts as a separate revenue stream that doesn't rely on client work.
Diversification in Writer Payment
Writers today get paid by a variety of means: ad revenue share, pageviews, by the project, by the blog post, or even by the hour. The variety is good for diversification because it helps the writer maintain a more level monthly income, rather than one that is subject to external conditions.
For example, a writer that gets paid per hour will earn money no matter if his article is popular with readers or not. On the other hand, a writer that earns money based on pageviews or ad revenue has the potential to earn much more per article. A writer that makes a portion of their income by residual income could have a small amount of money coming in each month, which would help level out their revenue.
Obtaining a Variety of Clients
Perhaps the best way to diversify a writing career is by having a number of different clients. If one client's writing needs change, the freelancer should automatically have a number of other clients to turn to. Even if one client brings in the majority of income, a writer would be wise to get a few more clients they can call up if they needed additional work.
Variety is not only the spice of life, it's the way to achieve a successful writing career. Stretching the boundaries of your writing business will ultimately put you in a more comfortable financial position later on.
Cherie Burbach - Cherie Burbach writes about dating, relationships, health, sports, and lifestyle. She's the author of eleven books and ebooks.
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