33 Best Ways to Make Money as a Writer Online in 2021


Dreaming of a writing career in 2021?

Then, this article is for you.

In today’s digital age, there is an abundance of opportunities to make money online as a writer.  It can be underwhelming to know where to begin. 33 INSANE WAYS TO MAKE HUGE INCOME AS A WRITER

Trust me, I can relate!

As a fellow writer, I know that time is too precious for it to be wasted on scams and things that don’t earn money. This is why I, Greg Venvonis with the Luster Lexicon, have compiled the 33 best ways to make money online as a writer in 2021.

Implementing one or a collection of the ways below can earn you anywhere from a small side income to an income that will set you for life. One thing to take into consideration is if you do multiple of the small side income ideas they can add up to be significant amounts of money.

This article will continue to get regular content updates. Be sure to bookmark and check back so you can see even more ways to earn money as a writer!

This post contains affiliate links. Please read the terms of use for more info.

 

How to Make Money as a Writer

 

Fill Out Surveys From Home

Arguably the fastest and easiest way to make money from home as a writer is to fill out surveys. Surveys won’t make you rich, but they can help you make ends meet or make some quick money if you’re in a crunch.

Another thing to consider is that many surveys out there pay unreliably or are flat out scams.

Fortunately, there are good survey sites that are trustworthy and pay reliably.

Below is a list of the 2 most legit, best-paying survey websites out there:

SurveyJunkie

SurveyJunkie is my personal favorite survey website.

Why?

Well, two reasons.

The first is that SurveyJunkie was the main survey site I used while I was in a money crunch. This was around the time I had launched my first novel and right before I started this blog. I was a broke writer, to say the least, and SurveyJunkie helped me get by during that time.

Secondly, SurveyJunkie is one of the most reputable survey websites out there and has the highest pay per survey in my experience. The highest I’ve seen is $50 for a 2-hour survey. That’s $25 bucks an hour! It doesn’t get much better than that.

And hear this. You can cash out with them via PayPal within 24 hours! No other survey website lets you get your money that fast!

Click here to sign up for SurveyJunkie

If you’re on desktop, add SurveyJunkie Pulse to your browser to get the highest-paying surveys possible. Click here to add SurveyJunkie Pulse.

Vindale Research

Vindale Research pays you cash to give your opinion on popular products, services, and brands.

Some of these surveys can even pay as high as $50 upon completion!

If you sign up right now, they will give you $1 and the opportunity to earn $5 for every friend you refer to them. Not too shabby, right?

If you’re currently using a computer: Click here to sign up for Vindale Research and earn $1 for completing sign up.

If you’re currently using a phone or tablet: Click here to sign up for Vindale Research and earn $1 for completing sign up.

 

Complete Simple Tasks from Home

Like surveys, completing simple tasks is one of the easiest ways to make money online as a writer.

You can do these kinds of tasks while you’re waiting in line, during your downtime, or even when you’re taking a break from writing your next masterpiece.

Below is a list of the 2 most legit, best-paying simple task websites:

Swagbucks

Founded in 2008, Swagbucks lets you make money doing the simplest online tasks you could think of.

These tasks include watching videos, playing mobile games, taking surveys, redeem offers, buying products online, and more. It’s a perfect opportunity to get paid while being lazy!

For example, I used Swagbucks to sign up for a $7.30-day trial of Hulu. For signing up, Swagbucks paid me 2500 in Swagbucks digital currency which redeems for $25 in cash. Once I canceled my Hulu subscription, I pocketed $18 and got to watch some new TV series to boot! Another time, I earned $8 simply for downloading the investing app Acorns. These amounts may not sound like much, but they add up. Especially in the context of doing other side hustles. Plus, they regularly have high-paying offers that can pay as much as $150. You just have to be quick about signing up for them because they will go fast.

For a limited time earn $5 just by signing up for a free account on Swagbucks through my special link here.

 

InboxDollars

InboxDollars is similar to Swagbucks in that you can make easy money completing simple tasks.

To name a few, they include filling out surveys, playing games, reading e-mails, referring friends, and buying products online.

InboxDollars was founded in 2000 and boasts over 10 million members, so you know the opportunity to make legit money is there.

Earn $5 just for signing up for InboxDollars through our special link here.

 

Enter Writing Contests

Writing contests are an excellent way to make money as a writer in 2021. 

They allow you to test your writing skills and commitment while putting your writing up to scrutiny by people in the writing industry.

Not only can you earn cash by entering writing contests, but if you win, they’ll boost your writing reputation! This leads to more connection and ultimately more revenue from your writing.

Ever wanted to put your writing skills to the test?

Bestselling author Jerry Jenkins has a great, up-to-date list of free writing contests for 2021 that you can enter.

Click here to view Jerry Jenkins’ list of free writing contests.

 

Apply for Grants

Did you know that you can win prizes and earn money with writer grants?

It’s true.

Whether you’re looking for free money, a quiet getaway to write your next book, networking, or quality exposure, there are grants for you. Honestly, I wish I knew about writing grants sooner!

Many individuals and organizations offer these grants to writers in a good-will effort to amplify them or to promote a specific cause. You will find that most grants have specific requirements for these very reasons.

Here at Luster Lexicon, we’ve compiled the most up-to-date list of quality grants for writers.

Click here to view the most comprehensive list of quality grants for writers in 2021.

 

Start Freelance Writing from Home

What would the best list of ways to make money writing online be without including freelance writing?

After all, freelance writers are in high demandAs businesses and organizations continue to expand and look for new ways to reach the consumer, many of them seek written content for their websites and marketing materials.  This is where freelance writing fills a big need.

Quick Tip: You can always enhance your freelance skills with a free grammar-checking tool called Grammarly that you can get here. It makes editing so much easier. I kicked myself for going without it for so long!

How to Become a Successful Freelance Writer

You love writing, and you’re ready to start freelance writing now. So, the next big question is how do you find legit, high-paying freelance work, or get the skills you need to be a successful freelancer?

The answer is simple. Learn from the best in the business and model their success. And, if you heed this advice, you will save a lot of time and money in the long run as opposed to going into the industry alone. I just so happen to know of one of the most profitable freelance writers around. Her name is Holly Johnson.

Holly went from making $0 as a writer to now making $225,000 per year as a freelance writer.

She now writes for major publications and has been featured on Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and many more. Her passion and success in freelance writing inspired her to help others create the same kind of success. This led to the creation of her Freelance Course on Earn More Writing School.

In this course, she teaches you everything you need to achieve financial freedom through freelance writing. Before you begin, I recommend taking advantage of her free workshop! You’ll get unique tips and techniques for becoming a successful freelance writer.

Click here to take her free online workshop on Freelance Writing.

 

Websites to Find Freelance Writing Work

 

WritersWork

Writers Work is an easy all-in-one platform perfect for freelance writers new and professional.

You can earn anywhere between $20-$65 on average depending on your skill level. Any training and tools you may need are included.

Click here to start earning money doing online freelance writing with Writers Work.

Upwork

Simply put, Upwork is a website dedicated to freelancers to connect with potential clients.

Click here to view freelance opportunities on Upwork.

Fiverr

Fiver is an affordable online marketplace that lets you provide freelance services to customers.

It’s perfect for writers and entrepreneurs looking to brand themselves.

Once you sign up, start getting paid for your skills in editing, proofreading, writing, copyrighting, and more. You can choose how much you want to charge for services and even offer different prices for a lower or higher tier of service.

Click here to start freelancing on Fiverr.

Craigslist

Craigslist is a general website that lets you post classified advertisements (including writing gigs).

Click here to view Craigslist. (search by city, then jobs, and finally writing/editing/proofreading). Create an account here.

List of 100 Individual Freelance Writing Gig Opportunities

List of 100 individual websites that pay you to write in various ways in 2021.

Click here to view the list of websites that pay you to write.

Indeed

A useful website for finding writing (and other) jobs. New listings get posted daily.

Click here to view Indeed. Use parameters like “writing” “editing” etc and pair it with “freelance”.

 

Tutor Other People in the Writing Field

Looking to share your writing-related (or other) knowledge with others from home and get paid for it? Consider starting an online tutoring business.

There is no better time in history than now to start an online tutoring business.

You can also gain the flexibility of setting your own hours by taking on as many or as few clients as you want.

 

Do Work-From-Home Jobs

If you’re looking to get a good-paying job that gives you the flexibility you need to succeed as a writer, work-from-home-jobs have a lot to offer.

I speak from experience. Literally, all of my jobs during my whole writing career have been work-from-home. They enabled me to save time on commuting and getting dressed up for work. That’s valuable time that I invested back into my writing.

Listed below are great resources to find telejobs for writers and in other industries.

FlexJobs

The overall easiest, quickest, and most efficient way to find a legit work-from-home job as a writer is to use an affordable service like FlexjobsAnd, by affordable, I mean the service costs less than a large pizza!

Flexjobs fully vets companies to make sure they are legit, the job descriptions and salary provided by companies are accurate, and that they are actually hiring now. They also provide additional perks to make you stand out as an applicant such as resume review by a team of experts.

Their customer service is second-to-none and has live humans available to help you around the clock. It’s a good feeling knowing that you won’t be going into your job search for a work-from-home job alone.

Click here to find your next telejob using Flexjobs and get hired fast.

ZipRecruiter

This is a great website where new job listings get posted daily.

Click here to view ZipRecruiter. Use parameters like “writing” “editing” etc and pair it with “remote” or “work from home”.

Problogger

A useful website that contains job listings for writers that are work from home jobs or traditional jobs.

Click here to view Problogger.

Our related post: 15 Best Work From Home Jobs that Pay Good & Hire Fast.

 

Create an Online Course for Others in the Writing Community

So, you have useful writing-related skills and love helping others, why not create an online course? You can help a tremendous amount of people and establish a source of passive income.

In my experience, Teachable is the most resourceful and affordable website for creating online courses.

I love how they let market from their platform too. It’s super convenient.  You can get a course uploaded in minutes and even try it for free.

Click here to start creating a profitable online course with Teachable.

 

Write Slogans from Home or Anywhere

If you have a creative knack for creating catchy phrases and slogans, why not get paid for it?

Companies all over the world are looking for their next slogan and will even pay you $1000’s of dollars per month in residuals for a few words of awesome text. You can learn all about the process at SloganSeller.

Click here to start getting paid for making slogans with Sloganseller.

 

Create a List Post of 10 Items or More

Do you love to write out lists? Then get paid $100 to make them on Listverse.

It’s that straightforward!

Click here to learn more about getting paid to make lists on Listverse.

 

Write Articles for Websites from Home

There are a plethora of websites that will pay you to write articles.

One of my personal favorites is Hubpages.

By giving you ad revenue from your posts, Hubpages pays you to write on pretty any subject. Plus, they’ve been around since 2006 and have a great reputation. It’s free to sign up and can pay well if you put the work in.

Click here to start getting paid to write blog posts and articles with Hubpages.

 

Proofread other People’s Content

Yeah, I know proofreading isn’t exactly writing. But, as writers, all of us proofread our own work. So, why not get paid to proofread someone else’s?

And, I’m going to show you exactly what you need to do from this point.

First things first. You need to get some training under your belt to get online proofreading jobs.

Don’t worry.

Getting yourself trained up doesn’t take long at all.

Let me tell you about the go-to expert in the proofreading space, Caitlin Pyle. In one year, she earned $43,000 proofreading from home part-time. She ended up getting so good at it she decided to help others earn a part-time and even full-time income just through online proofreading alone.

Caitlin is a complete lifesaver for anyone new to online proofreading as a career. For a limited time, she is offering a free online workshop that will explain the ins and outs of proofreading and how it can be a great career choice for you.

Click here to watch her free workshop on proofreading from home.

I also want to recommend a little hack you can do to give yourself an edge in proofreading.

Start using Grammarly.

Grammarly is a free grammar checker that uses artificial intelligence to automatically look for spelling and grammatical mistakes. Adding it to your favorite web browser or word processor only takes seconds and is super simple. Click here to download Grammarly for free.

 

Become a Copywriter

If you enjoy the worlds of writing and advertising then copywriting is something you should take a look at.  

Getacopywriter.com has niceopportunities that you can apply for here.

 

Utilize Cashback Apps to Save Money Fast

Hey, sometimes the best way to make money as a writer is to save money.

With cashback apps, you can save money on both in-store and online purchases. The apps below are free to use, legit, and synergize well with each other.

Ibotta

Ibotta gives you cash back on retail purchases made in-person at stores.

Get $10 by downloading Ibotta app for free with our exclusive link.

 

Rakuten

If you shop online without using a free cashback website like Rakuten, you are throwing your money away.

To get started, all you do is sign up, browse your favorite stores through Rakuten’s online portal, and make purchases as you would normally.

Rakuten gives you up to 15% in cash back from more than 400 popular stores and brands such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and eBay to name a few. Plus, they are giving new users $10 when they spend their first $25 at any of the brands or stores. What’s not to like?

Sign up for Rakuten here and get $10 off you spend $25 or more at any of the 400+ stores

 

Earny

Automatically get cash back from your online purchases if a drop in price occurs after you bought them.

Click here to sign up and start getting automatic refunds with Earny.

Related Article: How to Save Money Fast: 52 Money-Saving Hacks that Work

Utilize Cashback Cards for Purchases

These types of cards give you cash back on spending you’d do anyway. Some even give you cash and other rewards just for signing up. Nerdwallet has a great up-to-date list of cashback cards.

Click here to view the list of cashback cards.

 

Create a Monetized Blog

Writing is your passion; otherwise, you wouldn’t be here!  Creating a monetized blog is arguably the best way to make a living writing in 2021.

And, the income you’ll make is almost entirely passive!

Blogging has completely changed my life. It’s allowed me to take control of my time and finances so I can spend my life doing what I love to do. If I knew how fulfilling it would turn out to be, I’d have started a blog years ago.

I’ve created a thorough yet simple guide to teach you how to create a profitable blog from scratch. And, I do this for free.

You will also learn exactly how I built the Luster Lexicon from the ground up as a blog that now makes me $5000+ per month after taxes (and quickly growing).

Click here to learn how to start a profitable blog from scratch

 

Sell Photos

Photography is an excellent complement to writing. You can use your own photos for your blog, books, social media and earn passive income with them.

 

Teach Others in the Writing Community

If you like helping your fellow writers with their essays, editing, grammar, and more, then tutoring is a great option for you. Here is a list of trusted places to become an online tutor:

Tutor.com

Chegg

 

Earn Cash while you take a walk break from writing

Yes, you read that right. Sweatcoin is a free app that gives you “Sweatcoins” just for walking. They are redeemable for cash or other items of your choice.

As writers, sometimes we can sometimes be a little too sedentary. Consistent exercise such as walking is one of the best ways to counteract the ill effects of that as I discuss in this post about writing momentum.

Click here to download Sweatcoin and start earning money by walking.

 

Get Paid to Stay Healthy

Wouldn’t it be great to lose that extra weight and make some money in the process?

Well, you can! HealthyWage offers you cash prizes for hitting your weight loss goals!

I know this sounds too good to be true but it isn’t. HealthyWage is financially supported by insurers, health systems and hospitals, food companies, and the government.

HealthWage sports some impressive success stories on their website. One of their most impressive success stories involved a lady named Anastasia who won $10,000 for losing just 41 pounds.

All I can say is wow.

Click here to get started with HealthyWage. *HealthyWage pairs excellently with Sweatcoin.

 

Invest your money while you write

Take the money you already have and put it to work. Investing is a great way to do this while you write your next masterpiece. It doesn’t matter if you only have spare change or a fortune to invest. There are opportunities for you listed below:

Acorns

Acorns automatically invests extra cash or your spare change from purchases into a diversified stock, bond, or real estate portfolio tailored to your personal desire.

Click here and get $5 just for starting your Acorns account by signing up through our special link.

 

LendingClub

Earn interest on the money you loan out to borrowers. Most loaners average 3-6% interest on their money loaned out.

Click here to get started on LendingClub with as little as $25.

 

Robinhood

Invest in stocks without paying any trade fees. If you sign up right now, Robinhood will give you one free share of a randomly chosen stock (potentially worth $700).

Click here to start investing with Robinhood and to get your free stock share.

 

Fundrise

Invest in real estate across the United States. Annual returns range from 8.7% to 12.4% on average. $500 minimum is required to open an account.

Click here to start investing in real estate on Fundrise.

 

Make money as a Screenwriter

Screenwriting is perfect for you if creating scenes, characters, and dialogue is your thing.

How so?

Screenwriters create what is known as a screenplay (or script) which is essentially a coherent, original document full of dialogue, character expressions, plot, and the setting. A screenplay is thus the building blocks for a film or videogame.

You can mostly expect to be pitching your screenplay to individuals and production companies that could turn it into a film.

Perhaps with some persistence and enough creativity, you could find yourself being accepted by the likes of Netflix or HBO!

 

Get Paid to Keep an App on Your Phone or Computer

Want to make some easy passive income while you complete your next writing project?

Read on.

The Nielson Panel App will pay you $50 per year just to keep an app on your phone or computer.

As an added bonus, Nielsen will automatically enter you in monthly sweepstakes where you can win $10,000!

No really. This is passive income at it’s easiest!

And, don’t worry. This is legit.

Nielsen has been around for over 90 years, and the American Marketing Association has ranked them #1 out of the top 50 market research firms. Also, If you’ve heard of the Nielsen TV Ratings, this is the same company.

They also don’t require a credit card, force you to buy products, or anything sleazy like that.

Right now they’re even offering a $5 cash bonus for signing up.

Just make sure you keep it installed for at least 30 days to claim it.

Click here to download the Nielson Panel app and start making easy passive income.

 

Join Tapas

Tapas is a kind of forum where writers can share their novels or comics. If other Tapas users like your work, they can tip you in “ink” which can be redeemed for cash.

So, Tapas is essentially a place to make money as a writer and build your reputation simultaneously. What’s not to like?

Click here to join Tapas for free and get 200 in free ink to start when you enter my invite code: GSMI663B.

 

Publish Your Book as an E-Book

If you’ve already written published print book or have a book that’s unpublished, you have nothing to lose and all to gain by publishing them as an e-book. Below are the best websites to do publish:

Amazon Kindle Publishing

Barnes&Noble Press

Kobo

 

Sell Your E-Books on Payhip

Payhip is another great website to sell your e-books or any other online merchandise you have. The best part about Payhip is that you get to keep 95% of any revenue you make from sales.

Click here to sign up with Payhip for free.

Bonus: Another great aspect about Payhip is that they let you create your own referral program for your digital downloads for free. Click here to sign up to be an affiliate for fiction books written by Gregory Venvonis and earn 55% of all sales you make!

 

Turn Your Book into an Audiobook

Have your book done?

You might as well sell more copies by making it available as an audiobook.

You can sell them on Amazon, iTunes, and Audible. As far as the narration for your book goes, You can either do this yourself, use a virtual assistant like Siri, or pay a professional.

Click here to view a handy resource on using a virtual assistant for audiobook narration.

 

Make Videos Related to Writing

Yes, you can make money writing online by making videos related to writing or any other subject matter that you like!

But to actually make money with your videos, they must be monetized. This can be done using Google Ads, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and selling products to name a few. Start uploading videos on the websites below:

YouTube

Dailymotion

Vimeo

Make money as a Ghostwriter

Ghostwriting sounds kind of spooky, but I assure you it’s not. All ghostwriting entails are the writing of novels, speeches, or other written content on behalf of someone else and getting paid for it.

Typically public figures and people who generally don’t have the time to write are the best candidates for ghostwriters.

You can make pretty good money too. Ghostwriters can be paid $50,000 or more per project, especially if you are working with a high-profile person.

Create Short Stories & Flash Fiction

Creating short stories is an excellent way to make money as a writer if you’re about writing fast.

You can submit your short stories to literary magazines, contests, and websites that are looking for new creative content.

 

Rent Out Your Extra Space

Have a spare room or property you’d like to rent out temporarily? Airbnb is currently the most trusted marketplace to use for individual rentals.

 

Rent Out Your Stuff

Did you know you could make money renting out almost anything? The way to do this is with Fat Llama.

Despite the funny name, Fat Llama is a great way to make some easy money by renting out your stuff. Instruments, electronics like a VR headset or a laptop are just a small sample of things you could be renting out.

Concerned about the idea of someone keeping your stuff?

Don’t worry.

As a lender, Fat Llama covers each item up to $30,000. I’d say that’s pretty good peace of mind.

 

Use GetAround to Rent Your Car Out While You’re Not Using It

Staying at home and writing away? Consider lending out your car while it’s not in use

A handy app called GetAround lets you rent out your car and earn substantial passive income in the process.

This is not as risky as it sounds. GetAround covers you with $1million dollars in liability insurance.

 

Refer your Friends (or Anyone) to Your Favorite Websites and Apps

Did you know that many of your favorite websites, apps, and brands will pay you to refer friends to them? This is an incredibly smart way to earn some significant money.

Want the know the Popular Apps and Websites that pay you to refer friends? I’ve compiled a mega list of them that pay CASH. One of the websites even pays $2000 per friend. Check out the list here.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How do I make money online by writing?

There are many effective ways to make money as a writer. My personal favorites are starting a profitable blog and creating e-books.

What are the best ways to make money as a writer in 2021?

That depends on what kind of writing you like to do, but generally speaking here are the best ways:

  • Blogging
  • Freelance Writing
  • E-books
  • Screenwriting 
  • Ghostwriting

Is writing dead?

No way! Please review the article above. There are more opportunities and ways to make money writing than at any other point in history!

People don’t read anymore. They only watch videos! Why should I start writing as a career?

While it is true that many people watch videos or even prefer it to print, people still read, a lot. Take into consideration just a few of these instances of readers:

  • Students in k-12 and college who read books regularly.
  • People who read on public transportation.
  • Businesses and entrepreneurs who have blogs and websites with written content.

As you can see, there are still plenty of people who read.  Reading, writing, and storytelling are a part of the human condition and aren’t going away anytime soon.

 

Hover on the image below and pin it on Pinterest for later!


About The Author

7 thoughts on “33 Best Ways to Make Money as a Writer Online in 2021”

  1. What a remarkable resource list. Thanks for putting it together. I’m going to start clicking on all the suggestions now, but wanted to say what a pleasant surprise it was to find all of this information in one spot. Thanks,

  2. Wow! This is the most comprehensive post I’ve seen on this topic. Thanks for putting in all the research. I’m going to check back for ideas, especially for freelance writing resources. Thanks!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *