Side Gigs for Writers, Editors, and Graphic Designers

Side Gigs for Writers, Editors, and Graphic Designers
Side Gigs for Writers, Editors, and Graphic Designers

You don’t need to have a degree in journalism to be a strong writer or editor; nor do you necessarily need a degree in the arts to be an awesome graphic designer. As long as you have the skills (and maybe a portfolio), there are a lot of things you can do, online and off, to earn some decent cash.

  • Proofreading – Marketing agencies, bloggers, website developers, budding authors, and people all over the web are looking for people to proofread their work. Sites like Upwork, Freelancer.com, Guru, and LocalSolo are great places to get started with this or any of the following writing and graphic design gigs.
  • Ghostwriting – You’d be surprised at how much online content is not written by the person whose name is on it. Ghostwriting can be incredibly lucrative, especially if you can get a person or brand’s voice down. Some tasks even pay more because it’s ghostwritten rather than using the original author’s name.
  • Resume Writing or Editing –  It takes true talent to create a resume that really pops. If you have that skill, you stand to make a lot of money helping people who are simply uncomfortable writing about themselves.
  • College Admission Essay Editing – Been there, done that? Know what it takes to make a college admissions essay shine? Offer your services as an editor (ahem – not as a writer).
  • Kindle Publishing / Self-Publishing – Have a great idea for a piece of fiction or nonfiction? You don’t need to find a big publisher to sell your creations. List your book for sale on Amazon, via the Kindle Direct Publishing program. The more you publish, the more you’ll earn.
  • Erotic Fiction – Are you comfortable with romance and erotic fiction? Erotica writers who have the time to create regular works and build up a following are among the best paid Kindle publishers.
  • Write Greeting Cards – Greeting cards don’t write themselves. A lot of popular and well-known greeting card companies seek regular submissions. Check out companies like Hallmark, American Greetings, and Shade Tree Greetings to get started.
  • Graphic Design – Do you have an eye for design or business branding? Can you put together great graphics for websites and online content? Are formal marketing layouts your area of expertise? You can make quite a bit as a freelance graphic designer. Sites like 99designs, Crowdspring, and Designcrowd are great places to get started.
  • Niche Blogging – Have a strong interest in a certain niche? Health, beauty, crafts, fitness, cooking — or something else? Start your own niche blog. Focus on creating good content and a following and then monetize it with Google Ads or, eventually, sponsorships and influencer promotions.

~Here’s to Your Financial Health!