Which Writing Types Have Given Me Earning?

As we know, writing can be of various types.

We are mostly writers here, and many of us have explored different types of writing.

Writing for self-expression, catharsis, and community building is fine, but we need to pay bills. The cost of living is shooting through the roof. We need to earn.

People like me, with childcare responsibilities, can’t afford to sit 9–5 in an onsite job. Even strict remote jobs are not feasible for me. For me, flexible writing with earning opportunities is the best.

So, I was taking stock of what types of writing I have done and if they have helped me earn. Which other types of writing can I branch out into to improve my earnings?

Let's see, my writing journey.

Science writing

My writing started 15 years back as academic writing. I published science research papers, review articles, and book chapters. Most of them didn’t give me anything. Sometimes, a chapter earned me $100 or so. But once, I landed a pretty decent $1,300 compensation for writing a whole book.

Occasionally, I get some earnings ($100-$500) for writing review reports on books or grant proposals. This is also a form of science writing.

Blogging

I have been blogging since 2011.

On Blogger, I wrote for eight years. I have above 1,400 articles, but I earned less than $100.

In Medium, I have about 3,000 articles. My earning here have crossed $5,000. It could have been much more, but six months back, Medium turned hostile to most writers and started giving cents.

Join my Medium, if you are there:

Anyway, I like that blogging gives so much freedom, compared to science writing. I don’t have to put myself in a mold. It’s a highly satisfying form of writing. Much like creativity.

Amazon KDP

I have 10 books on Amazon KDP. They belong to different genres. I have managed to sell some books, but they are very few compared to the effort I’ve put in.

Check my author link below:

Vocal Media

I’ve been on Vocal Media for three months. As you know, it’s difficult to earn here. The 'Top Stories' are a boost, but rare to come by.

So, basically, that’s the writing types I have gotten money from.

Substack

Oh yes, I’m on Substack too. I have close to 200 subscribers. But I haven’t earned a penny there. I have no clue, if I will ever earn from it. But I’m going with the flow.

Below is my profile:

Future Plans

I am eyeing:

- Creative writing

- Children’s book writing

- Ghostwriting

I am still clueless about how to go about these plans, but I hope that, just like I started on Medium and derived success, the path will open once I start.

“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” – Rumi

I am well aware that earning by writing is not an easy game. I got scammed on Upwork. Constant Content took an application fee and rejected me. I explored Gumroad but it could not convince me.

Writers are losing credibility and being treated as redundant in the artificial intelligence era. It's unfortunate. I hope this situation will not be hostile to genuine writers, who are determined to share human stories to inspire.

Despite the hurdles, exploring, eliminating what does not work and persisting on what seems promising, is the way to go, I guess.

Share your writing experience. What else worked for you?