Writing for a living can be extremely rewarding. If you’re a good writer and someone pays you to do it, it doesn’t get much better than that… unless you’re a great basketball player, and the NBA showers millions of dollars on you to stuff a ball through a hoop… that’s actually probably better than writing for a living. But I digress.
Some writing jobs, however, can be a bit tedious. I hear this from technical writers whose jobs allow for no creativity whatsoever. Whether it’s the nature of the content or government regulations, some writers simply can’t venture outside the norm of their profession and create more engaging content.
So what are writers, who want to flex their creative literary muscles, to do? Luckily, the internet has given us a bevy (yes, I said ‘bevy’) of options for those who want to create different or more engaging content. Here are a few ideas for writers who want to scratch that creative itch.
Freelance
If you’re not bogged down with other commitments, freelance writing opens up a wide world of opportunities. Sites like UpWork.com give writers the chance to produce content for clients from all over the world. It’s not always creative writing, but it does offer you the opportunity to widen your portfolio. The only downside is that you have global competition, and if you’re looking to land a client purely from an experience standpoint, you should probably try to undercut the bids of the other writers, at least at first.
Start a Blog
One of the best things I ever did that kept me vigilant about writing regularly on diverse topics was to start a blog. Nowadays, it’s incredibly easy to create one, even if the goal isn’t to eventually build a business. If you want to just put out your perspective to the world, a blog is a must-have.
The best part is, your blog can be on any topic, not necessarily communication or writing. It’s just a way to get you writing on a regular basis on anything that interests you. However, if you’re looking to attract employers with a expansive portfolio, I would avoid doing a political or other controversial type of blog. It should either be an industry-related website, or one in which the subject matter is relatively benign.
Join A Creative Writing Meetup
Meetup.com is a wonderful way for people who share interests to connect and meet face-to-face to offer encouragement and insights to other like-minded individuals. When you go on to the site, just type in a search for creative writing and several groups will pop up that you can join and meet other writers who aspire to your same goals. Being a part of a group of peers helps motivate us to become better at what we do. So find others in your community who share your desire to write creatively.
The Meetups can be working meetings. You can create exercises and assignments in which members can partake and have others review at the next meeting. You can critique each other’s work and offer perspectives and advice for improvement. If you need a reason to write regularly, meetups will keep you focused and give you a purpose to create new content.
If a Meetup group you’re looking for doesn’t currently exist, create one yourself.
Write Online Content for Local Businesses
It’s pretty much a must for small businesses. to have an online presence Almost all of them have a website, even if it’s not exactly functional. It gives potential customers a place to go to learn about the business, where it is, what it sells, etc.
If you start doing a search for small businesses in your area, you’re bound to find a few that have websites that could use a boost in the content department. Contact the owners and offer to run a blog for them, revamp their About pages, or create their social media posts. If you volunteer to produce their content for free, there are probably not many businesses who will refuse your proposal. Best of all, you’ll build your portfolio and probably get some nice professional recommendations.
These are some of the ways I’ve expanded my writing experience, and hopefully they can provide new avenues for you. Are there any other ways I might have missed that have worked well for you? Let us know in the Comment section below!
