The internet is a great place to find creative writing jobs. Unlike in the past, writers can now have a much easier time working freelance, and can use job sites to connect with potential clients all over the world.

However, getting started in creative writing can be a daunting task if you’re faced with hundreds of sites, and you haven’t quite figured out what your niche is yet. If you feel you’re in this position, then this article is for you.

It covers what’s meant by creative writing jobs, the areas available, and some of the best sites for finding work. The list of sites given here definitely isn’t exhaustive, but should be enough to get you started in the industry.

What is creative writing?

It’s probably fair to assume that if you’re looking for work in the field of creative writing, then you probably already know what it is. However, plenty of people have different definitions, most of which are likely based on their experiences at school.

So what do we mean by creative writing? Technically, any writing is creative. If you have to engage your brain to think of words and put them on a page then congratulations, you’ve done some creative writing! Creative writing jobs, therefore, are basically any job that pays you to write.

Most people probably only think of creative writing as covering fiction work, such as novels, stories, and poetry, as this is the label they’re usually given at school level. However, as those who have gone further with their writing education will know, creative writing is just about anything you can think of.

Types of creative writing

As mentioned above, creative writing jobs cover just about anything you can think of, but are largely grouped into the categories of fiction and non-fiction. There are plenty of creative writing topics out there, so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find a niche that works well for you. Here are some of the main areas of creative writing you can expect to find work in:

Fiction

Novel: A novel is classed as a fictional creative writing piece over 50,000 words. Realistically, you might not find much work out there where people pay you to write the novel you want, as that’s what publishers are for. However, some sites allow you to connect with clients who want a novel written based on their ideas.

Short stories: This is a more common one for online creative writing jobs. Short stories are generally under 3,000 words, but everyone has different ideas of how long a short story could be. Again, you’re likely to find people wanting short stories based on their ideas, but you can also find work writing children’s fiction within this category.

Ghost-writing: One of the most common creative writing jobs you’ll find online is ghost-writing, and this is probably what most fiction work will come under. There are plenty of people out there with great ideas who don’t feel their writing ability is up to scratch. But that’s where you come in!

Non-fiction

Speech writing: This creative writing topic is pretty self-explanatory: you write speeches for people. Speech writing requires certain talents, and therefore isn’t for everyone. However, if you think you can write a good speech, then this can be a well paying area of creative writing. Plus, you’ve got much more potential for getting your words out there!

Blog writing: Many business owners are expected to run a blog to help improve website traffic, but most don’t have the time to produce blog posts. While it might not be one of the best paying areas of creative writing work, it’s one of the most widely available.

Ad content: Ever wondered who comes up with advert copy? Well, it could be you! Again, this isn’t a particularly well paying area, mainly because you won’t be writing that much copy for each job, but there’s plenty of it! Clients might expect you to come up with catchy slogans, so make sure you’re ready for that.

Editing and proofreading: If you’ve got an eye for detail, then this will be one of the best creative writing topics for you. Simply read through other people’s work and correct all mistakes before it’s published. Easy, right?

How can creative writers make money?

Making money in creative writing isn’t always the easiest. After all, it’s quite a competitive market, and the majority of sites don’t ask for formal qualifications (such as a literature degree). While you might have talent in creative writing and not hold a degree, the bigger problem is that a lot of people don’t have either.

The first thing you should do is log onto a few creative writing websites and do some research. How much are people charging, and for what? What are your skills in creative writing? Is there much competition in your field? If so, can you switch onto something a bit less competitive to give yourself an advantage?

Figure out these questions before you start, and then build a profile based on your skills. Much will be based on your reputation, which you’ll likely have to build from scratch. Therefore, make sure you deliver quality creative writing work every time, and give clients a reason to come back. In the early days, these people will be your best friends.

Best Websites to find creative writing work

Conclusion

Finding creative writing jobs isn’t impossible, but you do need to stick with it. It’s quite a competitive field, and it’ll take time for you to build your reputation. Do some research about which sites will be best for you, and try to cover several different creative writing topics. This should help you to find your niche and get established in the marketplace. Whatever happens though, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t pick up straight away!