Writing business ideas can start from the comfort of your home and provide you with real income. Many online platforms allow you to do this remotely and also connect you to a wide audience.
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Undoubtedly, writing is one of the most sought-after skill even by business owners. Starting from content writers to social media managers, their impact on driving traffic to the client’s business is huge.
Basically, writing is a valuable skill and it’s in high demand everywhere in the world. So, if you are passionate about writing and willing to monetise it, here are some writing business ideas you can explore.
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Hey! Did you know you could watch the video version of the writing business ideas you can start? That’s right. Simply click on the ‘play’ button below to get started.
Writing Business Ideas To Start
Copywriting
Copywriting is one of the most profitable writing business ideas. It is an art of writing for advertising or marketing purposes. Copywriting involves creating sales copy with the aim of increasing brand awareness and persuading the target market to take action.
Copywriters create text for advertisements, press releases, promotional messages, and marketing brochures. Also, they create for billboards, magazines, social media posts, catalogs, jingle lyrics, Tv and radio commercials, and other marketing communications. Their writings revolve around creativity and the ability to see from the readers’ perspective and trigger them to act.
As a copywriter, the more experience you have, the more the income grows. It’s expected that the years of experience will come with more knowledge of how things work.
So, If you are able to showcase your writing samples and market yourself well enough, you can make it big as a copywriter. More so, you can start the copywriting business as a freelancer or work within a brick and mortar branding, marketing, or advertising company.
Proofreading And Editing
Proofreading is a common writing business idea that centers on having an eye for details. It involves spotting errors like grammatical blunders, spelling, and punctuation. It involves restructuring, improving readability, and ensuring the whole content is 100% fit for the purpose for which it is written.
Proofreading services can be tailored to students, businesses, academics, or other creative writers. You can specialise in editing dissertations, essays, research proposals, articles, books, presentation, advertising and manuscripts.
Proofreading and editing skills are also part of the business ideas that turns manuscript into an error-free book. If you have a flair for reading, writing, with good error-spotting skills, you can begin the business.
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Translation Business
Translation business is also one of the profitable writing business ideas. It is a business for those with proficiency in two or more different languages. It involves transcribing verbal communication into readable text or translating a document into another language.
Translators ensure the meaning and context of the initial communication is not changed, and maintain a level of confidentiality with clients. This way, they can serve a variety of clients in different industries. Translators usually have extensive knowledge of another language and become more credible through certification programs.
So, if you are proficient in speaking and writing more than one language, starting a translator agency might be a good option if you are passionate about writing.
Social Media Manager
These days, social media managers are high in-demand by businesses that wish to build a formidable online presence. With technology and the internet, social media has become one of the ways that entrepreneurs create awareness and communicate directly to customers. So they look out for professionals who can deploy visuals and text that spur customers to action.
Social media managers represent a company and serve as a voice. They write short and concise copy to engage the online audience, respond to comments and queries. They do a lot of research to find out what should go online at a particular time. So, they can drive real and organic traffic to their client’s websites and stores.
If this business area interests you, the following skills are essential; copywriting, graphic design, analytical skills, and communication skills. Also, ensure to have a full understanding of how content works on the social web and the audience of each channel.
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Business Writing
Business writing is one of the profitable and viable writing business ideas to start. It is in high demand especially by entrepreneurs who are in need of financial support and grant. They need a professional business plan to achieve it.
Business writing includes all that has to do with business such as writing a business plan, business ideas, business promotion, opportunities, etc.
Business writing is for those who can do strategic thinking to help entrepreneurs set-up and grow their businesses.
Song And Screenwriting
If you are gifted with songwriting skills, this is the perfect business idea for you. It is a profitable business area that can bring you to limelight soon enough. It involves creating your own music and adding melodies. The song can be sung by you or sold to musicians, and publishers. Depending on the terms, you may be given credit for your work.
However, you must take some time to understand the process of protecting your written songs. For instance, you must know what it takes for another person to use or perform your songs in an event, movie broadcast, or even distribute it. This way, you can have a substantial source of income especially if the song becomes a hit.
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Content Writing
Content writing can be all-encompassing for all forms of writings. It the process of writing web content for digital marketing purposes. It can include writing for blog posts, videos, podcasts, or some special content for niche platforms. These can include; travel writing, medical writing, etc.
Content writers are usually internet-savvy individuals, and they create articles and other forms of written web materials. They are usually knowledgeable about a particular field and can present information from a professional point of view.
There is an unlimited opportunity for content writers. So, if you have a flair for writing, registering on some freelancing sites like Fiverr, Freelancer, Upwork, etc might bring you more income.
Journalism
Journalism is one of the oldest writing business ideas anywhere in the world. It involves writing for newspapers, magazines, news websites, or online media networks. It requires getting information on events and current happenings and transform them into news stories, press releases, etc.
Under journalism, news writers can work with a particular media channel or set up their own blog site. They provide information to their audience based on prominence, proximity, human interest, relevance, etc.
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Blogging
Starting a blog is one of the easiest writing business ideas anyone can do. Although starting can be very easy, it requires a lot of effort to become an authority and grow your audience. As long as you know how to drive traffic to your site, your age, degree or location does not matter.
A blog is a regularly updated website where specific content is frequently published. It can be presented in a formal, informal, or conversational style. The main aim revolves around attracting readers, and as time goes on, grow to generate revenue from advert placement.
Starting a blog requires a writing skill and a little technical skill. It involves writing and uploading the content that your online audience are looking to read. For effectiveness, it is important you choose a niche and grow to become an authority in that field. More so, a business can use blogging to market their service offering.
Some of the platforms you can use to create your blog include WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Jimdo, etc.
Resume Writing
This is a writing business idea where you assist job seekers to create a resume that communicates their skills to employers. People who write resume interview candidates and ask for information that relates to their work experience, skills, and educational background. Then, construct the resume in a way that positively attracts the attention of hiring managers.
Resume writing is one of the lucrative business areas with steady income since there are thousands of people looking for a job and are willing to present themselves as the best fit.
As a resume writer, some of the services you will offer include; curriculum vitae, standard cover letter or thank you letters. The business can be majorly online and you can write from scratch or edit already written CVs.
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Academic Writing
This is a formal writing business idea that requires educational certification. It is mostly done by degree holders who have a background in which they want to write on. Here, the writing must be totally objective, based on facts and figures.
Academic writing often requires you to abide by a set of rules and do away with anything informal such as jargon, abbreviations, slangs, or unethical illustrations except the book centers on it.
It is a business mostly done by people in the academic field and can involve doing research work with a team. Projects can last for a long period of time.
Technical Writing
This is a writing business that involves communicating technical information about a particular subject to another person. It requires giving an explanation, instruction, and direction of a product.
It is a unique style of writing employed in virtually all fields like medicine, electronics, engineering, technology, computer, robotics, etc.
As a technical writer, you will create illustrations through text and visuals in a way the audience can understand. They write manuals and how-to-guides in the clearest and most effective manner.
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Screenwriting
Screenwriting is one of the writing business ideas that also involves creativity. It is about writing stories for the film industry and coming up with ideas that form a script. The script can be original stories freshly written or adapted from previously written stories.
Screenwriters write stories that interest film directors, producers, or film investors. Based on the choice, they may also finance the film, star, or direct the film with the help of a team. It is a profitable business area that requires a high level of imaginative creativity.
Ebook Business
This involves writing books and publishing them electronically. It is a viable business, and your audience can buy and download online. An ebook can be just about anything. It can be a motivational book, do-it-yourself, romance, fiction, science, guide, manuals, religion, or academics.
You can self-publish and handle everything yourself including marketing and selling. You need to start by writing the book, register on e-commerce sites like Amazon or other platforms that allow you to sell your book like Okadabooks.
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Ghostwriting
This form of writing involves creating published content but not being credited for the work. Instead, the client takes full ownership of the written content.
Ghostwriting can be about writing books, speech, blog posts, email newsletters, or any kind of content. The Ghostwriter delivers the work and gets paid one-off.
Author A Book
This is one of the writing business ideas that require a high level of creativity. It is different from normal journalistic, technical, business, or academic writing. Authoring a book involves creating content to inspire readers. It can be stories, poems, novels, or other kinds of books.
Now that you understand the different types of writing business ideas that exist, which one do you want to start? To make the process seamless, I have put together step by step plans on how to start.
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Step By Step Plan On How To Start Writing Business Ideas
There is more to starting a business than having a business idea and skill. The following steps will ensure that the business is well planned out, properly registered, and successfully operated.
Step 1: Plan The Business
A business plan is a road map essential to the success of every business. It is the best way to highlight important steps and how long it will take to break even. A business plan usually outline the goals, the startup and running cost, target market, market strategy, pricing, etc.
In writing a plan for any of the writing business ideas, decide on the niche, the specific market, and your value proposition. Also, create an organisational structure, promotional strategies, how you intend to carry out the services whether online, offline, or both.
Step 2: Register The Business Name
Choosing the right name in a writing business is important. The kind of service you offer should be easily depicted from your business name. As soon as you have name options, check if it is still available for use and secure it immediately. Thereafter, begin with the registration process proper.
The Corporate Affairs Commission is the right agency in charge of business registration in Nigeria. You can log on to the website and follow the guidelines, or approach firms like ReDahlia. ReDahlia is a stop center for every entrepreneur. They can help you register with CAC and provide you with legal advice.
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Step 3: Choose Location And Set Up
Writing business can start from the comfort of your room and be done remotely. However, if you wish to operate from a brick-and-mortar location, the cost of opening one is minimal compared to other businesses. To set up to taste, rent a space, invest in office furniture, good lighting, computer with high-speed internet service, telephone, coloured, black and white printer, etc.
In the case of research, you can also create a section for the library where you have reference materials that you can source information from should the need arise.
Depending on what you do, your library should have dictionaries (all languages), grammar books, encyclopedia, reference materials, etc. Also, you can install professional applications and software like Grammarly, plagiarism checker, word processor, etc.
However, you can also rent a space in a co-working space and pay a token to use the facilities in the work environment. This will reduce the financial burden that comes with setting up an office.
Step 4: Build A Team
Building a team is an important part of the business. If you are looking to work as a freelancer, you do not need one. But if you want to start as a business, there is a need to hire staff and build a team. This way, you can diversify and everyone can focus on achieving the overall goal of the organisation.
Besides, you can become a member of professional writing organisations to stay abreast of new developments in the industry. From there, you can build a network with other writers and get valuable resources and opportunities.
Step 5: Fix A Price
It is important to have a fixed price for the basic services you offer. This is because writing business profit from the type, length, complexity of the document, and number hours it will take to carry out a task. So, if you factor in all these, you will know how best to charge.
To price your services competitively, you can do research on what other experts in your field are charging. Most importantly, ensure your charges can cover your running cost including rent, utilities, salaries, insurance, etc.
More so, you can consider employing the service of a legal professional. You can have your clients sign a service agreement to protect your self and minimise risk.
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Step 6: Promote The Business
There are several ways to promote a writing business. The first step is to build a professional website, social media pages, and maintain a strong online presence. This will allow your customers to learn about your company and the services you offer. It will provide a sense of direction and allow customers to easily locate you.
A professional website will be the back bone and support all your digital marketing efforts. It should be optimized for search engines like google and bing. Also, your website should have helpful content and easy to navigate. In addition, it should include testimonials and logo of your clients in order to boost your brand.
Similarly, ensure to add your business to local and international business directories. Since a writing business is not limited to a specific geographic area, your profile can interest people both at home and abroad.
Other ways to promote the business include;
- Word of mouth advertising
- Offer discount
- Ask for referrals
- Showcasing your work samples
- Google ads, etc.
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Important Tips For Success In Writing Business
For writing, there are some tips that can increase your chances of surviving in the business. I have highlighted some of the important tips to use.
First, have time management skills. Being able to meet deadlines with tasks will help you build a lasting relationship with clients. Then, ensure that you treat your clients’ information with the utmost confidentiality and respect.
Secondly, there are several online writing courses that you can take to enhance your writing skill. Aside from improving your writing capability, getting relevant certifications will go a long way in establishing you as an authority in your given field.
Also, there are several writers out there. To stand out, you must be able to convince your clients that you are the best for the job. You should build interpersonal communication skills that will enhance your negotiation when bidding for contracts.
Lastly, if you are operating within a writing niche, it is recommended that you network with other experts in the industry. For instance, if you are a copywriter, build a network with translators and pass on the job that requires their expertise. Along the line, they will be willing to return the favor and can bring you copywriting jobs. But, it is important to be sure of their expertise in the area before entrusting them with your clients.
Conclusion
The more you write, the more versatile you become. The more businesses you can work with, the more you become an authority in the business. Attaining the position of an expert is not a day’s job, it requires constant effort and putting up your A-game.
As you set up your business, remember that you need visibility for your brand. Contact Entrepreneurs.ng to create visibility for your business and put you on the world map.
Are you thinking of starting any of the writing business ideas? Or are you currently freelancing with writing platforms? We will like to read your thoughts in the comments. Also, share with your friends if you find this useful.
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