Ah Amy I can give my own honest answer if it’s helpful? I make my proper money from screenwriting (hardly any from writing books, there’s no chance I could subsist on books as much as I love writing them). Because I have that other outlet I was able to set a (really good and unusual) word rate of 60p a word, and was able to turn down anyone who offered less. And now that’s just my rate. To be fair, hardly anyone will pay it which is why you hardly ever see me do any journalism. But if you see my name in print, they paid it. Making a living just from journalism at $250 an article? I don’t see how it’s possible…wishing you the very best and this was a great essay!
Thanks so much Emma, it means a lot and is really helpful. Yes it's really hard to get anything high like 60p a word in the UK it seems. I actually turned down some work recently for the first time because it's exhausting working for 35p and you not only feel exploited but then too burnout to do other work that you want to do. It's easier in Oz and the US to get higher rates I think but even then they still need to go up. I get that the people selling these courses are saying do content writing because it's higher paying, but then even if I did I still don't think I'd be making a killing (not that it matters). Can't wait for your next book!
This article actually makes me feel good. With writers talking about six-figure incomes (and by the way, I don’t know a single one either), I often think: What am I missing here? I’ve been writing for 15 years, and I’m still not rich—not even close.
I agree with everything you’ve said here because I’ve been there. Actually, I am there.
I worked as a journalist in Croatia for over 10 years, and even though I was employed in a newsroom rather than freelancing, I was paid peanuts. Beyond the money, I was deeply frustrated with the kind of content we had to produce just to keep the news website running.
Today, I can live decently from my writing, but that’s only because I have a steady job in PR. Even with my freelancing, it’s unfortunately still far from six figures....
Thanks for reading, Nina. Maybe it's just me, but I think that the only way to freelance now is to have a part-time job actually. I also see myself doing more PR work in the future (keeping it completely separate from journalism of course) which is also fine because I also like getting worthwhile organisations media coverage. And I know others also doing this. Have a great Christmas and an even better 2025.
I don't think it's that making decent money from writing is impossible - sure, newspaper writing pays poorly, but there are a tonne of specialist publications and PR/content outlets that pay well - but that a lot of writers I know don't want to diverge from the serious writing they love to do. And I also know a lot of writers who are incredible at their craft but terrible business people - and it's really difficult to negotiate a good rate, or land well-paying clients unless you decide to approach it like a business.
As for why people coach if writing is so lucrative - personally for me, the reason I do both now is because I love writing but I also know so many writers struggling with the business side of freelancing. The feedback from the people I've coached is it's been really useful. Also, just because I can do something doesn't mean I want to. For instance, I could earn a lot of money writing for the pharma industry and could skip coaching altogeher, but I don't want to work for pharma and would rather coach freelancers who're interested in it (ethically of course, no intention of being a snake oil merchant here).
LinkedIn is full of freelance copywriters saying their market is really slow right now (AI, but also the economy) so I just think these courses are prepping people for a market that doesn't exist to any significant degree.
Man, I’m under no illusion whatsoever that this is anything but a money losing enterprise. I have a few paid subscribers, but I figure it works out to maybe $2 an hour over the course of a year. I mostly do this because I enjoy it and I need to stay sane as a stay at home dad. If my wife didn’t have steady well paying work, I could not and would not do this, mostly because I like eating and having a roof.
I can’t speak to the journalism aspect, but as I was trying to make a living online in the past few years, I did find myself knee deep in the online coaching world… as I was the “target audience” of many a business coach.
As I read your piece here, I could not help but think of all that I learned about marketing through those experiences. It’s frankly quite gross, and everything that you are talking about is the end result of that.
One of the main points is that you must have a tangible “mouth watering” outcome that stirs the emotions of your audience. It has to be precise and specific- hence the “six figure income” that you see everywhere. It’s a tangible outcome that people can measure and deeply desire. Of course they are now moving into “seven figure income” now because six has become too normal, and you must stand out 🙄
It is also really commonplace to be told that you need to not get attached to your client’s results. Whether or not they can reach what you promised is basically not your problem. You just show them the way and it’s up to them. And I mean, yes, there is truth to this, but I feel like people end up irresponsibly promising wild stuff just to emotionally move people.
It’s really all about the hype. “How can you speak to people’s pain points?? Make them feel that only you can give them the solution to their problem!!! Stir the problem and then give the answer only you have.” 🤮
And yes, there is this weird pyramid scheme feeling to it all. At least to me there was. The biggest thing was business coaches teaching marketing to coaches for them to become business coaches. My focus was on emotional self-awareness sort of stuff, but I had coaches tell me I should focus on helping people make money because that was how I would make more money. 😵💫 it’s bonkers.
There is one woman I used to follow- a business/marketing coach- whose marketing I see now and wonder what the hell is going on. It feels like things are just getting more and more ridiculous as she tries to stand out. And it seems like everyone just loses themselves in this sort of cheap selling psychology… and yet everyone eats it up.
Anyway, I think my comment must be a mile long now, lol, so let me stop myself from rambling on and on about how crazy this nonsense has become. I really could go on and on.
Ah Amy I can give my own honest answer if it’s helpful? I make my proper money from screenwriting (hardly any from writing books, there’s no chance I could subsist on books as much as I love writing them). Because I have that other outlet I was able to set a (really good and unusual) word rate of 60p a word, and was able to turn down anyone who offered less. And now that’s just my rate. To be fair, hardly anyone will pay it which is why you hardly ever see me do any journalism. But if you see my name in print, they paid it. Making a living just from journalism at $250 an article? I don’t see how it’s possible…wishing you the very best and this was a great essay!
Thanks so much Emma, it means a lot and is really helpful. Yes it's really hard to get anything high like 60p a word in the UK it seems. I actually turned down some work recently for the first time because it's exhausting working for 35p and you not only feel exploited but then too burnout to do other work that you want to do. It's easier in Oz and the US to get higher rates I think but even then they still need to go up. I get that the people selling these courses are saying do content writing because it's higher paying, but then even if I did I still don't think I'd be making a killing (not that it matters). Can't wait for your next book!
Great piece. My only complaint is that you gave a lot of benefit of the doubt to the snake oil salespeople.
Thanks for reading and the comment. Merry Christmas and all the best for 2025!
This article actually makes me feel good. With writers talking about six-figure incomes (and by the way, I don’t know a single one either), I often think: What am I missing here? I’ve been writing for 15 years, and I’m still not rich—not even close.
I agree with everything you’ve said here because I’ve been there. Actually, I am there.
I worked as a journalist in Croatia for over 10 years, and even though I was employed in a newsroom rather than freelancing, I was paid peanuts. Beyond the money, I was deeply frustrated with the kind of content we had to produce just to keep the news website running.
Today, I can live decently from my writing, but that’s only because I have a steady job in PR. Even with my freelancing, it’s unfortunately still far from six figures....
Thanks for reading, Nina. Maybe it's just me, but I think that the only way to freelance now is to have a part-time job actually. I also see myself doing more PR work in the future (keeping it completely separate from journalism of course) which is also fine because I also like getting worthwhile organisations media coverage. And I know others also doing this. Have a great Christmas and an even better 2025.
Thanks! Happy holidays 🧡
I don't think it's that making decent money from writing is impossible - sure, newspaper writing pays poorly, but there are a tonne of specialist publications and PR/content outlets that pay well - but that a lot of writers I know don't want to diverge from the serious writing they love to do. And I also know a lot of writers who are incredible at their craft but terrible business people - and it's really difficult to negotiate a good rate, or land well-paying clients unless you decide to approach it like a business.
As for why people coach if writing is so lucrative - personally for me, the reason I do both now is because I love writing but I also know so many writers struggling with the business side of freelancing. The feedback from the people I've coached is it's been really useful. Also, just because I can do something doesn't mean I want to. For instance, I could earn a lot of money writing for the pharma industry and could skip coaching altogeher, but I don't want to work for pharma and would rather coach freelancers who're interested in it (ethically of course, no intention of being a snake oil merchant here).
LinkedIn is full of freelance copywriters saying their market is really slow right now (AI, but also the economy) so I just think these courses are prepping people for a market that doesn't exist to any significant degree.
Thanks Emma for reading and the comment. Yes I really feel for copywriters too. It seems like they even have it worse than us with work disappearing.
Man, I’m under no illusion whatsoever that this is anything but a money losing enterprise. I have a few paid subscribers, but I figure it works out to maybe $2 an hour over the course of a year. I mostly do this because I enjoy it and I need to stay sane as a stay at home dad. If my wife didn’t have steady well paying work, I could not and would not do this, mostly because I like eating and having a roof.
I can’t speak to the journalism aspect, but as I was trying to make a living online in the past few years, I did find myself knee deep in the online coaching world… as I was the “target audience” of many a business coach.
As I read your piece here, I could not help but think of all that I learned about marketing through those experiences. It’s frankly quite gross, and everything that you are talking about is the end result of that.
One of the main points is that you must have a tangible “mouth watering” outcome that stirs the emotions of your audience. It has to be precise and specific- hence the “six figure income” that you see everywhere. It’s a tangible outcome that people can measure and deeply desire. Of course they are now moving into “seven figure income” now because six has become too normal, and you must stand out 🙄
It is also really commonplace to be told that you need to not get attached to your client’s results. Whether or not they can reach what you promised is basically not your problem. You just show them the way and it’s up to them. And I mean, yes, there is truth to this, but I feel like people end up irresponsibly promising wild stuff just to emotionally move people.
It’s really all about the hype. “How can you speak to people’s pain points?? Make them feel that only you can give them the solution to their problem!!! Stir the problem and then give the answer only you have.” 🤮
And yes, there is this weird pyramid scheme feeling to it all. At least to me there was. The biggest thing was business coaches teaching marketing to coaches for them to become business coaches. My focus was on emotional self-awareness sort of stuff, but I had coaches tell me I should focus on helping people make money because that was how I would make more money. 😵💫 it’s bonkers.
There is one woman I used to follow- a business/marketing coach- whose marketing I see now and wonder what the hell is going on. It feels like things are just getting more and more ridiculous as she tries to stand out. And it seems like everyone just loses themselves in this sort of cheap selling psychology… and yet everyone eats it up.
Anyway, I think my comment must be a mile long now, lol, so let me stop myself from rambling on and on about how crazy this nonsense has become. I really could go on and on.