9 ways to make money writing stories for businesses

This skill will improve everything you write [The Writer’ s Life]( September 14, 2023 "Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell." – Seth Godin Hi {NAME}, At 13, Chuck Warren dreamed of being a writer. "I bought a notebook and wrote, 'Chuck Warren, author' on the cover," he recalls. "Then I spent the next 40 years doing everything but." Instead, he built a career he loved as a boat engineer and captain, until health concerns forced him to cut back to part-time and change course. "I wanted something I would enjoy doing, be able to do on a boat, and on my own terms, and live the life I wanted,'" he says. "And so I thought, 'Well, writing will mesh into that.'" Now a successful freelance writer, Chuck has a message to share with aspiring writers: [Social media post with quote from freelance writer about his path to success] Today, he writes marketing materials and his byline consistently appears on magazine articles — he's a published author! As Chuck said, you can do this too. Writing articles is a great foot in the door with new clients. And you can set yourself apart as a copywriter when you use unique and spellbinding stories to make your articles more engaging. Using stories in your copy also makes it more memorable and more engrossing. It's been proven many times that stories are a way to capture your reader's attention and keep it throughout your message. Plus, using stories in your copy is also a GREAT way to make money as a writer … Today, AWAI Success Jen Phillips April is here with a list of nine in-demand writing projects (including articles) you can get started with. Companies are looking for help NOW with the projects Jen details … And you could be the one to help them! Now, if you've yet to launch your writing business, I want you to [go here and check this out](. We'll get you up and running as a professional writer in just 5 DAYS, so you can start seizing the opportunity. I know it sounds a bit crazy … But this is our most popular and successful launch system ever. [See for yourself here.]( But do it now, this is your last chance! To your success, Rebecca Matter President AWAI LAST CHANCE: Become a Professional Writer by NEXT Friday! Our proven system speeds you past any roadblocks and gets you up and running as a writer … With the confidence, skills, and polish to take on your first clients and get paid … In just five days … GUARANTEED! [Click Here by Midnight Tonight]( 9 Ways to Make Money Writing Stories for Businesses By Jen Phillips April [Stories matter typed on white paper on typewriter] In 2003, my stepdad saw an opportunity to sell via the internet. He even inspired me to pursue a career that would become my freelance writing business. It's hard to believe now, but few shopped via the internet back then. Many didn't even have a home computer! And the now ubiquitous iPhone was still five years away. However, he recognized the potential of the internet as an easy way to reach a target audience. Despite having no background in golfing, he hired a golf pro and a videographer and went to golf courses to shoot videos on improving your golf swing. He hired someone to build him a simple website and put in a 1-800 number. Home for a visit, I remember him spending evenings after dinner laughing and chatting on his headpiece as he explained the video contents to his new customers. They'd give him their credit card number, and in the mornings, he'd package up the video orders and take them to the post office. It was kind of amazing. I distinctly remember him telling me, "If I can do this, so can you." That lodged itself in my head and would pop into my mind every few months, like when I was … … stuck in a traffic snarl on my way to work … … bored at my job … … disappointed in my paycheck. "If I can do this, so can you." So I started poking around on the internet. I discovered the craft of copywriting. The idea of using words to create stories that connect with buyers … I was hooked. I loved stories. Everyone does. Humans are hardwired for stories. Science shows that our brains release feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin when we hear stories. They're also memorable. When Stanford University Professor Chip Heath asked his students to give a one-minute presentation, every student but one shared a bunch of facts and figures. The one shared a story. Then 10 minutes later, the professor asked them to recall the presentations. The only one they remembered was the story. Whether you're a natural-born storyteller or it's a skill you want to hone, you can learn how to weave stories into your writing projects. Storytelling is one of the most compelling elements of marketing you can learn. Imagine the stories you can share in these nine writing project examples. Pick one, start learning and earning! 1. Sales Letters When you know the secret structure of a direct-response sales letter, you set yourself up for up-front fees and royalties. There are countless opportunities for writers who can craft sales letters that follow the proven formula. Winning sales letters contain key elements: a Big Idea, attention-grabbing headline and lead, irresistible offer, definitive proof, and a close with a motivating call-to-action. An engaging story will hook your readers and keep them reading throughout your message. Find out more about persuasive copywriting here: [The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter](. 2. Articles Good articles attract and engage readers because they build a connection, answer questions, and guide readers toward the sale. Smart marketers understand the benefits of engaging and persuasive articles and are willing to pay professional rates for your skills. Article fees can range anywhere from $250-$800 apiece. Find out more about writing articles here: [The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter](. 3. Blog Writing Blogs are a potential customer acquisition channel. An active blog builds rapport and attracts target customers through SEO-friendly content targeting their desired readership. Blogs with engaging stories will keep readers coming back post after post. And since no business only publishes one blog post, it's an opportunity for you as a writer to create consistent value for them while creating recurring income for yourself. Every industry uses blogs so you can find potential clients everywhere. Plus writing blogs pays well, too. Blogs can range anywhere from $250-$800 apiece. You can also offer your services to set up a monthly calendar for a company, which can add $500-$800 per calendar. All-in, you're looking at $1,500 per month minimum for four pieces. That's not bad for part-time work. Find out more here: [How to Write Blogs for Yourself and Clients: A Step-by-Step Guide to Blogging Success](. 4. Emails Like blog posts, no one sends only one email. A business might send a series of welcome or onboarding emails. Businesses send emails to new customers; they send emails to customers they haven't heard from in a while to reengage them; they send emails to educate, announce, and share achievements. Craft an email around an interesting story and you can hook your readers for your entire message. Thanks to the variety of in-demand email types, you can reach a six-figure income by writing emails for a few clients. Emails pay well, too. An autoresponder series might command $100-$1,000 per email. Promotional emails could net $250-$2,000 each. You can find plenty of well-paying work with only a handful of clients. Learn more here: [How to Write High Impact Emails](. 5. Email Newsletters Email newsletters tend to be "meatier" than emails. Many businesses use them to build relationships and keep customers and prospects coming back. While many industries use email newsletters, professional service providers like dentists and accountants often send email newsletters to their clients. As an email newsletter writer, you can share interesting content (often in the 1,200-1,500-word range). These newsletters may go out weekly or monthly, but once you start, people expect them, so it's a nice way to build a source of recurring income. Email newsletter fees are typically $800-$2,000 per issue, depending on the length. Find out more here: [How to Write Engaging E-Newsletters: Earn Ongoing Income by Turning Casual Prospects into Devoted Customers]( or [How to Earn Top-Level Fees Writing for the $5.4 Trillion Professional Services Market](. 6. Money-Making Websites Sharing your stories on a topical, information website is a terrific way to build an asset for yourself. You write, share stories, and keep readers coming back for more. Virtually any topic is a possibility. Put your own spin on tea, dog treats, or any other topic you love to talk about, and join the AWAI members making money online writing about topics they love. One AWAI member built a site about tomatoes, and it generated enough revenue to pay her kids' college living expenses! Find out more here: [How to Build, Write, and Grow Your Own Money-Making Websites](. 7. E-books You can be a six-figure author by writing and publishing your own e-books. E-books don't have to be long either. In fact, you can follow a proven system and start publishing within a few weeks. Once published, e-books can keep earning for you for years to come. Learn more here: [Bob Bly's Ultimate Guide to E-Book Writing Success](. 8. Case Studies Case studies (sometimes called success stories) are engaging short stories when well-told. Case studies typically share a "before" and "after" story to showcase how a business solved a perplexing problem. For example, Business A wants to solve a challenge, so they buy Company B's solution, and wow, the transformation is incredible. They're fun to write, and at around 800-1,200 words, they are on the shorter side. Plus, because they fit so well into the "before" and "after" structure, they don't take long to write. Only 5-8 hours once you have the interviews. But you can charge $1,250-$2,000 because they're important to the company, bringing your hourly rate to $200 or $300 an hour. Find out more here: Writing Case Studies: [How to Make a Great Living By Helping Clients Tell Their Stories](. 9. Video Scripts Finally, we get to video. According to the Content Marketing Institute, video is the "It" content format in 2023. "80% of people prefer video over written text, and 88% of consumers have purchased products and services after watching a marketing video." Video isn't going anywhere. As a writer, your video contribution can come in word form. Storytelling skills can have a big impact on how popular your videos are. Video scripts create the video's story, so the final product is interesting to watch. Videos come in many forms: explainer videos, how-tos, and even testimonials. But the script shapes the shots. Scripts command high fees, too. A long-form Video Sales Letter is a minimum of $5,000. For short online videos (1-5 minutes) in any category, you'll write about 150 words per minute of video and earn $200-$500 per minute. Video script writing projects are short, fun, and creative. And once you get the hang of these, you can pump them out quickly. Learn more here: [How to Write Video Scripts](. There you have it — nine options you can use to earn a great living telling stories for businesses. Plus, there is cause marketing, health copywriting, speech writing, and more. When your stories connect with the reader, you keep them coming back for more, and they turn into customers. Storytelling is a skill every writer needs … regardless of the types of projects you choose to write or niche you choose to specialize in. Choose one of these storytelling formats and start earning with stories today! If you're not up and running yet as a professional writer, I want to help you launch once and for all … so you can start making great money as a writer taking on story-based assignments. [>> Go here and see how you can be up and running by next Friday.]( It's a whole lot of fun and GUARANTEED to work. What's Hot at AWAI … 🔥 [LAST CHANCE: Officially launch your paid writing business in 5 days, right here!]( 💰 ["Talent and opportunity" launched this once jobless writer into a new career.]( 👉 Have you missed any of our Monday Morning Jumpstarts? [Watch them all here!]( 👀 [The #1 Writing Superpower (And How to Tap Into it Starting Today).]( 😄 [Understanding the copywriting opportunity.]( 🤩 [Boat captain navigates rough waters; finds copywriting success.]( How was the Party? Here's what these attendees had to say … [Three social media posts with positive feedback about AWAI's Launch Party] Congratulations Bob, Allyson, and Josetta! So excited that [spending five days with our team]( gave you the momentum and insights you need — keep going! Can't wait to hear what happens for you next … Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! Free Training on How to Make Money as a Copyeditor
 [AWAI Free Training on How to Make Money as a Copyeditor]Copyeditors enjoy the same benefits as copywriters — like very good pay, a flexible schedule, and loyal clients. Learn how to achieve those very same things in a low-stress role that's in huge demand. Tune in on Friday, September 15, at 12 p.m. ET [
Access the Training Here]( TODAY! Get all this for $1 … [PWA Product Spread] The Professional Writers' Alliance (PWA) takes the stress out of running your writing business. With ready-to-use business forms, templates, and checklists … VIP job board access … networking opportunities … and a mountain of tips, tactics, and "been there, done that" advice from working freelance writers … You'll minimize the "unbillable" hours you spend working on your business and maximize your time writing — and getting paid. [Claim Your $1 Access Here]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — WunderLand Group Contractor, San Bruno, CA Leverage brand voice, editorial style guide, and clients brand identities to build an engaging experience for a diverse array of customers. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — Plein Air Agency Full-time, Dallas, TX We're looking for a creative copywriter who can find ideas that engage and delight customers, especially in social media. --------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Content Creator/Copywriter — EF Education First Full-time, London, UK You are a creative brand storyteller and skilled copywriter with a passion for words, the ability to connect with customers through their writing, an eye for detail and design, and experience writing from a brief for online and offline channels. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2023 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Institute 220 George Bush Blvd, Suite D Delray Beach, FL 33444 Ensure your subscription delivery. AWAI Whitelisting info available [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this newsletter as {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe from any future issues of The Writer's Life, please click here: [Unsubscribe from The Writer's Life](. To unsubscribe from all AWAI broadcasts click here. [I want to permanently unsubscribe from all AWAI emails](.