Considering today’s world of boundless digital information, it is getting harder and harder to produce engaging content for people to read.

However, the demand for quality written content has still increased due to more people consuming a higher amount of content online.

That said, how can you make writing a viable side income for yourself? Read on to learn more.

Build your writing portfolio

Portfolios are the only way for potential employers to know if you can cut it as a writer. If you don’t have one, start small by posting your own content on social media.

You can post on any topic, ranging from personal hobbies to more complicated ones such as finance. From there, get constructive feedback on your work from family and friends in order to improve your writing.

Besides social media, you can also consider starting a personal blog that allows public readership. What’s more, this will allow you to write regularly while showcasing your writing prowess across a wide range of topics.

Don’t forget to tag your articles, as this will help your work gain more eyeballs from potential employers.

Expect a bumpy start

No one gets it right the first time – this is the prevailing mantra that has turned good writers into excellent wordsmiths. After all, good writing stems from repeated practice and drafting.

Putting too much pressure on yourself to get it right the first time can lead to the dreaded writer’s block. Instead, keep writing and see where it leads you.

Set yourself with the right expectations, that it’s okay to be imperfect. This will help reduce unnecessary pressure on yourself before you even begin writing.

Sharpen your storytelling skills

Storytelling is the ability to convey points in a coherent and engaging manner. If you simply state the facts without connecting them together in a proper narrative, then you will lose the attention of your readers. Think of what keeps you engaged when you are part of an audience.

Whether you are reading books or watching a movie, chances are the facts, while important, are less engaging than the pace, depth, and flow of the story.

While you can learn a lot about storytelling from reading and watching, you can still consider an academic approach through free storytelling courses on eDX, Udemy, Coursera, or Skillshare.

Of course, your new storytelling skills are of no use if you do not apply them frequently in your practice, so keep producing new and improved content.

Use technology

Don’t be discouraged if you think your language skills are not superb. There are ways to get around it.

There are many language-checking software out there such as Grammarly, Ginger, Hemmingway, LanguageTool, and even Google Docs Grammar Checker, all of which can help enhance your writing skills.

However, free and paid language apps or softwares have their pros and cons. For one, free language apps will only help you correct minor mistakes, while paid apps will typically suggest extensive grammar and language improvements to sentences.

Keep it simple

If your readers fail to understand your words, then you are not doing a good job as a writer. This is why it is important to know the focus of your writing and your target audience.

While it is important to use appropriate jargon to fit the industry you are catering for, as a writer, you must strive to keep everything else simple and easy to understand. This way, your content will be more attractive and engaging.

For example: “The price-earnings ratio is too high so the equity is deemed overvalued which could affect its long term financial performance” can be accurately yet neatly simplified to: “The company is expensive to buy so its performance could be bad in the long run”.

As most freelance or part-time writing gigs are based online, most of your readers will have shorter attention spans. As such, learn how to deliver your points in shorter chunks, rather than lengthy and fluffed up paragraphs.

Promote yourself

If you are not visible to potential employers, then they won’t notice your capabilities as a writer. To a greater extent, if you don’t provide a good impression in the first place, the same problem persists too.

As mentioned above, you need to create a reputable writing portfolio and also craft a marketing strategy well-suited to yourself.

The best way is to advertise yourself with a professional-looking CV and writing portfolio on freelancer websites and groups. You can try websites such as Upwork, freelancer.com, and even Jobstreet. Furthermore, you can join freelancer groups on social media sites such as Facebook.

Do include testimonials from your previous clients or employers into your CV as well. And it goes without saying, that you should pick only your best work to be included in your writing portfolio.

This article first appeared in MyPF. Follow MyPF to simplify and grow your personal finances on Facebook and Instagram.