Examples of Writing Business Ideas Are you an experienced writer? Would you rather work for yourself doing what you love? You can start one of these writing business ideas.
By Nicole Crampton •
You're reading Entrepreneur South Africa, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
You can start your writing business from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a solid internet connection. However, there are tips and tricks to ensuring your writing business remains profitable, here are 10 examples of writing business ideas you can use to launch the best possible version of your writing business:
1. Fiverr: Writing and Translation
Fiverr is a freelancing platform that enables writers and translators from around the world to offer their services and complete projects for people. Before you join and set-up your profile you should see what other writers are offering, how they've worded their skills and who you'll be competing against:
Business Name: Fiverr
Website: https://www.fiverr.com/categories/writing-translation
Established Date: 2010
About the business:
Fiverr's writing and translation section covers every possible writing project from article to cover letters and product descriptions. How the business works is writers will submit what they can do and how much they're charging for it, then customers will select who they feel will do the job the best.
Innovative business offering
Fiverr allows the writer to charge however much you want for a particular skill or task. The writer can also determine, which projects they'll take on. If the writer has more than one skill set they can also expand their offering using the other categories of Fiverr.
2. Copywriter
Are you a copywriter? Do you create text for numerous projects such as advertisements, marketing brochures, press releases, tv and radio commercials, and catalogues? You could strike out on your own and become a freelance copy writer, here is an example of someone who has done just that:
Related: 20 Innovative Business Ideas Doing Well Overseas (That Could Make You Money In SA)
Business Name: Colin Corcoran
Website: https://independentcopywriter.com/
Established Date: 2014
About the business:
Colin Corcoran is ranked Number 1 in the United States by Lürzer's Archive Magazine. He's won multiple awards for campaigns and adverts across numerous mediums. He's also worked for multiple well-known international brands.
Innovative business offering
The more versatile you are as a writer the more jobs you can take on, the more businesses you can work with and the more creative agencies will contact you with a project.
Colin Corcoran does everything from print to radio, to social media and covers numerous industries giving him an edge over his competition.
3. Freelance Travel Writer
If you love to travel and you're a good writer, you can earn money travelling to interesting places. Before you quit your job and hop on a plane, first see how this travel writer has turned travelling into a career:
Business Name: Expert Vagabond
Website: https://expertvagabond.com/
Established Date: 2010
About the business:
Matthew Karsten is a full-time adventure travel blogger who has been exploring the world for the last 9 years. He runs a travel blog where he shares entertaining stories, budget travel tips, fun videos, inspiring photography and crazy adventures from around the world.
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He's been featured on National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Travel Channel, New York Times and Go Pro.
Innovative business offering
Since Matthew Karsten is travelling around the world anyway, he also takes and sells professional travel photographs. This ensures he has two income streams that keep him afloat as he tours around the world.
4. Proof-reader
Are you good at spotting errors in large amounts of writing from various sources? You could offer your proofreading services to everyone from students to businesses.
Before you start your business ensure you know what your competition is doing, here is an example of a successful proofreading business and what they're offering:
Business Name: The Write Words
Website:https://www.thewritewords.co.za/
About the business:
The Write Words offers proofreading services to academics, students, businesses and creative writers. They specialise in dissertations, theses, essays and research proposals, but also cover newspaper and magazine articles, advertising and manuscripts.
Innovative business offering
Consider that to be a good proof-reader you'll have the same or similar experience in other areas of writing and editing. The Write Words also offers copy-editing, formatting, referencing and writing service to their customers.
5. Social Media Manager
Social media has become the new way for businesses to communicate directly with customers, which means they need to get it right. If you have experience in social media marketing this could be the writing business idea for you.
Related: Examples of Social Media Business Ideas
Before you launch your business, you should research your market and see what other businesses are offering, here is an example of a social media marketing business:
Business Name: Lyfe Marketing
Website: https://www.lyfemarketing.com/
Established Date: 2011
About the business:
Lyfe Marketing excels in Facebook Marketing, Instagram Marketing, and Google Marketing services. Since their launch they have managed over 2000 social media marketing campaigns. They optimise social media channels to satisfy their clients' marketing objectives.
Innovative business offering
Lyfe Marketing also convert social media advertising investments into more leads and sales for their customers. They focus on driving real, organic traffic to their client's websites and store fronts.
6. Start a Blog
A blog offers reads of very specific content and it can be presented in an informal way. If you can attract enough people to your blog, you can monetise it and earn a revenue from adverts every month.
Related: 10 Business Ideas Ready To Launch!
Before you get writing, see what this writing business did to ensure their success:
Business Name: You Baby and I
Website: https://www.youbabyandi.com/
Established Date: 2013
About the business:
Shan Vijendranath launched You Baby and I when she had her first child and needed support from other moms about what to buy and which brands to avoid. She created a tribe of mom's who trusted each other's opinions.
In 2016, the blog was named Africa's most influential parenting blog and recently won Best Parenting Blog in South Africa. She has also collaborated with international brands like Mattel, Disney, LG, Volvo, Samsung and Unilever.
Innovative business offering
From her blog Shan Vijendranath realised there was a gap in the baby industry market and decided to launch Momsays, which she created to help small businesses and empower people with a focus on mompreneurs.
7. Business Plan Writer
Every business needs a business plan, but not every entrepreneur can write one for their business, that is where a business plan writer comes in. You can offer your strategic thinking to help entrepreneurs set-up their business plans. Here is a writing business you can learn from:
Business Name: iAuditor Business Consulting
Website: http://iauditor.co.za/
Established Date: 2008
About the business:
iAuditor focuses on developing world-class business plans. This assists start-ups in raising funding and growth capital, as well as SME's in analysing and improving their operational, economic, marketing and branding strategies.
Related: How Yoco Raised R300 Million in VC Funding
Innovative business offering
The business has also expanded to include business management consulting, financial projections, demographical studies. They have assisted with over 11 000 clients from 14 countries, developed over 6100 business plans and raised over R37 billion in funding.
8. Amazon Self-published Books
Whether you're a fiction or non-fiction writer, you can publish your books through Amazon's Self-Publishing platform and earn a living off your work. Before you get started learn from others who have successfully navigated the self-publishing platform, for example:
Business Name: Andy Weir
Website: http://www.andyweirauthor.com/books
Established Date: 2011
About the business:
Andy Weir is a computer programmer who decided tried to launch his book. He initially began posting free chapters on his personal website. He later put a 99c version on Kindle. By 2013 the book became so popular that Crown Publishing offered to buy it for $100 000.
Innovative business offering
To ensure the authenticity of his novel, Andy Weir conducted extensive research into orbital mechanics, conditions on Mars, the history of manned spaceflight and botany. The novel went on to make it to #12 on The New York Times bestseller list and it was made into a film in 2015.
Not every novel will be lucky enough to achieve critical acclaim and financial success. There is more information about this writing business idea here.
9. Freelance SEO writer
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has become the new strategy to drive traffic to an article and a website. Businesses are using SEO specialists to increase the traffic to their site and increasing their revenue and sales leads.
Related: 25 Of The Most Successful Business Ideas In South Africa
Business Name: Laura Pennington
Website: http://sixfigurewritingsecrets.com/
Established Date: 2012
About the business:
Laura Pennington went from public school teacher, to part-time freelancer to full-time freelancer in a year. Just a few years of hustling and honing her niche enabled her to reach $20 000 a month. To help her market herself Laura Pennington used Upwork to advertise her services.
Innovative business offering
Once Upwork found out about her success story she was featured on the homepage for three years. During this time other freelancers began emailing her and asking for help, which led to her secondary business, online courses teaching others how to make their freelance business a success.
10. Writing Workshop Teacher
There are so many writing business ideas and even more people looking to improve their writing skills through courses or workshops.
You'll need to already have significant experience in writing in order to offer workshops to customers, but once you do you can start this writing business idea. Here is an example of a seasoned writer who did just that:
Business Name: The Writing Room
Website: http://www.thewritingroom.co.za/
Established Date: 2005
Related:
About the business:
Sarah Bullen offers guidance through her mentorship courses and practical assistance in her international writing retreats and residencies to help others improve their writing and get their novels published.
Innovative business offering
They offer writing tips on their website for those looking for some free practical guidance. The Writing Room also offers "pitch to publisher' courses, write a book in 100 days course and manuscript appraisal courses.
With so many writing opportunities there are many people who want to learn how to write or improve their writing abilities.
How to start this business idea
You'll need to have experience in this area before offering a writing workshop. You can advertise your workshop at bookshops and on writing forums.
How to keep this business idea successful
This business idea doesn't lend itself to repeat customers, unless you continuously offer something new that your previous class also wants to learn. A strategy could be to offer beginner, intermediate and advanced classes to retain clients.
Related: The Ultimate 101 List Of SA Business Ideas To Get You Started
