7 Writing Side Hustles That Pay My Rent As A Complete Beginner

I never thought I’d say this, but writing actually pays my rent now.

Trust me, I’m no Shakespeare — just someone who discovered these seven writing jobs that don’t need fancy degrees or years of experience.

Remember that time I bought those bright yellow running shoes that looked amazing online but felt like concrete blocks?

Well, now I get paid to write honest product reviews so others don’t make my mistakes.

What you’ll do:

• Try products (sometimes they’re free!)

• Write about what you liked and didn’t like

• Take simple photos of the products

• Share your real experience

Where to start:

• Trustpilot (lets you build credibility first)

• Capterra (for software reviews)

• ProductTube (they send you products to review)

Pro tip: Companies love reviews that mention specific details. Instead of “great shoes,” write “These shoes helped me run 2 miles without any blisters.”

My cat’s Instagram has more followers than mine, but that didn’t stop me from making money writing social media posts for small businesses.

What to write:

• Instagram captions

• Facebook posts

• Twitter/X threads

• LinkedIn updates

Best places to find work:

• Upwork (search “social media writer”)

• Facebook groups for small business owners

• Local business networking groups

Rookie mistake I made: Trying to sound too professional. Social media needs a personal touch. Write like you’re talking to a friend.

You know those emails you get from your favorite stores?

Someone gets paid to write those! And it could be you.

Types of emails needed:

• Welcome messages

• Sale announcements

• Weekly updates

• Thank you notes

Where to find clients:

• Fiverr (start with small projects)

• Indeed.com (search “email copywriter”)

• Small business Facebook groups

My secret source: I keep a swipe file of emails that made me click or buy something. Great for inspiration!

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“But I’m not an expert!” Neither was I.

You just need to be good at research and explaining things simply.

Popular blog topics:

• How-to guides

• Product comparisons

• Personal experiences

• Beginner tips

Places to start:

• ProBlogger job board

• Contently

• Medium Partner Program

True story: My first paid blog post was about house plants. I killed three succulents while researching it, but the client loved the honest advice!

I’ve had the most success on Medium lately — my views grew surprisingly fast using a specific posting strategy. I made a FREE Medium Growth Checklist of what worked for me if you’re interested in trying the platform.

Small businesses need words for their websites.

You’d be amazed how many people hate writing their “About” page.

What you’ll write:

• Homepage content

• About pages

• Service descriptions

• Contact pages

Finding clients:

• Reach out to local businesses

• Join Chamber of Commerce meetings

• Check website builder forums

My biggest win: A local bakery paid me in both cash and cookies for their website content. Win-win!

Online stores need someone to make their products sound good.

Even better — you usually get to write lots of them at once.

Types of descriptions:

• Clothing items

• Home goods

• Tech gadgets

• Food products

Where to look:

• Amazon Seller forums

• Etsy seller groups

• Shopify job board

Fun fact: I once wrote 100 descriptions for dog toys. My vocabulary for “durable” and “squeaky” grew impressively that week.

Local news websites and magazines often need writers.

The competition is usually lower than national publications too.

What they want:

• Local event coverage

• Business spotlights

• Community news

• Restaurant reviews

How to start:

• Check your local newspaper’s website

• Search for local lifestyle magazines

• Contact community newsletters

Real talk: My first article about a local food truck festival got three facts wrong. The editor still hired me again because I met the deadline and captured the fun atmosphere.

Starting pay isn’t huge, but it adds up:

• First month: $200–500

• Third month: $800–1,500

• Sixth month: $2,000–3,000

These numbers are from my experience. Yours might be different, but the point is — start small and grow.

1. Keep everything you write. Even rejected pieces can become samples.

2. Join writing groups on Facebook. The job leads are golden.

3. Make friends with other writers. They pass on work they’re too busy for.

4. Use Grammarly’s free version. It catches embarrassing mistakes.

5. Always ask for feedback. It helps you improve faster.

I spilled coffee on my laptop twice, missed some deadlines, and wrote some truly awful first drafts.

But guess what? My rent gets paid, and I actually enjoy what I do.

Remember: Everyone starts somewhere. Usually somewhere wobbly and uncertain. But if I can do this, you definitely can too.