I'm an engineer by training – but my career has taken me a slightly different path.
I began writing just 2 years ago and now I make the entirety of my living off of the words that my hands type. It isn't just about being a good writer, it's about being a good marketer.
My first opportunities getting paid to write were because I marketed myself. I worked as hard as I could, not necessarily producing the best content, but producing good content. You see, when I first started writing I didn't know what "good" writing was, or even what it meant.
When people read, they form opinions based on how they're feeling that day, past life experiences. We come into everything we read with opinions already formed. Sure, there is objectively beautiful writing, but the true skill is making people want your writing no matter the quality.
If you want to write for a living, the path isn't just through writing a book. For many, spending six months of your life writing one single thing that might not even make money isn't feasible. Start small. Reach out to bloggers and ask to write. Market yourself as someone who is willing to do what it takes to make your content desirable. You may not get paid at first, and that's okay.
I didn't get paid for the first 3 months of my writing career. In a year, I was making more money that I could've dreamed. It's all about marketing yourself as a professional, as someone who knows how to write.
We all have varying writing skills from our past upbringing, and simply by writing more, we can refine our work and develop our own style. If you are just starting out or seeking a way to make your writing more profitable, do these things.
1. Market yourself, not your writing. People care more about your work ethic and appeared ability than they do about the actual text.
2. Focus in on a subject that you know. I am a trained engineer, so I have made a career writing about things that pertain to this discipline. If you aren't good at any subject, at least pick one you like.
3. Realize that writing is a creative task and it doesn't always result in compensation. You can be a professional writer without getting paid. If you write long enough and well enough, as well as market yourself proficiently, eventually you will be paid. Understand that writing is just like art, most artists don't make tons of money right away, but the ones that can market their works and stick it out eventually find success.
Following these three tips won't necessarily make you a professional writer, but they will give you the thoughts necessary to start on that path. These are the methodologies I have kept as I continue through my writing career, and they have served me well.
QUESTIONS?: I've been working and networking in the writing industry (outside of books) for the last 2 years. Feel free to ask me any questions below, I'd be happy to respond!