As writers, we tend to carve out a niche for ourselves and stick to writing what we know best. We get comfortable writing in our genre. It fits us much like a pair of old pajamas. Even if the money isn’t coming in like we’d hoped, we don’t want to take those flannel pants off, because then we’d have to find something else to wear that might not be as soft or warm. But if the royalties are sputtering, full-time writers can’t just throw their hands up in the air helplessly. The better angle is deciding it’s time to get proactive and take some of those old eggs out of the basket.

As writers, we have skills and talents that can be put to use beyond the pages of a book. Most of those ways are lucrative. Maybe not Jay Z-lucrative, but they’ll keep the wolf away from the door. Let’s study some of the ways to boost your income before you return to the grind of a 9-5 job.

Articles. Articles. Articles

I can’t emphasize this one enough. Writing nonfiction is different, but your talent can be shaped into bites of 600-1,000 words that will pay considerably well. The markets are endless. Just check out www.fundsforwriters.com and www.freelancewriting.com to see for yourself.

Teaching

Not everyone can teach, but if you have a knack for imparting knowledge, you’ve got a different egg for your basket. Places like Women on Writing and Savvy Authors are always on the lookout for writing-related courses and instructors to teach them. There are even courses you can take to learn how to teach a course.

Freebie Contests

There are a plethora of writing contests that don’t require an entry fee, and they offer a decent payout amount if you win. The Write Life will get you started with a decent-sized list of these contests, and again, there’s always FundsforWriters again. Definitely shoot for the smaller contests as your chances of winning increase slightly. Also, follow other authors on Twitter, as some will offer short writing contests that are easy to enter and just as easy to win.

Personal Essays

Oftentimes, these can be crafted much like journal entries, and the monetary compensation is worth the investment of time. Write to Heal has a decent-sized list of places just looking for your unique take on a subject close to home for you.

Critiquing

If you’ve written any number of books, you have knowledge that beginning writers will want. You can help those writers and your wallet by offering critiques either through your own website or through a gig-related platform like Fiverr.com. Or both. You’ll want to learn how to write a critique before you start offering this, but the knowledge is one Google search away.

Proofreading 

This one will only work if you’re really good at grammar and attention to detail. If you still struggle with your versus you’re, you’ll want to skip this one. Otherwise, this is another potential avenue of income, and Money Tamer gives you a list places looking for online proofreaders.

This, of course, isn’t an exhaustive list as that would be too exhausting to write and probably impossible to complete. But it does give you a place to start when you’re thinking about how you’re going to pay your subscription to Microsoft Office when your latest royalty check is in the single digits.

If your royalties are dismal at present, consider using your talents in other creative ways. It might take some time away from that manuscript, but your creative self will adjust. You’ll squeeze in the time you need to continue your story, and you’ll be happier with more money in the bank. Unless you decide that one or more of these new angles suit you more!

BIO: As well as being a published author of fiction, Rachel Carrington is also a nonfiction writer and has written for the New York Times, Startrek.com, The Writer, and many others. She is also the site expert for Red Shirts Always Die and a contributor to Culturess. You can visit her on the web at www.rachelcarrington.com and on Instagram @rcarrington2004.