Most writers have had or still work a full-time career. In our working years, we acquired knowledge for that job, and whether we retire or segue into full-time writing, we often think that information isn’t relevant any longer in our lives, but it is. Said experience could be beneficial for future writing income, especially when it comes to blogging.

As a paralegal for over thirty years, I left the job still in possession of that experience, so I decided to use it to write blog posts for attorneys and legal blogs. One of my current clients is my former boss.
Get started by making a list of potential topics you’d be comfortable writing about. Draft a few posts about those topics. Become accustomed to writing general information about the information your job required, not about the job itself. I don’t write about what it’s like to be a paralegal. Instead, I write posts like how the legal system on television differs from real life or what you can expect when hiring an attorney.

One of the best ways to use your knowledge is to solve problems or answer questions. If you’ve been in retail service, you could easily write a blog post like “5 Ways to Tell a Customer No and Still Have a Happy Customer.” This way, you’re not providing a deluge of information that you’ve amassed over twenty or thirty years. Thinking solution-based topic will help, but there are other avenues to consider as well.

Consider the unique aspects of your job, the things that people on the outside will probably never see yet might be interested in. I’ve written about what really happens at a murder trial, the view from inside a judge’s chamber, and what happens when you cross the line in court. You could write about people you’ve met on the job, especially celebrities or politicians, the events you’ve seen, where you’ve gone, especially if your job involved travel, and even the unpleasant experiences you had to endure. If it has to do with your job, then it’s fodder for the blog.

Once you’ve amassed a few drafts of firm topics, turn to Google for research. Keep the search terms tight; otherwise, you’ll receive a broad spectrum of blogs that might not fit what you know. For example, if you’ve been in landscape maintenance, search for “gardening blogs that accept guest posts.” My search came up with a list of 85 blogs that accept guest posts on this topic. You can refine the search for any industry, although you may have to switch up the terms to make sure you’re in your target area.

Just FYI: Today I Found Out is a site that publishes unique information that isn’t easily found on the web. It would be a perfect fit if your job entailed something unusual like wrangling snakes.

With your list of blogs gathered, weed out the ones that only accept articles in exchange for exposure (unless they have a huge following), polish your pitch or your post, and get started. It’s wise to collect several published blog posts under your belt before approaching your former or current employer. You must be able to show them that you can present knowledge in an easily understood, readable manner that’s beneficial to the public. You’ll be showing your boss that you can help and collect customers with these blog posts.

Even if you don’t want to write for your former boss, you have plenty of other options. Why let all that knowledge go to waste when it can provide an extra boost of income?

BIO – Rachel Carrington is a full-time freelance writer and published author. You can find her work at The New York Times, Startrek.com, The Writer, and more. Visit her on the web at www.rachelcarrington.com.