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I make my full-time income from writing. Blog posts, emails, digital courses. Everything runs from my laptop and I’ve never had to build some massive social media following or become an internet personality to make it work.

For the longest time I thought making money from writing meant I had to be visible constantly. Millions of followers, perfect reels, a personal brand built around my face.

The whole influencer thing.

Turns out there’s a completely different path, and I’m going to show you exactly how it works. ⬇️

The Ways You Can Actually Make Money Writing

When people say “make money writing” they usually think freelance writing or copywriting for clients. That’s one way, but it’s not the only way and it’s not my favorite.

There are much better options if you want freedom and don’t want to trade hours for dollars forever.

Blogging With Affiliate Links and Ads

This is one way people make money writing. You write blog posts that rank on Google or get found on Pinterest, and include affiliate links throughout those posts.

I have affiliate links here and there on my blog posts and they do get clicks. It’s not my main income source but it’s a nice bonus that happens passively. Some bloggers make this their primary income strategy, especially if they write a lot of product reviews or recommendation posts.

The beauty of affiliate income is that one blog post can keep earning for years as long as people keep finding it in search.

Selling Digital Products

This is where most of my income comes from. I write blog posts and emails that bring people to my email list, build trust through weekly diary entries, then sell a digital course or workshop.

The products solve specific problems my audience has – how to start a profitable blog, how to build an email list, how to create your own soft digital empire. I know what they need because I read their replies and pay attention to what questions keep coming up.

Digital products scale in a way client work never can. You create it once and sell it repeatedly. No income ceiling based on your available hours. 🎉

Paid Newsletter Subscriptions

You can also make money by charging for a paid newsletter tier. You write free newsletters to build an audience, then offer a paid subscription with bonus content for people who want more.

I actually had a paid newsletter for a while but decided to close it to keep my workflow sustainable. Most of my income comes from courses anyway.

For some writers though, paid subscriptions are their main income source. It works especially well if you write about very specific topics people are willing to pay for ongoing access to.

The model is simple – consistent free content builds trust, paid tier is there for people who want deeper access to your work.

Your Own Email List and Offers

This is the foundation everything else builds on. Your email list is how you actually make money from your writing long-term.

You write blog posts that bring people to your email list, then you send them weekly emails where they get to know you. When you have something to sell – a course, a guide, a paid newsletter tier – you offer it to people who already trust you.

I spent few months sending free weekly emails before I ever asked anyone to buy anything. That time wasn’t wasted though. It built the foundation that makes selling feel natural now instead of gross.

Your email list is the only audience you actually own. Instagram could ban you tomorrow but your email list can’t be taken away.

I use Kit for my email list, and when I had my paid newsletter, I ran that through Kit as well. You can get started here.

Why Writing Beats Video for Making Money

I tried the video content route. I really did. I posted reels, I showed up on camera, I tried to look natural while also being valuable and entertaining.

It was exhausting and I was terrible at it. 😆

But more than that, video content just doesn’t build the same kind of trust that writing does. When people read your writing week after week, they start to feel like they actually know you. They see how you think, what you value, what you struggle with.

That depth is harder to achieve in 30-second reels where you’re performing for the algorithm.

Writing also compounds in a way video doesn’t. A blog post I wrote 6 months ago still brings me email subscribers every week. A reel I posted 6 months ago is completely dead.

And the practical side matters too.

I can write from anywhere – a cafe with messy hair, a train between cities, my couch at 2am when I can’t sleep. I never have to worry about lighting or backgrounds or whether I look presentable enough to film.

Writing gives you actual freedom, video ties you to performing.

What Actually Has to Happen First

You can’t just start a blog today and make money tomorrow. Anyone telling you that is lying.

Here’s what actually has to happen before the income starts.

You need a blog that gets traffic. That means writing posts about topics people are actually searching for and making sure those posts can be found on Pinterest or Google. This takes months and I’m being honest with you because I wish someone had been honest with me.

You need an email list because traffic is great but traffic doesn’t pay your bills. Your email list does. So you need a way to convert blog readers into email subscribers – a simple signup form, a clear invitation, something that makes people want to hear from you regularly.

You need to build trust through consistent emails. This is the part most people skip and then wonder why their launch flopped. You can’t just collect email addresses and immediately ask people to buy from you. You have to show up consistently with real writing that helps them or connects with them or makes them feel less alone.

Then you need something to sell that actually helps people. A course, a guide, a template, something that solves a real problem they have and are willing to pay to fix.

All of this takes time. For me it was months of blogging before I saw real traffic, months of sending emails before my list felt big enough to launch anything, a full year before my first product.

I’m not telling you this to discourage you. I’m telling you so you know what you’re signing up for and don’t quit in month 3 when you’re not rich yet.

The Honest Timeline

Most people see traffic from Pinterest or Google around the 3-6 month mark if they’re posting consistently and using good keywords. Before that it feels like you’re writing into the void.

Growing an email list to a size where launching a product makes sense takes another few months. You need at least a few hundred people on your list before a launch will generate meaningful income.

Some people say you can launch to a tiny list and yes technically you can, but the reality is most small lists don’t convert well because the trust isn’t there yet.

Then you need time to actually create your product. A course or guide that’s genuinely helpful takes weeks to put together properly.

So realistically you’re looking at 6-12 months from starting your blog to making your first real money from it. After that it compounds though – your old posts keep working, your email list keeps growing, your products keep selling.

But the beginning is slow and I think it’s important you know that going in.

What You Actually Need to Start

A blog on your own domain. Not Medium, not just Substack, your own website that you control. I use Showit with WordPress.

An email platform to collect email addresses and send newsletters. I use Kit but there are other options.

Time to write consistently. At least 2-3 blog posts per week if you want to see results in a reasonable timeframe, and at least one email per week to your list.

A Pinterest account to drive traffic. This is how most of my blog traffic comes in. You create pins linking to your blog posts and Pinterest shows them to people searching for those topics.

And patience. This is the hardest part and the thing nobody wants to hear but you cannot rush this. The timeline is what it is.

If You’re Thinking About This

I write about what building this way actually looks like in my free weekly diaries. The behind-the-scenes of making money from writing, what the laptop lifestyle really feels like, the messy reality of building something from scratch.

They’re not tutorials or step-by-step guides, just honest diary entries from someone who’s living this and figuring it out as I go.

If that sounds like something you’d want to read, you can subscribe to the diaries below.

They’re free and they go out every Saturday.

Otherwise, just start. Pick your platform, write your first post, send your first email. It won’t be perfect and that’s completely fine.

The life you want is on the other side of consistent action. 🤍