5 side hustles for writers

Are you a writer who needs to make some extra income on the side? Here are some ideas that may help.
The top part of a golden nib. Writers looking for side hustles, like copywriting and manuscript assessment.

In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis it is difficult for many people to find extra money to sustain normal activities, but if you are a writer there are ways you can harness some extra pocket money through your knowledge of the nuances of language and perhaps even by talking about your own books. Here are five ideas to try.

Check out recruitment firms that use contractors and freelancers in communications sectors of industry and public service; they may have opportunities for copywriters and proofreaders. Ask among your circle of literary friends if they have any leads.

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Thuy On is the Reviews and Literary Editor of ArtsHub and an arts journalist, critic and poet who’s written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Sydney Review of Books, The Australian, The Age/SMH and Australian Book Review. She was the Books Editor of The Big Issue for 8 years and a former Melbourne theatre critic correspondent for The Australian. Her debut, a collection of poetry called Turbulence, came out in 2020 and was released by University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP). Her second collection, Decadence, was published in July 2022, also by UWAP. Her third book, Essence, will be published in 2025. Threads: @thuy_on123 Instagram: poemsbythuy