9 Ways to Make Money Writing Stories for Businesses
By Jen Phillips April

In 2003, my stepdad saw an opportunity to sell via the internet. He even inspired me to pursue a career that would become my freelance writing business.

It’s hard to believe now, but few people shopped via the internet back then. Many didn’t even have a home computer!

And the now ubiquitous iPhone was still five years away.

However, he recognized the potential of the internet as an easy way to reach a target audience. Despite having no background in golfing, he hired a golf pro and a videographer and went to golf courses to shoot videos on improving your golf swing. He hired someone to build him a simple website and put in a 1-800 number.

Home for a visit, I remember him spending evenings after dinner laughing and chatting on his headpiece as he explained the video contents to his new customers. They’d give him their credit card number, and in the mornings, he’d package up the video orders and take them to the post office.

It was kind of amazing.

I distinctly remember him telling me, “If I can do this, so can you.”

That lodged itself in my head and would pop into my mind every few months, like when I was …

 … stuck in a traffic snarl on my way to work …

 … bored at my job …

 … disappointed in my paycheck.

“If I can do this, so can you.”

So I started poking around on the internet.

I discovered the craft of copywriting.

The idea of using words to create stories that connect with buyers … I was hooked.

I loved stories.

Everyone does.

Humans are hardwired for stories.

Science shows that our brains release feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin when we hear stories.

They’re also memorable.

When Stanford University Professor Chip Heath asked his students to give a one-minute presentation, every student but one shared a bunch of facts and figures. The one shared a story. Then 10 minutes later, the professor asked them to recall the presentations. The only one they remembered was the story.

Whether you’re a natural-born storyteller or it’s a skill you want to hone, you can learn how to weave stories into your writing projects. Storytelling is one of the most compelling elements of marketing you can learn.

Imagine the stories you can share in these nine writing project examples.

Pick one, start learning and earning!

1. Sales Letters

When you know the secret structure of a direct-response sales letter, you set yourself up for up-front fees and royalties. There are countless opportunities for writers who can craft sales letters that follow the proven formula. Winning sales letters contain key elements: a big idea, attention-grabbing headline and lead, irresistible offer, definitive proof, and a close with a motivating call to action. An engaging story will hook your readers and keep them reading throughout your message.

Find out more about persuasive copywriting here: The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter.

2. Articles

Good articles attract and engage readers because they build a connection, answer questions, and guide readers toward the sale.

Smart marketers understand the benefits of engaging and persuasive articles and are willing to pay professional rates for your skills.

Article fees can range anywhere from $250 to $800 apiece.

Find out more about writing articles here: The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter.

3. Blog Writing

Blogs are a potential customer acquisition channel. An active blog builds rapport and attracts target customers through SEO-friendly content targeting their desired readership. Blogs with engaging stories will keep readers coming back post after post.

And since no business publishes only one blog post, it’s an opportunity for you as a writer to create consistent value for them while creating recurring income for yourself.

Every industry uses blogs, so you can find potential clients everywhere. Plus writing blogs pays well, too.

Blog posts can range anywhere from $250 to $800 apiece. You can also offer your services to set up a monthly calendar for a company, which can add $500–$800 per calendar.

Altogether, you’re looking at $1,500 per month minimum for four pieces. That’s not bad for part-time work.

Find out more here: How to Write Blogs for Yourself and Clients: A Step-by-Step Guide to Blogging Success.

4. Emails

Like blog posts, no one sends only one email. A business might send a series of welcome or onboarding emails. Businesses send emails to new customers; they send emails to customers they haven’t heard from in a while to reengage them; they send emails to educate, announce, and share achievements.

Craft an email around an interesting story and you can hook your readers for your entire message.

Thanks to the variety of in-demand email types, you can reach a six-figure income by writing emails for a few clients.

Emails pay well, too. An autoresponder series might command $100–$1,000 per email. Promotional emails could net $250–$2,000 each.

You can find plenty of well-paying work with only a handful of clients.

Learn more here: How to Write High Impact Emails.

5. Email Newsletters

Email newsletters tend to be “meatier” than emails. Many businesses use them to build relationships and keep customers and prospects coming back. While many industries use email newsletters, professional service providers like dentists and accountants often send email newsletters to their clients.

As an email newsletter writer, you can share interesting content (often in the 1,200–1,500-word range). These newsletters may go out weekly or monthly, but once you start, people expect them, so it’s a nice way to build a source of recurring income. Email newsletter fees are typically $800–$2,000 per issue, depending on the length.

Find out more here: How to Write Engaging E-Newsletters: Earn Ongoing Income by Turning Casual Prospects into Devoted Customers or How to Write for Professional Service Providers.

6. Money-Making Websites

Sharing your stories on a topical, information website is a terrific way to build an asset for yourself. You write, share stories, and keep readers coming back for more. Virtually any topic is a possibility. Put your own spin on tea, dog treats, or any other subject you love to talk about, and join the AWAI members making money online writing about topics they love.

One AWAI member built a site about tomatoes, and it generated enough revenue to pay her kids’ college living expenses!

Find out more here: How to Build, Write, and Grow Your Own Money-Making Websites.

7. E-books

You can be a six-figure author by writing and publishing your own e-books. E-books don’t have to be long either. In fact, you can follow a proven system and start publishing within a few weeks. Once published, e-books can keep earning for you for years to come.

Learn more here: Bob Bly’s Ultimate Guide to E-Book Writing Success.

8. Case Studies

Case studies (sometimes called success stories) are engaging short stories when well told. Case studies typically share a “before” and “after” story to showcase how a business solved a perplexing problem. For example, Business A wants to solve a challenge, so they buy Company B’s solution, and wow, the transformation is incredible.

They’re fun to write, and at around 800–1,200 words, they are on the shorter side. Plus, because they fit so well into the “before” and “after” structure, they don’t take long to write. Only five to eight hours once you have the interviews. But you can charge $1,250–$2,000 because they’re important to the company, bringing your hourly rate to $200 or $300 an hour.

Find out more here: Writing Case Studies: How to Make a Great Living by Helping Clients Tell Their Stories.

9. Video Scripts

Finally, we get to video.

Video isn’t going anywhere. As a writer, your video contribution can come in word form.

Storytelling skills can have a big impact on how popular your videos are. Video scripts create the video’s story, so the final product is interesting to watch.

Videos come in many forms: explainer videos, how-tos, and even testimonials. But the script shapes the shots.

Scripts command high fees, too. A long-form video sales letter is a minimum of $5,000. For short online videos (one to five minutes) in any category, you’ll write about 150 words per minute of video and earn $200–$500 per minute. Video script writing projects are short, fun, and creative. And once you get the hang of them, you can pump them out quickly.

Learn more here: How to Write Video Scripts.

There you have it — nine options you can use to earn a great living telling stories for businesses. Plus, there is cause marketing, health copywriting, speech writing, and more. When your stories connect with the reader, you keep them coming back for more, and they turn into customers.

Choose one of these storytelling formats and start earning with stories today!