So, you want to be a writer, do you? Well good for you!

Have you ever read a book, or watched a movie, and then thought, "I could have written a better story than that"?

Well, here's your chance! You can make extra money by writing in your spare time, if you're willing to work at it. I think you should know though, thousands of other people also want to be writers. That means you’re going to have to work very hard if you want to be successful.

You don't need a college degree to become a successful writer. Anything you don't know about writing, you can learn. Hundreds of informative books are available on the subject of writing. If you use the Internet, you will find literally thousands of articles about every aspect of writing.

Writing is easy to do, but it’s hard to do well. The life of a writer is not an easy one. Becoming a successful writer takes time, commitment, and sacrifice. No one has ever become a successful writer over night. It takes months, years, even decades. Some writers don’t become successful until long after they are dead, although, I hope that won’t be the case for most of us!

There are many rules we must learn and follow in our lifetime. Some of them make sense so we follow them to the letter. We find other rules hard to follow, or inhibiting, so we either bend them, or break them. However, if you wish to become a successful writer, you must learn and follow most of the rules as closely as possible. Each rule is important, although, it may not seem that way at first. Every rule may not apply to every type, or genre of writing, but most will. If you are the type of person who hates to follow rules, then just think of them as hints, or suggestions.

One of the drawbacks of modern civilization is that we consider our financial status to be the most important measure of our success. It doesn’t matter how many poems, articles, stories, or novels we sell, or how many awards we win, we still don’t consider ourselves successful unless our bank account is bulging.

If you’re looking for a way to get rich quick, buy a lottery ticket. Very few writers get rich by writing, and even fewer ever become famous. Don’t give up your day job, because it could take a very long time before you will earn enough money with your writing to support yourself. However, writing is an excellent way to earn a little extra spending money for some of the things you couldn't otherwise afford.

Where to make money with your writing

Greeting Cards: Write for greeting card companies. Getting your foot in the door of a greeting card company can be extremely difficult, but once you do, you can make good money. You can make as much as $200 for one greeting card verse. Most companies expect to get all rights to the verse, so don’t plan on selling it anywhere else. Also, some companies sell more than greeting cards. Some sell calendars, wall plaques, gift books, etc.

Poetry: Writing poetry can pay well. Most magazines that print poetry offer anywhere from 5 cents a word to $2.00 a line, although some pay a much higher rate. Some of them have a limit on line length, or they will only accept certain styles of poetry. Again, this is where the Writers’ Market will help you out. It contains a great deal of information on publications that print poetry. You will also find helpful information in the latest edition of the Poet's Market.

Novelties: You can also make extra money by writing one-liners for novelty items. You can make $50.00 or more for writing a simple bumper sticker slogan, or a short verse for a refrigerator magnet. There is an endless supply of possible places for writers to make money.

Occasions: Magazines are often interested in articles for special occasions. Have you been to a wedding that was unusual and different from any other you have ever seen? Have you made up funny songs to sing to your children? Do you cook a unique dish for Christmas or Thanksgiving? Do you have any ideas for how to make beautiful, yet inexpensive Christmas decorations? Do you have ideas for unusual Halloween treats? You could write about a variety of things for special occasions.

Hobbies: Do you have any hobbies? Have you come up with a new or unusual hobby? Have you discovered any tips or shortcuts for any of your hobbies? Have you found an interesting craft store that sells unique hobby supplies? Do you make your own craft patterns? These are all things you can write articles about. If you know a lot about a particular hobby you could probably write a book about it.

Fillers: If you decide that long stories or articles aren’t your kind of things, consider writing fillers. (Household Hints, Recipes, Jokes, Poem, One-liners) Many magazines need short items to fill small spaces. The pay might not be big, but something is always better than nothing.

Start A Freelancing Career. If you’re really in a hurry to make a little extra money you could always start a freelancing business. There are probably many businesses in your area that would be willing to pay you to write advertising brochures, or company newsletters.

Check The Market: Write what you like, but if you plan to sell it to a publisher, first find out if there is a market for it. There are markets out there for practically everything, but just to be on the safe side, check them out. Purchase the latest copy of the Writer’s Market. It will give you valuable information on everything you need to know to get your work published.

E-zines Look for online markets. The internet is quickly becoming one of the best ways to become published and there are some great high paying markets. Starting online will make it easier for you to break into print.

Other ways to make money with your writing could be: Magazines, Books, Scripts