How to Start Freelance Writing as a Side Hustle You Can Run from Anywhere

Nomadic Side Hustle Strategy 8

🌍 Welcome to This Week’s Nomadic Side Hustle Strategy

Each strategy is designed to be simple, practical, and doable from anywhere, whether you’re at home, on the road, or planning your next adventure.

Enjoy this week’s breakdown, and remember: consistent focused action is what turns ideas into income.

This post is for paid members of The 50+ Nomad Club only.

---

✍️ Become a Freelance Writer

If you enjoy writing and can put ideas across clearly, freelance writing is still one of the most flexible side hustles out there. And thanks to AI tools, it’s actually easier than ever to get started. You don’t need to be the next Hemingway. You just need to be reliable, open to feedback, and willing to learn as you go.

AI can help you brainstorm headlines, beat writer’s block, or tidy up grammar, but what clients really pay for is your human touch. Your ability to shape words with personality, context, and nuance that no robot can replicate.

Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr are a good starting point, but the real opportunity comes when you grow into direct client work or carve out a niche you enjoy. Whether you’re an organised thinker, a natural storyteller, or someone with years of corporate writing experience under your belt, this is a side hustle that can travel anywhere with you, just your laptop, Wi-Fi, and a little creativity required.

---

🧠 What You’re Really Offering

Clients aren’t buying words, they’re buying:

• Content that educates, inspires, or sells

• SEO-friendly articles or blog posts

• Well-structured, on-brief writing

• Reliability and clear communication

Even entry-level gigs are often less about being a perfect writer and more about being professional, prompt, and good to work with.

🛠 Skills You’ll Need

• Strong writing ability and grammar

• Research and fact-checking

• Time management and meeting deadlines

• Basic SEO knowledge

• Following briefs and instructions

• Editing and proofreading

• Prompting AI tools to brainstorm ideas, outline content, or polish drafts

💸 Startup Costs

You can start this one with almost no money, just a few tools to make life easier.

• Grammarly (free or $12/month)

• Hemingway Editor (free online)

• ChatGPT Pro (optional - $20/month)

• WordPress or Medium for portfolio (free)

• Upwork / Fiverr / Writers Access (free accounts)

• Optional: online writing courses ($0–$100)

Total setup: $0–$50 to get going

⏰ Time Commitment

• Writing: 2–4 hours/day

• Research: 1–2 hours/day

• Pitching: 1–2 hours/week (more at the start)

• Admin/editing: 1 hour/day

Many writers build this around a part-time schedule and increase or decrease depending on projects.

---

🚀 Getting Started in 3 Steps