Is the Middle of A Global Pandemic Really a Good Time to Start Writing Online?

I’m going to be totally honest here – I have heard enough about COVID-19 to last me a lifetime. I long for the day when the latest news headlines, social media posts, and conversations have nothing to do with this global pandemic. Because when that occurs it means (hopefully) that we have found a way to protect people from this virus. Unfortunately, I think that day is still a while in the future. That means that most of us are going to be home for the foreseeable future. It also means that the financial strain of the world being shut down is going to continue. For the people I know who are thinking about starting an online writing career, this pandemic has created a couple of different responses.

Some see it as an ideal time to jump into action and learning. Others feel paralyzed and a little hopeless by all of the unknowns.

Is the middle of a global pandemic really a good time to start an online writing career?

It is valid to ask yourself if a time of crisis is the right time to start something new. You may even be looking at this from a philosophical or moral standpoint. Is it right to be dreaming, planning, and working toward a goal when there are tons of people out there losing jobs and businesses? There are also people out there getting sick, losing loved ones, and missing major milestones in their lives. Things are tough all around and it may have you thinking about putting your goals on hold.

Before you decide to postpone your dream of writing online, I want you to think about a local business that you love. It could be your favorite local restaurant, salon, entertainment venue, or retail location. What do you think about the people running that business right now? If they have found a way to continue offering services during this shutdown, do you support them? Do you want them to continue doing well even in the face of the current crisis? I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that your answer is yes. You want them to do well and do not want to see a business you love fail during this time. What makes the people running that business different than you? They had a goal and dream of owning a business and so do you. The only difference is that they started before you did.

If you are looking for a reason not to pursue your goal, I promise, you will always be able to find one. Try instead to focus on the impact you can make in the future with your successful writing career. You can serve small businesses, like the ones you love, by writing excellent content. If you choose to have a personal blog you can use that platform to serve your readers. You will also be able to add to the financial well-being of your family in the future. If you are in a place where you can start working on your online writing career, then now is a great time to get started.

Ways my writing business has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Once it was clear that this pandemic was going to impact small businesses in a major way, I checked in with two of the agencies that I write for regularly. I was nervous that some of our clients would need to pause services. A total of two clients paused services for at least a month at one agency and there was no change at the other agency. Losing the writing for those two clients equals almost $500 a month – ouch. Fortunately, I also work regularly with a platform that allows me to pick up additional work as needed. So, I shifted my focus a little and started picking up additional work from that platform. Actually, I started picking up a lot of additional work. The result is that the last few months have been my highest earning months ever! It’s a huge blessing and I am thankful every day that we went through the job loss that prompted me to get started writing. The state of my writing career during this crisis should provide you with some encouragement about your prospects in the future. Even though it seems like everything has shut down, the world of online content is still alive and well.

When is the right time to get started on your online writing career?

While it may be encouraging to hear that things are going well with my writing during this time, the real question is, ‘When is the right time to get started on your online writing career?’ I personally am a fan of starting new ventures when life is hard. Or maybe I tend to wait until I am backed into a corner before I take action. Either way, the middle of a crisis can be a great time for you to get started on your online writing career.

I started writing in the middle of a personal crisis. My husband was out of work and I was a stay-at-home mom with three little kids. We needed money! I couldn’t wrap my head around leaving the house and going to a job 40 hours a week when my kids were so small. I loved writing and decided to get serious about finding paid writing work. That job loss was the catalyst that got me started. Maybe this pandemic is the catalyst you need to get you started.

From the time I got serious about finding paid writing work until the time I earned my first dollar was about two months. I did that without taking any type of class or getting formal training. If I could go back, I would invest in some quality training because I understand now that training is the way to accelerate my career and maximize my earnings. It would have been ideal if you started working on your writing career months ago. But the next best time to do it is now.

If you take the time to get high-quality training, you can start earning much more quickly than I did. I have a lot of resources available to you for free on my blog, website, and YouTube channel. These resources are valuable and can help you get started. If you are ready to fast-track your online writing career, check out my training guide, The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Writing Online and Getting Paid.

The sooner you start working toward your writing goals the sooner you will start earning money. This season when we are all spending more time at home may be the perfect opportunity for you to start working toward your goal of writing online.

Let this crisis be the catalyst that pushes you to pursue your dream of making money writing online.

If you are ready to get serious about writing online, keep an eye out for my training program The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Writing Online and Getting Paid. In this guide, I go over everything you need to know to get started building a career writing online. To get the latest on this and other projects, sign up for the email list and I will keep in touch.