“So, what do you do?” “I’m a writer.”

You respond with a sneer, rolling your eyes, and thinking to yourself, “That’s just another term for being broke and unemployed.” After all, writers don’t make that much money, and their job sounds a little boring, right?

You’re probably familiar with seeing these reactions to writers on social media, such as those Instagram reels that humorously compare what writers do with the pay, job, and impact of other careers. However, these assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth, especially with the rise of digital and social media.

Today, freelance writing is one of the most popular and recognized ways to make money online, achieve financial independence, and have the flexibility of working from home. And with more professionals turning to freelancing and making up over 50% of the workforce by 2027, this career is becoming even more popular.

In fact, there are so many options for niches that writers can choose to specialize in, that freelance writing has become way more interesting even for those who likely never considered becoming one. Some niches are extremely lucrative and can pay between $1,000 to as much as $15,000 per project.

And the best part about freelance writing? You can make an impact from your sofa, cafe, on the go traveling, or in some remote Airbnb, with no other equipment except your laptop, and potentially reach thousands of readers.

Now that sounds interesting, right?

5 High-Paying Freelance Writing Jobs For 2025

To help you figure out which freelance writing niche to choose from as you start your journey, below are some of the highest-paying writing niches which usually pay out thousands of dollars per writing project.

1. Speechwriting And Presentations For Executives

Speechwriters tend to make the most money when working with CEOs and other corporate executives, who usually employ the services of an outside professional to ensure their presentations, keynotes, and remarks at conferences, awards, and other industry events are delivered with clarity and effortlessly convey the right message.

Standard industry rates for speechwriters range between $1,000 and as much as $15,000 for a speech, depending on length and complexity. You can also add to your services and charge more by offering bespoke coaching packages for public speaking, so that executives feel more confident when presenting in front of an audience.

2. Corporate Report Writing/White Paper Writing

Another well-paid freelance writing niche is corporate report writing, which can see you making as much as up to $15,000 in some cases. This niche pays highly because it requires more time-consuming research and a thorough understanding of the industry, market, and business context, as well as key data and even interviews with stakeholders to obtain the necessary information and quotes. It is also a document that works as a B2B marketing pitch and attracts investors, positioning your corporate client as an industry leader.

You will need to have a strong background and extensive knowledge of the field that your client operates in to be successful within this writing niche.

3. Executive Resume Writing

Resume writing has largely been overtaken by AI-powered resume writing tools, and many professionals tend to use generative AI apps like ChatGPT to help them craft stunning resumes. However, there is still a market for executive resume writing which is slightly more complex than the average resume, especially if the individual has several decades of experience and thought leadership that they wish to convey through their resume.

Executive resume writers fill this gap by creating resumes for C-suite professionals and those seeking to progress into executive leadership positions. At the higher end of the pay scale, executive resume writers can make between $1,000 to $3,000 for an executive resume and cover letter package. Sometimes you can charge significantly more for an all-inclusive package that involves a total LinkedIn profile overhaul, executive job search coaching, and matching services, seeing you make as much as $5,000 and more.

4. Writing Start-Up Pitch Decks

Another extremely lucrative freelance writing niche is preparing business plans and pitch decks for start-ups. The tech industry in particular, is booming, thanks to AI, and start-ups are popping up everywhere, all eager to raise obtain venture capital in their funding rounds and attract the attention of initial clients and partners.

If you have a background as a business consultant or have previously scaled a start-up, you might want to leverage your expertise to offer freelance writing services as a pitch deck or business plan writer. This can see you making between about $2,000 to $6,000 per pitch deck as a start-up consultant.

5. Writing Press Releases

Finally, writing press releases is another freelance writing niche that has significant financial potential. You can make anywhere from $150 to $1,000 for a press release project, again, depending on size and complexity, according to data from Prowly, a PR platform. This is best suited to you if you have prior experience or background in marketing and communications.

How To Make Money Online From Freelance Writing

The best way to start a freelance writing business, is just to start writing. The more you write, the more confident you will be in your skills, and the more you’ll be able to polish your writing style. Here are some tips to help you become a well-paid writer:

• Select a profitable writing niche that aligns with your interests and background. If it already appeals to your strengths, it will be easier to start.
• Create niche-specific writing examples as mock projects to start building your portfolio.
• Publish your writing samples on a personal blog, Medium, Substack, LinkedIn Pulse, and X (formerly Twitter); this also helps to establish thought leadership.
• Strengthen your thought leadership by regularly sharing your client projects on LinkedIn and your process for writing, which is a working marketing asset; optimize your LinkedIn profile and include case studies in your document uploads for your work experience and LinkedIn Services section.
• Find clients through a combination of platforms and methods such as cold pitching, job boards like ProBlogger and FlexJobs, and attending industry events.
• As your experience and your portfolio grow, incrementally increase your rates and review them every six to 12 months. To maximize your income so you can live sustainably from your freelance writing skills, charge per project, not per word, and specialize in high-end fields instead of being too generalist.

As you can see, there’s more to freelance writing than the idea of hiding behind one’s laptop and writing books or other literary works, hoping for a bestseller. Today, the meaning of a writer has evolved and freelance writers are needed in almost every industry. And the highest-paid writers are those who work with organizations for highly-specialized projects that shape our view of the world and drive innovation and tech. They are also the ones who work exclusively with executives to shape the way they deliver their ideas, driving large-scale impact in boardrooms, panels, and conferences.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I’m a writer,” instead of rolling your eyes, ask them specifically what they write about and specialize in. You might be able to learn so many secrets from them that you’re persuaded to join them and make money as a freelance writer too.