In my series of articles on frugal hobbies, I break down an individual hobby for people who want to have fun without breaking the bank. The overview will include the details of the hobby itself, how to go into it with a frugal mindset, and the best ways to make use of your money. Not all of the hobbies covered are cheap or easy to get into, but I find ways to help you save money while still being able to partake in your favorite pastimes.
Writing
In my opinion, writing is one of the most productive uses of your free time. It’s a great way to channel your creative energy and it makes you a better communicator over time. You can write about literally anything – pick a passion and run with it! There are also a ton of different forms to choose from – articles, scripts, novels, short stories, essays, journal entries, and more. The only limiting factor is yourself.
You can write to help yourself organize your thoughts and opinions, plan for the future, or just write creatively and relieve some stress. On top of that, the more you write the better you understand yourself. You’ll start noticing things you’re better or worse at, things that make you sad or happy, and what fires you up or what kills your drive, knowledge of which help you lead a better life.
Writing is honestly one of my favorite things to do. However, I get that it isn’t for everyone. Regardless of how much you like writing, or how much you hate it, there are a myriad of benefits you can get from it and I highly recommend you incorporate writing into your life. At least, incorporate it to some extent on a routine basis. You don’t need to become an amazing writer to start seeing the rewards of writing or to enjoy the process.
Ways To Start
Fortunately, there are tons of ways to start enjoying writing as a hobby. All you need to do is figure out what you want to or like to write about – and write about it. The hardest part is honestly just writing consistently and incorporating it into your routine.
Staying Consistent
Everyone has a different way of staying on track with their writing and being consistent. Try a few and see what works best for you, and stick to that. Several popular methods include:
- Scheduling a specific amount of time, during a specific window each day, where you will focus on writing for that time allotted. No more, but no less either.
- Have a minimum number of words you write daily, with no exception (unless you have specifically scheduled “off” days).
- Each day you write, have a minimum goal but continue if you can. If you were writing a book, as an example, a good minimum goal may be to complete one scene or write 1500 words.
Things To Write About
Fortunately, as a writer, there are a million and one things for you to write about. You can pick a specific niche, or you can write about tons of different things – it’s up to you and what you enjoy! Lets break it down into two broad categories.
Fiction
First up we have fiction. This can be novels, short stories, novellas, or any made-up story you want to put to paper. This is where you can delve into genres like romance, mystery, fantasy, and so on. If you have a genre you love to read, then you may enjoy writing in that genre as well.
Try to have fun with this and be creative. Writing is a super cheap hobby to start, but if you want to monetize it then fiction can be hard to pull off. It is certainly, and clearly, possible to make a lot of money through it, but don’t go into it expected that. Just enjoy it for what it is – almost completely free and loads of fun.
Non-Fiction
Non-fiction covers a lot of different things. This may be your preferred writing medium if you aren’t a fan of fiction or you prefer analyzing things. You can write daily in a journal or diary, which can be fun. Alternatively, if you’re an expert in a field, then you could write a book. Memoirs are another fun non-fiction medium, the sky is really the limit here!
Blogging
At some point or another, I’m sure you’ve considered starting a blog – most of us have. Starting a blog can be intimidating to be sure, and it may prove overwhelming at first. Fortunately, I learned a lot through my own experience blogging, and I’ve broken it down into ten easy steps for you. Blogging is great for people who are into writing non-fiction, but also liking teaching or helping other people as well. I talk about personal finance and development. Other bloggers talk about food, travel, and just about anything else you can think of.
I’m sure you’ve heard that blogs can also make a lot of money. Unfortunately, you usually have to write for years before you start seeing significant amounts.
Freelance Writing
If you don’t care what you write, but you want to write for the fun of it and make some cash, you can try freelance writing. Usually this results with you writing shorter works and getting paid per word or per finished product (like an article). If you want to start a side hustle, this can be a great option for some immediate results.
Creating Novels
Ah, novels. Unfortunately, being a novelist is incredibly difficult. If you go the traditional publishing route, then you’re fighting an uphill battle and the odds are against you. If you self-publish, then you have more control and get a bigger cut – but your novel ends up being read by fewer people and you have to take on the role of marketer and everything else which will take away from your writing time. Alternatively, you can write novels for the fun of it without expecting any monetary return. Novels are super fun and one of the best “big projects” you can tackle as a writer!
Conclusion
Hopefully this gave you a little insight into writing as a hobby, and some ways to monetize it if you want to. For more content like this, and a free budgeting template and financial goals worksheet, be sure to sign up for the Bitter to Richer newsletter.