Writing jobs | Imamother

amother

Sat, May 25 2024, 8:54 pm

I never wrote professionally ( as in published ) ,but I’ve been teaching writing for over 20 years .

I love writing. When I have a specific job ( write Mrs so and so a thank you letter, write a Purim poem, write a heartfelt condolence email etc ) I BH can write beautifully and it takes very little effort.

But- I am not a creative thinker. I can’t think of an original story line to write a short story. If someone gives me the storyline , I can create a fitting and fabulous piece following given criteria.

SO -
I’d love to get into writing part time ( still teaching and a mom) . I have ann itch to write and I can use some side income now.
Does anyone know where or how or what I can do?
I considered copy tribe but I don’t want to market myself or throw myself into a full business .

I’d love to freelance writing for or editing other people’s work .

If you have any good leads or suggestions, please share!!

Thanks

613mitzvahgirl

Sat, May 25 2024, 9:07 pm

You can try calling Kids magazines, Binah magazine, or any magazine.. or maybe a local newspaper that suites you.. Hatzlocha

amother

DarkCyan

Sat, May 25 2024, 9:16 pm

Why don't you ghost write? Advertise that you'll write up people's memoirs/ family histories, and start from there.

amother

Narcissus

Sat, May 25 2024, 9:34 pm

Bump

amother

Vermilion

Sat, May 25 2024, 11:29 pm

To be a copywriter you don't have to start a whole business. You can work on flexible time as a junior copywriter for a few hours a week. It sounds like it could suit your skill set.

Don't waste your time on magazines.

amother

Silver

Sun, May 26 2024, 12:26 am

There are many freelancing websites to try out. Even if you don't want to market a full business, you'll still need to invest in creating a profile and uploading samples to get work.

You can also call the Jewish publishing houses, and given your experience as a teacher, they might be interested in giving you editing work.

amother

Electricblue

Sun, May 26 2024, 2:50 am

amother Vermilion wrote:

Where can you find such jobs?

ora_43

Sun, May 26 2024, 3:12 am

amother OP wrote:

But- I am not a creative thinker. I can’t think of an original story line to write a short story. If someone gives me the storyline , I can create a fitting and fabulous piece following given criteria.

If you feel like this is holding you back, what about giving yourself the storyline?

You can use random word generators to give yourself prompts. Or come up with a bunch of frum-friendly prompts based on articles/books you've been.

eg: main character can be male or female, age 0-99, introvert/extrovert, clever/slow, friendly/not, etc.

their family can include parents, grandparents, siblings, stepparents, etc.

the setting/backdrop: an upcoming holiday (pesach, purim... you know the list), a shidduch, a wedding, a tragedy, an emergency (medical, weather-related...), an interpersonal conflict.

let's say you get male, 9, introvert, wedding. OK so maybe a 9-year-old boy has to attend his sister's wedding, and he's dreading it because he's shy and his family is full of over-the-top extroverts.

female, 48, unfriendly, emergency. There's a massive storm approaching, and our cranky 48yo heroine has to decide whether or not to swallow her pride and ask the neighbors for help after insulting them a week earlier.

etc

For most writers ideas are WAY WAY easier to come up with than actual stories. So if the only thing holding you back is ideas, I feel like that's almost a non-issue. Either you learn to use random-word prompts or a magazine will give you prompts or virtually any writer you know will happily rattle off 20-odd ideas that they don't have the time/interest/talent to pursue.

Of course, that's assuming you want to write fiction, rather than doing something that makes real money.

amother

Goldenrod

Sun, May 26 2024, 4:50 am

I think Ami and mishpacha magazine pay per word if your submission was published.

amother

Sun, May 26 2024, 6:04 am

Thanks, I don’t think magazine writing is profitable enough.
Where would I look for freelance jobs ?
How would I get into writing non fiction for people ? Interviews memoirs etc

amother

Jade

Sun, May 26 2024, 8:22 am

amother OP wrote:

Thanks, I don’t think magazine writing is profitable enough.
Where would I look for freelance jobs ?
How would I get into writing non fiction for people ? Interviews memoirs etc

Not sure it exists.