Courage Igene & His 4 Step Guide to Turn your Writing Hobby into a Career

Have you always dreamed of turning writing into something more than your hobby? The truth is, writing can be an extremely lucrative career if you go about it in the right way. Courage Igene, Founder and President of All Nations Church and accomplished author, explains how you can turn your writing hobby into a career opportunity. Following Courage Igene’s four step guide will help you transform your hobby into a full-blown career.

1. Do your Research

It is so important to take as much time as possible to thoroughly research writing as a career to see if it is the right ‘fit’ for you, says Courage Igene. You should begin to research writing as a career long before you hand in your resignation letter at your 9–5 job. You should know exactly what type of writing you want to do, where you can find clients, and ideally have some experience writing in that niche to help you start off on the right foot, says Courage Igene.

You should also do extensive market research to get a sense of who your potential competitors will be, what your unique offerings are, and how you can differentiate yourself from the competition.

2. Set Achievable Goals

When you are conducting research, set achievable short, medium and long-term goals for yourself. Stick to them as best as you can, setting deadlines for yourself along the way. The goals you set for yourself should be “SMART” goals — or, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Courage Igene says these are the best types of goals to set for yourself, and they will help you to get the best results and make the most informed decisions going forward.

3. Start Writing as a Secondary Source of Income

Many writers start writing as a secondary source of income at first to be sure it is a good fit for them. This helps them get to know the particulars of the industry, learn what they are good at, and mitigate the overall risk, says Courage Igene.

If you start writing as a secondary source of income, you will find yourself in a better position to put aside money for important start-up costs. You can learn all about how to become a freelance writer online. There are even several courses you can take from accomplished writers that explain the process they followed to make writing a lucrative 9–5 career for them.

While it can be exhausting to work two jobs at once, writing as a side job is a very good way to be sure that writing is a career you want to pursue.

4. Connect with Others

One of the most important tips for turning writing into a career is to make connections with other writers, and — in some situations — potential clients. Make sure you make use of social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and others to connect with professionals who have similar interests and skills. You will exchange valuable information, and you will often find that people are genuinely interested in helping. You can also reach out to prospective clients and ask if they need help writing their website content. This is often how many writers get their first clients.

Courage Igene’s Final Thoughts

These are only a few ways you can turn your writing hobby into a career. It is important to know that these things don’t happen overnight. You will need to persevere and learn to be okay with some rejection before you find success. Don’t give up! Writing can be a very satisfying and fulfilling career, says Courage Igene.