TECHWRITINGHQ — HOW TO MAKE MONEY AS A FREELANCE TECH WRITER

Hey, I'm Harry and I've been a tech writer for a decade.
Welcome to TechWritingHQ.

I’ve gone from writing for small Google-traffic-driven blogs to huge publications like the New York Times, Wired and Popular Science.From my first year writing, I’ve been making enough money to support myself. I want to show you how to do the same.

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It’s never been easier for people outside the Big Media Bubble to make money writing. You don’t need a journalism degree, to have interned at the right publisher, or to have edited a prestigious college paper. I’m in Ireland, and I have a career freelance writing for US publications.I’ve got colleagues from India, Australia, and every other timezone on Earth. Whether you’re living in Las Vegas or Lahore, I can show you how you can write for a living—and get paid a respectable US dollar wage.So what does it take? You need something to write about, the ability to write it, and an internet connection. I can help with the first two—you’re on your own with the third.

Writing about tech is easy and profitable because...

You already have the skills you need. Ever show your parents or a friend how to use a new feature on their phone? Congratulations, you have what it takes to be a tech writer. It’s all about explaining everyday tech to regular people.There is a constant need for new and updated content. Every new or updated smartphone, computer, games console, operating system, video game, app, and anything else that conceivably fits under the consumer tech umbrella needs guides, reviews, and explainers.
For example, I’ve been paid to write guides to how to hide audiobooks on a Kindle or suggested posts on Instagram.It’s huge online. Some old school newspaper publishers and venture capital backed websites with ludicrously high valuations are absolutely struggling to succeed; they’re hamstrung by high overheads and unrealistic profit expectations.But tech blogs and websites are booming. Sites like How-To Geek and PetaPixel get millions of views every month—and pay their writers.There’s demand for it. Unlike newspapers and magazines, space online is unlimited. In general, the more articles a site runs the more money it makes from advertizing. They need a steady supply of good content to keep the cash coming in.It’s easy to write. A huge amount of tech writing is logical, explanatory, and instructional. You tell people what you’re going to tell them how to do and tell them how to do it. Want to turn off Bluetooth? Here’s the button. Your phone won’t connect to the internet? Here are three quick trouble shooting tips.With tech writing, you don’t need to worry about insider knowledge, sources, or any of the sexy side of journalism—you can just write and get paid.You can go anywhere from tech. With a portfolio of published work, you have proof of your writing abilities that you can use to branch out to other industries. I’ve used my tech writing portfolio to get lifestyle, travel, and even feature work.You get paid quickly. Most sites pay either when you submit your articles or monthly. This means you’re not waiting around for ages to get paid. (One magazine publisher owes me $2,000 from 10 months ago. I’ll let you all know when I get it.)You can earn money fast. It doesn’t take years to build a profitable tech writing career. Within a few months of starting writing, I was earning $500 a week. That was serious cash when I was in college, and more than I could have easily earned with a café or bar job.With a couple of hours work a day, you’ll quickly be able to earn a respectable wage. $30,000 in your first year and $50,000 in your second is an entirely reasonable and achievable goal.

Writing about tech is fun, flexible, and let's you...

**Work from anywhere. **In my 20s, I traveled the world working from my laptop as a "digital nomad". I crossed America by train, spent three winters skiing in the French Alps, and explored South East Asia. If that's what you want to do, I can give you the tools to do it too.Or live in a major city. Traveling was fun, and I love that tech writing enabled me to do it—but I'm far prouder of the fact that I now live in Dublin, Ireland, near my friends and family. It's an expensive city, but I'm even able to support my girlfriend while she does her Masters degree. Tech writing can be a viable six-figure salary career.Work on your own time. Not everyone wants a full time job. If you're a stay at home parent or otherwise restricted in the how or when you work, freelance tech writing can be incredible. You don't work on a set schedule so it can fit around the more important things in your life.Get a job with benefits. I've been a freelancer for the past decade—and I plan to stay that way—but there are plenty of full-time jobs out there. If you are in the US and want health insurance, 401k matching, and other benefits, you can get it through tech writing.A writing portfolio and all the practice you need to be great. Getting your first few published articles is hard—but I can show you how to do it for tech sites. And with a few clips in your portfolio, you can then start pitching other places and building your career.You will also get the chance to write lots—and have your work edited. It's a crash course in clean copy.

Not convinced yet?This newsletter is for anyone who wants to make money freelance writing—whether you intend for it to be a full-time job or just something you do on the side. This isn’t about starting your own blog or working for content mills; it’s about getting legitimate publications to pay you money to write for them.If that sounds good to you, sign up below.

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Or find me elsewhere...

As a writer, I'm legally, morally, and social obliged to have Twitter. You can find me as @HarryGuinness.You can also check out my website to see some more clips of my work, or my author pages on Popular Science and Popular Photography where I publish weekly.I also run Bing's Best Things, a pet review product site with my girlfriend.Or if you want to get in touch directly, drop me an email.

©Harry Guinness 2022. All rights reserved.

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Who is Harry?

Hello. Well, as I hope you've guessed, I'm a freelance tech writer. Over the past decade, I've turned my side gig into a successful career—and I think almost anyone can do the same.I'm from Ireland so if I, a total outsider, can write for US publications, anyone can.And while I don't just write about tech anymore, I still think it's the easiest way to get started—and is one of the most lucrative writing jobs around.You can see some of the clients I've worked with below. Click the logo to see some of the work I've done.

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