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45 Creative Business Ideas For Entrepreneurs Who Love To Write

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Updated: May 13th, 2021
45 Creative Business Ideas For Entrepreneurs Who Love To Write

Seeking to start a business with writing skills but not quite sure what to start?



The good news is, there are so many opportunities to become an entrepreneur and build a creative service in this line of work.



If you're looking to start your own business with writing skills, there are several low-capital options you can choose from.



We put a list together below of the most profitable business ideas for entrepreneurs who love to write, that you can start today!



Here they are:



1. Start a language learning app ($224K/year)

Alex Chernikov from Berlin, Germany started Gikken ago, a language learning app.

  • Revenue: $18,635/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 1
  • Location: Berlin, Germany

Gikken’s foundation was laid in 2011 or so. I don’t remember the exact year but I was in high school. I was amidst my most active English learning years. I was trying to read as many articles, blogs, essays, etc in English as possible. At some point, an idea that it’d be great to double click on words to get them translated right there struck me. It was the early days of Google Chrome that wasn’t the most popular browser yet. And, I think it already could translate pages entirely, but it was totally useless for me because when I can understand 80% of the text, why would I translate it entirely? It’s also terrible for mastering a language. Guessing the meanings of words from the context works better for memorizing new vocabulary. The more effort your brain takes, the stronger neural connections are.

So, physiology aside, I wanted a fast way to translate single words I didn’t understand or double-check sentences. The previous flow involved copying it, switching to a new tab with Google Translate opened there, translating it, and then switching back. Terribly inefficient and annoying when you have to do it 10 times per article, 100 times per day.

By the time I was obsessed with this idea, I could already easily implement anything I wanted on the web. I started coding at 13, so I had already at least 2 or so years of experience with copycatting news portals, trying to build my social network (who didn’t!), and reinventing a few popular JavaScript libraries. It was the early days of not only Google Chrome but also Chrome Web Store—the extension store. I made an extension that I needed for my own needs, called Instant Translate, and uploaded it to the Chrome Web Store. Uncunningly, the timing was perfect for organic growth through the store as Instant Translate happened to be one of the first extensions there. The 15-year-old me knew something only about building apps but absolutely nothing about turning them into a business. Thus, I relied on "organic growth". In other words, routinely checking analytics and praying that it grew. I did nothing more than that for the first few years.

how-we-started-a-18k-month-app-and-browser-extensions-development-business

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Alex Chernikov, on starting Gikken ($18,635/month) full story ➜

2. Start a resume writing business ($30K/year)

Mike McRitchie from El Dorado, California, USA started Critical Path Action about 6 years ago, a resume writing business.

  • Revenue: $2,500/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0
  • Location: El Dorado, California, USA

Over the years I’ve built quite a bit of business knowledge (was a Director of Operations and helped build a company from 5 employees to 100 and $2.5 million to $16 million in revenue; also was a five-year member of Vistage, a business mastermind group) and wanted to leverage that.

Get started with something inexpensive that interests you. Then keep going as you try things and learn.

I started a website through an online marketing/website building course and began blogging on business and career topics. But I found monetizing that to be difficult. I wanted to do business strategy consulting and paid $1,000 for a three-month insert in a coupon mailing that did nothing and found trying to get that type of consulting off the ground part time around my day job wasn’t working.

how-i-make-30k-year-on-the-side-writing-resumes

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Mike McRitchie, on starting Critical Path Action ($2,500/month) full story ➜

3. Start a film production company ($7.2M/year)

Hope Horner from Los Angeles, California, USA started Lemonlight about 7 years ago, a film production company.

  • Revenue: $600,000/ month
  • Founders: 3
  • Employees: 45
  • Location: Los Angeles, California, USA

I grew up in Johnson City, TN - a small town in the northeast corner of the state. For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of moving to Los Angeles and starting my own business. When I was 18, I moved to LA to attend college and haven’t left yet.

I started my first business in 2008 when the startup culture was very limited in Los Angeles. Resources were scarce and it was difficult to learn how to start and run a company with no experience. Nonetheless, I trudged through the journey for a few years trying to figure it out. It was filled with some success and a lot of learning lessons, but ultimately, it didn’t end the way I had hoped. I spent a few more years working with startup companies and learning more about the landscape and how to hone my skills as a leader and entrepreneur.

In April of 2014, I started my second company, Lemonlight, out of a second bedroom with my two co-founders, Daniel Marlow, and Chad Rogers. Lemonlight’s mission was to offer small and medium-sized businesses access to high-quality, affordable video content that they could use to advertise their brand online.

how-i-started-a-500k-month-video-production-company-from-my-bedroom-in-la

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Hope Horner, on starting Lemonlight ($600,000/month) full story ➜

4. Become an author ($168K/year)

Nick Thacker from Colorado, USA started Nick Thacker over 4 years ago, a author.

  • Revenue: $14,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 1
  • Location: Colorado, USA

I’ve always been a fanatic reader, specifically in the thriller genre. I discovered Dan Brown as a kid, then James Rollins, and I’ve always love action movies that combine adrenaline and history (think National Treasure, Indiana Jones, etc.).

I decided to write a book (my first was called The Golden Crystal, and it has been re-launched as The Atlantis Stone) when my grandfather passed away. He had always been a strong positive influence in my life, and he, my dad, and I often swapped paperbacks we liked. That first book was intended as a gift for my dad for Christmas, and it was going to be the only one I ever wrote -- just to see if I could do it.

I had no idea what I was doing (arguably, I still don’t…). I just thought it would be fun to combine technology with the discovery of Atlantis… in some way. When I got started, I was naive enough to think that books simply happen, but the book very quickly got the best of me. I took a six-month break and consumed as much as I could on the subject of the craft of writing fiction. I’d never really written anything before, so it was an eye-opening experience to learn about structure, plot tropes, character development, and everything else that goes into a good, cohesive story.

how-i-generate-10k-month-as-an-indie-writer

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Nick Thacker, on starting Nick Thacker ($14,000/month) full story ➜

5. Start a consulting business ($240K/year)

Akhil Suresh Nair from City of Westminster, England, United Kingdom started Xena Intelligence by Parzenn Partners about 3 years ago, a consulting business.

  • Revenue: $20,000/ month
  • Founders: 3
  • Employees: 0
  • Location: City of Westminster, England, United Kingdom

I had a couple of years of experience working for a large corporation back in India. I genuinely felt that I was just a cog in the wheel and that whatever I did had little to no impact in the real world.

We were at a crossroads at that time – filled with constant self-doubt about the career path we wanted to take. We could have easily applied for corporate jobs in the US or in India, but we chose to follow our hearts by continuing to work in our consulting business.

I reached out to a few small businesses I had developed good relationships during my corporate career and started helping them out on developing marketing strategy to scale their businesses and also to instill robust operational efficiencies in their business processes. I realized that I was able to add considerable value to their businesses and that I felt a sense of satisfaction in being able to make their lives better. I soon started consulting for over 20 small businesses in India.

how-two-friends-from-india-bootstrapped-a-management-consulting-business

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Akhil Suresh Nair, on starting Xena Intelligence by Parzenn Partners ($20,000/month) full story ➜

6. Start a freelance writing business ($1.02M/year)

David Tile from Toronto, Ontario, Canada started Article-Writing Co about 10 years ago, a freelance writing business.

  • Revenue: $85,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 15
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

In 2011, coming out of college, I miserably tried to start a penny auction website. I studied Political Science at University, which had absolutely no bearing on this idea. I knew I wanted to do something entrepreneurial and was consumed by this auction model. I had my own specific mechanics that I thought would make the game a lot more fair for the average consumer. But alas, 6-8 months later, after burning through thousands of dollars trying to get the technology right, I was absolutely nowhere.

I was resigned to not give up, but the mechanics of the auction are critical to the smooth operation of the website and if you can’t get it right you don’t have a business. So I decided to start taking on some freelance writing work, just to get some cash in.

One thing led to another and I started getting some bigger clients with bigger asks. Eventually, I snowballed hiring some writers and copy editors. Turning this thing into a full-time business operation.

how-i-started-a-80k-month-content-writing-business

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David Tile, on starting Article-Writing Co ($85,000/month) full story ➜

7. Start a journal business ($1.8M/year)

Ollie Aplin from London, UK started MindJournal over 5 years ago, a journal business.

  • Revenue: $150,000/ month
  • Founders: 2
  • Employees: 3
  • Location: London, UK

I’ve personally kept a journal for 10 years now, ever since I first went into therapy to recover from PTSD. My mum took her own life 2 years prior to my breakdown, and I never really got to grips with my emotions or how to process everything that had ever happened.

When I started therapy I was still stuck in the mindset that talking about how I felt was not something I should do. So talking therapy was the most unnatural experience for me. So to help, my therapist recommended I tried journaling – as a way of privately thinking about how I felt and what was on my mind. It was a game-changer of a moment for me.

My mum took her own life 2 years prior to my breakdown, and I never really got to grips with my emotions or how to process everything that had ever happened.

creating-a-journal-to-help-men-around-the-world

-  
Ollie Aplin, on starting MindJournal ($150,000/month) full story ➜

8. Start a niche blog ($288K/year)

Starter Story from New York, New York, USA started Starter Story almost 4 years ago, a niche blog.

  • Revenue: $24,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 2
  • Location: New York, New York, USA

how-i-built-starter-story

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Starter Story, on starting Starter Story ($24,000/month) full story ➜

9. Become a proofreader ($24K/year)

Lenny Bron from New York, New York, USA started The Blog Proofreader about 5 years ago, a proofreader.

  • Revenue: $2,000/ month
  • Founders: 1
  • Employees: 0
  • Location: New York, New York, USA

This business idea was born in 2016, but the journey really began in 2014.

After working for a company for 8 years, I hadn’t really gotten far financially and felt stuck. I decided to find a job with better financial prospects and the possibility of advancement. After 6 months of searching, I was hired at a new employer and managed to double my salary in one fell swoop!

Just start! That little voice inside your head giving you doubts will always be there. Push through that voice and keep going until you reach a point where you’re lost.

how-i-added-2-000-to-my-monthly-income-proofreading-blog-posts

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Lenny Bron, on starting The Blog Proofreader ($2,000/month) full story ➜

10. Start a fashion columnist business

Examples of a successful fashion columnist business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a fashion columnist business:

Learn more about starting a fashion columnist business ➜

article

11. Start a screen writing business

Examples of a successful screen writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a screen writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a screen writing business ➜

article

12. Start an online researching business

Examples of a successful online researching business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a online researching business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an online researching business ➜

article

13. Start a speech writing business

Examples of a successful speech writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a speech writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a speech writing business ➜

article

14. Start a pr consulting business

Examples of a successful pr consulting business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a pr consulting business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a pr consulting business ➜

article

15. Start an e-book writing business

Examples of a successful e-book writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a e-book writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an e-book writing business ➜

article

16. Become a ghost blogger

Examples of a successful ghost blogger:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a ghost blogger:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a ghost blogger ➜

article

17. Start an online newsletter writing business

Examples of a successful online newsletter writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a online newsletter writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an online newsletter writing business ➜

article

18. Start a direct mail service consulting business

Examples of a successful direct mail service consulting business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a direct mail service consulting business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a direct mail service consulting business ➜

article

19. Start a content marketing business

Examples of a successful content marketing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a content marketing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a content marketing business ➜

article

20. Start a business plan writing business

Examples of a successful business plan writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a business plan writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a business plan writing business ➜

article

21. Start a social influencing business

Examples of a successful social influencing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a social influencing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a social influencing business ➜

article

22. Start an online ad creation business ($600K/year)

Examples of a successful online ad creation business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a online ad creation business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an online ad creation business ➜

article

23. Start a writing workshop teaching business ($360/year)

Examples of a successful writing workshop teaching business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a writing workshop teaching business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a writing workshop teaching business ➜

article

24. Start a social media management business

Examples of a successful social media management business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a social media management business ➜

article

25. Start a grant writing business

Examples of a successful grant writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a grant writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a grant writing business ➜

article

26. Start a magazine publishing business on amazon kindle store

Examples of a successful magazine publishing business on amazon kindle store:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a magazine publishing business on amazon kindle store:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a magazine publishing business on amazon kindle store ➜

article

27. Start a playwriting business

Examples of a successful playwriting business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a playwriting business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a playwriting business ➜

article

28. Start a copywriting business

Examples of a successful copywriting business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a copywriting business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a copywriting business ➜

article

29. Start a novelist business

Examples of a successful novelist business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a novelist business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a novelist business ➜

article

30. Start an online course creation business

Examples of a successful online course creation business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a online course creation business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an online course creation business ➜

article

31. Start a letter writing business

Examples of a successful letter writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a letter writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a letter writing business ➜

article

32. Start a zine publisher business

Examples of a successful zine publisher business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a zine publisher business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a zine publisher business ➜

article

33. Start a short-story writing business

Examples of a successful short-story writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a short-story writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a short-story writing business ➜

article

34. Start a podcasting business ($282K/year)

Examples of a successful podcasting business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a podcasting business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a podcasting business ➜

And for some real world inspiration, give Tom Hunt's story on creating Fame a read:

My name is Tom Hunt and we start and grow the world's most profitable podcasts at Fame.

We currently run this process for 10 clients and make approximately $17k per month.

how-i-started-a-17k-month-podcast-growth-service

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Tom Hunt, on starting Fame ($17,000/month) full story ➜

35. Start a gaming storyboard creation business

Examples of a successful gaming storyboard creation business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a gaming storyboard creation business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a gaming storyboard creation business ➜

article

36. Start a market researching business

Examples of a successful market researching business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a market researching business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a market researching business ➜

article

37. Start a comic writing business

Examples of a successful comic writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a comic writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a comic writing business ➜

article

38. Start a marketing consulting business ($1.8K/year)

Examples of a successful marketing consulting business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a marketing consulting business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a marketing consulting business ➜

article

39. Become an affiliate marketer ($1.2M/year)

Examples of a successful affiliate marketer:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a affiliate marketer:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting an affiliate marketer ➜

40. Start a SEM business

Examples of a successful SEM business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a SEM business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a SEM business ➜

article

41. Become a song writer

Examples of a successful song writer:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a song writer:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a song writer ➜

article

42. Start a website editing service ($72K/year)

Examples of a successful website editing service:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a website editing service:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a website editing service ➜

And for some real world inspiration, give Ferenc Denes's story on creating HTMLG a read:

Hello, my name is Ferenc Denes and I have 40+ websites with a total of roughly 8-10 million monthly visitors. I’m going to share the story of one of my sites that brings $6K per month as passive income.

I’m going to share the story of my online HTML editor at htmlg.com. This online text editor converts documents to HTML. It helps to process and clean the code. It runs in the web browser without installing any desktop program. It has a free demo that allows you to give it a try and learn how it works.

the-online-html-editor-that-generates-a-passive-income-of-6k-month

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Ferenc Denes, on starting HTMLG ($6,000/month) full story ➜

43. Start a product description writing business

Examples of a successful product description writing business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a product description writing business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a product description writing business ➜

article

44. Start a story blogging business

Examples of a successful story blogging business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a story blogging business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a story blogging business ➜

article

45. Start a transcribing service business ($36K/year)

Examples of a successful transcribing service business:

Here are some great videos on how to get started with a transcribing service business:

For further info, check out these books and products:

Learn more about starting a transcribing service business ➜

And for some real world inspiration, give Gaynor's story on creating Typewrite Transcription and Typing Services CC a read:

Hi there. I am Gaynor Paynter and I run Typewrite Transcription and Typing Services CC, a business which I started in 2005. You can probably tell by the business name I do typing and transcription, but I also do proofreading, editing, and most other virtual services. Right now I am busy with a project that involves doing some research to help someone compile a letter she wants to send to funders for her business, so I’m pretty versatile.

Hi there. I am Gaynor Paynter and I run Typewrite Transcription and Typing Services CC, a business which I started in 2005. You can probably tell by the business name I do typing and transcription, but I also do proofreading, editing, and most other virtual services. Right now I am busy with a project that involves doing some research to help someone compile a letter she wants to send to funders for her business, so I’m pretty versatile.

how-i-started-a-3k-month-transcription-and-typing-service

-  
Gaynor, on starting Typewrite Transcription and Typing Services CC ($3,000/month) full story ➜

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