Have you ever looked at your handwriting and thought, “If only I could get paid for this!”?
Well, guess what? You absolutely can!
I recall sitting at my desk one evening, gazing at a pile of bills & wondering how I could boost my income without taking on yet another soul-crushing full-time job. As a digital marketer with over a decade of experience, I’m always on the lookout for flexible side hustles that don’t require sacrificing my sanity or free time.
That’s when I stumbled upon the surprisingly lucrative world of letter writing side hustles. Who knew that putting pen to paper could actually pay the bills?
Let’s check out these amazing opportunities that can transform your handwriting from a forgotten skill to a serious money-maker!
5 Letter Writing Side Hustles That Pay $50+ Per Hour
1. Handwritten Letters for Major Corporations
Overview: This might sound too good to be true, but major corporations will actually pay you to write letters by hand!
Companies across the United States and Canada are willing to pay around $5 per handwritten letter. With a bit of practice, you can complete multiple letters per hour, potentially earning $50-$75 hourly.
How It Works: Services like Letter Friend employ human writers for authentic handwritten notes. Written by people- no fonts, robots, or printers.
Your job is refreshingly simple: you receive text on your phone or computer, transcribe it neatly onto paper, address the envelopes, and mail them off. No selling. No marketing. Just writing.
Companies value these handwritten notes because they stand out in our digital world. Plus, it’s often a tax write-off for them.
Getting Started: The process is straightforward. You’ll need to:
- Sign up with a platform that connects writers with companies
- Gather basic supplies (paper, pens, envelopes)
- Practice your handwriting to ensure it’s neat and legible
- Follow the exact instructions provided for each letter
The best part? There’s no pressure to meet quotas. You can write as many or as few letters as your schedule allows.
Remember though, payment usually takes 4-6 weeks to arrive after your first submission, but once you’re in the system, many writers report receiving weekly payments.
2. Sales Page Copywriting
Overview: If you can write persuasively, sales page copywriting might be your golden ticket!
This specialized type of writing focuses on creating the long-form sales pages you see online that convince people to buy products or services.
And here’s the kicker – experienced sales copywriters can command five figures for a SINGLE sales page!
Why It Pays So Well: Great sales copy directly impacts a company’s bottom line.
If you can increase conversion rates by even a small percentage for a product already making millions, you’ve instantly justified your high fee. Companies understand this value equation, which is why they’re willing to pay premium rates.
Breaking Into This Field: You don’t need formal qualifications, but you do need to understand what makes people tick (and click that “Buy Now” button).
To get started:
- Study successful sales pages in different industries
- Practice by rewriting existing sales pages to improve them
- Send your improved versions to companies as examples
- Track your results to build a portfolio of case studies
What sets apart the top earners is their research process. They interview actual customers to understand pain points and desires, making their copy much more effective than generic sales writing.
Have you ever read something online and felt like it was speaking directly to you? That’s what you’re aiming for!
3. Resume and Cover Letter Writing
Overview: Job seekers are constantly looking for an edge in competitive markets, and many will gladly pay for expert help with their application materials.
Resume writers typically charge between $25-$65 per hour, but the premium market is where the real money lies. Some specialists charge well over $500 for comprehensive packages!
The Premium Approach: The key to commanding higher rates is positioning yourself as more than just a writer.
You’re selling outcomes – helping people land their dream jobs. When you tie your services to results and provide additional support (like interview prep or LinkedIn optimization), you can easily justify rates that push you into the $50+ per hour territory.
Additional Services: To maximize your earnings, consider offering:
- LinkedIn profile optimizations
- Email correspondence templates
- Interview preparation
- Job search strategy sessions
These upsells not only increase your per-client revenue but also improve their chances of success (which means better testimonials for you).
Getting Started: The best way to break in is to help friends optimize their resumes for free to build a portfolio.
Then reach out to job seekers on LinkedIn offering your services. The constant churn of the job market means there’s always demand for quality resume writing.
4. Calligraphy and Handwritten Notes Services
Overview: In our digital age, handwritten notes and artistic calligraphy have become premium offerings that people will pay surprisingly well for.
While not quite the automated system of writing for corporations, offering personalized calligraphy services can be a fantastic creative outlet that pays well.
Applications: The market for beautiful handwriting is surprisingly diverse:
- Wedding invitations and place cards
- Business welcome notes for client onboarding
- Holiday greeting cards for companies
- Custom art pieces featuring quotes or poems
- Special occasion cards
Pricing Strategy: One Reddit user mentioned their calligraphy side hustle, noting that while it’s “not exactly a money spinner,” it does pay well for the right clients.
The trick is finding clients who value the personal touch and uniqueness of handwritten communications. For business clients, you could offer packages like “25 notes/letters of 100 words or less for $100,” which would put you in that $50+ per hour range with practice.
Getting Started: Build a simple portfolio of your handwriting styles, create a basic website, and start promoting in local Facebook groups or to businesses in your area.
Wedding planners can also be great referral sources. The key is highlighting the emotional impact of handwritten communications in a digital world.
5. Legal Document Editing
Overview: While not strictly “letter writing,” editing legal documents is adjacent to the writing world and can be extremely lucrative if you have attention to detail.
One lawyer on Reddit shared their experience working as an editor on the side, mentioning they earned a “respectable hourly rate” that eventually grew significantly as they built their reputation.
The Value Proposition: Legal documents require extreme precision, making experienced editors highly valuable.
After working at it for four years, this person had built enough of a reputation that former clients reached out offering much higher pay than they initially received.
Building Your Client Base: This side hustle requires some patience and persistence.
The Reddit user mentioned it took “four years of hard work-sometimes burning the midnight oil-and very low initial pay” before they built their reputation. However, once established, the work became more consistent and better paid.
Balancing With Other Work: The great thing about editing is that it can be done remotely and on your own schedule, though deadlines can sometimes be tight.
This makes it ideal for fitting around other commitments. Just be aware that as independent contractor work (1099), you’ll need to set aside approximately 40% for taxes.
What Kind of Companies Typically Hire Letter Writers
Based on the search results, several types of companies typically hire letter writers to create more personal connections with clients and prospects:
Real Estate Professionals
Real estate agents frequently use handwritten notes as part of their marketing strategy. One agent mentioned that while the real estate market was booming, he “was just answering my phone,” but in today’s more challenging market, agents “have to do a lot more outbound contacting.” Handwritten notes help them stand out in a competitive market, though some are now turning to automated services that mimic handwriting to save time.
Financial Services Companies
Financial services, mortgage brokers, and other businesses selling high-cost products are prime candidates for letter writing services. These companies can afford to pay $2-$4 per letter because even if only a few letters result in sales, they still make a profit due to their high-value products.
E-commerce and Retail Businesses
Online retailers use handwritten notes for customer care communications. One example mentioned was a “beautifully handwritten customer care note” sent by a boutique e-commerce company after a customer received a wrong order. These personal touches can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Wellness and Health Companies
Health-focused businesses use handwritten communications to deepen relationships with potential clients. For instance, Re:vitalize Weight Loss and Wellness sends notes to everyone who visits their office, including those who initially declined their services. This personal approach has resulted in people who initially said “no” returning to enroll in their programs.
Businesses Facing Economic Challenges
Companies feeling “desperate to keep their customers” during periods of high inflation or economic uncertainty use handwritten notes as a way to “reach out in meaningful ways to keep their attention.” The personal touch helps maintain customer relationships during difficult times.
Direct Marketing Companies
Businesses focused on direct mail marketing hire letter writers because handwritten letters “stand out from all other direct mail” in today’s digital-heavy marketing landscape. Companies have reported up to 77% increase in conversions from handwritten letters used for limited-period promotions.
The appeal of hiring letter writers across all these industries stems from the same principle: in a world overpowered by digital communication, a handwritten note creates a memorable impression that can significantly impact customer acquisition and retention.
Conclusion
Isn’t it amazing how something as simple as letter writing can turn into such a profitable side hustle? From $5 per handwritten letter for corporations to premium resume writing services, there are opportunities for every skill level and interest.
The beauty of these letter writing side hustles is their flexibility. You can scale them up or down depending on your needs and time availability. Plus, most require minimal startup costs – just your time, a pen, and paper!
I’ve been fascinated by how these traditional skills have found new value in our digital economy. Sometimes the oldest communication methods become the most sought-after precisely because they’re becoming rare.
Which of these letter writing side hustles caught your eye?
Are you ready to dust off that fountain pen and turn your handwriting into cold, hard cash?
