Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels
There is no skill you can’t monetize, and creatives are fortunate enough to possess skills that open them up to lucrative opportunities. The only trade-off is that reaching a creative breakthrough could take significant time and effort. Added to that is the fact that professionals, from graphic designers to copywriters, will have to think of ways to earn more as they search for better jobs and grow their careers.
Being a creative is never easy, and many people are quick to say you can’t earn a decent living through your passions alone. That might not be true, especially as we live in an era where it’s possible to earn money passively, allowing you more free time for work that matters while keeping all your bills in check. Here are a few ideas you might want to try to earn passive income through your creative expertise
1. Start an online course
If you’re passionate about your craft, you could maximize the time and resources you have to build an online course for anyone interested. Platforms like Skillshare and Coursera are becoming more popular among people across different demographics who are eager to learn a new trade or hobby, or specific concepts such as color theory. You can use these platforms to start an online course for beginners and advanced learners.
Although the work that goes into recording and editing videos and crafting lesson plans and activities can be tedious, once your course is published, you can only wait for the money to trickle in as you gradually gain subscribers. So long as you focus more on quality and authentic learning experiences, the earnings you receive should be enough to cover more than a year’s worth of living expenses.
2. Consider building a blog
Aside from online courses, people also flock to authority blogs for advice, information, and entertainment. Some of the most successful creatives attribute a large part of their earnings to managing personal and professional blogs that document the work that they do and educate budding freelancers who are eager to enter the market. It boils down to the quality of your content.
If you’re able to write about topics you’re passionate about, you can open up your blog to advertisers so you can earn revenue with each engagement your blog generates. Once your blog has gained greater domain authority, you can have other people or businesses contribute articles for a fee. What’s more, you can offer exclusive content for fans of your work. Through this, you will be able to build a steady income stream through subscriptions and even sponsored posts.
3. Publish e-books in your niche
Anyone can be a published author today. Using basic tools like Canva, you can learn how to design a self-published coloring book for printing and selling on platforms like Amazon or Etsy. For this, you just have to take as much time as you need to develop a concept for an e-book and craft the content from scratch.
You can publish just about any type of e-book that aligns with your practice as a creative. You can create an artbook that shows your body of work as a digital illustrator or write a how-to guide on content marketing for those wanting a stable and sustainable career in digital marketing.
4. Offer up licensed content
If you want a means to earn truly passive income, think about offering content such as stock photos and videos for licensing. Especially if you are a visual creative, you can use what work you’ve produced as a powerful income-generating vehicle.
For this, consider reaching out to platforms that allow you to upload your work and earn royalties via licensing fees paid for by users. You still retain ownership of your work even if others use it for marketing and other purposes. All the same, you get to earn a significant amount without having to lift a finger.
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While waiting for your next big project, consider using your free time to build a passive income stream that should keep you financially afloat without having to experience burnout.
