Turn Your Words Into Wealth
Discover how to turn your writing passion into profit. Learn how affiliate marketing through ShareASale helps writers earn real income from their content. Write what you love—and get paid for it.
A New Era for Writers
There was a time when making a living as a writer meant pitching to magazines, freelancing for pennies, or praying your novel found a publisher. Those days aren’t gone, but there’s a new, more empowering path available: affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing has quietly become one of the most sustainable and scalable ways for writers to earn online. It rewards your skill with words and your ability to connect with an audience—without sacrificing your voice or passion. And thanks to platforms like ShareASale, it’s easier than ever to start.
This guide is your roadmap. Whether you write blogs, essays, or reviews, we’ll show you how to transform your writing into income, using authentic storytelling, niche insight, and affiliate strategies that truly work.
The Dream: Write What You Love and Get Paid for It
For many writers, the dream isn’t just about money, it’s about freedom. Freedom to write what matters. Freedom to work from anywhere. Freedom to choose your own topics and schedule.
But what if the very act of writing, of sharing your thoughts and ideas, could fund that freedom?
That’s exactly what affiliate marketing makes possible. By aligning your content with products and services your readers genuinely need, you can build a business that supports your passion. You stay authentic. You stay creative. And yes, you get paid.
What Is Affiliate Marketing? (In Plain Language)
Affiliate marketing is simple at heart:
You recommend a product or service on your blog, website, or social media. If someone clicks your special link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.
That’s it.
Let’s say you review a writing tool like Scrivener, Grammarly, or Jasper. You share your experience, include a link to buy it, and get paid when someone follows through.
You don’t have to hold inventory, ship anything, or handle customer service. It’s a win-win: readers discover useful tools, and you get rewarded for the connection.
Why ShareASale Is a Writer’s Best Friend
There are many affiliate networks, but ShareASale stands out for writers. Here’s why:
- Huge Marketplace: Access thousands of brands and services—from writing tools to health, wellness, tech, and more.
- Easy Approval Process: Get started without needing to be an influencer or have huge traffic.
- Transparent Tracking: See exactly which links get clicks, and which ones earn commissions.
- Consistent Payouts: Payments come like clockwork once you meet the low minimum threshold.
ShareASale is especially friendly to bloggers and writers, offering intuitive dashboards and helpful support. You’re not just another number. You’re a creator they value.
Finding Your Niche as a Writer-Affiliate
Let’s talk niches. A niche is the specific area you write about: parenting, productivity, self-improvement, travel, food, tech, or personal finance. Niches help you stand out and attract the right readers.
If you try to talk to everyone, you talk to no one. But if you focus on a clear topic, you become an expert in that space, and readers trust your recommendations.
Example Niches for Writer-Affiliates:
- Writing and publishing tools
- Mental health and journaling
- Digital nomad lifestyle
- Sustainable living and wellness
- Education and online learning platforms
Choose a niche that lights you up and overlaps with affiliate programs on ShareASale. Passion plus profit is a powerful combo.
The Craft of Affiliate Content (That Converts)
Now that you know what to write about, let’s discuss how.
Affiliate content shouldn’t feel like a commercial. It should feel like a conversation.
Tell stories. Share personal experiences. Highlight problems your readers face—and show how a product helped you solve them. Great affiliate content is helpful, honest, and human.
Types of Content That Work Well:
- Product Reviews: Deep dives with pros, cons, and real use cases.
- How-To Guides: Teach something and weave in affiliate tools.
- Listicles: “Top 5 Tools Every Writer Needs” (with affiliate links)
- Case Studies: Show results from using a product.
Tip: Always disclose your affiliate relationship. It builds trust and keeps you compliant with FTC guidelines.
Building Your Website (Even If You’re Not Techy)
You don’t need to be a coder to create a professional writing site. In fact, platforms like WordPress make it easy.
Basic Steps:
- Buy a domain name that reflects your brand.
- Get affordable web hosting (many ShareASale programs even offer hosting services).
- Install WordPress.
- Choose a clean, mobile-friendly theme.
From there, start blogging. Keep your layout simple. Include a blog section, an about page, and a contact form.
And of course, strategically place your affiliate links. Sidebar banners, in-post links, and resource pages all work well.
Growing Your Audience
No readers? No revenue.
Affiliate marketing is a long game. But with consistent effort, your traffic and income will grow.
Start with content. Write regularly. Focus on helping your audience. Share your blog posts on social media. Create Pinterest pins. Start a newsletter.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your posts show up on Google. Use tools like Jaaxy (also on ShareASale!) to find keywords people are actually searching for.
Remember: Every post is a seed. Keep planting.
How Writers Actually Get Paid (With ShareASale)
Here’s how the money works:
When you join ShareASale and get accepted into an advertiser’s program, you receive a unique tracking link.
Every time a reader clicks that link and completes a qualifying action (usually a purchase), you earn a commission. These can range from a few percent to over 50%, depending on the program.
ShareASale shows you what’s working with detailed reports. You can see which products convert, which blog posts drive traffic, and where your income is coming from.
Payments are issued monthly, and you can choose to receive them via check, Payoneer, or direct deposit.
Overcoming Writer’s Block—and Income Plateaus
Affiliate marketing is exciting, but it’s not instant. Some months are slow. Some posts flop. It’s normal.
The key? Keep writing.
When you’re stuck, revisit your best-performing posts. Update them. Add stronger CTAs. Try new affiliate links.
And remember: creativity feeds consistency. Keep a running list of content ideas. Collaborate with other creators. Take breaks when needed.
Every post is a new opportunity.
From Side Hustle to Full-Time Income
Some writers use affiliate marketing to earn a little extra. Others turn it into a full-time income.
It usually starts slow: $20 here, $100 there. But with time and strategy, those numbers grow.
Once you have 30, 50, or 100 helpful posts out there, they start working for you while you sleep. That’s the beauty of passive income. Your words keep earning, long after you hit publish.
Affiliate marketing won’t make you rich overnight. But it will give you control. And if freedom is what you’re after, that control is everything.
Your Writing Deserves to Be Rewarded
You already have the skill. You already know how to tell stories, solve problems, and connect with readers.
Now it’s time to get paid for it.
Affiliate marketing isn’t about selling out. It’s about showing up. It’s about serving your audience while building a life you love.
So if you’re ready to start turning your passion into profit, take the first step today. Sign up for ShareASale and discover just how many brands align with your voice.
Find a sponsor for your website. Get paid for your great content.
The future of writing is in your hands. Write well. Write with purpose. And write your way to freedom.
