COVID-19 Emergency Resources and Hustles for Remote Writers
Although they’re typically smaller amounts of funds, there are a handful of COVID-19 emergency resources available to remote writers to help pad the financial blow of the worldwide pandemic.
Of course, as time goes on, some of these COVID-19 resources may close applications as they exhaust their funds. Fortunately, many of us still have access to the Internet and can update one another on the following resources:
PEN America Writers’ Emergency Fund says that they know writers may “no longer have access to any of the ways in which they have supported themselves,” and they are offering $500 to 1,000 grants.
International Women’s Media Foundation: COVID-19 Relief Fund is offering up to $2,000 grants to women-identifying journalists who have faced significant financial hardship, lost work, or were recently laid off.
Freelancers Union: Freelancers Relief Fund offers up to $1,000 grants per household to cover lost income and essential expenses not covered by government relief programs. As of June 2020, applications are currently temporarily closed. But you can sign up for updates for when they open again on the site.
The Haven Foundation Grant Program was set up by Stephen King to offer financial assistance to help established freelance artists, including authors and screenwriters.
The SFWA Emergency Relief Fund is set up to help science fiction and fantasy writers pay for items not covered by medical insurance.
Finding More Work During the Downtime
RemoteWriterJobs.com (RWJ) does its very best to vet—or fact-check—every job listing that comes our way. Heck! RWJ even tests out potential clients for scams each week and draws up monthly reports on the back end. Believe it or not, RWJ will not accept and repost any and every employer or writing project ad that comes along. And that includes job ads from the affiliates, partners, and direct connects (see below). They like to make sure these remote writing jobs–affiliates and employers–are real and legit! Therefore, you might see some weeks where RWJ barely post job ads but focuses more on helping companies manage applications, one-on-one writer support, and weeding out the scams.
Good news! RWJ has many verified opportunities to share and will remain faithful to the task. They're on the way! So, stay tuned and keep your eye on our public Job Forum Page weekly.
But we totally get it...
You’re already probably looking under every rock for more work right now, and there is a chance you’ve lost clients and work. There’s no shame in hustling for in-between work, and we won’t assume you haven’t already. But there’s a chance you haven’t heard of one or two of these options!
WriterAccess is hiring – Join WriterAccess, now a five-time honoree of the Inc 5000 List of fastest-growing businesses in the US. You can learn how it works for writers, editors, content strategists and translators, and why they’re on our list of reputable marketplaces to earn some pay.
Additionally, it may be difficult to find traditional full-time employment right now, but there are many remote work options to consider:
We Work Remotely is one of the largest remote work sites around, and we’ve noticed it’s absent from “work from home” scams, featuring high-quality employers.
Remotive offers jobs in software development, customer success, design, marketing, sales, product, and more.
Remote.co has a wider array of options than most, including healthcare, so if you write in a specific niche, there could be unique options available there.
Working Nomads is a job search site that has tons of fresh listings, across a diverse array of sectors.
Jobspresso calls themselves “xpertly curated remote jobs in tech, marketing, customer support, and more.”
There are so many great niche communities on Facebook and LinkedIn – we recommend searching for “[Your City] Freelance Writers” or “[Your State] Freelancers,” and searching for combinations that lead you to established groups that are already talking about jobs.
They may even have more great leads on COVID-19 resources for remote writers! So, don't delay and stay persistent, remote writers!
Remember, there is help—and there is hope. Be well!
RWJ Contributing Author, Mel D, is a freelancer, retro fashion enthusiast, old school video gamer, techie, and the world's most wanted volunteer cello teacher.
Ready to Find Paid Remote Writing Jobs? Let's Go! >>> FIND WORK!
