I’ve been working as a writer for 12 years, making a living by publishing articles on the internet. But as of 2025, this line of work is facing tougher challenges than ever before—an influx of side-hustle writers, the rapid rise of AI, and above all, an economic downturn.
The writing profession, I feel, has entered a stage of true “survival of the fittest.”
The Harsh Reality of Being a Writer
Just a few years ago, demand for online content was rising. If you hustled and pitched hard enough, you could still land assignments—even if the pay was low. Sure, there were frustrations like unpaid invoices or arrogant clients, but it was still possible to scrape by.
That’s no longer the case.
With the flood of beginner writers entering the field and the emergence of powerful AI tools, rates have plummeted across the board. For most freelancers, making a full-time living has become nearly impossible.
In many fields, it’s true that human writers still produce better quality than AI. But when the pay gap is so extreme, even quality can’t compete. To put it bluntly: when a company must choose between paying $3,000 a month for a human writer or $300 for AI, many will choose the latter—even if the results are less polished.
Editors Aren’t Safe Either
What about editors in stable, full-time positions? They aren’t immune either.
Editors are highly skilled professionals who manage writers and maintain quality, but shrinking budgets have forced many to reduce outsourcing and write more content themselves.
Quality-control systems have weakened, and even major media outlets now occasionally publish articles riddled with errors. This isn’t always the writers’ fault—often it’s the absence of experienced checkers and proofreaders.
Ideally, editing, proofreading, and technical checks would be handled by specialists with sufficient resources. But in today’s reality, those roles are also disappearing. In other words, it’s not just writers—the entire editorial side is under strain.
Two Paths to Survival
Given this landscape, I see two main strategies for survival as a writer:
1. Self-Branding
Establish your name and skillset so you’re remembered and sought out directly.
To do this, you need your own platforms—social media, YouTube, blogs. Having an audience not only strengthens your negotiating power but can also generate income through ads or memberships.
2. Joining an Organization
Work as an in-house writer or on a contract basis.
Full-time staff positions are scarce, but there’s always demand for people who can write, especially in temporary or contract roles. A quick glance at job boards makes this clear.
Neither option is easy, but relying solely on freelance gigs is becoming riskier by the day.
Writers and Machinists
This situation reminds me of the fate of traditional machinists. Before the rise of computer-controlled lathes, skilled craftsmen could support a family through manual work. But once NC lathes appeared, efficiency skyrocketed, and most manual skills became obsolete—except for a tiny fraction of ultra-specialized, high-paying work.
You might think operators of NC lathes, who can produce hundreds or thousands of times more than a craftsman, would be paid more. The paradox is that they’re often paid less than their predecessors. Productivity soared, but wages dropped.
Writers now face a similar choice: become a rare, highly sought-after name, or seek stability within an organization.
My Choice
For my part, I’ve chosen the former—even if it’s reckless.
I’m combining multiple skills to carve out a way of life built on writing.
This blog and my YouTube channel are part of that challenge.
No matter how times change, I want to keep creating value through writing.
That is my survival strategy.
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