The Current State of Writing Online (2025 Edition)
How to prepare for the future
Every year, I like to share my predictions for the future.
But, truthfully, last year was such a whirlwind, I’m still spinning a little. So, instead of sharing my predictions, I’d love to take a moment to break down the current state of writing online.
And, where I’m investing my energy in 2025…
The current state of writing.
Every year, there are changes to the digital writing space.
New platforms, trends, and different ways to make money. And, while 2024 was no different, the scale is what set it apart:
For starters, Medium made drastic changes to its Partner Program and distribution practices, causing many writers to see a decrease in earnings.
Because of this, many top Medium writers have moved to Substack — and, the platform has been booming ever since.
But, perhaps the biggest change was the normalization of writing with AI. 🤖✍️
Until last year, writers had been split into two schools:
Those adamantly opposing AI
Those choosing to embrace it
Personally, I fell somewhere in the middle. While, after some experimentation, I don’t find AI to be an effective writing tool, it does have many effective use cases — making money, being one of them.
A Complete Walkthrough of My A.I. Side Hustle
Update: I recently re-tested this method to see if it still works in 2025. Here are my results.
And, what I’m learning is, I’m not the only one.
In the past, my YouTube comments would be filled with questions as to AI’s efficacy. But, last year, I saw a boom in subscribers sharing how they’ve been successfully using it to make money.
Particularly on Medium.
This was surprising to me as Medium has been one of the platforms actively trying to reduce AI-written content.
All of this has created an entirely new writing landscape. And, many writers have been left scratching their heads as to how to navigate it…
What to focus on in 2025.
There are a million different ways to make money as a writer.
The problem is, writing is a personal endeavour. And, what works for you might not work for someone else. It’s for this reason, I always recommend embracing experimentation.
Often, you won’t know what path is right for you until you walk it. 🛣️
Most people are wary about investing time into a project without being certain it will pay off. And, while I understand this notion, sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith and see where you land.
With that said, you can learn a lot by listening to those around you. So, here’s where I’m focusing my energy in 2025…
#1. Community:
It may sound obvious, but more now than ever, businesses are built through community.
With so much faceless content being generated, people are hungry for human connection. And, simple things like interacting with your readers or writing like a human are more valuable than ever.
With so many articles being generated with AI, the value of artisan words has begun to skyrocket. 🏺✍️
Handmade art, for example, demands a premium price tag — which, consumers are happy to pay because of its quality. The same goes for your blog, website, or newsletter.
Growing an online community is a long-term approach. So, it might not put money in your pocket right away. But, building an engaged audience is one of the best investments you can make. Bar none.
The Best Platforms to Grow an Audience in 2025
Today, there are nearly endless places to grow an online audience.
And, if you stay true to who you are, your audience will follow you regardless of any twists, turns, or detours your life takes.
#2. Learn SEO:
Now, if you’re not community-minded or would just like a more direct approach to earning from your words, I believe SEO is making a comeback.
In the past, one of the only ways to succeed as an online writer was to understand search engine optimization. But, thanks to revenue-sharing platforms, like Medium, many writers never had to learn SEO.
Unfortunately, Medium’s recent changes have made it difficult to earn consistently from its Partner Program. So, its efficacy has taken a turn.
And, more writers are beginning to use it as an SEO platform.
My New Medium Strategy Has Earned Me $6,000 in the Past 60 Days. Here It Is...
Over the past year, Medium has changed drastically.
Today, the most successful Medium writers use the platform to leverage organic traffic through SEO. Then, leverage said traffic to sell products or services.
And, learning how to garner organic traffic, on any platform, will serve you well. Especially, if you have something to sell…
#3. Create a product:
Although not easy, making money as a writer is very simple. You need:
Something to say
Something to sell
Somewhere to post
Numbers 1 and 3 are relatively easy.
Something to sell… this is where most writers struggle. 🤔💰
Personally, I’ve found this difficult as my interests seem to change every few years.
When I first started writing, I was interested in mindfulness. Then, I moved on to health and fitness. And, presently, I’m hunkering down on the meta niche of making money as a writer. Namely, to create a base income while I pursue fiction writing.
This has made it tough for me to decide exactly what I want to sell. And, truthfully, has caused me to earn much less than many of my writing peers.
But, if you have a strong sense of what you’d like to sell, I would urge you to create a product as soon as possible:
Write a book
Create a course
Offer freelance writing
Film a video walkthrough
Start a community or paid newsletter
At the very least, I would create a free product or have some way for your readers to support you through donations. Anything you can do to add a layer of income to the content you’re producing.
This not only creates a financial cushion. But, allows you to pick up and change platforms at your whimsy.
My current strategy.
To be transparent, writing about writing is not my passion.
But, I do love to write.
So, writing about writing acts as a fulfilling day job of sorts while I figure out the nuts and bolts of earning money as a fiction writer.
At the time of writing this, I’m still figuring out exactly how to navigate the next leg in my journey. Fortunately, I’ve built a nice base of income opportunities:
And, this newsletter, which I hope to soon become a profitable endeavour. If you’d like to unlock its full archive (or simply support me), I’d love for you to become a paid subscriber. 👇❤️
I’m currently working on a series of fictional short stories. My plan is to begin posting them to Substack once they’re ready. Hopefully, they will become wildly popular and I can share more insight on how to succeed as a fiction writer as well.
Until then, I will continue providing as much value as I possibly can. Which, at the end of the day, is all you can really do. And, I believe will always result in a net positive.
Final thoughts: how about you?
Just like life, the digital writing space is wildly unpredictable.
So, I hope hearing my thoughts has helped inspire some of your own. At the very least, I hope I’ve offered you a fresh perspective.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the current state of writing. And, what you’re choosing to focus on this year.
Happy writing!
Hudson :)
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AI cheapens writing. I'm not a fan of it at all. It's going to be the downfall of the written word in the near future once the algorithms get better.
Love your work Hudson. Your YT got me writing on medium. Now looking at where to next 🥴