# Why Writers Are Giving Up (But Some Still Fight)

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/why-writers-are-giving-up-but-some-still-fight/306450>\
**Category:** Discussion & Solutions\
**Tags:** earn-money, ai, content-creation\
**Created:** [June 11, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/why-writers-are-giving-up-but-some-still-fight/306450 "2025-06-11T18:16:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SRZ](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/srz/32/146132_2.png) [@SRZ](https://onehack.st/u/SRZ)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/why-writers-are-giving-up-but-some-still-fight/306450/1 "2025-06-11T18:16:54Z")

</div>

### Quick Intro

I found a powerful story of a writer who gave up professional writing after 12 years—and why he might return.

### Main Points

- **Writer’s Journey** : Started at 17 earning $3–$26 per piece. By age 29, had written SEO blogs, ghostwritten books, translated articles, and was in the top 10% on Upwork.
- **Collapse of Career** : Got laid off in 2023 after years of success. Spent 9 months applying for 700+ jobs (writing + others), but failed to land anything stable.
- **Debt & Depression** : Spent savings to help his father with a brain tumor. His dad passed away. Writer became broke, depressed, and nearly homeless.
- **Moved On** : Took a job at a call center (10-hour shifts, 2-hour daily commute). Found peace, stability, and eventually got promoted to work from home.
- **New Plan** : He’s not abandoning writing entirely—just writing for clients. Now plans to self-publish books and maybe return to writing full-time later.
- **AI Impact** : Many comment that AI ruined low-end freelance work, with some jobs shifting to automation or underpaying new hires.
- **Emotional Support** : Dozens of writers shared similar stories of burnout, layoffs, Upwork scams, lowball clients, AI accusations, and giving up.

### Extra Tips

- Start a **KDP book series** and aim for $400/month to replace freelance.
- Write for **yourself** first. Then monetize via Medium, affiliate blogs, or ebooks.
- Learn **SEO and marketing** if you want to find clients directly.
- Consider **YouTube automation** using your stories or scripts.
- Use commutes creatively—some wrote novels during travel time.
- Freelancing success may come by building your own **client base** , not platforms.

### Warnings

- **Freelance platforms like Upwork** now charge for applying and don’t refund if scammed.
- **AI accusations** are common even for human-written work.
- Many clients prefer **cheap AI** or underpaying new writers, ignoring quality.

### Mixed or Disputed Info

- “Writing is dead” – mixed (Some still earn, but low-tier work is vanishing.)
- “Upwork is useless now” – mixed (Some claim success; others face scams + rejection.)
- “AI writing dominates” – mixed (It’s fast but often boring or inaccurate.)