One of the most Common Questions I get asked is whether my love for writing pays my rent and utility bills. For sure, I am usually hesitant to respond to such questions, but, um, today, I will. To be able to benefit from Writing fully, you must be willing to put in the”Smart & hard” work together so as to be able to reap all the ripe fruits in it. For me, writing is not just a side hustle or a job, but it is a survival skill in that each day is a new day for me to learn new things.
In Kenya, 67% of the youth population from age 15 to 34 still faces unemployment, and the competition for securing jobs is becoming harder every day. However, the good thing is that about 22.6 million youth have access to an internet connection, meaning that if they want, they can also earn online from various jobs such as content writing, graphic design, etc.
For me personally, I have never failed to utilize any opportunity to try to have food on my table. My Journey with Writing started three years ago, a few years after Joining university to study Mathematics and computer science. However, it was not until during the COVID-19 lockdown period that I remember very well that I had the energy to engage fully in writing and coding simultaneously.
Fast-forward to date. I won’t say I am still not a guru at it, but as I mentioned previously, I take each day as a chance to learn and embrace new ideas. Well, the journey itself has its own fair share of ups and downs. I have made mistakes and learned from them, and while trying to give you a glimpse of my journey in this niche, I also try to share solutions or baby steps to get you started and what to avoid.
How Did I Break Into Writing with zero experience?
For many interested in writing or any online work in Kenya, freelance platforms have become a quick and easy route for anyone to venture. That’s where I started, too, but to be honest, they work well if you have the needed experience and skills, but that wasn’t the case for me. I hope this doesn’t scare you, but if it does, you should check out this guide, in which I will explain how to get a remote job with no experience.
When breaking out to writing, Skills are what matters the most. But then, if this doesn’t make any sense, below is the Unfiltered Roadmap of what worked (and what did not) for me and my advice on how to quickly grow, either going independent or working for others.
Upwork, Fiverr, and Early Rejections
Upwork and Fiver were some of the first platforms I tried looking for jobs on, but sadly, they didn’t work out for me because I lacked the skills needed to compete with other freelancers. Upwork alone has more than 18 million freelancers, so you can imagine how difficult it can be to get an entry-level role with competition both locally and abroad.
But the fact that it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. The journey is tough, but not giving up on what you believe is really what matters. What no one told me when I was getting started is that you need first to develop the skills, have the right attitude towards the job, and have a portfolio to showcase your work.
Most freelance platforms operate on a bidding system, meaning that you must write a proposal to a client, convincing them why they should consider you for the project from other freelancers who are also bidding for the same task. A good way to stand out is to have a portfolio to showcase your past projects.
Having a portfolio does not mean that you have to build a website from scratch. Many free platforms today, such as Medium and LinkedIn, allow you to publish your work samples for free, which you can then share with your clients.
With zero experience, instead of looking for online content writing gigs on international online platforms, you can outsource jobs directly from local job sites such as Myjobmag and Brightermonday since they have much lower competition for entry-level roles.
The Power of Mentorship
My biggest breakthroughs with landing writing gigs have not been through freelance platforms but rather through networking with other professionals. When I realized that you know things were not just working for me, I accepted to be mentored and be shown how generally the writing industry works.
One of the challenges I faced when I first started blogging was launching my first blog in September 2021. I was naive and excited about writing and publishing my content, but then I could not help but wonder why my posts were not performing even though I knew how to write.
However, it wasn’t until I sought mentorship that I realized that writing is not just about hitting the publishing button but a chain of processes that requires proper research, outlining, a draft, proofreading, SEO optimization, Formatting, and more.
As you can see, accepting to be coached allows you to understand deeper things you might not know. Additionally, it is not just about gaining knowledge. If you are good at something, networking can open endless doors through referrals with many clients in the industry.
Landing the First Paying Gig
If you are going solo, it can be as hard, but the road less traveled sometimes tends to have better rewards. Aside from networking, what has worked for me in the past is pitching directly to Editors. How does it work? If you have been eyeing a certain publication, reach out to the editor by pitching to them our request to contribute to their publication.
While doing so, make sure your pitch stands to win the editor’s heart by clearly stating what you want to write to them, why, and the unique angles you are willing to bring to differentiate yourself from the rest.
A good pitch should usually be between 100 and 200 words. The best way that I to write Pitches is by using AI generators such as ChatGPT but making sure to edit the output to have a human touch before sending them for consideration
Below is a screenshot example of a PitchPrompt that you can use:
Tip: Avoid mentioning compensation only in your proposal; focus on what you want to deliver first, even if it is without pay, and if you are accepted and your work is good enough, you will be hired whenever an opportunity arises.
Building a Blog & Battling Google’s Algorithm
If you decide to venture your own way and start your own blog, you should know that blogging in Kenya has evolved with time. It is not as healthy as it was in the past, but it is a niche that still pays well if done right.
Personally, I can’t deny that blogging has worked for me in the past in terms of not just earnings but also industry exposure. The best way to scale your blog quickly is through experimentation & knowing how to set yourself apart from competitors. Your monetization channels also count toward earning revenue from your blog. Some of the best ways to earn through blogging in Kenya are via Google Adsense, Affiliate links, and Sponsored Posts.
When you are starting with a blog, one of the temptations that you may face is using AI tools to write, but here is my take: while AI is already the next big thing aimed at making our lives easier, stay away from them and if you happen to use them make sure that you are engaged in editing the content before you publish them
My Regratabke Mistake was using tools such as ChatGPT, and honestly, it worked for me until Google made Algorithmic changes from time to time. The Google core updates are a means for Google to promote websites to rank better in search or even downrank them. As of 2025, Google favors websites that display some levels of E-E-A-T ( Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).
2025 and Beyond: What Works and What Doesn’t
What worked for me in the previous years is not what still works today. I mean, times are evolving, and with the hype of Artificial intelligence and other technologies, producing content is becoming easier than ever. Anyway, with any changes, the sooner you adapt, the easier it becomes for you to scale.
The Dos
- Niche Expertise: Google favors content that shows Authority, and the best way to demonstrate that is by finding a topic in which you believe you are an expert. There are so many niches you can choose to explore, from Saas, Finance, SEO, Academic, etc
- Localized Content: If you are going to build a blog, the best way to grow is by attracting loyal readers, and the best way to do that is by writing about local stories and challenges and offering solutions that Kenyans can understand. The best way to find ideas to write is using Keyword research tools like Ahrefs and Ubersuggest etc.
- Multimedia Integration: To boost your blog engagement and make it appealing, you can Add videos, infographics, or podcasts to make it readable.
The Don’ts
- Over-reliance on AI: Google says it focuses on rewarding quality content no matter how it is produced, but with the latest Core updates, that is not how it works. While I don’t advocate using AI tools to write, when you find yourself using one, thoroughly edit your content to add a human touch before publishing it to avoid being downranked by Search engines.
- Ignoring SEO Basics: Avoid small Mistakes that can hurt your website rankings. This includes producing low-quality content while avoiding other factors such as Keyword stuffing, Thin content, technical issues such as Missing titles and meta descriptions, and linking mistakes. As a bonus, you can use tools like Neuron Writer to optimize your content before publishing it.
- Chasing Trends Blindly: I can’t stress this enough: Avoid writing about everything simply because it is trending. Identify one niche that favors you and become skilled at it.
The Journey from a blank page to paying bills with writing in Kenya is achievable, so long as you do it right. I have made these mistakes in the past so that you don’t have to in your content writing business if you want to scale. While these are just a few, I encourage you to research and see what is really working and what isn’t and make a decision that will favor you appropriately. And remember, if you are going to get started content writing in Kenya, it starts with having t confidence in yourself and starting where you are.
