From the desk of founder Melissa Tripp:
About
Founded in 2023, Remote Writing Jobs (RWJ) is a lovingly curated directory of remote writing and writing-adjacent work built to help writers find legitimate opportunities without the guesswork and raise the standards for fair and transparent pay in the writing industry. Writers deserve a career on their own terms free from rigid schedules, office politics, and exhausting commutes but finding the right opportunities can take time, feel uncertain, and leave writers wondering where to even start. That’s why I designed a solution with less friction and more clarity by simplifying the search and connecting you to the respectable rates, pay transparency, consistency, relevant variety, and seamless experience you’ve been looking for, all in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Over the years writers have asked questions about how I find opportunities, what goes into the curation process, and the choices behind the directory and I wanted those answers to have a home. This is a deeper look at the work, values, and care I pour into building RWJ every single day.
“How do you find these jobs?”
I source them through 11+ years of industry connections, direct submissions, and extensive searches across the web. My experience in this industry has given me a deeper understanding of where writing work can be found including opportunities that come through trusted relationships, evolving needs, and conversations that may not begin as a traditional job posting.
“I’d love to know more about the person behind this.”
RWJ is independently run by me, Melissa Tripp, a writer who’s spent over a decade building a career across poetry, prose, and the many forms writing can take as a livelihood. I created this because I know firsthand how much time and uncertainty can go into finding work that actually respects the skill and labor writing requires. That perspective informs the directory in ways you may not always see from a listing. I’m the person researching the opportunities, making judgment calls about what belongs here, looking closely at compensation and expectations, and thinking about whether a particular opportunity is actually beneficial to the writers who will encounter it. This isn’t separate from my experience as a writer, it grew out of it. I’ve also written more openly about my story, what I believe about writing as a profession, what led me here, and why building this has become such an important part of my life on my Founder page.
“How do I know these listings are actually legitimate?”
I do the homework to vet every listing by looking into who’s hiring, what they’re asking writers to do, what the compensation looks like, and whether it holds up under the same scrutiny I’d give it if I were applying myself. Over time I’ve developed an intuitive sense of what fair compensation looks like across different kinds of writing work considering the scope, expectations, and skill behind each opportunity. That isn’t based on a single number or formula but on recognizing the difference between an opportunity that values a writer’s time and one that asks too much for too little.
“What makes this different from other job boards?”
Most job boards post whatever opportunities they find leaving writers to sort through the uncertainty themselves. I take a different approach by prioritizing quality over volume and holding every opportunity to a standard of fair and transparent pay before it reaches writers. This is curation rooted in human judgment as opposed to an endless feed of anything that happens to be available.
“What do you mean when you talk about raising standards for writers?”
I mean creating a culture where writers expect more from the opportunities presented to them and those hiring understand that writers should expect more, too. That means making fair and transparent pay a baseline rather than a bonus, valuing the time and craft it takes to do good work, and questioning the idea that writers should accept poor compensation simply because they love what they do. For me, that also means being more conscious of what we put in front of writers when sharing opportunities.
“Do you only post jobs based in the United States?”
No. The directory includes opportunities for writers around the world. You can filter listings on remotewritingjobs.org by Work From Anywhere (labeled “Fully remote” on individual listings), United States (labeled “US only” on individual listings), or Location Specific (labeled with the relevant location requirements on individual listings) so you always know where an opportunity is available before you apply.
“I’m just starting out. Can I still use this?”
Absolutely. Writing careers don’t all begin the same way and you don’t need years of experience or a perfectly built portfolio to start looking for opportunities. This directory reflects different stages of the journey from writers searching for their first paid gig to those building more established careers. The goal is to help writers understand what opportunities are out there and find work that aligns with where they are right now.
“What if I don’t see opportunities that fit my experience?”
Don’t take that as a sign that there isn’t something for you in this directory. Writing work can be surprisingly specific and the right opportunity may not appear on the day you’re looking for it. Keep checking, stay open to adjacent kinds of work, and pay attention to the language those hiring use to describe what they need rather than limiting yourself to a particular job title. Your experience may translate to more opportunities than you realize. Sometimes finding the right work is less about becoming qualified for everything and more about recognizing where what you already know can be useful.
“How much does access cost?”
Access is $5/month or $50/year. After nearly 3 years of experimenting with different pricing models I’ve found a balance that makes RWJ accessible to more writers while allowing me to keep it sustainable as my livelihood. Your subscription supports the daily research, vetting, and human judgment that goes into maintaining the directory while giving you access to the opportunities I believe are worth your time. Upgrade to unlock the directory. Curious what the ongoing, hands-on work actually looks like? I wrote about what happens long before a listing reaches you and why the work you don’t see matters in How I Built a Writing Job Directory That Pays Writers What They’re Worth.
“Why should I pay for this instead of searching for writing jobs myself?”
Searching on your own often means digging through scattered listings, unclear pay, and opportunities that waste your time before you even know whether they’re worth pursuing. I do that sorting for you by finding the jobs that hold real promise and clearing away the ones that ask for your time without offering enough in return. Many opportunities also come through the relationships I’ve built throughout the industry and my own unique submission process that gives writers access to work that may not appear on traditional job boards.
“Has anyone actually landed a job through this?”
Many writers have landed jobs through the directory and for others it’s been a way to find direction and a clearer path forward in an industry that can often feel overwhelming. Every writer’s journey looks different and while I can’t guarantee hiring outcomes, what I can promise is that RWJ exists to remove as much uncertainty as possible from the search. The words of the writers who’ve shared their experiences on the Testimonials page speak best to what this resource has meant to them.
“Why isn’t a resource like this free for writers who need it most?”
As a writer myself, I understand why this question comes up because I know how difficult this industry can be to navigate especially when you’re already trying to find work and make ends meet. Even with reasonably accessible pricing I know there are times when the cost can still be a genuine barrier and I don’t want that to prevent someone who truly needs this resource from accessing it. That’s why hardship access is available through annual subscriptions donated by supporters and can be requested by emailing rwjsubstack@gmail.com with a brief explanation of your circumstances. Requests are added to a queue and fulfilled on a first-come first-served basis as donated subscriptions become available.
”Can I gift a subscription to someone I know?”
Of course. If there’s a writer in your life who’s looking for opportunities or someone you simply want to encourage, you can gift them monthly or yearly access to the directory as a way to invest in their craft and livelihood while reminding them that their work is worth supporting.
“Can my school/organization/writing group/other collective get access?”
Looking to support writers at scale? Annual group subscriptions are available to those providing access to cohorts of 5 or more. I know this kind of commitment represents a substantial investment so I offer 20% off as a thank you for helping expand the reach and impact of this resource across the writing community.
“How often are new listings added?”
New listings are added Monday through Sunday so there’s something new to discover every single day. I post each opportunity individually rather than grouping them into roundups and that way each one gets its own space and is less likely to be overlooked.
“Can I post a job to be included and does it cost anything?”
Jobs can be shared for consideration at no cost. I make space for both writing and writing-adjacent opportunities because this work doesn’t always arrive with the title “writer” attached. I welcome everything from traditional roles to unconventional projects and one-off needs as long as the work offers fair, transparent pay. Explore the full scope of what counts as a writing job.
“I clicked a listing and it’s no longer available.”
Every listing added to the directory is available at the time it’s shared and I don’t post anything expired. Once an opportunity is live, changes to its availability are outside of my control which is why I encourage writers to apply as soon as something catches their interest because these roles can move quickly and may not remain available indefinitely. I leave past listings visible as a reference point to give writers a sense of the kinds of jobs represented in the directory rather than having them disappear the moment they close.
“Why do some listings take me to another website?”
This is a directory which means listings often link directly to the original opportunity rather than republishing. The original source is where the most complete details, application process, and next steps live while submitted opportunities are summarized directly in the directory.
“Why do some jobs require me to pay to apply?”
The only opportunities in the directory with application-related costs are typically hosted on Upwork where Connects, the platform’s credits used to submit proposals, may be required. I generally avoid opportunities with fees but include them when I believe the work itself offers enough value to be worth considering while making those details visible so you’re not surprised by the process.
“What happened to the in-house publication and are you still accepting pitches?”
I’m no longer accepting submissions for that project. It was something I cared about deeply and poured a great deal of time, thought, and heart into and I’m grateful to every writer who shared their work and trusted me with their ideas. As RWJ grew I realized my focus needed to return to the directory and the writers who come here looking for opportunities they can actively pursue. I also had to be honest about what I could realistically maintain. While I wanted to continue creating a space where writers could contribute their writing and be paid directly by me, I wasn’t able to sustain it while upholding the standard of pay I believe writers deserve. Rather than move forward without the ability to fully support that vision, I chose to return my energy to the work that has always been at the heart of this which is connecting writers with reliable remote writing work.
“What’s the best way to reach you?”
Behind RWJ is a writer, not a faceless platform. I value the conversations behind this work as much as the work itself whether that means hearing from writers in the community, discussing opportunities to collaborate, or connecting with people who believe in the future of fair and transparent writing work. If you have a question, an idea, or a way you think we can build something together, you can reach me directly at rwjsubstack@gmail.com.
“How else I can support?”
If I’ve helped you find opportunities, feel a little less alone in this industry, reminded you that writing can be a real and viable profession, or you simply believe in the work I’m doing to champion the writing economy, there are many ways to support this initiative. I’m a writer first and a writerpreneur by necessity and this is the business I’ve built around helping other writers navigate this landscape with more clarity and confidence. Whether that means starting or continuing your paid subscription, paying it forward to other writers with gift subscriptions and donated annual subscriptions, or sharing RWJ with your network by restacking this post, every form of support helps me keep showing up every single day. It all matters. I also gratefully accept tips via Venmo (@rwjorg) and PayPal (rwjsubstack@gmail.com).
