How to Become a Freelance Writer

Freelance writing is a great chance for people who like writing and do not want to work under somebody’s supervision and strict schedule. If you want to build a freelance writing career out of the hobby, or want to earn some more money from your writing, it’s a good option. Below are the real steps one must follow to establish a viable freelance writing business.

1. Learn how to Become a Freelance Writer

Freelance writers can be defined as independent businesspersons who provide their writing services to other business entities. They may be required to write for websites, blog, magazine, newspaper as well as marketing materials. Freelancers enjoy the liberty to select their employers, determine their charges and opt for the tasks they need to work on.

2. Develop Your Writing Skills

Of course, you shouldn’t depend on freelance writing without sharpening your writing skills first. Clients demand quality and free from any mistake writing, therefore ensure that you can produce quality content.
Here’s how to improve:

Practice Writing Daily: Writing as much as is possible remains one of the most important advices to follow. You can blog, keep a journal or write an essay of short stories. It only gets easier and if you master it enough and apply it often then it will come naturally.
Read Regularly: Reading enhances your fluency in the use of words especially when writing, and it develops one’s creativity. Use blogs, articles, books, and other forms content that suits your niche area of interest.

Take Writing Courses: If you are really eager to become a better writer, then it will be wise to take an online course or attend a writing workshop. Several online platforms have really good writing classes including Coursera, Udemy and Skillshare.

Get Feedback: Post your work to get comments from your friends, relatives, or other groups online or at social media sites. It may help to receive constructive criticisms, especially if you really have a talent in writing and wish to enhance your skills.

Read Regularly: Reading enhances your fluency in the use of words especially when writing, and it develops one’s creativity. Use blogs, articles, books, and other forms content that suits your niche area of interest.
Take Writing Courses: If you are really eager to become a better writer, then it will be wise to take an online course or attend a writing workshop. Several online platforms have really good writing classes including Coursera, Udemy and Skillshare.

Get Feedback: Post your work to get comments from your friends, relatives, or other groups online or at social media sites. It may help to receive constructive criticisms, especially if you really have a talent in writing and wish to enhance your skills.

Choose a Niche

It is really quite advantageous to choose a specialty as this would give you an edge over the many competitive outlets out there. Focusing on a specific specialization in writing will make you be in high demand from the clients due to the expertise. Some popular freelance writing niches include:Some popular freelance writing niches include:

Blog Writing: Writing articles for websites or individual’s blog.
Copywriting: Creating written content related to sales and marketing such as product description, emails and advertisements.
Technical Writing: Drawing up manuals, guides, as well as any other technical writing.
Creative Writing: Entertainment writing: storyline writing, script writing, content writing for storytelling.
Ghostwriting: Producing an article that will appear in someone else’s name.
Journalism: About the categories of occupation, it is possible to mention on a freelance basis to write articles for news websites, magazines, newspapers.

It is important to note that by choosing a niche, it does not mean that you can not write on other topics but being specialized in certain topic is advantageous.

4. Build a Portfolio

A portfolio is used in the demonstration of the ability in writing and as an evidence of the competency of the writer to any client who is willing to hire the writer. Here's how to build one:Here's how to build one:

Start a Blog: Blogging is the best strategy that can be used to come up with writings and present them to the public. Choose topics that comfortable for you and the niche your blog is focused on; always generate quality and interesting content.
Write Guest Posts: Contact blog and websites that are related to your niche and request them to permit you to write for them as a guest blogger. However, guest posts can be useful to build your portfolio even if those who asked you to write for them will not pay you a dime.

5. Set Your Rates

The most important aspect is the ability to set the right rates in order to make freelance writing as sustainable as possible. Freelancers can charge differently, based on their years in practice, areas of specialty and the client’s budget. Here are a few ways to decide on your rates:Here are a few ways to decide on your rates:

Research Market Rates: Find out what other freelance writers that work in the same niche as you offer their services for. One should check such platforms like Glassdoor or freelance forums to find out more about the average prices on such services.
Charge by the Word, Hour, or Project: Some of the costs structures that can be used include charge per word, per hour charge or per the project charge. As for newbies, fixed pricing strategies like the word or per-project pricing is most often more manageable and easier to set.
Don’t Undervalue Your Work: There always this temptation of placing a low rate especially when you are starting out, but this should not be the case as your rates are indicative of the value you want to offer to your clients. You can also adjust the amount of freelance web design by raising the rates as you gain experience.

6. Find Freelance Writing Jobs

Lastly, after having developed a portfolio for you and you are now ready to get started, it’s time to jump out there and find yourself some clients. Here are some popular ways to find freelance writing gigs:Here are some popular ways to find freelance writing gigs:

Freelance Job Boards: Freelance writing jobs can be found through the various platforms such as upwork, fiverr, freelancer as well as problogger which often post freelance writing jobs.
Content Mills: Some of the popular platforms that provide work to the writers include Textbroker or iWriter where writers develop articles for the clients. On a positive note, it can also be an ideal workplace for one trying to gain experience so that they can fetch a better paycheck.
Cold Pitching: It directed start by contacting the blog, business, or publication you wish to supply content to directly. They should be courteous and short – just an introduction and the explanation about the type of work you do and a link to the portfolio.

Social Media: Search freelance writing groups on Facebook, or use the tag such as #freelancewriter on the Twitter in searching for jobs.

Networking: Join writers’ associations, go to conferences, conventions, and seminars, so that you can talk to potential customers, or other writers, who can suggest you an opportunity.

Offer Free Work Initially: Sometimes, you may need to write one or more articles for free or very low pay just to be able to get yourself a first job in this field. You may wish to do this particularly for charities, local businesses and for newspapers and magazines with a small circulation. In this case, it will provide you with a little work to pitch, right from the start and, therefore, the ability to fill your portfolio with work.

Use Portfolio Platforms: Some of the social networks that you can develop a portfolio are Contently, Clippings and among others. me, or Journo Portfolio. Such forums allow for presenting your work as professionally as possible.