Freelance Writing Guidelines: How To Become A Professional Easily
If you’re a reasonably skilled writer, you can actually make money online by taking on freelance writing jobs. There’s a lot of demand for online content, including webpage copy, blog articles, and more, created by professional writers. It’s a great way to make some extra money in your spare time, and if you’re talented and dedicated, you can even use freelancing to support yourself full-time. Getting into freelance writing can seem daunting, but the barrier to entry is actually remarkably low. As long as you can write well, without any grammatical or spelling errors, you can find work. All you need to do is to actively seek out clients, and know how to market yourself effectively. Here are a few guidelines to starting your professional freelance writing career.
- Build a portfolio. As a freelancer, your portfolio is your best asset. Ideally, your portfolio should consist of previously published work, but if you’re new to freelancing, you can easily create a few “mockups” to demonstrate your writing ability to potential clients. It’s good to have examples of several different types of writing, to expand the range of jobs that you can apply for. Some of the most common types of freelance writing include web copy, like “Service” pages and “About Us” pages; blog articles; and press releases. If you can write a few informative articles about various topics, you can use them as your portfolio until you find paying work.
- Try starting out with “content mills.” Content mills are viewed derisively by established professional writers, but they’re a great opportunity if you’re just starting out. You won’t necessarily make a whole lot of money, but you’ll get plenty of experience, which can add to your credibility when you’re looking for other work later.
- Actively seek out clients. When you’re a writer, especially when you’re starting out, clients will almost never come to you. You have to go out and find them. Some of the best places to look are classified sites like Craigslist and bidding sites like Elance and Odesk. Here, you’ll find plenty of people looking for writers.
- Becoming a successfulwriter takes time. You probably won’t be able to support yourself full-time at first, but over time, you can find enough clients and steady work to make writing your main occupation.
- Consider in-house writing positions. If you can get freelance writing jobs, this work can act as a stepping stone to getting an in-house position at a digital marketing company. These types of businesses often have professional writers as key members of their staff, and having some experience can help you qualify for these jobs. Office jobs aren’t for everyone, but if you prefer the stability of regular work to the unpredictability of freelancing, you may eventually want to consider this option as a long-term goal.