How To Get Started With Freelance Writing- Growing Your Income Stream
When people hear the term “freelance work” they usually become quite skeptical about what exactly the job entails. Freelance work consists of being self-employed, meaning setting your own hours, being your own boss, and picking up jobs as you wish. It takes motivation, but freelancers can actually become very successful in their area. A lot of people aren’t aware that freelance work can become a full-time job with a very steady income, or it can be a part-time gig with the benefit of extra cash. In today’s society, having a stable job is considered being an employee of a company and receiving an annual salary. But this is simply not true.
My Story: An Accident Turned Into A Job
I’ve never been someone who enjoyed sitting at home, not doing anything productive. Ever since I graduated from college, I’ve been itching for something to do while looking into graduate school and a full-time position. I started freelance writing not too long ago, on accident really, when I stumbled across a job posting about writing content for a food blog. I was searching my area online for full-time positions, and it came up as a “recommended job”. It came out of nowhere really, as I was searching for work in a completely different category, but considering I have a website and a food blog, it kind of made sense. I figured I might as well try it out, at least while looking for a “stable income”. I did my research on it, sent a pitch, and was accepted.
Freelance writing has helped me discover that I really enjoy working with various clients, and now I’m able to get extra cash for helping brand owners with their content. It’s fun, and working while doing something I enjoy from home is worth it. It’s literally a no-brainer for me, especially since I have my own blog. However, anyone can get started with it- all it takes is good writing and editing skills, and a step in the right direction. Ultimately, freelance work is great for anyone looking to put their creativity to use and it’s a great way to expand your income stream from home.
In this post you will find:
- Find Your Niche
- Put Together a Portfolio
- Finding Freelance Writing Jobs
- Figure Out How Much To Charge
- Write a Good Pitch
- Send an Invoice
Getting Started
In this post, I’ll be talking specifically about freelance writing, but getting started with any type of freelance work is very similar. It’s important to note that there’s a lot of wrong advice out there, telling you that in order to become a freelancer, you need specialized training. This is not true whatsoever. No specific degree or experience is required.
1. Find Your Niche
A niche is a small, specialized segment or area that suits your interests. For example, if you enjoy gardening or collecting plants, a specific plant category can become your niche. Or, if you like to do certain workouts that target various muscle groups, this can become your niche. Typically, the smaller your niche, the better, but there are many jobs available for all different categories. I consider myself a lifestyle writer, and although this is a very broad category, my target audience is people in their 20s. So with this in mind, my niche can be considered lifestyle content for college students. Women with children who write lifestyle content can have a target audience of other moms, so they would be considered lifestyle content creators specifically for moms.
2. Put Together a Portfolio
A writing portfolio is basically a tool used to show off your writing skills to potential clients. This is meant to store your best works so that clients are able to get a feel for your writing style.
There are many tools online to help you build a portfolio. Here are some of my favorites to help you get started:
My portfolio features six of my previous blog posts, with links to my social media and a short description of my writing style. I have my contact information clearly stated, as well as a picture of myself.
3. Finding Freelance Writing Jobs
Believe it or not, there are actual job posting sites for freelance writers. They’re nothing like LinkedIn or Indeed, they’re more casual, but of course, you have to maintain professionalism when you’re replying to job postings. If you’re looking for a more full-time job with a company, you can always search for freelance writing jobs on bigger platforms such as LinkedIn or Indeed.
Here are some websites to help you get started:
You can also offer your services to blog or brand owners directly. The easiest way to do this is to just email them your portfolio and ask if they need help with the written content of their site. If you have a following on social media or a blog yourself, reach out to brands you like and simply ask if they would like to collaborate with you.
My first freelance collaboration was with a brand that offered me $50 for a short blog post and product review. All it took was for them to see that I’ve written similar content to what they were looking for.
4. Figure Out How Much To Charge
The part we’ve all been waiting for- the money. Writing jobs vary greatly in terms of pay. Since not every writing job is the same, the demands are different too. So how do you figure out how much to charge?
Obviously, we all want to get paid the most amount of money we can for a job, but it all depends on how much work you’re willing to put in, how long an article will take you and how many words it’s supposed to be. Is the article you’re applying for supposed to be 500 words or 1,000 words? Do you think you’ll spend 1 hour or 3 hours on written content? Are you writing full-time or part-time?
By the hour, or by word count?
From my experience, pay varies based on either word count or by the hour. It’s pretty much the same thing, however, on average, a 750-word article takes about an hour. But again, it all depends on your level of skill and the difficulty of the subject. Some job posters like to charge by the word, such as $.020-$.040 per word. So for a 750-word article at $.020, you’re getting $15. That’s not bad, especially if you’re just starting out. You can always ask for more the longer you’re writing. By the hour, beginner freelance writers usually charge anywhere from $10–20, and experienced writers can charge up to $50-$100. It totally depends on what the client is looking for and how long.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are a lot of jobs that include “contracts”. Basically, the people you’re writing for will want to keep you around for a certain number of written content. I am currently writing content for a company that first offered me 10 articles for a certain amount, then 100 articles for a higher amount. My contract is two months, so basically, it’s like I have 100 articles to write in the span of two months.
5. Write a Good Pitch
Once you found a writing job that interests you, it’s time to write a pitch. Usually, a pitch just consists of why you think you’d be a good candidate and examples of how you can better their content. Pitches seem more stressful than they actually are. I like to think of them sort of as cover letters; introduce yourself, explain exactly what makes you a good writer, and be creative! Clients are looking for a specific writing style, so don’t be afraid to show off your skills. Just make sure it’s clear, professional, and geared towards their brand.
6. Send an Invoice
So, you finished writing an article or blog post for a client. Now what? Well, of course, it’s time for you to get paid. Woohoo! But usually, clients aren’t just going to send you money out of nowhere. If you wrote for an individual person who needed help with their “About You” page, then maybe they’ll just quickly send over the money you agreed on. However, if you’re writing for a company that publishes content themselves, they may need an invoice.
Invoices seem super professional, don’t they? Nah, they’re actually pretty easy to write up. My personal favorite website to use for invoices is Wave.
An invoice helps the client know exactly how much they owe you and what they owe you for. It helps them keep track of how much they’re spending, but it also helps you stay organized with how much you’re making.
These are just a few tips to help you get started with your freelance writing career! This is an easy way to make some extra cash and grow your network. Anyone can do this, that’s what's so great about it.
