Writing is one of the most popular freelance careers. It’s an in-demand skill and a flexible way to earn money, especially when you pair it with other side hustles like video editing or social media management. But what does it take to launch a successful freelance writing career from scratch? This article will walk you through the steps to becoming a freelance writer, how much to charge for your work, and other tips to make your writing business a success.
The first step in starting a freelance writing career is to develop a portfolio that showcases your work. You’ll want to choose a topic that interests you and write samples of content in that niche. It’s important to understand the types of writing that you have a strong interest in because this will help guide your choices of clients and projects in the future. For example, if you have a strong interest in real estate, you may be able to command a higher rate for articles about the real estate market than if you write in a more generalized subject matter.
Once you have a portfolio, it’s time to start reaching out to potential clients. A good way to find clients is through online networks, like LinkedIn or freelance writing marketplaces. Another way to find clients is through cold pitching, which involves contacting companies directly. This can be difficult because most businesses are overwhelmed by the number of applications they receive for writing jobs, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd.
It’s also important to know your strengths and limitations. For example, you should be aware of how long you can write per day and the maximum word count that your client will accept for a project. This will ensure that you can meet your deadlines and avoid any misunderstandings with your clients. You should also be aware of your typical writing speed and what kind of breaks you need in order to remain productive. For example, do you need a coffee break or are you most productive after lunch?
While getting your first few clients is challenging, most professional writers will tell you that maintaining a steady flow of income over the course of several months is even more difficult. This is mainly because freelance writers have to manage their own time, research costs, and other unbillable expenses that can reduce their monthly earnings.
To minimize these expenses, it’s a good idea to start small with your initial rates and then gradually increase them as you gain experience. For example, you can start by charging three cents per word as a beginner, which is still fairly high for most writing gigs. However, this is a low-risk way to generate some income and test your abilities as a freelancer.
As you gain more experience, you can increase your rates to attract more lucrative assignments and build a sustainable income. This is the best way to make sure you’re making enough money to support yourself, your family, and any other commitments you have.
get my free email tips
Check out my recent post on all-in-one sales and marketing tools and what I think of it.
Check out my recent post on sales funnels and what I think about them. Are they still worth it?
Jemps Bresil is an online Marketing entrepreneur who's
had a passion for making money online since a young age. He
became "determined" to make money online in the late 2000 but
wasn't successful at his attempt until late 2007-2008.
At that time, it had gotten so much harder to make money online
because of the huge .com boom that was happenig.
Jemps Bresil menaged to get ripped off, spent more than his share of money on bogus guru products, and listened to every so call expert on the internet: he was getting ripped off left and right.
But Jemps is strong, confident, and never gives up, and he has
a huge burning desire to not simply make money online, but to
make a fortune!!
Jemps Bresil
©Copyright 2023 Email Marketing Entrepreneur
1405 Henri-Bourassa Blvd. West, Suite 201
Montreal, Quebec H3M 3B2