Unlock the Secret to Freelance Writing Success – Follow These Proven Tips!

Freelance writing is a booming industry, and it could be a great way to enjoy remote work and set your own hours. However, becoming a freelance writer can be difficult and confusing, especially at first.

Today, let’s explore how to become a freelance writer step by step, plus discuss some additional tips to ensure success in this field.

1. Decide what type of writer you will be

No freelance writer can do it all, so you need to decide what type of writer you will be before you start this career path.

Here are some examples of freelance writing niches and approaches:

• technical writers– Have technical expertise or in-depth knowledge on a specific topic, such as manufacturing, finance, programming, etc. This type of writing is the most profitable side hustle. However, it is also the most difficult for new freelance writers to break into as small businesses.
• Content writers – create blog posts for a variety of websites, often retail or affiliate websites. Content marketing includes writing high-quality content. Such content may include guest posts for bloggers and business owners. You can also include other standalone content, such as creating social posts or email copy. Useful skills to know how to use WordPress, Slack, Google Suite, Asana and the like.
• editors– Create content for brands by mimicking brand voice, tone, and language rules. This freelance writing job consists of providing writing services to a brand’s own blog. Such purposes generally revolve around search engine optimization/SEO purposes.

Of these types of freelance writers, you can specialize further. For example, you can be a retail content writer exclusively, a finance technical writer, etc. In many cases, you should choose your freelance writing niche based on your previous experience, interests, or specializations.

Also consider your work schedule. Full-time writers will have more access to freelance writing jobs. However, you can still build a writing portfolio with stellar writing samples to attract potential clients, even as a part-time writer.

There are many online writing clients to attract. In either case, you’ll build an author reputation after landing your first client and starting to flex your creative writing skills.

Related: How much should you charge as freelance writer?

2. Learn your niche writing conventions and strategies

Next, you’ll need to learn and master your niche writing conventions and strategies.

As an example, if you become a copywriter for retail brands, you should understand typical writing conventions such as:

• Read your clients’ shade packs or portfolios (sometimes called brand guides). These will give you the information you need to properly mimic your customer’s voice.
• Write in short, simplified sentences without much fluff. These days, most online readers skim through written content rather than reading it word for word, so you need to know how to create compelling and engaging headers and content blocks.
• Use bullet points frequently (like this one) to convey key points of information quickly and succinctly.

Many of these skills can be learned and practiced as you hone your writing skills and determine your ultimate freelance writing niche or focus. Aside from learning by seeking writing opportunities and building an online presence, many good writers have positive experiences with writing courses designed to develop professional writing skills for different types of content.

3. Create a portfolio and join independent work sites

No one will want to hire you as a freelance writer without seeing some samples of your work. This may sound counterintuitive, since at the beginning of your career you won’t have any work to show for it. However, you should create a portfolio of sample or test blog posts, copy, and more. Even if you create this content from scratch, it can serve as a good example of the work future clients can expect.

Once you have your portfolio, place it on your personal website and on your social media pages (particularly your LinkedIn profile). Then add it to freelancing websites like Upwork. Create profiles on as many freelance job boards as you can.

In the early days of your freelance writing career, you will look for as many jobs as possible. The more places you have to advertise your skills, the better.

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4. Start looking for a job

Now is the time to put your nose to the grindstone and start looking for a job. As a freelance writer, the first few months of your career will be filled with proposals and job applications. Don’t expect to get a large number of customers initially. In fact, you’ll probably spend most of your time looking for clients instead of writing.

This is not a bad thing. During this time, he will learn how to write effective and persuasive proposals for his clients and how best to represent himself as the ideal freelancer for their needs. Over time, he’ll get a few jobs and then use those jobs to open more doors and new career opportunities.

5. Ask for good reviews

Every time you get a job from a client, do it perfectly. Then, at the end of your contract, ask for a great review or testimonial. Many freelance job board websites allow you to post reviews or automatically calculate a review or star rating based on your performance.

The better your review score, the easier it will be for you to acquire new high-paying customers. In this way, your freelance writing career It will start very slow, then quickly pick up speed.

Related: The 9 Skills You Need to Succeed as a freelance writer

6. Market your writing aggressively

As you gain initial success, you need to aggressively market your writing. There are a few different ways you can do this:

• You can create a personal website for your freelance writing business, showcasing your best samples and reviews or testimonials.
• You can make ads online that promote your skills as an expert copywriter, particularly in a specific industry or niche.
• You can and should promote yourself on social media by regularly posting that you are looking for work or new clients.

Don’t feel bad about advertising your skills like this: you have to work hard to make it in this industry, a truism that applies to all freelancers, in fact.

Other tips for freelance writing success

Now you know the basics on how to become a freelance writer. But even with the above step-by-step process, he may not see initial success unless he keeps a few key tips and strategies in mind.

Choose a niche in which to excel

First, and perhaps most important, you need to choose a niche or specialization as soon as possible. Generalized freelance writers don’t make as much money as niche writers. This is because niche writers are able to provide more raw value to their clients.

Imagine a situation where a programming company needs a writer to create some detailed blog posts for B2B clients. They can hire a generalized content writer or a specialized technical writer who knows the ins and outs of programming languages ​​and computer science. The last choice is always the best option for that client.

To that end, find a niche to excel in based on your prior education, interests, and more.

Price your writing correctly

Many freelance writers struggle to earn a living wage, in part because the price for their writing is too low. True, in the early stage of your career, you’ll probably earn about a cent or two a word. However, as he gets his first initial reviews, he should counterintuitively increase his price to five cents a word or more.

Because? If you price your writing too low, clients will think you’re not worth their time. By setting a high enough price for your writing, you show that you are confident in your ability to deliver results for those clients.

always be looking New customers

The life of a freelance writer involves the constant search for new clients and job opportunities. Even if he has a handful of solid clients who consistently send him work, he doesn’t rest on his laurels.

Always be cultivating new contacts and finding new professional clients to approach for work. You never know when your current jobs or projects could dry up, leaving you in desperate need of new sources of income.

Always improve your writting skills

Similarly, always work on improving your writing skills by learning new words, practicing your grammar, etc. As a writing crafter, it’s up to you to make sure your skills are as sharp and desirable as possible. Don’t let your writing skills fall by the wayside just because you’ve achieved initial success as a freelance writer.

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Start your journey as a freelance writer

As you can see, you can become a successful freelance writer in a variety of ways and niches. But keep the tips above in mind, and you’ll be sure to land high-paying clients and master your new business in no time.

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