Starting your own freelance business is very inspiring yet challenging at the same time particularly for starter’s. The benefits of becoming a freelancer, being your own boss, setting your own working time and the opportunity to write about different things sounds very promising. But to land a fresh writer the opportunity of a regular job is not as easy as just having the passion to write; it also entails planning, education and marketing. Below are 16 concrete steps you can embark on as a freelance writer to give your freelance writing career a proper start and follow a definite plan to make your career a success.
What does a freelance writer do?
Freelance writer is an independent employee who writes as an independent contractor for different clients as per the project hired. They cover extensive writing activities in numerous areas and types of writing across the commercial segment and beyond. Freelance writing is not just a profession of writing alone, but it comes with other tasks that are associated with it. They are required to update it with relevant information that has been researched so as to provide adequate depth to the content. Other qualities that are desirable include, freelance writers are self-employed therefore they need to seek new clients.
Freelance writers need a strong command of language, grammar and style. They need to be adaptable to write on a wide range of topics and adjust to different writing styles and clients requirements. Freelance writing offers flexibility and the opportunity to work on diverse projects. This also demands self motivation, excellent time management and effective self promotion.
How much can freelance writers make?
The earnings of freelance writers vary widely based on several factors such as experience, specialization, geographic location and the types of clients they work with. Typically their earnings range from $0.03 to $0.10 per word and $20 to $50 per hour but beginners might earn less. Their rates will increase to between $0.10 and $0.30 per word as writers gain more experience and portfolio.
Established writers with a strong reputation can command higher rates like $0.50 to $2.00 and more per word. Specialization also significantly impacts earnings. Freelance writers can charge more than usual if he is a specialized on specific topics for writing.
17 Steps: How to Become a Freelance Writer With No Experience?
It is quite challenging sometimes to start with a freelance writing business especially if new in the field with no particular plan. Which rather can be reached, if scripted properly and with an appropriate level of planning. Freelance writing is a vast industry that provides myriad job openings with a wide range of categories to choose for a niche. From the time when you start writing, it is important to know that you will be more than just a writer, they are an entrepreneur too. The challenges include having to deal with several clients, needing to advertise own services and most importantly needs to be updating skills all the time.
Below are 16 step by step guides that will help you to start your freelance writing journey right away. To gain knowledge about the industry, while familiarizing yourself with the necessary tools to create portfolios and sell services. These are activities that will give a pathway in achievement of the goals. Hence it can be on friends and family circle or targeting a specific market and trying to sell your ideas to prospective clients. The idea in each phase is to build progressively, confidence, experience and gradually laying a firm foundation for the freelance writing business. Jump right in, read and start your educational and career path towards being a great freelance writer.
Step 1: Start with Research and Understanding the Freelance Writing Industry
Create a mindset of business at first and get ready to manage your own business operations. Also remember that freelancers often work with multiple clients simultaneously. Start learning different types of freelance writing through online research. take specialized writing courses and join writing communities, forums and explore freelance marketplaces. Current trends in freelance writing include content writing, SEO writing, niche specialization, remote collaboration, multimedia content creation, e-books and long-form content and more.
Step 2: Ensure You Have the Necessary Writing Tools
To start freelance writing you need a reliable computer, a stable internet connection and word processing software. Also you need a professional email account. Additionally a website for showcasing your portfolio work and profiles on freelance platforms to attract clients.
Ensure that you have the necessary software for writing to improve your writing quality. There are several free tools available for beginner writers such as google docs, Grammarly, Hemingway editor and more.
Step 3: Understand Current Writing Conventions
Standard writing conventions include grammar, punctuation, spelling and proper sentence structure. Writing styles vary by purpose and audience include APA, MLA, Chicago and Ap style. Learn writing through online courses, webinars and articles from reputable sources. Moz, HubSpot and Google are best as a starter guide.
Step 4: Start Writing for Friends and Family
Begin Writing for friends and family to gain experience. Practice different types of writing, meet deadlines and get used to receiving feedback. It builds your portfolio and boosts your confidence in a supportive environment.
Write regularly blog posts, social media content, newsletters, resumes, cover letters and personal essays. Even help others with creative writing projects like short stories. Ask feedback with a list of questions to those whom you provided writing. Try to understand their opinion about your writing clarity, grammar, tone and overall effectiveness.
Step 5: Work on Improving Your Writing Skills
Give importance to reading regularly along with the writing. It improves your writing skills by exposing you to different writing styles and expanding your vocabulary. It also helps you to understand grammar, pacing, structure and inspire new ideas and techniques for your writing.
There are a few effective ways to practice writing regularly:
- Write about your thoughts, experiences and reflection everyday.
- Start a blog on topics that interest you and writing.
- Create a writing gigs to build experience on freelance platform
- Join popular writing groups for regular practice and feedback.
- Set a word count goal for daily and weekly and monitor it.
Step 6: Decide on a Writing Niche
Writing niche is a form of writing that is specific in terms of the topics covered, industries of interest and the types of content written. Selecting a specific area of practice is crucial because it enables one to build competence and find clients in need of the services of a specialist.
A few tips to identity your niche that suits your interest and skills:
- First, think about the topics that interest you and subjects you like to investigate.
- Consider what you are best at, what you are most confident in doing.
- Discover the needs of a particular market and areas of interest, and to establish the potential for business.
- It is a good idea to write in different areas of interest and see what you find engaging and what others find engaging.
- It is important to get feedback on your work to know the area where you are strong at.
Step 7: Create a Writing Portfolio
Showcase your skills and expertise via portfolio to attract clients. It builds your professional credibility. Highlight your best work and provide proof of expertise. Best way to showcase a portfolio is to create a personal blog site. You can also use various platforms to showcase your writing expertise. There are several platforms to build a portfolio such as Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, LinkedIn and more.
Include a variety of samples in your portfolio that showcase your writing skills and versatility. It may include:
- Published articles / Blog posts
- Samples of different writing styles
- Samples relevant to your target niche
- Writing projects completed for clients
- Awards, Certifications and Testimonials related to your writing
Step 8: Set Up a Website / Blog
Having a personal website is important for freelance writers. Website acts as a central hub to showcase your portfolio, skills and expertise. It attracts your target audience and clients can easily understand your professionality.
To set up a personal portfolio website follow these below steps:
- Choose a domain name and register on domain registration websites.
- Choose a hosting company and buy a hosting package.
- Install a content management system like WordPress.
- Choose a website theme that suits your style and branding preferences.
- Customize your website design, layout and navigation options.
- Create essential pages such as an about page, portfolio, services, contact and blog page.
- Populate your website with high quality content including various writing samples.
- Test your website functionality and ensure it is mobile friendly and optimized.
- Lunch your website and promote it through social media and networking.
Step 9: Build a Social Media Presence
Share quality posts on a regular basis for gaining followers in your social media faster. Create a plan to ensure that your SM postings are able to capture the attention of the target market. Use multimedia content to increase engagement and capture the audience’s attention including images, videos and infographics.
There are a few tips to use social media effectively as a freelance writer:
- It can be useful to share links to the examples of your blog posts to prove your proficiency.
- Interact with your audience in the comments and always be quick to reply.
- Ensure that you use appropriate hashtags to make it easier for other users to find your content.
- Post thoughts, advice, and other relevant information that will be useful for your audience.
- Make contacts with other writers, editors and like-minded individuals within the industry.
- Directly communicate with the target customers and media outlets through the messaging feature.
Step 10: Find a Stable Work Environment
A professional environment helps you work smoothly and keeps you focused. This helps to ensure there is a clear line between your work life and personal life and tells your mind that you are working. Make sure to arrange your tools, materials and other resources in a manner that helps in efficient work flow. Suitable environment boosts your creativity and inspires you because you are writing in an environment that is perfect for your writing.
Essential features of a productive work environment for freelance writing include:
- Arrange comfortable and ergonomic furniture for good posture and minimize physical strain.
- Install sufficient and natural lighting to reduce eye strain and improve mood.
- Sufficient storage capacity to maintain a tidy and uncluttered workstation.
- Proper ventilation and temperature control to ensure comfort and alertness.
- Ensure that you have reliable technology and equipment for work.
- Personalization with decor, plants and inspiring elements that brings you creativity and motivation.
Step 11: Market Your Writing Services
Create an online portfolio of your work by developing a professional website to display your portfolio. Promote your work through social networks to get more contacts and liked people. The other way is to develop content, such as blog posts and newsletters. To share your content with a larger audience – blog on popular blogs, submit the articles to guest blogging. Create a group of subscribers and provide them regular newsletters. Find leads on potential clients, this could be through doing research and then sending out cold emails on social media platforms.
For direct connection, create professional business cards with your contact information and website URL. Design informative brochures and flyers showcasing your services and portfolio. Prepare a media kit with your bio, services, testimonials and samples. Include a brief description of your services in your email signature. Develop customizable pitch templates for email proposals.
Step 12: Pitch Yourself to Potential Clients
A pitch is a brief formal proposition of your services that define your expertise. Potential clients understand your offered services and the values through the pitch. It is because this is the first time that you are going to meet a potential client and you need to persuade this client to hire you. This means that the formulation of a pitch is an important factor that can ensure the recipient’s interest.
Follow the below steps to pitch a email effectively for personalized clients:
- Understand the clients needs and preferences before crafting your pitch.
- Address the client by his name and tailor your pitch to his specific interest.
- Start with a brief introduction of yourself highlighting relevant experience.
- Clearly articulate the values you can provide and how you handle the challenges.
- Provide relevant portfolio samples of past projects that demonstrate your experience.
- End with a clear call to action inviting the client to take action for the next steps.
- Review your pitch for clarity, tone and grammar to ensure a professional impression.
Step 13: Check Writing Job Boards for Opportunities
Use job boards for finding freelance writing gigs effectively. Bookmark the job search categories that interest you and enable you to receive updates on the recently posted positions. Narrow the search results to suit your experience and interest. Visit job boards every now and then to look for positions that are of interest to you and that meet your qualifications. Try and contact potential clients on your own and pitch to them to secure their business. If still there is no response from them after applying, it would be appropriate to follow up for the job and show interest.
Step 14: Develop Essential Freelance Skills
Developing essential freelance skills are crucial, just like writing skills. Develop skills such as communication, time management, negotiation, marketing and problem solving. Most importantly keep in touch with the clients while doing the project and provide high quality work. Be clear and honest about your capacity and expertise on the project.
To enhance your business skills start by setting clear, achievable goals and track your progress. Develop systems for managing clients, projects, finances and communications. Use project management tools, productivity apps and accounting software to streamline your workflow. Continuously learn about industry trends, business practices and new technologies. Lastly, practice time management techniques such as prioritization, time-blocking and setting boundaries to optimize productivity and maintain work-life balance.
Step 15: Network with Other Freelance Writers
Networking is crucial in the freelance writing industry because it opens doors to opportunities and clients. Build connections with freelance writers to expand your reach, gain referrals and stay updated. Find and join freelance writing communities through various online platforms. Attend writing conferences, workshops and local meetups to connect with like minded individuals in person.
In person networking opportunities provide face to face interactions where writers can establish deeper connections. It’s also essential to follow up with contacts, maintain relationships and reciprocate support and nurture a strong network over time.
Step 16: Keep Learning to Grow Your Business
Continuous learning is vital for freelance writers’ careers to adapt to evolving industry standards. Ongoing learning fosters creativity, expands knowledge bases and opens up new opportunities for diversifying writing services. Utilize a variety of resources and improve skills to stay updated with industry trends. Join courses, webinars and workshops that provide structured learning experience to specific genres.
Set goals for professional development and track progress. Ensure that these are continually advancing in your career. Start by identifying specific areas for improvement based on industry demands.
Final thoughts
If you follow these 16 steps you will systematically develop your skills, present a portfolio and make yourself seen in the freelance writing industry. It is always important to understand that one’s road to becoming a great freelance writer goes on for quite sometime, where learning and networking are key components. Stick to your work, keep practicing, don’t miss a chance to exhibit your writing talent. You can turn your freelance writing aspirations into a thriving career with persistence and passion.
