As more newspapers
begin displaying content online, the market for freelance writers has changed
dramatically. While there is still a need for those who write for newspapers
and magazines, more often, freelance writing assignments are coming from online
sources.
For many freelance
writers, this means that there is greater competition, learning about writing
on the web, and lower pay per word. For those who are new to freelance writing,
there are several ways that you can launch your freelance writing career
without worrying about writing query letters, getting involved in newspaper and
magazine submissions or waiting weeks or even months for payment.
Today, there are
many opportunities to find freelance writing online and be paid in a timely
manner. At-home freelance writing jobs are no longer reserved for those with
journalism degrees. In fact, if you are capable of doing good research, writing
quickly and accurately and meeting deadlines, there is no reason you cannot
launch your at-home freelance writing career.
Getting started: Prepare for battle
Getting started
freelance writing at home is not as difficult as you might think. However,
oftentimes it's making that first step that holds many people back.
Set writing goals
and schedules
Not everyone wants
to pursue an at-home freelance writing career full time. As you get started, it
is critical that you set your own writing goals and a schedule to write. Some
freelance writers may be satisfied with their monthly income from Hubpages as
their only source of at-home freelance writing. While Hubpages is not a
freelance writing job per se, it can help you build a strong portfolio while
you earn money for your writing.
Create a portfolio
Whether you create a
writing portfolio using a writing site like Hubpages or your own blog, this
will be the secret to your success as a freelance writer. It is a good idea if
you are signing up with a site like Hubpages to write several articles in
different categories to show the depth of your abilities. This varies from
writer to writer, some prefer to specialize in specific categories like
finance, business or legal writing. Whatever you choose, make sure you have
samples of the specific type of writing you plan to pursue.
Private Clients: Set
up payment schedules
If you are going to
be marketing your services to private clients, you must set up a payment
method, contracts and a method of invoicing clients. Payment methods such as
PayPal allow you to send out invoices to your clients with reminders.
NOTE: This does
incur a fee that is deducted when the invoice is paid. Make sure you make an
allowance for that additional financial hit. Keep in mind, if you sign up
primarily to write on freelance sites or writing sites, they typically pay the
fee charged by PayPal.
There are several
writing sites that you can select freelance writing assignments to be completed
at home. These include Constant Content, Mechanical Turk, Blogmutt and several
more. These sites typically pay a flat fee per article and some include page
view income as well. As you sign up at writing sites make note of payments,
writing standards and payment dates so you are not getting any surprises after
the fact. Remember you will most likely have to provide a W9 and other
information to these sites. Read the privacy policies before you get started.
Building momentum
and a future
One of the deadly
sins of working as a freelance writer at home is failing to build any type of
momentum for your small business. This is a deadly mistake as without the
proper outreach, marketing and interaction, you may find there are times when
you are struggling to make a single dollar. There are many opportunities
available for freelancers who wish to earn full-time money working as a
freelance writer. However, you must be proactive.
Marketing is
important
For you to succeed
as a freelance writer, you must have the ability to market yourself. This means
that you need to be able to write good cover letters, promote your work through
social networking and continue to develop your portfolio. If you stop marketing
you may lose out on opportunities for new work. Constantly paying attention to
what is going on in the freelance writer's market is crucial to your long-term
success.
Growing your
business
As you begin your at
home freelance writing career, you may be interested in ways to expand on it.
There are several social sites including Xomba, WikiNut, SheToldMe that will
pay you additional income for submitted links. Investigate these sites for
added income for your freelance writing. In addition, do not be afraid to
explore new writing opportunities, ask clients whom you have completed work for
to refer you to others and above all, constantly polish your skills.
Keep in
mind, the competition is tough.