12 Tips To Become A Professional Freelance Writer (2022)

A professional freelance writer means working as a contractor rather than a full-time employee at a firm and pursuing a career in freelance writing.

Professional freelancer writers provide their writing services to various clients and frequently work in multiple genres, covering whatever subject a client requests.

Additionally, independent writers can write for multiple clients: write newspaper and magazine pieces, Copywriter, or create website material for a customer.

Most independent professional writers fall into three categories: hustlers, business owners, or hobbyists.

Freelance writing can be primarily an intellectual or artistic endeavor for some people.

At the same time, others may find it a strategy for supplementing their regular income. Additionally, some people make their living entirely from freelance writing.

What Does A Freelance Writer Do?

A freelance writer can provide a variety of content for many clients in many different industries.

While some independent authors focus on a particular industry, others may write in various genres, including fiction and nonfiction.

Since they are typically not required to work in person, freelance writers connect with clients through phone, email, or video conference.

However, some writers may collaborate with other types of freelancers and full-time, in-house experts. Most writers operate remotely on their own as independent contractors.

Is Writing Safe?

Writing for a living is a respectable profession. Like every profession, some practice it unethically or poorly, and there may also be clients who try to take advantage of you.

Nevertheless, if you take it seriously, it is feasible to earn a full-time living and have a successful career as a freelance writer.

Building a freelance writing profession takes effort and patience. When you initially start, the income can be poor, and the work is challenging.

But if you are prepared to put in the effort, you will be able to increase your business and your revenue gradually.

Since freelance writers frequently only operate online, it is crucial to protect your bank information and only collaborate with clients you can trust.

Is There Demand For Freelance Writers?

Demand for freelance writers is high.

Since people, companies, and large corporations are constantly creating fresh content; there is a demand for freelance writers across all industries.

They require authors to assist them, and freelance writers frequently land the jobs.

How Does The Freelance Writing Works?

In addition to writing, independent contractors promote their services to potential clients.

Because they need to establish a firm, such as an LLC, to separate their money from their work funds, freelance writers are frequently business owners.

Successful freelance writers often possess literary imagination and an astute financial sense. Just getting started, writing well.

You must adequately market yourself and control your finances.

How To Become A Professional Freelance Writer

Many people have the dream of working as freelance writers.

In reality, it has several advantages that business owners can employ to advance their careers.

However, getting started is something that many individuals frequently find intimidating, and not everyone knows how to go.

Not sure where to start? We have all the knowledge you need to guide you.

Let's look at all you need to know about becoming a freelance writer.

12 Ways To Become a Professional Freelance Writer In 2022

Want to know how do I become a professional freelance writer?

Here are the 12 ways that will surely lead you to become a successful and professional freelance writer.

1.    Look for training or education

You can work as a freelance writer without a formal degree, so don't worry.

But if you're just getting started, you'll probably want to educate yourself in some way so you can start by producing high-quality work.

Find online content writing if you lack the funds or time to complete a degree at an institution.

You can do them at home, which is often cheaper than official degrees.

Consider formal studies that will assist you in achieving your objective if you intend to attend college or are currently pursuing your degree.

2.    Construct a Portfolio

In the beginning, small enterprises experience just as many highs as lows.

The same applies to working freelance. Concentrate on expanding your clientele and developing your portfolio.

Portfolios are carefully crafted groups of "clips," or written examples, that highlight your writing abilities.

Every byline and project you receive in the beginning may and should help you grow your portfolio, but if you haven't gotten any paying jobs yet, you can always create "spec" clips for fictitious clients or use blog articles.

Make a list of your interests or subject areas in which you have knowledge or experience if you are facing difficulties deciding what to write.

3.    Start your pitch

You must put yourself out there and pitch to several magazines and websites, both the most challenging and essential elements of freelancing.

Always be on the lookout for new concepts or fashions in pop culture or in your daily life.

Make sure to choose the appropriate publication and editor; conduct enough research to make an educated judgment as to who on the masthead should be contacted.

Initial email pitches should be brief. Links to one or two high-quality videos should be included so readers can hear your voice.

If you are rejected, accept it graciously, work on your idea, and then try again with a different channel.

Pitching becomes more straightforward if you gain access to a newspaper.

4.    Create a blog of your own

Creating a blog can be helpful if you're starting and don't yet have published bylines.

You'll have something to show them because many editors or potential clients may ask for writing samples or clips to get a sense of your voice.

A daily writing routine can be improved through blogging. Building such habits can help you become a better writer, even if your mother is the only one who reads them.

Who knows, someone might even come across your writing along the road.

5.    Know your interest

It's critical to comprehend where your interests lie. You can choose when you work as a freelance content writer.

Numerous inquiries from online users covering a range of topics are made.

It would be best if you took the time to research the various themes and figure out which ones fascinate you as a freelance content writer.

It will allow you to produce material that will be better than the generic content we typically encounter online.

Your ability to write effectively as a professional content writer depends on your interest in the subject matter.

Only when you write about subjects you are interested in can you be attentive and truthful.

Your final result will undoubtedly be of tremendous value to your online readers when you pour your heart and energy into writing about a subject.

Writing about topics that fascinate you will also prevent you from becoming a content writer burnout.

6.    Choose your niche

What do you excel at, are enthusiastic about, or adore?

You can determine your freelance writing path by responding to these questions.

Selecting your niche will assist you in attracting quality and pertinent clients.

No matter how appealing the payment is, you shouldn't waste your time writing on topics you don't understand or aren't interested in.

Why? Well, because you won't be able to meet the client's expectations and will damage your reputation in the process.

Everything revolves around the importance you want to develop by engaging in activities you enjoy, are skilled at, and are confident will produce positive results.

7.    Get the necessary abilities and instruments

Freelance writing involves more than just writing. You must be well-versed in management, finance, and marketing.

How to manage your work, organize it, and keep track of your tasks, bills, clients, and time.

You must know every aspect of self-employment to accomplish all of that.

Whether it's Excel for project management, Trello or Slack for organization and client communication, or text editor tools for editing and proofreading your work.

Learn how to use all the tools required to enhance your total output.

8.    Set your rate

The price you charge is something you need to establish right away, even if you are a total beginner.

How do you know what to charge for your services? There are many things to think about.

Do you want to charge by the hour, by the word, or by the project?

Determine for yourself the best type of rates that suit your needs.

Uncertain about the quantity that would meet your requirements and those of the prospective client?

Consider using this freelance hourly rate calculator.

It not only provides you with a general notion of how to set up your rates, but it also clarifies the differences and what should be considered.

9.    Look for work

It's time to start looking for actual employment after you've prepared yourself for a freelance writing career.

Where do independent contractors find freelance writing work?

There are various sites to begin your project hunting and work pitch, regardless of whether you are a native English speaker or not.

You can begin with guest blogging even if you're starting and have no prior expertise.

Search for bloggers who accept guest articles in your intended niche and pitch your concept to them with a sample piece.

How's that for a start? You'll probably have two or three of them accept your work.

You can advance to the more difficult section after using your site as a portfolio and a few guest blogging entries.

10.    Power of networking

It would help if you learned how to network with individuals from various businesses and organizations as professional, talented freelance article writers.

It demonstrates your writing prowess while assisting clients and establishing your reputation as a reliable article writer.

One such platform that links customers and people from various businesses is LinkedIn.

The best results for your freelance content writing career will come from networking on a LinkedIn site.

Additionally, you can communicate with your current clientele through these various digital media outlets.

A successful network aids in building trust and improving your reputation as a content writer.

11.    Keep learning

The more you study, the more valuable you become and the more money you can make.

In the end, it can relate to your freelance writing and help you expand your services, whether learning a new language or photo editing.

Furthermore, it need not be that expensive or time-consuming.

Check out these smartphone photo editing applications to get started, then consider how you might use what you learn to provide clients with more in-depth service.

Because all those pieces require quality photography and illustrations to complement the written word?

Knowing how to do it yourself can result in more effective work for your customer and more significant financial gain.

12.    Learn to write SEO content

In the previous section, we briefly discussed the significance of knowing SEO for independent content writers.

Search engines display several links for a particular query on search engine results pages.

One goal of a freelance content writer is to appear in the top 10 search engine results.

Freelancers should produce material that Google can index, crawl, and rank more efficiently based on the value it offers online users.

It entails attending to keyword inclusion. It also indicates that you shouldn't use too many keywords in your work.

SEO-friendly text content means attempting to add value while cutting out the extra writing.

9 Best Freelance Writing Sites For Beginners

You can pitch thousands of tasks on freelance writing websites, which is a huge advantage.

There's no need to establish a content marketing plan to generate leads or collect email addresses of potential customers to send cold emails.

Both of these tactics are necessary for earning a living as a freelance writer, but they take time, and there are occasions when you need money right away.

And this is where freelance writing sites may greatly simplify your search.

Some people could disparage freelance writing websites as places where businesses shop around for the best deal.

Despite the possibility that this is the case, some websites contain excellent content, particularly if you have a specific area of expertise, such as technology, marketing, or personal finance.

Here are the 9 best freelance writing sites!

1.    Upwork

Two of the biggest freelance job sites at the time, oDesk and Elance, partnered back in the early days of online freelancing (i.e., about 2015).

Upwork, which today has over 12 million freelancers, 5 million clients, and 3 million listings for freelance jobs annually, is the outcome.

While the market offers various freelance tasks and writing opportunities, including technical documentation, website copywriting and blogging.

They provide hourly labor, long-term contracts, project-based payments, short-term contracts, and long-term contracts.

Building a portfolio and your reputation on the web will be more difficult if you're starting as a freelance writer.

But if you're prepared to make an effort to submit proposals, there are always positions available on the site that you may apply for it.

The major drawback is that Upwork charges a 20% fee for the first $500 of any customer earnings.

Additionally, you must pay up to $0.90 (connects) for any proposal you were not explicitly invited to apply.

If you're starting, you might have to pay to play to create your portfolio.

2.    Fiverr

The online marketplace Fiverr connects customers and sellers of different services worldwide.

The sheer amount of work on Fiverr's site is its most vital advantage.

Most businesses utilize Fiverr to outsource services, including freelance writing work.

Create an account right now, then start a gig. You're good to go once freelance clients hire you because they believe your work is appealing.

3.    Guru

Like Upwork and Fiverr, Guru is a micro-gig economy website with its own set of distinctive strengths and weaknesses.

Visit the website and register for a free account to set up your profile.

From there, you can access many writing jobs that are up for bid.

The option to be paid by the job, hour or milestone is also available.

Guru asks workers to pay for their projects in advance, unlike other websites for the micro-gig economy.

4.    People Per Hour

A micro gig economy website called People Per Hour provides tens of thousands of jobs to various types of freelancers.

Since most businesses need to convey their worth to their audience through writing, writing jobs are prevalent on People Per Hour.

But companies are looking for other services, such as graphic design, video editing, or voiceovers.

There are precisely over 7 million enterprises.

Additionally, applying for employment on this website couldn't be simpler.

Visit the website and create a freelancer account there. Next, search for the position you want, such as "freelance writing," and offer your services to any company that requires writing.

5.    iWriter

For authors of all skill levels looking to supplement their income, iWriter is a practical option.

You need to produce content they appreciate and deliver by the deadline, if not earlier.

Customers on iWriter are more detailed about what they want than on other websites because they are obliged to provide information like keywords, layout, and unique demands.

Since it seems you're only filling in gaps, it becomes challenging to produce subpar content.

Additionally, they have a function that enables customers to tip you for an excellent job.

Additionally, you can use PayPal to get paid in addition to your regular fee.

6.    Contently

Since new freelancers need a comprehensive writing portfolio, Contently is not a good choice for them.

Since they actively assist authors in connecting with well-known international corporations like Coca-Cola, GM, Walmart, and Google, Contently isn't your average freelance writing website.

Working with these well-known companies allows you to increase your income while also including their name on your portfolio website, which may attract additional clients in the future.

7.    FlexJobs

FlexJobs is an online job marketplace for freelancers and people looking for flexible full-time employment positions.

The most significant difference from the competition?

FlexJobs screens and verifies all their jobs so you won't find scams or low-paying gigs.

It is excellent for more experienced freelance writers since you won't waste time filtering through the junk.

But if you're starting and need to build a portfolio, you'll have a more challenging time finding jobs for that purpose.

FlexJobs also makes it easy to find the best job for you with their custom job search.

It lets you select the categories of work (there are several kinds of "writing" jobs available), your preferred work schedule, experience level, and so on.

So you can see and apply for just the gigs you're interested in.

To access the freelance writing jobs available on FlexJobs, you'll have to sign up for a subscription.

8.    TextBroker

A platform for freelance writers called Textbroker functions almost like a big agency. They screen independent contractors like you for quality.

After which they grant you access to the countless product descriptions, press releases, web content, blogs, and other writing assignments their clients submit.

Verify your U.S. citizenship and submit a writing sample to sign up as a writer for free.

They will rate you between 2 and 5 stars, and then the race is on!

Since you don't have to "sell" a customer on hiring you first, it's terrific that you can receive business by entering an open order.

At the same time, Textbroker handles the labor-intensive task of coordinating payments and project workflows.

You can either be added to a group of writers who will be hired collectively or have clients submit your work directly.

All of this is fantastic for novices, but more seasoned authors may want to look elsewhere due to low pay.

9.    Media Bistro

For those wishing to work primarily with media organizations, MediaBistro is a reliable freelance writing employment platform.

Consider traditional newspapers like the Daily Mail, digital media outlets very well, and television networks like HBO.

Additionally, they provide a subscription that gives you access to tools for pitching editors and showcasing your work, as well as benefits like discounts to trade shows and a free LinkedIn profile analysis.

Cons include the fact that because they are so industry-specific, there are fewer opportunities for freelance writing than on other websites.

Is Freelance Writing a Good Career?

Is freelance writing a good career? Although it's not for everyone, freelancing is an excellent career.

Because of the independence it provides, freelancing can be highly alluring. It enables people to work whenever they choose, anywhere in the globe, and make a living.

While some people are successful in their freelance writing jobs, others struggle even to land their first customer.

You should be able to write effectively at the very least, even if only at an "entry" level.

Becoming a freelance writer is pointless if you can't construct a coherent sentence or aren't on top of your spelling and grammar.

Even if you are good at it, freelancing requires more than innate talent.

You are in charge of managing your own business as a freelancer. Therefore, you also need business skills in addition to your writing skills.

It includes the capacity to promote oneself, make a sales pitch to potential clients, and bargain prices.

If you desire an exciting, innovative, and varied profession, freelancing in content writing may be one of your most pleasing possibilities.

Getting a sizable salary for your labor is made more accessible by this. It also allows you to express your artistic ambitions.

Additionally, you can pursue whatever other interests you like without sacrificing a healthy work-life balance.

If you are successful at freelancing as a content writer, there is no upper limit to the amount of money you can make.

You can demand any amount of money based on your aptitude and skill set when you add value to internet leaders and business consumers.

Moreover, what you can contribute to projects, including content authoring.

Conclusion

A freelance writer works as a 1099 misc contractor rather than a W2 employee to support their writing career.

As a freelancer, you are an independent self-employed business owner who must find clients who require assistance, sell them your services, and ensure you and your client are satisfied.

Since you never know how much money you'll make in a given month, freelancing is an uncertain career.

However, you'll get more clients and create a more stable income if you consistently pitch on websites for independent writers.

Let me know in the comments section if you have any questions left that aren't covered in this post.

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