You decided to start a freelance writing career. Congratulations! You know you have the perfect writing skills. Yet somehow, you’re not landing any clients. You tried to find work through social media – LinkedIn, FaceBook, you name it – still nothing. If you’re decided to pursue a career as a freelance writer, read on to learn what steps work towards success.
Build a Successful Freelance Writing Career: 4 Tips and Tricks
A popular reason why freelance writing is an excellent choice for a home-based career is you don’t need any experience to get started. You only need a passion for writing and the willingness to improve on your craft.
But alas! Those are not enough. You need the right tools, of course. You need a computer, a good chair perfect for hours of sitting, a desk that promotes good posture, and a good internet connection. Do you have all of those things? Good.
Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you on the road to a stable career.
Pick a Niche You Are Passionate About
Choosing to write about what you are passionate about is as good a start as any. By choosing to write about topics you’re interested in, your writing work wouldn’t feel like such a chore. You will eliminate the need to and groan your way through the writing process.
In short, you can make money out of the niche you’re passionate about. You can promote products and get readers to buy from you because you have a connection.
The niche can be anything you find interesting. Here are a few examples of popular niches:
- Fitness and Health
- Finance and Budgeting
- Hobbies (crafts, photography, mountain hiking)
- Relationships
- Self-improvement/development
- Leadership and Careers
Start a Blog or a Website – and Start Writing!
Blogging has tons of benefits – benefits a newbie freelance writer needs. For one, blogging gives you an online presence. It gives you a space to write, share your work, and possibly get feedback from others. It allows you to strengthen your writing skills so you can be better prepared to provide quality pieces to paying clients.
Alternatively, you can set up your own website to serve as space for your blogs as well as a portfolio and resume. You can reach prospective clients through your website. You first have to fill your site with your work.
You can use blogging or starting a website to create great samples of your services. Actively trying to get clients by explaining your skills is great. But if you can show the world how great you really are, clients will try to get YOU!
Apply for Jobs Everywhere
You now have tons of great sample work, a portfolio, an online presence, and a readership you have a connection with. It’s now time to throw yourself at every opportunity that you’re interested in. Share your works on LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social media sites. Another option is to consider freelance marketplaces like UpWork or Fiverr – such platforms have many opportunities for freelance writers.
Join networking groups online to build connections with other freelance writers. It’s not uncommon for available projects to be shared in these groups. Furthermore, you can collaborate on projects with members of these groups to build a more personal relationship.
With the internet, you will not run out of options. You just have to actively look for them.
Improve Your Time Management Game
As early as starting as a freelance writer, it’s important to develop impeccable time management skills. Once those clients and job offers start rolling in, you should already have the skills to juggle your priorities and get all your projects done. Otherwise, you will lose clients and damage your reputation.
Working remotely frees up a lot of our time for sure. Ironically, lack of time is one of the biggest problems home-based workers face, according to the data the Harvard Business Review gathered. As early as today, start improving your time management skills.
Begin Your Journey Today!
Starting as a freelance writer can be daunting. But if you have the right know-how, you can succeed. Follow these tips and tricks. Focus on your passions. Start a blog to write great samples. Show how great you are to everyone! And improve your time management game so you can tackle projects coming your way! Make no mistake, projects will surely come your way!
