I Want To Be A Freelance Writer… But How?

More and more people are opting to join the freelance market while studying or shortly after graduating. Freelancing is an excellent way to supplement your income, and if you discover a genuine interest in your field, it can even turn into a fulfilling career. If you have a knack for grammar and writing, becoming a freelance writer could be your path forward. Writing is an in-demand skill, as all types of businesses need professionals to create blog articles, landing pages, whitepapers, and other content. And if you build a reliable client base, you can forge a steady income without sacrificing flexibility.
As with any field, becoming a freelance writer requires understanding the industry and ensuring your skills are sharp. You’ll also need to think like a business person as you market your brand and network with other companies and professionals. Below, is the process of building a freelance writing career in more detail and some simple tips for success!
What Does Freelance Writing Entail?   
Freelance writing is essentially what it sounds like: people pay you for writing things. But there are a few nuances to consider to truly understand the ins and outs of freelance writing.
The truth is, it is a vast and diverse field. Some writers submit a single article each month for a small blog while others hammer out 30,000 words for one or more agencies. And the topics are all over the map, both fiction, non-fiction, research based, and opinion.
Print media is still a thing, but online writing provides the most opportunities these days. With that said, you may be able to get paid for writing non-fiction for publications (and even fiction). But the most common freelance writing field is by far business writing, with academic/research not far behind. Business entails submitting regular blog articles, landing pages, and product descriptions that help companies grow their customer base and sell products or services. So, article writing and copy writing can be necessary skills to have.
What Are the Pros and Cons?    
As with any industry, freelance writing comes with benefits and drawbacks. For example, it provides you with a flexible schedule, workload, and location, because you ultimately control each of these factors.
You can also make money learning new things and come across various networking opportunities. Moreover, as long as you have the skills, you don’t need any credentials to forge a successful career.
One disadvantage of becoming a freelance writer is that it’s difficult to bring in a consistent income because clients and projects come and go. Also, you’re in charge of managing yourself, which can be challenging if you’re not naturally a self-starter.  And, writing about the same topics day in and day out becomes boring for some writers.
Further, if you run into difficult clients, you may experience problems with getting paid. Having enforceable contracts are a must, regardless of how few words need to be written.

Read the entire article in the Dec/Jan 2022-23 issue of InD'Tale magazine.

You can just click on the magazine image on the left hand side of our home page to open and enjoy!

OR

If you would like to receive the magazine every month (for FREE!) , just sign up on our home page. Once you do, an e-mail validation notice will be sent directly to you. Just open and click the link and you're in - forever!  Each month the magazine will be delivered directly to your inbox to downlad and read!