5 Tips to Help You Slay Your Way Into Freelance Writing
Ladies and Ghouls, are you ready to shake things up and take control of your career? Have you ever dreamed of being a freelance writer but don’t know where to start? I’ve got you covered.
Writing is a job just like anything else, but with a little help from spell check, just about anyone can do it. Don’t think you’re a good writer? Just remember, no one writes like you do, and that’s your secret sauce.
The best part is, all you’ve got to do to get started is fire up that Word doc and get those keys-a-clacking. And just because I believe in you, here are 5 easy-peasy things you can do to get yourself started in the wonderful world of freelance writing.
Step 1: Know yo-self
First things first, you need to figure out what kind of writing you want to do. Are you passionate about lifestyle topics? Maybe you have a knack for technical writing? Whatever your niche, make sure it’s something that excites you and that you’re knowledgeable about. Remember, writing is all about conveying information and telling a story, so you need to know your stuff!
Not an expert in anything? No biggie. The best part about blogging is you can learn as you go, so if you’re not an expert in anything just yet, try picking a topic that sparks your interest.
Step 2: Build those skills!
Okay, so you know what kind of writing you want to do. Now it’s time to hone your skills. Take a writing class or workshop, read articles and books in your niche, and practice, practice, practice! The more you write, the better you’ll get. And don’t forget about other skills like research, interviewing, and editing. The more you can offer as a writer, the better.
The best way to succeed at anything creative is to dive in. You can expect to paint a masterpiece the first time you hold a brush, same goes for writing. Don’t let a lack of experience stop you from throwing some words at the page.
Step 3: Build a portfolio
Once you’ve got some writing under your belt, it’s time to start building your portfolio. This is where you showcase your best work and demonstrate your skills as a writer. Start by creating a website or blog where you can publish your writing. Reach out to friends and family and offer to write for them for free (or for a small fee) to get some experience and samples for your portfolio.
If you’re not ready to start your own website, you can get started by creating some samples in your Google Drive. Make a PDF with the title, descriptions, and a link to each. This can be a great way to get started with no overhead, and you can submit the PDF to potential clients along with your resume.
Step 4: Network like it’s going out of style
Now that you’ve got some writing samples and a website, it’s time to start networking. Join writing groups or forums online, attend writing conferences, and connect with other writers and professionals in your niche.
Get some guest posts. Reaching out to websites and bloggers in your niche and asking to guest post can be a great way to network and get some stellar writing samples at the same time!
Step 5: Hustle – It’s a lifestyle.
Okay, so you’ve got the skills, the portfolio, and the network. Now it’s time to hustle.
Freelance writing can be a tough gig, but if you’re dedicated and persistent, you can make it work. Pitch, pitch, pitch!
Don’t be discouraged if you get rejected – it’s all part of the game.
Check out some job boards like Indeed and Problogger daily to see if you find anything that fits, and don’t be afraid to apply! Pitching can be time-consuming, so decide how much time you’re going to put in each day so you don’t burn out.
Got it? Now Get it!
So there you have it, ladies and ghouls – the five steps to becoming a freelance writer. It may seem daunting, but with hard work and determination, you can make it happen.
Take it one little step at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be swimming in samples, then it’s off to the races. Freelance writing is a lot of hard work, and blogging, just like anything else, is a job. That being said, it’s a pretty fun one that you can do from absolutely anywhere–even the comfort of your couch.
