Freelancing can be a lucrative and enjoyable profession, with so many benefits including being able to work remotely from anywhere in the world!
So whether you are fresh out of studying and seeking a graduate job with travel benefits, considering backpacking and keen on a gap year job, or you just have a passion for writing and would like to turn this into a paid job, you really need to consider this career.
But landing—and keeping—a writing gig can be a little more elusive than it might appear on first consideration.
How to Become a Freelance Writer
Here’s a look at some sure-fire ways you can make yourself attractive to editors and content providers looking for intelligent, reliable writers.
1. Writing Samples
Editors looking for freelance writers can typically only gauge your ability to write by reading your writing samples. Be prepared to show them several different types of work, including something topical and factual, perhaps something sports or entertainment related, a “list” post, and even something fictional and completely of your own imagination.
Whatever you do, make certain the writing samples you supply are truly your work. Sophisticated content providers have software designed to discover plagiarized articles as well as the number of times a particular piece of information appears on the Internet. You would be surprised how often people try to pass off something they didn’t write as their own work.
Not only will plagiarism serve to end your career as fast as it started, lies about your ability to write will be obvious when a prospective editor gives you a topic to write for their further analysis. Writing styles and grammar tendencies of your test topic will be compared to the writing samples you submitted. Frauds are discovered quickly, which could result in a terse reprimand or a simple email informing you that you don’t meet their requirements as a freelancer.
2. Good Grammar
Good writing is easily separated from its inferior counterparts, and almost exclusively it comes down to shoddy grammar. If your grammar skills are up to snuff, you’ll do just fine. If not, pick up a grammar book and get to work. Proper use of the parts of speech and punctuation will take you far along your path as a freelance writer, and no editor worth their salary will ever accept inferior work, particularly when it’s so easy to shore up this particular deficiency.
3. Communicate Effectively
Should you be lucky enough to score a contract with an editor, get off on the right foot by being a good communicator. It’s never poor style to ask for work, to tout your strong topics and writing tendencies, and to offer suggestions for articles. Current events and whatever’s trending at the moment will always be in high demand and keeping an eye on breaking news can lead to work that you’ve suggested.
Additionally, don’t make assumptions about the article topic you’ve been assigned or accepted. Editors often work in fast-paced environments, which can mean brief descriptions of the work assignment. Sometimes this is enough information to complete the work without further interaction.
Sometimes, however, there will be a need for clarity. Ask pertinent questions to get the information you need on anything from the angle of the article to the expected word count. Time is money as a freelancer, and the last thing you want to do is rewrite a thousand word article when a 20 word email would have set on you on the right path.
If you’re going to be late or otherwise miss a deadline, let your editor know. Sometimes this is acceptable and sometimes not. However, you’ll never know if you don’t communicate this with the people expecting your work. Simply submitting it late and hoping that flies could be very costly to your career.
4. Don’t Plagiarize
As mentioned above, this is the most egregious offense a writer can make, and has ended many careers. Oddly, this is a topic many people don’t fully understand, but it’s simple and straightforward: If you didn’t write it, someone else did.
Citing the source of the information you’re presenting will protect you against copyright infringements and accusations of plagiarism. This is a common practice in all forms of writing and is easy to understand.
You can also rewrite the information in your own words. This is the true strength of a freelance writer for the simple fact that you will often be asked to write something that’s already on the Internet.
Being asked to write an article about a movie you haven’t seen will require you to either see the movie, which is a great choice, or to read several reviews and repackage them. There are many different ways to say a movie was great, awful, simple, complex, sad, happy, or romantic without using the words written by others.
Say it in your own words and you’ll be in good shape.
5. Write What You Know
Large content providers can have a hundred different needs every day and, as a result, you will be presented with a wide range of topics. This can be fun and challenging and can help you stretch and hone your skills as a professional writer. It can also lead to inferior work and early walking papers.
If you don’t know anything about PHP programming language, don’t think, even for a minute, you can read a few articles about it and then write an effective and informative piece. Your will work be easily identified as amateurish and something written by someone quite unfamiliar with the subject matter.
You don’t necessarily have to be an expert on every assignment you accept, but if the subject and overall style of writing aren’t in your wheelhouse, don’t accept the work. Someone unfamiliar with professional football would hardly be the right resource to write about recent NFL draft choices and their likely impact long- and short-term.
You will quickly discover there is no shortage of topics. Accepting everything that comes your way will only lead to frustration and sub-par work. Choose subjects and styles you are familiar with and are comfortable writing; pass on those that are less appealing or would be better written by others. You’ll be doing you and your editor a huge favor that will work to your advantage in the long run.
6. Contact Companies
The chances of a company finding you online and offering you freelance writing work are slim. You really need to put yourself out there and check websites for positions, or contact companies direct. Find a niece you are interested in and visit LinkedIn pages, and get the contact details of recruiters and managers.
If you are interested in travel writing, these websites hire writers:
• Inspire Your Trip
• Gap Year World
• Go Find Programs
• One World 365
• Gabi Travels
Companies Hiring Freelance Writers
Websites
Lots of websites pay people to write articles, in the travel and tourism industry and more more.
If you’ve heard the rumor that websites don’t pay well, ignore it. It’s true that magazines pay better in general, but there are plenty of websites that have good pay rates for freelancers – some around $2 a word.
Websites have the added advantage of shorter lead times (the time from when you submit an article until it’s published), easier staff accessibility (usually, e-mail addresses are listed on a masthead page), and opportunities for more frequent assignments.
For both magazines and websites, the proper method of approach is via e-mail/online contact form. Rather than sending the completed article, almost all editors prefer that you first send a short letter that explains what you want to write, why it’s right for them, and how you are qualified to write it.
Begin your query letter with a strong “hook.” That’s the first sentence or two, and it should encapsulate whatever is most unique, interesting, shocking, funny, or informative about the article you’re proposing.
In the next paragraph or two, tell the basic gist of what you want to write. Why is this an interesting topic? How will you cover a unique angle that the publication hasn’t already covered?
In the next paragraph, state exactly what you plan to deliver (for example, a 1000 word feature article with a short sidebar, or a 500 word profile with photos). If you know which section your piece would fit, mention it here. If you know which experts you’ll quote, or if you’ve already got interviews or research done, mention it.
The final paragraph is the “about you” section. If you have writing experience, it belongs in this part of the query. Mention any relevant credits. If not, don’t say a word about your lack of experience! Just keep quiet about it.
Finally, enclose 2-3 clips of your writing. Clips are photocopies of your published work. If you’ve never had anything published, you may enclose one or two unpublished writing samples.
When querying via e-mail, you have a few choices as to how you send clips: you can copy and paste text into the bottom of your e-mail, send the editor links to your work at other sites, or create your own website as a “calling card,” posting several of your articles online to show editors. Whatever you do, however, never, ever send an editor an attachment unless it has been requested. More often than not, it will be deleted, sight unseen.
Magazines
Interested in writing for magazines? Then pick up a copy of the Writer’s Market. It’s published every year by Writer’s Digest, and contains thousands of listings for magazines that hire freelance writers. You’ll find listings in every imaginable category. Horse lovers? Absolutely. College students? Lots. Elton John fans? Yep, that too. There’s a market for just about any subject you could possibly want to write about.
Magazines seek submissions of all lengths and types. If you’re new to freelancing, you may want to try to place a few short pieces before you try to sell feature length articles. The shortest pieces are known as “fillers.” These are the paragraph-or-less tips and quirky facts you’ll find throughout many magazines. For example: “A tablespoon of freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice cures hiccups instantly.”
Greeting Cards
Ever stood in the card section in a shop and thought you could do better? Now is your chance. If you can write short, snappy prose that has a very personal feel, you might have a calling to the greeting card industry. Light humor is the most sought-after card type, and all occasions are fair game (think birthdays, weddings, “get well,” and less-famous occasions-divorce, moving, and “empty nest syndrome,” for example)
Be sure to send for guidelines before submitting to companies. Most will ask for your submission in batches of about 10-12, and most prefer that you write your greetings on index cards with your name and contact information on the back, one idea per card.
Books
The book market is much tougher to crack than most other areas of freelancing, but it is possible. To sell a book based on your own ideas, you’ll need to write a book proposal. This is the package you’ll send to publisher to explain what your book will be about, and what kind of market there is for this type of book.
In your non-fiction book proposal, you’ll need an introduction, a synopsis of your idea, an overview of the market (who will buy your book, why, and how will you reach them?), the competition (what other books are available on your topic, and how is your book better/different?), book details (including approximate word count, delivery time, illustrations or photos, etc.), a section about you, an outline or detailed table of contents, and 1-3 sample chapters.
In a fiction book proposal, you’ll need an introduction, book details (genre, approximate word count, delivery time), a section about you, a brief synopsis of the book (about two pages), approximately three chapters, and a detailed outline of the plot.
Once you’ve finished this, you can either send your proposal to agents, and find one you trust to market your proposal, or you can market it yourself. If you choose to do it on your own, try www.find-a-publisher.com for hundreds of listings, or the Writer’s Market.
Business Writing
Possibly the best-paying work you can find as a freelancer is in the corporate world. If you can write concise, direct, catchy sales material, you’ll be in a good position in this less saturated field of writing. Writers are in demand to compose brochures, sales letters, radio commercials, flyers, and more for businesses.
If you’ve never done it before, volunteer your services to write or rewrite material for local organizations, churches, etc. to build up a portfolio. Then send a letter or brochure detailing your services to businesses. Check with your Chamber of Commerce, or track down the marketing and communications director at any business you’d like to approach. You can often find this information by calling the company and explaining your situation. Address your submission to this person, and explain your availability and expertise.
There is plenty of work for an eager, enterprising freelancer. Creating professional relationships and getting regular work isn’t particularly difficult, but it can be hard to maintain for any extended period of time without a real commitment on your part to work hard, hone your craft, and present work products upon which you’re willing to hitch your professional reputation. Do this and you’ll have a good shot at a rewarding and fun career. If you are looking for temporary positions, browse seasonal work opportunities.