5 Tips for New Freelance Writers

Freelance Writing is one of the most lucrative careers today. This can be attributed to the flexibility and convenience that comes with it. This career allows you to set the time to work, rates and choose your clients.

Since you learned about freelance writing, what steps have you taken towards it? Here are some tips to help you get started;

1. Create Good Samples

If you don’t have samples, create killer samples. Telling a client you’re good at what you do is not enough. You need to show them what you have done. Medium is one great platform where you can create samples. All you need to do is create an account and start writing articles in the stories section. You can also create samples on LinkedIn Pulse, a section on LinkedIn that allows you to post articles. You can also create a blog, post quality content and use links to these posts when applying for jobs.

2. Get Published In Major Journals.

Some of the major journals include the Huffington Post and Forbes. To get published on these journals you need to pitch to them directly. You can send your article to them asking to publish on their platform and wait for their feedback. Medium is also a major publication that’s relatively easier to use. Create an account and start posting articles on the stories section.

Major journal and publications help prove your dedication to the client. They also help in building your personal brand and finding a bigger audience for your writing. Having huge following at Medium and successful posts at Forbes will also help prove your skills to the client.

Read more on publishing on Huffington Post and Forbes HERE. Get yourself out there to experience what this career has to offer.

3. Apply For Jobs Every day

You may have been published on Forbes once or twice which is a major step. However, this doesn’t guarantee a consistent flow of clients. You have to find clients where they are. First, create a list of the clients you would like to work for. Secondly, send 6 to 10 pitches every day. You can combine pitching on boards and cold pitching to direct clients. Direct clients have proven to be the best but some job boards are equally good in getting high paying clients. Some of the best job boards include Problogger, Craigslist, Indeed, Upwork, Fiverr, PeopleperHour among others.

Have a goal to apply for jobs every day, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s also advisable to include your samples and address the client’s problem within your cover letter. This helps the client know that you actually read the job post and he can assess if you’re the best writer for the job.

4. Pay For A Course

It’s also always good to pay for a course to keep up with the trends or learn some new skills. Top freelancers like Walter Akolo offer a freelance writing course that teaches you how to write well and get high paying clients. You can also pay for SEO courses, proofreading courses, and marketing courses. This will ensure you’re relevant in the writing business years later.

The best thing about courses is that they are organized in some form of curriculum. Stick to one course and apply everything you learn before moving on to another course.

5. Market Yourself

One thing you will not learn from most writing courses is marketing yourself. To get clients on a daily basis, you need to embark on a marketing plan. You may follow all the tips available to land your first few clients but what next. To make this a full time career, study marketing skills that work for freelance writers.

Some ways of marketing yourself include commenting on blogs you’d like to work for. Secondly, get a lot of connections on LinkedIn and Twitter and post about writing on your Facebook profile. Just like Facebook has friends, LinkedIn has connections. Make sure you connect with fellow freelancers and also potential clients by becoming their friends. On Twitter, you can follow clients, freelance groups and fellow freelancers.

You can also ask the clients you get on other platforms to follow you on Twitter. Guest posting is also another to leverage another writer’s existing audience and client base. Also, create your writer website and have a blog on it. This could go a long way in helping build your brand.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have learned about freelance writing and what it takes to start, it’s up to you to take action. Be your inspiration, practice what you learn and never stop learning. Being a beginner can be quite frustrating but it doesn’t have to be. Create a portfolio by writing samples, publish on authoritative sites, apply for jobs every day, pay for a course and don’t forget to market yourself.