So you have finally decided to take the leap and dive into the world of freelance writing. Stepping into this new career may feel a bit intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. Becoming a freelance writer should be an exciting career choice!
Whether you have gone to university for journalism, taken a freelance writing course online, or have never written anything since high school; everyone has the ability to become a successful freelance writer.
In this post, we are going to give you some tips if you’re starting out as a freelance writer.
Five general tips for new freelance writers with no experience
Lucky for you, we have compiled some of our most useful tidbits of information in this guide on how to start freelance writing, even if you have no experience.
Find your niche
The way I would write for a travel article versus any other post is quite different. Choosing a specialty that you are passionate about will help you write quality content for your prospective clients.
Create some writing samples
It is really important to have some niche relevant writing samples. When first starting out, you won’t have any published work but do still need to grow a portfolio. Give yourself some faux projects. Start a blog. Contribute to a guest post.
Treat all of these assignments as if they are paying clients and let your real work shine. Not only will they become the structure for your new portfolio, but it will help you hone your skill and keep your writing muscle strong.
Get visible
Now that you have some written pieces that you are confident in sharing, it’s time to share them. You want to start nurturing your online presence as that is most likely where your work is going to come from. Use your Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts to help you find and connect with your ideal clientele.
Facebook groups are some of the best ways to find freelance assignments. Join groups that narrow in on your specialty and pitch away!
Instagram gives you a more casual setting to connect with the kind of people that you want to write for, allowing you to interact with their posts to get to know them and “slide into their DMs” when pitching.
LinkedIn is a professional way to connect to colleagues and clients alike and it is a good idea to set one up.
Though not completely necessary, you can also create a website that shows off your freelance writing services. Doing this will set you apart from other writers and give you another stream where your potential clients can contact you.
Don’t be scared to network
Growing your network of contacts is crucial to your success. Get to know professionals in your niche as potential clients and even other writers. A strong network will help you get noticed, give you support when you need it, and develop lasting, beneficial working relationships.
Pitch fearlessly
First off, you don’t need to be an expert in freelance writing to be a good writer. Remember this and repeat it. Pitching yourself is probably one of the scariest things you need to do when you start freelance writing. My biggest tip is to pitch fearlessly and with confidence.
This is way easier said than done but it is often the main thing that differs between the person who doesn’t get the job versus the person who does. There are a few ways to make sure your pitch exudes confidence.
Be kind yet straightforward in what you can offer your client. Don’t try to over-explain to make up for your nervousness. You got this!
Refrain from saying that you are “a new freelance writer”. If your client asks, you can be honest about your experience but it is not something you need to bring up.
Do a bit of research about your potential client. Knowing a little about your client’s business will help you during your pitch as it will give you an idea of how you can connect to them and show your passion for the project they are bringing you on for.
Getting paid as a Freelance Writer
“How much should I charge?” and “What is the best way to receive payments?” are some of the most popular questions asked by beginner freelance writers.
How much do I charge?
Ultimately that is up to you but there are some things to keep in mind when setting up your rates. There are three ways that people charge for writing services; per word, per article, and per hour.
Some clients will ask what you charge per word as they know that the work they are going to give you the future will feature a variety of word lengths.
Other clients will have a better idea and a constant word length that they need you to write for. All they will need to know is how much you charge for their desired length of the article.
Lastly, and this doesn’t come up as often, is an hourly rate. It is a bit of a strange way for people to charge but be honest in how long it takes you to research and write an article when coming up with your rate.
Know your worth and make sure you price yourself fairly for the work that you have the ability to provide your clients.
How do I receive payments?
We have written a whole article all about 8 different banking options for digital nomads, comparing some of the most popular banks and apps.
The main thing that you want to consider is where your clients are coming from and does your current banking option allows you to effortlessly receive payments from them.
Getting work from freelancing sites
When initially delving into the land of freelance writing, there are some people who recommend searching for freelancing jobs for beginners on sites like Upwork, Fiverr, Guru, and many other marketplaces.
Let’s talk about the pros and cons of finding work through these sites.
Pros
For one, this is a great way to build your resume and gain experience interacting with people who are willing to pay for your work. Finding work is actually quite easy from these sites as thousands of jobs are posted every day.
Cons
More often than not, the pay is unfair and it is very difficult to find jobs from these sites that offer an appropriate pay rate for the work required.
Each freelancing site also takes its own percentage of your sale and has a short waiting period (to confirm the work has been delivered) before you receive your payments, which can be less than ideal.
Final Thoughts On Freelance Writing With No Experience
As you can see, it’s relatively easy to get started as a freelance writer with no experience. That said, there are other alternatives to make money online with no experience.
Read one of the following blog posts to learn more:
