10 Tips for New Freelance Writers
So, you’re thinking about becoming a freelance writer?
First off, congratulations! It’s a big deal when you decide to pursue your passions. There can be a lot of fear of failing or fear of not making enough profit that comes up too.
There's a lot to it, but there's no reason to fear it or think that you’ll fail. Allow the journey to be an exciting one by going with the flow. Once you get started (and find your niche), more and more opportunities will show up for you.
To help you set a plan in place, we've put together some of our best advice for new freelance writers.
Manage Your Time
One of the most important pieces of advice we have for freelancers in general is to make sure you can effectively manage your time. There are multiple ways to do this and it will vary depending on your personality, but here are a few ways we’ve been successful:
Make Lists
Whatever your personality style, creating a list of things that you need to get done with a due date is incredibly helpful. You could simply make a weekly to-do list of items you are working on inside of the Notes app on your phone or, if you’re really Type A, use a work management tool such as ClickUp. Decide what works for you, but make sure you have a place where you can go to and see what you’re working on and when it’s due.
Create a Space for Focus
You’re writing a story, the phone pings, you get distracted by a text and then head over to social media, suddenly the dog barks and wants to go out. We’ve all gotten distracted as writers or tried to multi-task many times and failed. It’s important to create a space of focus and, again, that will look different for everyone. Maybe it’s when your child is napping and you can manage to write for about 20 minutes while sitting on the couch. Or maybe you have an office space where you can go right when you wake up or before bedtime. Have a space dedicated to writing and it will feel like a simple routine and pattern that your brain will adhere to.
Use a Time Tracker
Creating the space might not be too difficult, and maybe you even light some candles for ambience, but how long do you plan on writing? It could be 20 minutes a day or 3 hours. Ask yourself what works for you and your schedule and stick to it. Perhaps that means every time you sit down you put on a timer and when it beeps, you know it’s time to wrap up. Creating a routine and managing your time will help you get a lot of writing done.
Set Goals
Once you’ve decided to become a freelance writer, take a few moments to journal about your goals. Do you want to be a freelance writer full time and have it pay all of your bills? Or are you looking for a side hustle? This will help you determine how much time you will need to devote to your craft. You can also get even more precise about goals such as planning to reach out to at least 20 potential clients each month and to write at least 5 paid blog articles per month. As the goals become more clear and easier to reach, then you can start seeing how much money you are making each month and start setting monthly profit goals. When you’re just getting started though, keep your goals a bit lighter and attainable.
Find Your Expertise
There are so many opportunities and ways to write for profit, or to simply get your name out there. Find your niche is an essential part to a successful writing career. When you find your niche, your writing style stands out from other writers and people want to hire you as an expert.
Some avenues to explore include:
Content Writing
This is a great option if you enjoy research and is one of the most popular niches in the freelance world. This niche is mostly writing web content such as writing blogs or information for web pages. Starting your own blog is a great way to practice and will give you great sample work!
Copywriting
Copywriters know how to market products and services. This type of writing includes creating ads, marketing emails, or sales pages. If your writing is more direct and to the point, this could be a great fit!
Social Media Management
This niche alone can end up being its own career and full-time business. If you’re able to create posts that are on-brand for each of your clients as well as authentic to the audience, this may be the niche you want to dive into!
Journal Writing
This niche can be a little harder to get into and most require a background in journalism or a previous writing career. However, writing news stories and researched journal articles can be fun and rewarding in getting your name out there.
Set up a Website
Even if you haven’t quite nailed your niche yet, or you’re thinking about trying out several niches to start, the next step is to create a website. Your writer’s website can be one simple page and you can even create a free one using Weebly. Make sure you have a photo of yourself, your name, and a short biography that tells potential clients about who you are and what you enjoy writing. Also, make sure there is some way for leads to contact you– you never know who might be looking for you and your expertise.
Write great sample work
As your freelance writing career grows and expands, you can add more to your site such as a blog or a list of cited works. When you’re just starting though and someone asks for samples, it’s a good idea to have some on hand. These could be articles you’ve written for free or something you’ve created just to have sample work. I recommend having at least 3 pieces ready to hand over so that the potential client can see your writing style and determine if it’s a good fit for them.
Find Your First Freelance Job
Now that you’ve got all your ducks in a row, how do you find your first job? There are a number of ways to do this. One way is to post on traditional writing job boards. You can do a google search for job writing boards or opportunities and even search LinkedIn. Facebook is also a great place to search for writing communities or writing jobs as there are lots of groups to join.
If searching online feels a little too intense, you could also start out by reaching out to working relationships you already have. Perhaps you have an old employer or a company you have a relationship with who has an online presence. You could reach out and offer your services by writing blogs or creating ads. There are countless opportunities ready for you!
Personalize Your Pitches
Whether you are deciding to reach out to people you have a relationship with or to people you’ve never connected with before, it’s important to personalize your pitches. This step will require a little research on your end, but it’s as simple as looking at the potential client’s social media or website to find out more about their brand. Once you’ve gathered some material, write your pitch showcasing how you’d be a great fit while also sharing new ideas they do not already have on their blog or social channels.
Collect Client Testimonials
As you begin to grow in your freelance business, you’ll want to start collecting testimonials. After a writing project is complete, simply message your client and ask for a brief testimonial that you can share. These can be great to feature on your website or as social media posts and will prompt potential clients to want to work with you based on your prior work and good reputation.
Establish Meaningful Connections
Networking is one of the best ways to find more jobs but also to swap tips and advice. When you create meaningful connections, it’s like having a team behind you to help your freelance business grow. Your connections may refer you to a potential client or introduce you to other writers who know of even more opportunities. The Write or Die Tribe Membership is full of opportunities to connect, share tips, and learn from other writers.
Keep Learning & Growing
So now you’ve made it. You’re a freelance writer. Now what?
Keep brushing up on your skills! Whether it’s SEO, marketing, or just taking a writing course (check out courses at Write or Die Tribe here)– be open to learning anything that might be relevant for your professional journey. The more knowledge you have, the better your writing career will be.
