o you want to be a writer? Well, start writing! Yes, it is that easy (in theory, at least). You might want to start writing a journal or a blog about something that interests you. Maybe you start with writing poems or short stories.
Perhaps you even begin writing a novel. There are so many options! Writing can be an art form, and it is undoubtedly a craft.
For a freelance writer, it can be all of that. Beyond that though, it is a business. You can get paid to write, and can even get paid well. How? Well, you need to be able to write well. If you want to learn how to become a freelance writer, you also need to learn how to treat your writing as a business.
Freelance Writing as a business
The texts you create are products, and it is part of your job to market and sell these products. Sometimes you already have an existing product (a text) that needs selling (a place to publish it and get paid for it), but more often than that, you will probably have a particular assignment to write or come across a "call for submissions." People have websites, businesses have websites, and all these websites need content. In other words, there is a lot of work available.
"The good news is your potential clients are basically everywhere! Writing is a major form of communication, especially on the internet." - Susanne Wagner
What kind of writing could you do?
There are many different names for what you do when writing online: Content writer, copywriter, blogger, ghostwriter, SEO writer, social media writer… and probably many more. People might hire you to fill their websites with content, but they might also hire you to write emails for them, newsletters, even social media posts or entire books.
Somebody may hire you to write something that won't be published online at all - a speech, for example, or a resume or grant application. Still, even if the finished text won't show up on the internet - the people who hire you usually do. Now, of course, you need to find each other.
How do you find your clients - and vice versa?
Help people to find you via:
- Your website/blog
- Social media presence (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- Profiles in industry directories and freelance job sites
Go to where people are looking for writers:
- Classic job portals like Indeed, Monster, Stepstone, etc.
- Job boards for freelance writers
- Job portals for writers and other freelancers
- Dedicated Facebook groups
- Look for "Submission guidelines," "Calls for submissions," or "Write for us" on publication websites
You want to learn how to become a freelance writer? Well, you have found this article - hey, that's the first step! Now keep your eyes and ears open. Learn about the business. Hone your skills. Network with readers, potential clients, and fellow writers. And: Start writing!
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