Getting started freelance writing for money! (Get paid to write)

Getting started freelance writing can be overwhelming.

Where can you find freelance work? How much are you going to charge your clients? How do I even get started freelancing?

Getting started freelance writing can leave you with a ton of questions! Luckily for you, I’m going to show you exactly what you need to succeed.

Imagine, waking up and working from your laptop. You no longer have an hour commute to your 9-5 job. You’ve built yourself a successful freelance writing business.

Are you ready to get started? Here’s what you need to know.

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How do I get started freelance writing with no experience?

The first thing you’ll need to do when getting started with freelance writing is evaluate your writing skills. Just because you speak English does not qualify you to write freelance. You’ll need to ensure you have amazing grammar and the ability to communicate your ideas.

Programs like Grammarly can help you improve your writing skills.

Most people who are hiring freelance writers are bloggers. You should become familiar with blog articles and how to write for a blog.

A lot of beginner freelance writers make the mistake of writing large block paragraphs. Blog paragraphs shouldn’t be more than three sentences. It’s different than writing a research paper.

You will need to be well organized. It’s not uncommon to have multiple projects, all with their own deadlines and clients to bill.  As a freelance writer, you’ll need to create quality content on time.

Freelance writers will also require the confidence to pitch themselves to potential clients.

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Build your portfolio

You are going to need to showcase your work to potential clients. As a freelance writer, building your portfolio is one of the best things you can do to gain clients.

First, identify a niche you want to write about. A niche is a narrow focus of writing, such as personal finance, weight loss, or cooking. Focusing on one topic helps to build your credibility as an authority.

Next, decide where you’re going to showcase your work. You can either build a website and post relevant articles or guest post on other people’s websites. Doing a few free guest posts is a great and cheap way to get started.

You only need two to three examples in your portfolio. Most clients won’t look beyond your first few articles and sending too many can be overwhelming.

Don’t work for free or “exposure” once you’ve created your initial portfolio. You’re in the business of making money and people will always want something for free. Don’t sell yourself short, get paid for your work.

Where do I find freelance writing work?

There are so many places to find freelance writing assignments. You just need to know where to look. Here are some of the popular options.

One of the best places to find work when you’re new is through a freelance writing network. Freelance writing networks find work and handle the business side. All you have to do is show up and write great content.

Writers Work is a freelance writing network which is open to beginners. Joining is easy and you get get started in no time.

Other companies exist for connecting freelancers with work. Joining multiple is an easy way to find work when your just getting started freelance writing. Some of the best freelance websites include:

• Upwork
• Freelancer
• Toptal

Freelance writing work can also be found on freelance job boards, such as Problogger and Freelancewriting.com. You should check these job boards frequently.

Networking on social media will bring you some of your best work opportunities. There are tons of Facebook groups with bloggers who all need written content. Actively contribute to discussions and casually mention you’re a freelance writer for hire.

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Track your income and set goals

It’s important to track your income and start setting goals when you start earning income. Why? Unfortunately, those who fail to track goals or track progress never seem to grow.

Maybe your first goal is to make your first $100 as a freelance writer. Next, set your goal to $500 and keep increasing your monthly income goals as you achieve them. If you’re not growing, ask yourself why and be honest.

Stay consistent

So how do you actually achieve your income goals? Hint: it’s not by making some fancy spreadsheet. The only thing that matters when growing a business is making consistent effort.

Most people think writing a few articles is going to cut it as a freelance writer. Unfortunately, getting started freelance writing is just the beginning! You’re going to have to consistently write to make any money as a freelancer.

Think about it.

Your job as a freelance writer is to write. Writing when you feel like it doesn’t work. Writing when you feel like it might produce an article per month, if you’re lucky.

How much can you charge for 12 articles? Maybe $6,000 if you’re lucky and charging a per project rate.

Now imagine writing 500 words per day for clients. Over the course of a year, you would produce 182,500 words. Charging $0.25 per word means you generated $42,625!

Being consistent is hard. Typically, people have a linear expectation for what their results should be. However, results are hardly seen in the beginning and it takes time and effort to see results.

What is considered a freelance writing beginner?

A beginner freelance writer is generally considered someone with 0-3 years of freelance writing experience. As a freelance writer, you’ll write articles, social media content, email copy, eBooks, and other text base content for clients.

How do freelance writers get paid?

Freelance writers get paid in a variety of ways. Generally speaking, you’re going to need a PayPal or Venmo account to accept payments.

Most freelance websites and networks will pay through PayPal. Even if you bill your clients, PayPal is a common and widely accepted payment method.

How much should you charge as a freelance writer?

Generally speaking, beginning freelance writers make $31.56 to $49.80 per hour or $0.01 to $0.50 per word. As you can see, freelancers can charge per hour or per word.

Charge per word or project is more profitable when you can crank out content quickly. You want to earn work, get it done, and move onto the next project. The only thing that matters when maximizing your revenue on a per word basis is how quickly you can crank through words.

Look at it this way. You charge an hourly rate of $40 and work a 10 hour day for your clients. At this hourly rate, you earned $400 in a day, great! Now you charge $0.25 per word and maybe you can write a 500 word article in one hour. Working a 10 hour day, you cranked out 5,000 words or $1,250!

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Summary: Getting started freelance writing

Freelance writing is very difficult when you are just getting started. First, you need to evaluate your skills as a freelance writer which include:

• Your ability to write and communicate ideas in grammatically correct sentences. Programs like Grammarly can help improve your writing.
• You need to know how to write for a blog. Generally, most of your clients will be bloggers. For example, you need to know articles are written with three sentences per paragraph maximum.
• Successful freelancing includes organizing your projects and managing your billing.
• Having confidence in yourself and your writing is a huge bonus. Lacking confidence leads to selling your services lower than what you deserve. Also, it is easier to gain clients when you believe in yourself.

You can find freelance writing assignments on freelance networks like Writers Work. Freelance writing websites include Upwork, Toptal, and Freelancer. Find freelance writing jobs on job boards, like Problogger and Freelancewriting.com.

For better success, consider networking your skill set and services on social media. While more difficult, you can earn a lot of money by attracting your own clients.

Beginning freelance writers make $31.56 to $49.80 per hour or $0.01 to $0.50 per word. You can choose your own payment method, but PayPal and Venmo are common. Usually, someone with 0 to 3 years experience is considered a beginner.