Writers are dynamic. Some love learning about people and writing them into their novels as characters. Some love traveling and writing about the experience. Some are foodies, sports fanatics, Marvel fans, self-help mavins. Some find a niche in one specific topic or industry. Even more keep their options open and have a dozen projects on as many different topics going at once.
I would argue that nearly all writers are lifelong learners. We’re naturally curious and eager to find the story, ask questions of the story, and tell the story in the way that it must be told. We have the motivation and the skillset to self-direct and produce content for readers to learn from and enjoy.
I would also argue that all writers value freedom. Being able to tackle a project on our own time, in our own way, with our own style: that, for us, is the ultimate dream.
That’s why I find freelance writing so fulfilling.
Freelance writing involves producing content – marketing, website copy, news articles, research, blogs, learning materials, company profiles, executive biographies – for any purpose and any audience.
Freelancers are the hired guns of the writing world, working as independent contractors who complete projects on an ad hoc basis for companies, organizations, and individuals.
As a freelancer, you work with your clients to understand their expectations and outline the points they need you to cover and the notes they want you to hit. If you’re lucky, you’ll get some guidance on the style they’re looking for – the more you can piece together on the front end about what they hope to get from the final product, the fewer revisions you’ll be doing later. And of course, you’ll have deadlines to meet.
Once you know how to meet the expectations for the job, and once you build relationships with clients, you’ll have plenty of freedom around when you get the work done and how. Not to mention, you can work full-time, make a comfortable income, and you can work fully remote when you’re freelance writing.
The best part? It doesn’t have to be boring, and you don’t have to sacrifice all the things that make you love writing. You can learn about new topics, challenge yourself with new projects, and spend your days crafting stories that other people will read and benefit from.
Sound too good to be true? It’s not.
Freelance Writing Jobs – How to Get Into Freelance Writing?
A career in freelance writing is satisfying because it can lead to a near endless number of projects to research, topics to learn, and industries to engage with.
Freelance writers have the potential to work with many kinds of companies. Do a quick search on Google Jobs or Indeed, and you’ll see that you can write for companies that create educational content or blog posts about food, sports, or politics. You can write about different interests like fashion, sustainability, and finance, or you can write for niche news sites that need you to do some storytelling, geared toward a specific audience.
Those are all examples of writing copy for a website. You can also write digital marketing copy for a company or organization, or articles about selected topics for a website. You can be a feature writer for an online or print magazine. Love learning about people? You can write resumes and copy for digital portfolios. Love writing for a younger audience? Write curriculum or lesson plans for an educational consulting company.
One phrase that you might see when you search for freelance writing jobs is the term UX writer. UX writers write copy for websites, but also microcopy for digital apps and digital products. UX writers are particularly adept at understanding how people intuit apps and digital content. They write directions, questions, and phrases that prompt users to navigate the platform and make the most out of their experience.
As a freelance writer, I’ve seen how versatile the job can be. I got to write the “Our Story” page for an agricultural company, which documents their history, captures their culture, and helps them appeal to investors. I routinely write the show notes and promotional posts for a podcaster. One time, I even helped the founder of a school write her mission statement, educational philosophy, and faculty biographies.
When you look for freelance writing jobs, you’ll also see that you can work almost anywhere – or from almost anywhere, as most freelance writing jobs are remote. You’ll sign contracts with your clients, and they’ll want to be able to reach you, of course, but as long as you’re meeting deadlines, most of the time, they won’t micromanage when you do the work.
The bottom line: freelancing is as dynamic as the writers who do it – and as limitless as you’re willing to make it.
How to Become a Freelance Writer
Writing is challenging. Not everyone can do it, and not everyone wants to make a career out of it. If you want to be a freelance writer, there are plenty of open positions and opportunities for you to get your foot in the door.
So, how do you get started freelance writing?
Step 1. Start With What You Know
You know you want to start freelance writing. Maybe you’re transitioning out of one career or profession and into writing, or maybe you’re starting out as a freelance copywriter or copyeditor. You may also be looking to make writing your side hustle.
When you’re first getting started, think can about the experience or interests that you already have in any particular industry or content area. Know a lot about cooking? Apply for a job writing in the food space. Are you well-read in scientific research or technology, whether because you’ve already worked in that industry or are genuinely interested? Find a freelance writing job in the tech space and speak their lexicon in your cover letter. Do you frequent the gym and know a bit about personal training? There are websites and online magazines that need freelancers to write articles about that.
You can also start with who you know. Writers are in high demand. And chances are, you already know someone who’s company, organization, or supervisor needs someone to write digital marketing copy or even internal and external documents on their behalf. Build up a portfolio of samples, so that potential clients can get a sense of your style. Then, be willing to work at the entry-level writing position while you get your foot in the door freelance writing.
Find a company that needs freelancers to contribute shortform articles or web content. Offer to write freelance copy for a friend who runs their own business. Start calling yourself a freelance writer and join some of the freelance writer networks available on LinkedIn. If you’re interested in, say, UX writing, put out a public post on social media, asking to shadow someone in the field. Many writers are willing to help a fellow freelancer.
Start practicing your writing as a craft and offer to do it for others. Build a substantial, diverse portfolio of projects. Then, when you apply for jobs, use your experience to find the ones that you think you’re most qualified for.
Step 2. Learn About Your Ideal Clients and Your Ideal Audience
When you’re looking for a job, the surest way to make yourself stand out is to know as much about the company as you can. As a writer, you’re most likely already an expert researcher. And as a writer, you’re already a curious, consistent lifelong learner.
As you get into freelance writing, give yourself full permission to completely nerd out on the topics, industries, and people that you’re writing about.
Even though you’re starting small, don’t be afraid to think big. What kind of clients, companies, and professional communities would you like to write for? Why would you like to write for them? What content-area knowledge will you have to acquire in order to write for them?
When you know your desired audience, you can start immersing yourself in their world. If you’re interested in UX writing, learn about the companies that are building the technologies that you’d like to write about. Some companies hire freelance writers to compose scripts for media content and instructional videos; learn about what the company does and what kind of tone they’re looking for in their online content.
Don’t limit your learning to the job search, though. One of the most exciting parts about freelance writing is that you are writing for an audience; your content is actually (finally!) getting published or shared with the world on some kind of platform. What you write impacts how the public views the company or how a company views itself; how you write influences how customers use a platform or think about the content area.
When you write for someone else, you’ll want to adopt a growth mindset. You’ll often receive feedback from your colleagues and supervisors. How you integrate that feedback will be pivotal; you must demonstrate that you are receptive, adaptable, and dedicated to reworking the content until it meets their satisfaction.
Think of it this way: in many companies and organizations, there are people who want to be able to accurately articulate content and ideas so that they are ready for an audience. You’re the freelance writer who can deliver that service for them. Be a collaborator and treat your writing as the valuable service that it is.
When you’re first getting started, think can about the experience or interests that you already have in any particular industry or content area. Know a lot about cooking? Apply for a job writing in the food space. Are you well-read in scientific research or technology, whether because you’ve already worked in that industry or are genuinely interested? Find a freelance writing job in the tech space and speak their lexicon in your cover letter. Do you frequent the gym and know a bit about personal training? There are websites and online magazines that need freelancers to write articles about that.
You can also start with who you know. Writers are in high demand. And chances are, you already know someone who’s company, organization, or supervisor needs someone to write digital marketing copy or even internal and external documents on their behalf. Build up a portfolio of samples, so that potential clients can get a sense of your style. Then, be willing to work at the entry-level writing position while you get your foot in the door freelance writing.
Find a company that needs freelancers to contribute shortform articles or web content. Offer to write freelance copy for a friend who runs their own business. Start calling yourself a freelance writer and join some of the freelance writer networks available on LinkedIn. If you’re interested in, say, UX writing, put out a public post on social media, asking to shadow someone in the field. Many writers are willing to help a fellow freelancer.
Start practicing your writing as a craft and offer to do it for others. Build a substantial, diverse portfolio of projects. Then, when you apply for jobs, use your experience to find the ones that you think you’re most qualified for.
Step 3. Build Your Portfolio and Use Your Network
We’ve already talked a bit about how to start freelance writing. Once you start applying for freelance writing jobs and advertising your services, you’ll only make yourself more marketable when you demonstrate that you can consistently produce quality content.
Whether you’ve been building web content for a start-up or writing short biographies for a company’s website, be ready to compile to what you’ve done and put it on some sort of database, so that when you are applying for a job or meeting a potential client, you can easily point them to your portfolio.
There are a few ways that you can leverage your completed work. With your client’s permission, you can feature the freelance writing you did for them on your own website, Instagram, or LinkedIn profile, building a digital catalogue of the work that you’ve done. I usually just keep a folder of my published work in my “Favorites” bar, so that whenever I’m applying for a new gig or communicating with a client, I can send them the direct link.
As you acquire a diverse list of writing samples, you’ll be able to appeal to an array of clients. You’ll also be able to think about which writing samples will most appeal to your desired audience.
Step 4. Look to Fill a Niche, But Stay Flexible
While freelance writing for a variety of audiences and industries can make you employable, you may also consider which industries or topics you enjoy writing about the most. Which freelance writing jobs have brought you the most satisfaction?
To be clear, I’m not saying that you should only write about one topic. You may certainly find fulfillment in freelance writing in several different spaces. The point is to practice writing in those spaces often enough that you know the lingo, are familiar with the industry, and feel confident in your ability to portray the story or the message accurately.
If you can demonstrate proficiency in one genre or content area, you may find that you can better leverage your network; you’ll get more opportunities to write articles and complete projects within the same company consistently. Then, that company will refer you to your next client.
For instance, there are freelance writers who write grants for nonprofits: a high-demand niche that also allows them to give back to their community and the causes they care about. I know a freelancer who specifically writes project proposals for environmental engineers. Some freelancers dabble in ghostwriting, which can earn you a comfortable income, if you work with high-profile clients. I know a writer who has some background in law, and she now writes legal copy for some of the top law firms in the country. I once met a freelancer who writes marketing copy for wineries in Napa Valley.
Writing contributes to the world in a myriad of ways. That’s the beauty of the craft; it’s as unique as the people who do it. Figure out what causes or services you want to contribute to, and how you may use writing to do so.
Step 5. Learn More About Writing
Some entry-level freelance writing jobs won’t require a bachelor’s degree. But most companies, marketing firms, and public relations firms will want someone with a four-year degree in some kind of writing, like journalism or creative writing.
When you study creative writing or a related field at the college level, you hone your craft and make yourself more skillful, efficient, and resilient when you’re tackling a wide array of projects. You’ll learn how to work within the boundaries of your writing assignments. You’ll learn to write across genres, like AP for newspapers and journal articles or writing for an adolescent audience.
While earning a degree in writing, you’ll also learn about one of the most widely discussed topics in the writing community: process. How do you begin piece, based on the audience for which you’re writing, the subject matter, and the intended impact of the writing? How do you integrate the feedback that you receive from your ideal audience – i.e., your supervisor or clients? How do you make your writing more concise, engaging, or relevant?
A creative writing program will challenge you to grapple with these questions. You’ll learn from published authors who will give you feedback on your drafts and guide you through the labyrinth that is rewriting, revising, and editing. You’ll observe techniques like setting, pacing, dialogue, and point of view in published works, and you’ll do exercises to help you develop these techniques in your own writing.
If you already went to undergrad, pursuing an MA or MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in creative writing can be a strategic route to upping your earnings and attracting more clientele. More than ever, executives, politicians, and researchers recognize the value in hiring someone with an MFA to write on their behalf.
In a master’s program, you’ll engage with the writing workshop model; you’ll submit your original work to your classmates, who will give you specific, detailed critiques on your work. You’ll do the same for them, and you’ll hone your craft in the process. You’ll become an astute, thoughtful artist who writes with their audience in mind.
You can do many MFA programs partially or completely online. In many cases, you may get to attend an on-campus residency, where you’ll get intensive instruction from respected writers, editors, and agents. A creative writing program will give you a well-rounded foundation for freelance writing, as you’ll learn how to scrutinize your own work, step into many voices, and cultivate your own writing style.
How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs?
Do a search on Indeed or ZipRecruiter, and you’ll find plenty of freelance writing gigs, most of which will ask that you work at least forty hours per week until the end of the contract date. You’ll also find that many freelance writing jobs are remote, and they’re looking for people with experience—which means that they’re competitive. We already talked about how to get into freelance writing by starting small. Research the companies that are hiring, apply for entry-level positions, and build your portfolio so that you can compete in the market for freelance writers.
While I won’t discount the traditional job search route when looking for freelance writing jobs, I also recommend that you find freelance writing jobs by sharing your skills on some kind of social media platform like Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.
Like I’ve said before: the world needs good writers, and while there are many people out there who want to write, there are fewer who can write well. If you prove to your clients that you can deliver, and if you share your results with others, you’ll open yourself up to more opportunities to connect with clients who need your skills.
How Much Can You Make as a Freelance Writer?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that writers and authors make just over $65,000 per year, or $32 an hour. Keep in mind, though, that different industries offer different opportunities. Writing in public relations, marketing, and advertising offers an average of $80,000/year. Technical writers average just a bit more at over $75,000 a year ($37/hour), and the average grant writer also makes somewhere closer to $70,000 annually.
As you acquire experience and higher education, you may be able to charge more for your services. Plus, as a freelancer, you can take up extra jobs on an ad hoc basis, supplementing your income as you have time and as you find projects that pique your interest.
The world of freelance writing is a panorama of possibilities and opportunities. Once you get into freelance writing and acquire the skills to succeed in the job, you’ll be able to build your own relationship with and expectations around your work. You’ll get to do the writing that you love, and you’ll get to enjoy all the freedom and variety that comes with freelancing.
2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job market trends for Writers and Authors represent national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2022.