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You love to write, and you’ve been reading a lot of stories from people who quit their day jobs to focus on making money through freelancing.
Why can’t you be one, too?
You very well know how to write, and you love it, so, what’s stopping you from doing it?
Actually, nothing is blocking you from diving in. You can do it slowly, by doing it first on the side before leaving your day job.
However, if you finally decide to take the freelance writing route fully, you must be fully equipped so you can become a successful freelance writer.
So, I’ve compiled these 8 freelance writing success tips for beginners that will serve as your guide while everything is still new to you.
It can get overwhelming at first; but, no matter how heavy the tasks are, there will always be ways to make your new life as a freelance writer easier.
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Tip #1: Decide if you’ll do this part-time or full-time.
When you have finally accepted that the freelance writing life is for you, you must now decide if you’ll do this part-time or full-time.
Freelance writing doesn’t necessarily have to be full-time. Some freelancers started by working a day job and do freelancing work at night.
Some do this for a couple of years before they decided to make it their full-time jobs.
To be efficient at what you do, it’s vital that you know how much time you can invest in freelance writing.
If you can’t do full-time right away, then transition to it slowly.
Make sure that you have a reliable income from various sources before taking the big leap.
Tip #2: Select a niche where you can establish an authority.
It’s essential that you have at least one writing field that you’re good at.
Many jobs prefer “generalists” – these are writers who can write just about anything with some research – However, those gigs that pay attractively are those that require experts on the subject matter.
Some areas you can select to be an expert include health, productivity, SEO, personal finance, career advice, and so on.
As long as there’s a market for that specialty, you’ll surely have an opportunity.
Tip #3: Create an online portfolio.
An ideal way to attract new clients is by showing them samples of your previous work. For a publisher, it can be challenging to purchase something and not have any idea what writing type or quality to expect.
You can prevent this by emailing links to publishers or create a blog and display an online portfolio.
Creating a blog used to be a common concern due to technical difficulties.
Fortunately, there are now web hosting companies that offer one-click installations that will do all the work for you, leading to a massive increase in online blogging.
RELATED: HOW I MADE $906 A DAY WRITING FOR MYSELF
Tip #4: Develop your online visibility.
You would be on the right path if you chose to start a blog for your online portfolio. However, you need to work on your visibility and traffic, as they just don’t show up from anywhere.
Also, you must be active online on various platforms so that you can connect with other freelancers and media companies.
Search for freelance writing forums, communities, LinkedIn and Facebook groups, and build strong relationships.
Through this strategy, not only will you find friends, which can lead to referrals, but you will most likely find clients as well.
Moreover, it’s imperative that you make different social media accounts, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Twitter.
Many publishers today want writers who can promote their works and generate more traffic.
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See My Secret Weapon To My Success:
Tip #5: Learn the right way of writing cover letters and queries.
You may be an excellent writer, but what good does that do if you don’t have clients? Don’t worry; you don’t need to look far.
Many companies are active on the internet and rest assured, several of them will need the services of a copywriter.
Also, there are a lot of online job listings for freelance writers. You have to be careful though before you hit that reply button to every job you are interested in.
Be sure you know how you can get your application to be noticed. Companies that post job ads get many replies each day.
In average, a company can receive up to 150 applications in a week.
It will only take them less than thirty seconds to see whether the application deserves more time to be read. Because of this, your application needs to stand out.
Pro tips:
- The subject line matters – Make sure you read the entire job description because some companies give instructions on what the applicants must put on the subject line. However, if there aren’t any, spend some of your time thinking about what to set as your subject that will get noticed. For instance, I’m Your Next Content Writer!
- Follow the job ad’s instructions correctly – If they ask you to include some of your writing samples, make sure that you do so. Many recruiters and editors will see any flaw as a reason to cancel your application. With so many applicants, they’re going to have high expectations.
- Check your application for any grammar and spelling mistakes – Since you’re applying for a writing job, there should be no room for any errors, especially with the basics.
Tip #6: Organize a routine.
Distractions are almost everywhere when you work at home. The temptations are strong that you can easily fall into the trap of “I’ll do this later.”
There will always be movies to watch, laundry to finish, dishes to wash, rooms to clean, people to contact, and even Facebook news and posts to read.
You must establish self-discipline and always hold yourself accountable. A useful technique to achieve this is through organizing a routine. For instance, you must get up each day at 8 AM, no excuses.
It’s up to you what you’ll do first, such as drinking your coffee, showering, preparing breakfast, or reading your emails.
To organize your time and ideas, use tools like Google Calendar or Evernote. You can hand-write them, too, if that’s what you prefer. Some still like it old school.
RELATED: HOW I MADE $7.9K IN NOV/18 BY WRITING FOR MYSELF
Tip #7: Manage your resources.
You must learn how to manage your resources properly – this is one of the most important freelance writing success tips for beginners I can give. Many fail when it comes to budgeting.
When you’re a freelance writer, it’s not all the time that you have work, especially if you’re doing it full-time. Sometimes, there aren’t even any jobs at all. As a result, your income will suffer.
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See My Secret Weapon To My Success:
You must be prepared for times like this and budget for these gaps. Take advantage of those times when you received a lot of jobs and income.
With that said, you should live below or within your means. For instance, setting aside money for months when jobs are slow and saving an emergency fund for six to twelve months.
Tip #8: Your social life is also important.
Freelance writers mostly work at home. So, it’s easy to develop a routine of waking up, drinking coffee, working all day, preparing dinner, and hitting the bed. This can easily be your cycle every day.
A lot of freelancers get isolated from the outside world because of their work.
While confinement is essential for productiveness, it’s also important to have a social life. Like with any other jobs, you must develop the right life-work balance.
Spend time with your friends and families. Get out, take a walk in the park, and breathe some fresh air. Having a healthy social life will boost your creativity and eagerness to work.
Before You Go… HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?
Have you ever thought about writing for yourself instead for someone else?
If you have, then you can be making money for yourself by writing on your own blog and such. All you’ll need to learn is the SEO and monetization parts of having a blog which you can learn at this training platform where I learned at.
I’ve been blogging for myself now for over 2 years and I have been earning a 4 digit online income for 9 months now and it’s been an incredible journey.
If you follow my money making guide, I show you how you can make money like me by writing for yourself:
If you love writing, there are a lot of jobs requiring your skills. If you follow these freelance writing success tips for beginners, you’re on your way to becoming a notable freelance writer.
Do you have more tips for those aspiring to land freelance writing jobs? Please do not hesitate to leave me a comment below. I always reply to my readers! 🙂
Let’s make money online!
