Over the past few years, freelance writing has risen to become one of the most sorted after jobs around the world.
Much of this can be attributed to the flexibility freelance writing brings to the table.
For those looking to land a freelance writing job in 2020, here are tips to help you achieve your dream.
Get the necessities
Before you set up about landing freelance writing jobs, there are a few things you need to get. Doing this before you start off hunting saves you a lot of hassle in the future. You need to have the following.
- An international payment method. Let’s not forget you are in this to get paid, so you need to have a secure means to receive money internationally. PayPal and Payoneer are platforms you can try.
- An email and a chatting platform. A Gmail and a Skype account are handy for writers to interact with clients.
- A valid identification. Most writing job boards and clients require you to present one.
- A laptop. Get a decent laptop with suitable writing software.
Master the art of writing
You don’t just need to be good at writing, you need to be great at it. Though many may argue that they’ve years of writing experience from essays or stories during their school year.
While in college, students have essay maker Studyclerk to help out with their papers. After this, they emulate the writing and develop a style of their own. Though the truth remains that professional writing is a different ball game altogether.
There are multiple attributes you need to possess before venturing into professional writing, it does just end with spellings and grammar.
From SEO to copywriting and identifying audiences to structuring your write-ups, one needs to have a high understanding of these and more before venturing into the world of freelance writing.
Research on ways in which you achieve this, also you can always take on courses to help you out.
Build a portfolio
Know your future
Identify what niche you are aiming for and build your portfolio around it. Be honest and ask yourself the question, “What aspect of writing am I great at?”
And also, are you passionate about it? Writing is an extension of our feelings, and humans tend to put in more effort into projects they’re passionate about.
Have a website
Create a website that provides potential clients with a summary of your qualifications and expertise. Include your contact information on your website, showing your email and social media profiles.
Put up a compelling service page and remember to highlight what you bring to the table to potential clients.
Create a Blog
Though not a necessity, you could kick off your writing career by starting with a blog. There are also sites which offer you the chance to put your work out there for free through guest post.
Blogs serve as a safe space for you to test out how much of an impact your pieces have on their targeted audience.
Have Samples
Write samples and have others critique it. Be positive towards criticism and learn from it.
Find a good writing platform
There are multiple writing boards on the internet where you can pitch your tent.
Upwork, Fiverr, Guru, and others don’t just provide you with the opportunity for you to contact clients, but also allows clients to invite you for interviews.
Research on shortlisted platforms, reading through reviews, policies, and community pages.
Then proceed to create a profile on one which you feel will both provide you the opportunity to get in touch with your target clients, while also helping you grow as a freelance writer.
Stand Out from the crowd
Remember, clients, want to know what you can offer, which is why you need to keep this in mind when creating your profiles pages.
Make use of social media
Attach links to your website and writing board profile to various social media platforms. Social media offers you the chance of free advertising, so make ample use of it to promote your services.
Fine-tune your proposal
When it comes to making pitches, they are vital rules which you need to follow. These rules include the following.
Attention to detail
Always read the information posted, and understand what the client needs before preparing a pitch.
Be direct
Keep things simple and brief.
Avoid overdrawn pleasantries, a simple “Hi” would suffice. After this, you proceed with what you feel the client wants, why you are right for the job.
Provide samples
Attach samples along or provide a link to which clients can access them.
Proofread
Before clicking that send or submit button, review and proofread your proposal. Don’t just do this once, do this multiple times.
Remember, there are seldom callbacks, and this is your one shot at making an impression.
Be Patient
After submitting a proposal, you should wait for the client’s reply rather than contact them for a response. There’s a high chance that doing the later portrays in a bad light aa not being professional.
Do you want to be a freelance writer?
