Do you love to write? Do you have
a knack for making words come alive on a page? You may want to
consider freelance writing as a way to make a good living from
home.
Freelance writers write anything from newspaper
columns to web content and even ebooks.
Getting Started
Before you go looking for freelance jobs, you should build up
a portfolio of articles. You can write for your own website or
blog, offer to write free articles for friends, or contact your
local paper about writing a column for them. Work on some articles
that you can use as samples of your work and build a list of references
for your potential clients to contact.
Where To Find Work
The next step will be finding potential clients. You can visit
some of the big freelance sites like elance and bid on projects.
It is also a good idea to set up a website that showcases some
of your writing, tells a little about you and your area of expertise,
and of course you will have your contact information on the site.
You may also want to consider adding a blog to your site. It’s
an easy way to add articles, short tips and any other writings
to your site on an ongoing basis.
Networking is another great way to find work.
Think about friends, former colleagues, bosses and clients that
would be interested in having some writing done and call them
up. As you start building your own client base, ask for referrals.
Do you know someone that successfully freelances now? Ask them
for advice on getting started and spend some time with them. They
may refer clients to you that they don’t have time for.
Do the same for other freelancers if you are contacted with a
project you can’t handle.
Many magazines will accept freelance work. Keep
a spreadsheet with names and addresses of the editors of the various
publications and pitch story ideas on a regular basis. It can
be tough to get a foot in the door with magazines, but once you
start getting published it will become easier and in many cases
more lucrative.
Getting Paid
How much you will get paid will largely depend on the size of
the project and how involved it is. Short articles on general
topics that don’t require research may pay as little as
$5.00 a piece while doing research for and writing an ebook may
bring you several hundred dollars.
If you love writing about a variety of topics,
I encourage you to give freelance writing a try. It’s a
great way to do what you love and stay home with the kids at the
same time. The main key to becoming a successful freelance writer
is to practice writing all the time, whether you get paid for
it or not. Just get out a pen and paper, or open you favorite
text editor and start writing.
Article
by:
Nell Taliercio is the owner and founder of www.TelecommutingMoms.com
– which is a leading resource website with work at home
jobs and everything a telecommuting mom would need. Come visit
us today!
