10 Ways You Can Find Freelance Writing Jobs as a Beginner

 

Are you interested in working from home and becoming a freelance writer?

I have been a freelance writer for over five years now and I keep getting numerous questions on where to find freelance writing jobs.

I faced the same problem too during the former years of my writing career. I had the skills, yet I could not land a single writing job. As such, this piece aims to help writers learn how they can easily find reputable clients online and get paid for their work.

I remember being obsessed with landing my first client. I had no idea what I was doing; I was a freshman in university desperate to pay my school fees. I decided to leap full force into freelance writing- hoping that I would become a millionaire.

Would you like to know what I ended up doing? I decided that I would stalk other freelancers and try to mimic what they were doing. 

I visited their websites, social media sites and even their online portfolios. It took me a long time to realize that though there were some similar aspects that unified a good number of these freelancers, each of them had a rather unique style.

 Eventually, I came up with a plan that allowed me to attract reliable clients.

Lucky for you, you do not have to face my predicament. In the course of my freelancing, I have identified 15 proven ways you can get work and get paid for it.

Every writer I know has problems with writing- learning from experts and collaborating is key.

-Anonymous

 

1. Cold Pitch

What is Cold Pitching?

Cold pitching implies reaching out to small to medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals, startups, and companies to let them know-how as a freelance writer you can grow their business.

For most people, this first step sounds difficult and hard. Right? Well, imagine the alternative. First, identify a business that you feel can benefit from your services. You can also try to find them on social media and see if you can help increase their presence. Ensure that you do significant background research to get acquainted with their products or services.

Once you have successfully done that, ensure that you have pinpointed the right person in the company to talk to. Whether it is the chief editor, human resource manager, etc and draft up a cold pitch that best suits their needs.

This can indeed be a hard venture, but it has worked for me. Ensure that your pitch has details on how you found out about the company, who you are and what you can do for the business.

2. Social Media

Did you know that social media platforms can be a goldmine for freelance writing gigs?

Twitter, Instagram, Linkedln, and Discord servers can be great ways of landing new clients. In my I’ve years of freelancing, I have worked with clients from the United States, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Kiribati, to mention but a few. Truth be told, I have faced countless unanswered DMs, but you can be stark sure someone will reply if you portray the ability to provide high-quality services.

You can start by simply googling discord servers using keywords such as “essays”, “assignment help”, etc. Some servers actually pay their writers while others don’t, so be critical about that.

Next, update your Linkedln profile and showcase what services you offer. You will be surprised by the number of recruiters who reach out looking for freelancers. I currently work at a writing company called VIP Writers; a position I obtained after a recruiter reached out.

Finally, you can also use keywords to search for clients and companies seeking to hire freelancers through social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.

Joining Facebook groups can also be critical in landing you a job.

Every Year, Facebook records millions of jobs being posted in facebook groups.

Forbes_

 

3. Build a Portfolio Website

Portfolio websites are a remarkable way of not only landing clients- but also increasing your chances of securing a job. Portfolio websites allow freelancers to showcase their portfolio and ability to meet the demands of work depending on your niche.

For newbies, this may not be an option for you right off the bat. Regardless, most clients prefer to work with writers who have experience- and a website does a good job at that.

4. Master the Art of Writing Cover Letters

Cover letters are a proven and tested way of landing online gigs. They play a unique role in proving to a client that you are really interested in a job. For instance, I have worked at UpWork for a while- and one of the requirements you need when drafting a proposal is a cover letter.

You can make this process increasingly easy if you draft a few template cover letters that you can customize whenever you land a job.

When writing cover letters, ensure that you begin with a salutation (referring to the client with their name is very preferable). Then, express interest for the job and be sure to tailor your application to the requirements of the assignment.

5. Network with Other Freelancers

Networking with other freelancers is a surefire way of promoting your freelance writing business. It is critical to understand that networking can be an essential component of success.

When I first started writing as a career path, I often reached to other freelancers and asked them about how I can land clients, modes of payment to use, and even on the tools I need in writing. While most never really responded, I did get help that was instrumental in preparing me for a career path I do not regret getting into.

In fact, some of the clients I currently work with were obtained through networking. So, if you know a freelancer or are following them on social media, go ahead and contact them.

6. Advertise Your Services

This is very easy! Simply advertise your services on social media. It may seem incredible obvious but many new freelancers don’t actually inform clients whether or not they are for hire.

Prospects have no idea whether you have the time to take on more clients so when you inform them, it just makes it easier for them to hire you.

7. Pitch to Sites that Hire Freelancers

There are numerous sites you can pitch your services as a freelancer. Most of these sites rarely require you to upload your qualifications. For them, the quality of your work is their priority. This is where the need for a portfolio website presents itself.

It is very common to encounter challenges in the bidding process, payout, and even handling the tasks themselves. However, you get to learn a lot with time.

Blogging companies, research institutions, UpWork, and Fiverr are good places to sell your services.

8. Master the Art of Bidding for Work

Freelancers who master the art of crafting bidding proposals have a 20% higher chance of winning jobs

The Statitian Chronicles

Bidding is a must have skill for every freelancer. Below are a few skills you can use to increase your chances of landing a job after a bid proposal.

1. Pitch during EST and PST time zones. This is particularly useful for writers who do not come from these time zones.

2. Avoid bidding for jobs posted hours, days, or even weeks ago. These jobs possible have an overflow of bids.

3. Try to find out whether a client has a verified history of payment. Their rating by other freelancers may also give you a clue of the client’s payment structure.

4. Bid for jobs that re in line with your niche to stand a higher chance of landing them.

9. Strive to Become a Master of Your Art

I would be lying if I told you that my success as a freelancer has not been attributed by a mastery of my skills. Over the years, I have tried to forge a master content writer out of myself. Regardless of whatever skill you’re offering, a mastery of skills is paramount.

Mastering your skill also allows you to get considerably higher rates of compensation for your work. Indeed, if you make your clients more money with your content, you’ll probably keep making more money too.

10. Take Part in Writing Competitions

There are countless essay, poem, and script writing competitions every year in the internet that are up for grabs. All you have to do is follow instructions and give your pieces the best shot.

I have personally participated in numerous essay competitions around the globe. As a result, I have received awards in the form of gift cars, money, paid trips, and even trophies.

I make a living out of freelance writing. You can too!

By Steve Wolf- Founder and C.E.O, Tale Pro Writing School