Freelance writing jobs can be another stream of income, but sourcing for these jobs can be a daunting task even to established writers. It is even more difficult if you are new in the field. Most of the cases, prospective employers would require experience, which is a hurdle for those new to the area. But once you have a few gigs here and there, freelance writing can be rewarding. Landing these jobs involves putting in energy and sheer luck. Finding these jobs requires one to be creative. Here are a few guidelines on how to navigate the world of freelance writing:
Talk to people
Talking to everyone means, you broaden your search base beyond the official job sites and bulletin boards. It is essential to put yourself out there and talk openly to people about your passion for writing. You can talk to family, friends, and colleagues. These people can refer you to their friends or colleagues or even sub-contract you in what they are doing. Some of them could be working in publishing firms and thus can influence you to get writing or review jobs. Knowing someone who does freelance writing jobs is even better because they can mentor you by providing career tips in the field.
Build your platform
Having your platform is useful to showcase your prowess. The simplest and cheapest way to create a platform is through various social media applications like Facebook, LinkIn, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The platform will be a point of reference for your abilities. Establishing a blogging website is the best option as you can create regular content while practicing your writing skills. With quality content, you will have a huge following and can be a source of referrals for your writing skills. Your platform can be your portfolio to showcase to the clients of your abilities.
Consider the pros and cons of working for free.
Many writing professionals have argued that writing for free isn’t a good idea, but starters may not choose to pitch a tent in the field. Writing for free can be a way of building experience, but you’ve got to be discerning and strategic. Some would write for exposure, but if a company can not pay its content creators or writers, something then it is an indicator that they don’t value quality. It can be rewarding to write a guest post in popular blogs or websites, as you can get your name out there and land freelance writing jobs in the future. Regardless of whether you write for free or write for pay, your work should be of utmost quality as much as possible.
Source online freelance writing
There are many online freelance platforms today that offer a myriad of jobs, including writing posts. Some are free, others require job seekers to subscribe. Before engaging in any freelance online platform, read the terms and conditions, especially those related to payments after doing the work. The following is a list of those platforms: www.upwork.com, www.contenta.com, www.freelancer.com, www.freelancewriting.com, www.freelancewritinggigs.com, www.problogger.com.
Get to know the art of the pitch.
Even if you get someone to connect you to a magazine, a website, or an editor, you need to know and master the trade tools for the job. Learning the needy gritty details of writing is crucial to any writer. Pitching involves the following key steps:
- Composing an idea or headline
- Take in all the needed information like research areas and prospective interviews.
- Identify the editor
- Introduce yourself and send work
Landing the first writing job may look complicated, but it will only be possible if you overcome the challenge of experience. Once you deliver your first quality gig, it will all be smiles because jobs will follow you.