8 Tips on How to Become a Freelance Writer

1. Write Daily

The best way to become a good writer is to keep writing. Writing is the best way to improve how to write and become a freelance writer.

Sharing your work is the perfect way to become a successful writer. Make it Medium, Tumblr, or any blogging platform. Use it to create your voice, interests, and understanding of your own writing strengths and weaknesses.

A blog will not only help you grow your skills, but it will also serve as a repository of your ideas, which you can submit to potential clients.

You can offer to write full-fledged content for them. Unlike other professions where the CV still plays a role, your best practices in the world of writing will tell about you.

A blog is a portfolio of your best articles, regardless of whether they are just published there.

I started my career as a writer with a blog. Now I am writing content for other bloggers and guest post.

2. Learn to come up with ideas

Freelancer most of their time spend sending out their article ideas.

If you’re lucky, one day you’ll be sending articles to editors with whom you’ll have a good working relationship.

But first, you’ll have to send your articles ideas to everyone in a row. Might it will happen that you will listen to rejections or get no response at all.

It is exhausting and perplexing to propose ideas. I have yet to encounter a single writer who loves this.

The most important thing is not to give up. Rejection is a common part of working as a freelancer.

There are several different perspectives on how to better propose proposals, and each publication has its own viewpoint.

But here’s what I’ve found to be the most effective and it works for me:

• Make sure you know the style and interests of the online publication to which you’re writing, and then submit a neat, simple, and concise view and idea. Editors receive a large number of emails each day, so make a good initial impression. I try to keep my letters to no more than 2-3 paragraphs. I address all of the “what” and “why” questions in one or two paragraphs: what my idea is about and why it would interest the audience. If there is a time reference (for example, the film’s upcoming release, a round date, etc. ), I include it as well. I always provide links to some of my articles on the topic.

• The worst part of the process is waiting. Normally, I don’t write again until two weeks have passed (unless the matter is urgent). If no response is received after two weeks, I either write a brief reminder (“I wanted to inform you of my letter and explain if you are interested in the concept”) or send the idea to another publication. It never hurts to inform the editor that you’re pitching this idea to another publication, but I never send more than two letters to editors who don’t respond.

3. Make it a pleasure to do business with you

Many factors are beyond the control of a freelancer, including the time it takes to develop writing skills.

Rather than thinking about it, concentrate your efforts on things you have control over, such as being very, very pleasant to talk to.

Respond to emails promptly and politely, thank people for their feedback, upload a clean copy, and never miss a deadline.

You may have some consistency in this volatile craft if the editors have reasons to work with you other than well-written content.

With the expansion of technology, people can work for several employers at the same time, including main job and freelance part-time work. It allows us to develop our careers faster.

4. Know your worth

Most publications pay their writers, some will consider publishing your article to be a form of payment.

This is a pretty ridiculous situation. No one expects a doctor or janitor to work for advertisement, but it’s a common practice.

And the reality is that that it’s often easier to settle for unpaid work, especially at the start. You will have a new article for your portfolio, and the fact that the content was published on a third-party website rather than a blog makes you a full-fledged writer in the eyes of others.

But before you embark on an unpaid job, think carefully. How much advertising will this material bring you? What will you get? Would you at least enjoy your job if you were not paid for it?

Free articles can be a good start, the main thing is that you don’t hang on to them for long.

If you’re still not paid, it might be better to spend time developing a strong idea than riveting free articles.

5. Never hesitate to ask about money.

This is the best advice I received when I first began freelancing. It’s embarrassing to talk about money, but you should always know how much you’re getting before you take a job.

Freelancers are usually paid per articles, and the fee can range from $15 to $250 or more if you’re lucky.  

It’s impossible to scrap small fees for the rest of your life, so every dollar counts.

Start a conversation about money after your idea or article has been approved: “How much do you normally pay for similar items?” Or to offer cautiously: “I usually get $100 for such matters. Does that correlate with your prices?”

“Never Stop Being Polite”

If you think you are getting less than you owe, ask politely if the company is willing to pay more. It costs nothing to ask, just remember to be nice, no matter what the answer is.

6. Remember that you are running your business

When you start freelancing, you will probably need another source of income. Even established freelancers have full-time or part-time jobs. Do not quit your main job immediately but take freelance work seriously.

You are not only your own boss but also your own accountant as a freelancer.

Write down exactly what article you wrote, when you submitted it, and whether or not you paid for it.

Expect to be paid slower than you would at a typical eight-hour work. If you’re lucky, you’ll get paid once a month from publication.

In certain instances, it takes longer and needs several reminders.

7. Take social media seriously

Networking is a vital part of any profession, and luckily freelance writing is available online.

Twitter is a huge playground for writers, and despite its silliness, it must be taken seriously. If you like the article, follow the author on Twitter.

At least through tweets, He’ll give you a clearer understanding of what’s going on in the industry, as well as suggestions on what to read and which publications to contact with ideas.

Often, you never know when a job opening would present itself. I’ve found work via Twitter dating on many occasions.

Do not worry about building your own “brand” on Twitter, but treat social media as a public domain.

Remember that your current and prospective employers read your feed and imagine the person you want to show.

Be funny, honest, and likable, but don’t write nasty things about the editor you’re working on, and don’t throw dirt on the publication if you don’t want to burn all the bridges.

Instead, focus on creating your feed that gives you an idea of yourself as an author. It is not surprising that I raise these issues in my articles.

8. Find a balance between work and personal life

Working from home gives the impression that you are always working and never working at the same time.

It’s easy to postpone work for another YouTube video, but it’s also easy to work non-stop, especially when work is connected to popular culture.

It’s important to find your daily routine. Some people prefer to work from 9 to 18 with discipline.

I’m not an early riser, and if I’m lazy in the morning, I’m much more productive in the afternoon.

Either way, take advantage of the freedom to set your working hours – that’s one of the joys of being a freelancer.

But if your free hours are constantly flowing into your working hours and vice versa, remember to find a balance between them, even if freelance is one day a week, and don’t beat yourself up for the rest you need to fill up.

This might be the moment when you get your best ideas.