Freelance writing can be one of the most lucrative ways to earn money online, but getting started can feel super intimidating.
There’s no need to fear though.
Even if you have no prior experience, following these steps will help you find your first high-paying client soon.
Choosing Your Niche
Although being willing to write for everyone may sound like a good idea, it can actually backfire on you.
A better idea is to choose one or two niches and position yourself as a specialist.
Here are some factors you should consider when choosing a freelance writing niche:
- Does it have a high return on investment?
- Is it in high-demand?
- Most importantly, does it interest you?
The reason the last one is the most important is because you don’t want to write about things you hate.
That’s like working a job you hate, just because it pays well.
It may seem like it’s worth it at first, but it’s only going to make you miserable in the long run.
Plus, choosing a niche that you enjoy means you’re probably already pretty knowledgeable about it.
Creating Your Portfolio
Once you’ve decided on your niches, the next step is to create your portfolio.
Because there’s no point in applying for jobs if you can’t send them writing samples.
Any legitimate writing job is going to expect them.
Don’t worry though, your samples don’t need to be real.
You can always write fake ones if you don’t have any real ones yet.
What matters most is making sure the client can see your skills.
Where To Find Your First Jobs
Once you’ve gained some freelance writing experience, you’ll probably start to have clients reach out to you.
But in the beginning, you’ll need to pitch them.
The best place to start is on freelance job boards, like UpWork and PeoplePerHour.
All you have to do is search for the keywords for your niche, and then send out pitches to jobs that resemble your portfolio samples.
That will increase your odds of getting hired.
Many freelancers make the mistake of sending out the same generic pitches to everyone though, so the key is showing that you read the job description and that your work aligns with what they’re looking for.
Another option is to cold pitch companies you’re interested in working with, by searching for the contact person on LinkedIn and sending them an email.
Jobs found this way can be better-paying compared to the ones posted on job boards.
Conclusion
If you follow all of the above steps, you’ll have your first freelance writing client soon.
But even if it takes you a while, don’t give up! Keep sending out pitches every day and eventually someone will decide to hire you.
About the Author
Dave Polykoff
Dave is a professional copywriter and owner of ProWriter. He's combined his passion for community building and creative writing into a solution that allows thousands of professional writers to earn a living doing what they love.
