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writing skills for freelancers


Top 15 Most Important Freelance Writing Tips For Beginners


To get started in the field of freelance writing, beginners need to work on developing their portfolio and finding potential clients. Since this can take time, many new writers moonlight in the industry before they quit their day jobs. Once the writer is making a consistent income, they can quit their day jobs and focus on furthering their writing career.

  1. Make a Portfolio
  2. A portfolio of recent projects is one of the best ways to showcase the writer's work to a potential client.

  3. Keep Reading
  4. The best writers are also good readers. To learn the best way to write, individuals should read newspapers, novels and nonfiction books in their free time.

  5. Listen to Editors
  6. No one is perfect, and a good editor will help the writer to become better at their craft.

  7. Make a Website
  8. One of the quickest ways to reach out to clients is to develop a website. This can serve as an online portfolio, and writers can set their own prices through a website.

  9. Use Multiple Freelance Sites
  10. New websites for writing start and end every day. To stay financially secure, writers should use multiple websites and clients. Otherwise, the loss of a big client or lucrative site can severely impact the writer's income.

  11. Research the Industry
  12. Before investing in marketing strategies, websites and editors, writers should research the industry. No matter what niche the writer specializes in, they need to make sure that they know the competition and typical prices that are charged.

  13. Go to School
  14. Although a college degree is not necessary to be a writer, it helps to show potential clients that the writer knows what they are doing.

  15. Practice Query Letters
  16. A query letter is the main way to get a magazine article, literary agent or novel contract. Due to this, writing a query letter is a must-have skill for any writer.

  17. Send Out Query Letters Often
  18. Getting magazine commissions is a numbers game. The more query letters the writer sends to magazines, the better their chances of getting an article accepted.

  19. Look at Trade Journals
  20. The biggest magazines and newspapers only hire from professional writers. To break into this industry, newbies should focus on smaller magazines and trade journals that are more willing to hire new talent.

  21. Keep a Nest Egg
  22. There are always slow months or years for writers, so having a nest egg will prevent the writer from running into financial problems.

  23. Attend Writing Conventions
  24. Networking with writers, clients and publishers can help the writer to find new projects or niche areas to write in.

  25. Join Writing Organizations
  26. Freelance organizations can help with getting health insurance, paying taxes and running a business. They are also an opportunity to find out about new projects and clients.

  27. Consider Writing for Free
  28. A new client may not want to hire a writer who lacks experience. To get this experience, writers may want to work for free or get an unpaid internship when they are first starting out.

  29. Learn to Write Fast
  30. Many writing jobs pay per word, so writing quickly is a must-have skill if the writer plans on earning a living.

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