How to Become a Freelance Writer

Hundreds of thousands of writing opportunities exist. Making the most of them is where the art of the freelancer really comes into play. A freelance writer is someone who writes without belonging to any single company or entity but acts like a small business or an independent contractor.

It's possible to be a full-time freelance writer earning a living, or to be a part-time freelancer supplementing a regular income. Another role is to simply do it for fun or to build up a broader portfolio of skills. In this article, you'll get the basics on what it takes to ease your way into freelance writing as a career or hobby.

01

Be a good writer. It may seem self-evident but there is a substantial group of people who believe that they can write but when they attempt it, their lack of originality, good grammar, and self-discipline prove otherwise. Be sure that you're comfortable with writing, that it is a medium in which you can express yourself with ease and clarity, and that it is something you don't mind doing almost every single day of your life without respite. If you don't already have writing qualifications, consider doing a college degree in journalism or English, or taking a workshop so that you're at least aware of the major requirements in writing, and the terminology used. Even if you already have a degree in a non-writing related course, you may find it easier to either get a writing diploma or to get an entry-level job as a
copywriter or editor in a field related to what you graduated in.


02. Be comfortable communicating. Unless you want to be the hermit novelist living in poverty, you'll need to reach out to other people as a freelance writer. You'll need to be prepared to market yourself, to drum up business, and to chase leads. You will also need to be happy to turn around work quickly and according to the client's or employer's needs and changes, and all of this requires good negotiation and interaction skills. Fortunately, much of this can be done by email, meaning that you can rely on writing to connect but it does mean you'll need to be prepared to put yourself out there and not just sit about waiting for leads.

• As part of this, you'll need to know how to write a query letter. A query letter explains the concept of what you're proposing to write, along with a very brief explanation of your experience and qualifications. This letter has to sell your idea to an editor, blog owner, or website operator and will become a regular part of your toolkit. The sooner you're comfortable with it, the better.

03
Realize that turning a creative passion into a job can dampen your enthusiasm. No matter how much you love writing, there will be occasional writing jobs that you'll hate doing. In this situation, you'll need to learn the art of "just doing it" regardless of your feelings, your desire to procrastinate, and your temptation to rush through it. Master pushing through the dislike barrier by treating it as the work that it is and looking forward to the more interesting writing coming up. Some freelance writers find it helps to maintain their own writing on the side, as a means for ensuring that at least something they're writing remains a pure joy.