Love writing? Good at creating content that people like to read? Need extra income?
If you answered yes to these questions, then starting a side hustle as a freelance writer may be exactly what you need to do.
Starting out as a freelance writer is also not that challenging, provided you have the right tools. And if you approach it as a job, you can quickly turn it into a lucrative sideline that brings in plenty of extra money.
We can all agree that extra income can go a long way toward helping us to achieve our dreams. So, if you’re ready to enter the world of freelance writers, keep reading. We have everything you need to get going!
Pick a Niche
Deciding on what kind of writing niche you’ll specialize in is crucial to your success. Not only will picking a niche narrow down work that you can do easily, but it will also allow you to specialize in a set field and hone your craft.
This could lead to you becoming a published author and authority on a subject or topic.
Niche writing is also how jobs are usually found. Most writing gigs will state they need a business writer, a copywriter, a content creator, or whatever type of writer fits the brief.
Some of the most popular niches in freelance writing are:
1. Marketing
Do you have a knack for selling almost anything to anyone? Then perhaps marketing is for you. The ability to write and create enticing marketing content is a skill that’s very well-paid. If marketing is a field you plan to go into, but you haven’t built up your portfolio just yet, doing a short course is a good way to gain skills. You may find you enjoy writing scripts for ads or podcast advertisements, magazine marketing, or online digital marketing.
2. Copywriting
Copywriting is an in-demand skill, and it can encompass everything from writing lifestyle or company blogs to creating articles for science magazines. The best part about copywriting is that you can link to works you’re particularly proud of to showcase what potential clients can expect if they hire you.
3. Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting is a tricky one, and you will need to have several example copies within your portfolio of the kind of ghostwriting and skill sets you possess. If you’ve ghostwritten and have published books you’ve worked on, strike a similar tone in your sample copies.
Make a Portfolio
Once you’ve established your niche and have created examples of the type of work that you’re capable of doing, then you need to showcase this work in one spot. This is where having a website of your own is useful.
It can be either a free website or a paid-for online option. Paid-for options usually allow better flexibility with layout and often have customization available, while free ones are a good option if you’re just starting out.
Showcase Your Best Work
Your online portfolio is where you showcase your unique brand and highlight your skills and expertise. There are numerous ways to lay your portfolio out. Many writers have individual pages that showcase their specific work abilities, such as blogs, articles, and social media copy.
Other freelance writers prefer to simply lay out their skills in a curriculum vitae format, with numerous links scattered throughout that go to samples of their work on other websites or pages.
What to Highlight on Your Portfolio
When creating your portfolio, it is important that you clearly state the different areas of expertise you have to allow future clients to have realistic expectations. The web page doesn’t have to be static, it can also include video formats as well as audio if you’ve done any kind of writing and narration in the form of podcasts or similar.
Any websites that credit you as the author of work within the site should be linked back to. Keep track of these by having a dedicated page for them. This page could be titled anything from other writing work to external recommendations.
Be sure to list any awards or accolades you’ve picked up along the way.
Decide on Boundaries, Fees, and T&Cs
When building your freelance portfolio, don’t forget to set the boundaries and the terms the conditions that you and your clients will need to adhere to. This could include realistic deadlines for your work, the turnaround time expected for short work gigs, and how much of a leading time you require. These boundaries or guidelines will allow you time to allocate the additional work into your schedule.
Setting your fees is also important, and while this may be hard when you first start out, look at what others in the market are charging and price yourself accordingly. You’ll soon realize if you’re happier charging a per-project or per-word fee and can build your rates into a printable invoice template to make calculations simple and straightforward.
Knowing your minimum fee will also come in handy if you’re seeking out freelance work through online sites where clients set income expectations. You can then avoid applying to any freelance writing jobs that look as though they’ll underpay you.
Other things to consider adding are the format in which you plan to deliver the paid-for work, such as storing it on the cloud, sending it via email, or having a shared space on the client’s side that you are able to access and edit.
Network
Once your writing portfolio has been properly set up, your contact form is in place, and you are ready to branch out and begin to find new clients, networking is the best way to do this.
Start by networking with friends and family who may be delighted to help out someone they care for. You can also branch out to attending blogger events and writing conferences where you may find new clients and build connections with other writers.
Another often-used networking option is via online and social media sites. This can be in groups on Facebook or LinkedIn. It could also be answering online job postings and listings.
Diversify the Income Sources
All the above will assist you in building your freelance writing portfolio to ensure consistent work. Once you’ve set yourself up with a client or two, you can then look to diversify your income by picking a new niche to specialize in or branch out into a different writing field, such as authoring your own books or creating short courses.
However you choose to do it, you’ll be one step closer to changing your life for the better.