How to Become a Freelance Writer Without Experience: Tips, Jobs, and Opportunities
If you are considering full-time or part-time freelance writing work, do not let lack of experience discourage you. While an education background in writing and/or other formal writing training can certainly be assets to your career, many people become successful freelance writers without any prior experience. This article is designed to do the following:
- help you determine if this would be a good career option for you
- provide you with the initial knowledge that you need to start freelance writing
- give you tips for sticking with a full-time or part-time freelance writing career
Additional Freelance Writing Resources
- How to Be a Full-Time Freelance Writer
Learn how to become a full-time freelance writer. Explore the truth behind this career choice, income potential and pitfalls to avoid. - 25 Writing Resources For Online and Freelance Writers and Bloggers
- Writing Mistakes To Avoid So You Can Appear To Be Intelligent
These are some of the most common mistakes writers make. The fix is easy, so read on and find out how to avoid these boo boos.
Are You Cut Out For a Freelance Writing Career?
Before you seriously consider launching into freelance writing, considering the following questions.
- Do you have a strong writing background? You don't need to have a writing degree to have a strong background in writing. I don't have one, but my undergraduate and graduate degree programs still played a huge part in helping me develop my writing skills.
- Do you have a passion for writing? Not everyone may consider this a requirement for freelance work, but personally I would have a really hard time sitting down to work on something I really didn't enjoy for multiple hours per day. Even though I don't love every article that I write, the thought of getting up and writing every day is still very appealing to me.
- Do you have strong keyboarding skills? All of the keyboarding skills in the world cannot make up for weak writing, but they can greatly improve your overall efficiency . If you use the hunt and peck method or simply don't type very quickly, I'd strongly consider checking out one of a free typing program such as sense-lang.org or typingweb.com.
- Are you self disciplined? One of the best and worst parts about freelance work is that you are your own boss. There is no one to make sure that you're sitting at your computer, producing quality work every day. You have to be honest with yourself about whether this structure is a good fit for you.
How to Become a Freelance Writer : The Importance of a Website for Freelance Writers
Tips For All Freelance Writing Articles
The following tips apply to both client jobs and long-term earning articles.
- Research freelance writing web sites and magazines before signing up, sending applications, or writing query letters. This can be an overwhelming task, as there are a lot of opportunities out there. However, it will save you time if you can skip over the sites and magazines that won't be good leads for you.
- Prepare strong writing samples. A number of freelance writing sites require one or more writing samples as part of the application process. Take your time and submit quality writing.
- Before accepting client jobs or starting new long-term earning articles, consider whether you have the expertise and/or means to research the topic at hand. Typically you can cancel client jobs and delete long-term articles, but it's better to be prepared for the task ahead before you get started.
- Always double check spelling and grammar before submitting articles. Even if you can edit long-term articles later, it's important to publish with the best version of the article that you can.
How to Become a Freelance Writer : How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs Online
Tips for Setting Up a Home Office
Long-Term Earning Article Considerations
- Do your keyword research. I do keyword research for every article that I publish on HubPages. While it does not guarantee a successful article, it definitely makes a difference.
- Write articles longer than 500 words but shorter than 1,500 words. Search engines pay the most attention to articles of this length. This length requirement will allow you to provide quality content without overwhelming your readers.
- For HubPages, make sure to consider all of the possible article capsules. Most people have natural inclinations to some capsules more than others. For example, I don't watch a lot of videos online. When I started on HubPages, I almost never includes video capsules. Now that I understand how important they are, I frequently seek out relevant videos. Not all capsules will be applicable to all topics, but it's always worth considering all of your options.
- Don't be afraid to make revisions. I know very few people that have not taken the time to edit old hubs. There is nothing wrong with going back and making changes. However, it's important to know when to leave an article alone, too. You don't want to spend so much time revising that you aren't creating new content.
- Promotion. Building backlinks is a huge component of creating traffic for your long-term articles. It can be time consuming to learn new sites, but once you get into a routine, promotion will only take a few minutes each day. Figure out what the best promotional sites are for your content and concentrate your efforts there.
- Do your research to continue to improve your work. Take time on a regular basis to research new techniques and article tips.
- Pay attention to topics that do well and capitalize on your success. When I started writing for HubPages, I only intended to write the occasional craft article, but my first ones did so well that I stuck with it.
- Be realistic about the time it takes to start earning. I'm sure that it's not a surprise to many of you that it takes time to build earnings with long-term articles. While these earnings can turn into a significant portion of your monthly freelance income, this takes time.
Client Job Considerations
- Always double check directions. One of the most common reasons that you'll have to revise a client article is that something about your article doesn't fit with your directions. I try to read the directions one final time before I submit an article just to make sure I didn't miss anything.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions and/or request clarification for directions. If you want to write an article but aren't sure about some aspect of the directions, don't be afraid to contact the client. Most sites have a relatively easy method for contacting clients, and most clients are happy to communicate with writers.
- Don't get discouraged by revisions. Editing and revising is a natural part of the writing process. Many client revision requests are minor changes that can be completed in 5 minutes or less.
- Don't get discouraged by rejections. Most clients will allow you to revise an article and will not give a flat out rejection, but it does happen sometimes, even to the best of us. Try not to take it personally and to just move on to the next job.
- Be realistic about your earning potential and goals. Be honest with yourself about how much time you will be spending writing every day and how much money you want to earn. There is potential to make a competitive income with freelance writing, but it takes patience, time, and effort.
How Do You Stick With It?
Now that you're equipped with the tools that you need to start freelance writing, how are you going to stick with it on a long term basis? Here are a few tips that will help you.
- Set a schedule and stick with it. One of the best parts about freelancing is that you can set your own hours. Figure out what works the best for you and your family and establish a daily routine.
- Don't be afraid to mix up your routine to keep from burning out or writer's block. If you are tiring from your usual selection of client articles or are having trouble finding inspiration for long-term articles, take a break once in a while. Spend some time writing about new topics or researching writing opportunities (i.e. sites, magazines). Consider taking a mental health day once in a while, too. A long walk in the morning or a trip to the art museum in the afternoon can refresh and inspire you.
- Don't get discouraged by slow months. Some weeks it is easy to find all of the client work that you need and to get lots of views on long-term articles without much effort. Other weeks it's much harder. Having a variety of sites can help you find more work, but it still isn't always easy. Capitalize on the busy periods so you don't feel the decrease in slower months as much.
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket. You never know when one of your most profitable sources will dry up overnight. Having a small network of strong resources will prevent this possibility from having a huge impact on your earnings.
- If you write long-term earning articles, brainstorm on a regular basis. People frequently ask me how I come up with my ideas for articles. This answer will vary for different people, but one of my most successful methods is brainstorming. Often I think of my best ideas away from the computer or when I'm not ready to write an article. Recording them as they come to me ensures that I will have ideas ready when I do sit down to write.
© 2012 Rose Clearfield
Comments
AUTHORDeviousOne, thanks! You're right that for a lot of people, one of the hardest things about writing for a living is coming up with new ideas. You have to establish a routine where you write down every idea that comes to you and constantly stay on the lookout for new topics.
I like your article and there are some good tips in there. I think the hardest thing for most people is to come up with new ideas. Then again the world is endless. Each time we wake up something new happens, it's up to us to take notice and think about it.
- AUTHOR
I'm glad that this article is helpful for you, edwhite! Best of luck. :)
I have been told by several people over the years that I have a knack for writing. Whether this is true or false I guess I will find out shortly. I so enjoyed reading this hub that I intend to try my luck at freelance writing, following your advice and tips throughout this article. Thank you so much!
- AUTHOR
Great point, Erica! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing. :)
I enjoyed this article, especially the video because it is true if you direct people to a hub where your article is mashed between other writers'- readers may go elsewhere and away from your articles.
So my goal is to continue to promote my words via my site more so than any other place.
Thanks for this hub!
- AUTHOR
I'm glad to hear that, Donna! It's definitely true that quality and subject matter are both key to long-term earning. Best of luck to you. :)
I learned some good freelance tips from your article. Especially worth noting is the fact that it was written over a year and a half ago and you are still getting comments. That says to me that quality and subject matter are very important. Thanks so much!
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Crystal! I'm so glad to hear that. I am still fairly new to the world of freelance writing, and you're right that it's overwhelming figuring out how to start.
Great suggestions to help get organized. Though I have been writing professionally for over a decade, I've never done freelance, and it is overwhelming trying to figure out how to proceed. Thanks for sharing these tips.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, tillsontitan! I'm glad that this article is helpful for you. Best of luck. :)
I'm glad I came across this hub randomcreative. The more information we have the better we will be able to face the task. It is certainly not something we are familiar with but the more we read, hubs like this, the easier it will be.
Voted up, useful, and interesting.
- AUTHOR
You're very welcome, April! I'm so glad that this article is helpful for you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the specific advice, right down to the number of words for a long-term earning article. Awesome!
- AUTHOR
I'm so glad to hear that, Nancy! Best of luck to you!
This is a very well thought out and useful article. It was a pleasure to read, and I will definitely be trying out some of your suggestions. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
- AUTHOR
I'm so glad, rose-the planner! Thanks.
HappyMikeWriter, passion is certainly an important part of being a successful freelance writer. Best of luck to you. I appreciate the feedback. :)
Thank you for this article. I have no education nor consider myself to be a great writer but I certainly have the passion, which I believe can boost up all missing :-) Your article is soo well written. Thank you soo much for sharing it.
Wow.......very insightful! Great article! Thanks for sharing.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, liesl! Best of luck to you!
andomcreative, thank you for your useful and informative article, I will definitely follow your tips and hopefully become a proper writer as I am only over a month here on hubpages. Still learning for more.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, rumanasaiyed! I think that is an inevitable issue for virtually any freelance writer and something to work on continually throughout a career. Best of luck!
Very good tips mentioned here. One of my negative point is that I get discouraged very easily, if I don't get proper response to my articles.But now I will try to improve it.
Voted up Useful and Shared!
- AUTHOR
That's great, nybride. :) Thanks!
I never would have thought I could make a living online in my 40s and without a four-year degree. The Internet has made so much possible. Very good tips here.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, sholland! It's great that you are already taking the advice in this article. I am the same way with my ideas. You never know when inspiration will strike, and it's important to record those ideas in one form or another before you lose them.
Great tips! I do all of these things. I was looking at your notebook and looking off to the side at mine. HA! I have to write an idea down immediately or I lose it. I usually follow up with list of connected ideas and go from there. If I don't have my notebook, I put it in my phone and e-mail it to myself.
A great hub! Votes and shares! :-)
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Cyndi! Finding good sources, staying disciplines, and setting your own schedule are all important components of freelance writing. It's great to figure out what does work best for you when it comes to a writing schedule.
Haha Bill, I'm sure that I'm not winning any contests, but it's great that so many people have visited and commented on this article.
Unbelievable! I'm not sure I've ever seen so many comments on a hub. My finger cramped about halfway down. :) Well done, Rose!
Awesome, awesome tips! The most important, I think, is finding good sources and then making sure you have discipline. Writing is not easy, neither is setting your own schedule. I find that writing through is best for me, with only very small breaks. I have difficulty returning to the task if I deviate.
Thanks for sharing your suggestions. Sharing this article.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, ktrapp! It's great to hear that. It is really tough to make that schedule and stick with it, but it makes all the difference for publishing regular work of any kind online. Best of luck to you!
You make some excellent points that are encouraging and realistic at the same time. I am afraid I have gotten off track with setting a schedule and sticking with it. You've sort of given me a second wind to get my act back together with my online work which is part writing, part web/graphic design. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
- AUTHOR
Thanks so much!
Excellent tips! Voted up and useful.
- AUTHOR
That's awesome, Vicki! Best of luck. :)
This is great! I read it many months ago but never watched the videos. I watched all 3 of them this time and found them very helpful. I feel a bit more motivated and focused; I jotted down some ideas. Great hub--thanks!
- AUTHOR
creativegenius, it is great to get that validation! I'm so glad that so many of these ideas are working for you. You're absolutely right about the passion, too. I'm not sure what else would keep me going some days. :)
I hardly had any experience when I decided to become a writer and freelance. But I used many of your ideas in this Hub and they truly do work. (A writer definitely needs passion for the long haul.)
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Shasta! I know that it is tough to branch out, especially when one site is going so well. However, ultimately it's best not to have all your eggs in one basket. I've been able to get some great jobs through other sites and hope that you'll be able to as well. Best of luck.
This are very useful tips on becoming a free lance writer. I'm still working on building a strong portfolio here, but I do hope to branch out to other sites so that I can hopefully build it into a career.
- AUTHOR
So glad to hear that, finefay!
Here is a lot of useful things that I need to read. Thank you very much for the effort
- AUTHOR
That's great, HoneyBB! Best of luck to you.
This was packed full of helpful information and encouraging to new writers wanting to branch out. I think, I'll give it a try soon. Thanks for sharing. Voted+++
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Carter! Hopefully it will still be helpful for you.
Fantastic article Random I wish I'd found this before I started...great suggestions, so helpful..lot's of votes...thanks so much...cheers
- AUTHOR
Thanks!
Nice
- AUTHOR
That's great, mperrottet! Best of luck to you.
I've been writing for HubPages for less than a year (mostly as a hobby) but have been considering putting more effort into it and trying to make some actual money at it. You have some good suggestions that I will follow. Voted up and useful.
- AUTHOR
That's great, kimberlie! Thanks.
Great advice! All good points to consider going forward. Thanks so much for sharing!
- AUTHOR
Thanks, shai77! It's great to hear that. Best of luck to you.
Good suggestions, what every new writer really needs to know. Great work here, thanks so much for enlightening info. Voted up, thanks for the hub.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, missionfashion! It takes time and patience, but you can make a competitive salary with freelance writing.
Such a great article, I'm so thankful for the confidence that you've helped to give me in that freelance work really can pay the bills if you work hard at it!
- AUTHOR
That's great, Vicki!
I read this several months ago, but it was worth a refresher. Great information!
- AUTHOR
That's great, livingsta!
iefox, it is tough to get started without any experience, but there are so many great resources out there to get you on the right track.
It is a little bit difficult if you have no experience at all. Learning from experienced people is a good idea.
Thank you for this information. Gives me a little boost !
Voted up, useful !
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Kathy! I'm so glad that it's helpful for so many people.
What a great hub! There's a lot of great advice and information in here. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with the rest of us!
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Christy! I'm not sure that rejection ever gets easier for most of us, but it's an inevitable component of freelance writing. Stay strong!
Thanks, Jan. :) I'm so glad that this is helpful for you.
Very comprehensive hub with lots of useful information. Thanks for sharing your ideas and experience!
Great tips. Points such as facing rejection are difficult and can rattle me but I am trying to remain strong. Your hub will help many writers. I vote up and share too.
- AUTHOR
Thanks so much, literatelibran!
Practical and encouraging! Voted up.
- AUTHOR
That's great, Tobin! Thanks. :)
Great hub and definitely useful for inspiring freelancers (or for inspiring hobbyist like myself.) Keep up the great writing.
Tyler
- AUTHOR
You're very welcome! That's great.
Thank you for the advice. I'm considering becoming freelance for a while and I definitely came away from this feeling more confident about it.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Dreamhowl! I'm glad that this is helpful for you. Best of luck with your writing.
This has a lot of great advice! While I have some experience with writing, I wouldn't know where to start with freelancing if it weren't for hubs like these. Thanks for sharing!
- AUTHOR
That's great, Joanmaynard!
Thanks for the advice. Will definitely use
- AUTHOR
That's great, Linda!
Thank you for sharing! Already hard at work putting this to good use!
- AUTHOR
Thanks, ignugent17! I'm glad.
Very useful and helpful . Thank you very much!
- AUTHOR
Thank you, A K Turner! You can never have too many comments. :)
one has to wonder whether it is worth commenting on an article with this many comments, I just wanted to thank you, it was very helpful
- AUTHOR
That's great, grandmapearl! Thanks. :)
So much great information that I have bookmarked this for future reference. Voted Up and Shared & now following.
- AUTHOR
You're very welcome! I'm glad that they're helpful for you.
Thanks for the great tips!
- AUTHOR
I think that the Textbroker model of writing for specific client topics is more productive. If you want to write your own topics, you might as well publish here or another long term earning platform where your articles will keep earning. I'm glad that this was helpful! Best of luck.
Hi again Rose, thanks for the link! Looking at ghostbloggers, I think I like the sound of Textbroker more..I might give that one a shot. Thanks again for all your help and advice :)
- AUTHOR
I'm glad that you're taking the time that you need to work on your grammar. It makes all the difference when you're publishing anything online and want to be taken as a professional. I'm glad that you're finding some good resources for grammar and that this article is helpful for you.
Great hub and all great tips. I love to write and have a passion for it. I think that I drive my facebook friends nuts with my long posts - lol. I have a story for everything.
But that's just me. I wish that I had read this before I jumped into it a year and a half ago, because I needed to work on my grammar. I have excellent typing skills, the passion and the love for writing, but my grammar really needed work. I realized this AFTER I built a 76 page website and started blogging.
A nice lady on a work at home forum clued me in. I accepted her constructive criticism. Now, when I write anything, I am obsessive about making sure that my grammar is correct, etc. Sometimes, I'll go back to something that I already checked and still find a mistake that I missed.
There are many online sites to brush up on grammar with. Thank God for them!! Any time that someone is unsure about something, all they have to do is hit "google." So, again, great hub!
Like my long comment? Lol.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Mittalmailbox! I'm so glad that this is helpful for you. Best of luck.
Great Information. I also want to try freelance writing so it will help me a lot.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Nikki! I hope that this is helpful for you.
Thanks for this article......i am afairly new hubber.
- AUTHOR
Thanks!
Well said, thanks for the hub!
- AUTHOR
On Textbroker, clients submit titles and descriptions for articles that they would like. Once you've been accepted to the site, you can browse these jobs and accept the ones that you want. There are other sites out there where you can write articles and see if anyone will buy them. If you're interested in that kind of writing, check this out: http://www.ghostbloggers.net
Hi Rose! I just checked out the Textbroker website you mentioned and I was wondering, for that site, do you just submit an article you wrote, and if people like it, they'll contact you? Is that how it works?
- AUTHOR
I'm glad that this is helpful for you, TripleAMom! If you ever have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks randomcreative, very helpful. I've been trying to do research and getting advice from others. You've got a lot of good advice.
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