How to Make Money with Freelance Content Writing Jobs in 2024

“Freelance writing“ is the phrase on everyone’s lips, but only the bold and determined can truly make their mark in this fiercely competitive field. Unlocking the secrets of the freelance writing world requires understanding how to land clients and secure pay.” 

For those with excellent writing and creative skills, freelance writing is a fantastic career option. Online content is created and edited by freelance writers, typically for digital marketing and business needs. It’s critical to comprehend what the job requires to decide if this is the proper option for you.  

In this blog, you will learn freelance writing for beginners, freelance writing types with examples, salary, and much more. Keep reading for an inside look at the ins and outs of this thrilling career path. Also, we’ll clarify what a freelance writer does, go over how to become one, enumerate the abilities required, and go over their working environment.

Let’s Start!

What Is Freelance Writing?

Are you wondering what freelance writing is for beginners? Or what does the freelance writer mean?

Here’s the answer.

Writing for a living while working independently and not for a company or organisation is known as freelancing.

Whatever written text is required by their clients, freelance writers produce it while working from home or in an office that they have rented. A writer may work for various clients or for one extremely large client who provides a lot of consistent, ongoing work. You can be a specialist knowledgeable about everything or focus on a single subject.

Because they develop a set of skills that enables them to work more quickly and have a track record that editors grow to know.

Depending on the service you need or provide, you can go by a variety of names:

What is the Process of the Freelance Business?

• Not only do freelance writers write, but they also advertise their services to potential clients. To segregate their money from their work funds, freelance writers frequently establish a firm, whether a sole proprietorship or an LLC.
• Successful freelance writers correct their skills as talented wordsmiths and smart businesspeople. When just getting started, writing well is essential. Effective self-promotion and money management are also required.

Recommended Read: 7 Smart Steps to Create a Freelance Business Plan

How Freelance Writers Balance Writing With Gigs

• Whether it’s articles, website content, press releases, blog posts, newsletters, internal business communications, or brochures, freelance writers create the content their clients need. The creative side is that.
• According to research, 77% of independent writers providing writing and translation services also spend between 0 and 6 hours each week hunting for freelancing work.
• If you’ve previously occupied a full-time position in the writing industry, the contacts you acquired there may be able to help you get freelance writing work.
• Making a fresh start requires more work. To have writing examples to show prospective clients while you wait for your first paid freelance writing gigs,
• To have writing examples to show prospective clients while you wait for your first paid freelance writing gigs, you can look for jobs on writing websites and network as much as you can to learn about openings.

How Are Freelancers Paid?

• Each client has their procedure and method of payment. A client might choose to pay by the word or by piece for one article. They might pay a set rate for the entire thing or an hourly rate if it’s a project. In other instances, the client could hire you on a contract to deliver a specific quantity of work each month as needed.
• Sometimes, clients request that the writer send them an invoice once the job is finished, or they’ll pay half now and the rest once the assignment is submitted. Clients occasionally distribute a check after receiving a reminder notice from PayPal that their payment is due.
• The freelancer doesn’t need to do anything because other clients have sophisticated computer systems that notify them when it’s time to pay a writer.
• Many people and small businesses appreciate PayPal’s convenience. Large organisations, on the other hand, continue to use the more conventional method of mailing checks or direct deposits by the deadline indicated on field invoices.
• Whatever type of payment plan is chosen, the writer must be highly adept at budgeting and money management because it is their responsibility to receive payment on time.

Why Do Freelance Writers Exist?

• People or businesses frequently only require one project completed at a time, such as one brochure created to promote a new product, which is one reason this freelance writing career exists.
• Engaging in a contract or arrangement with a specific writer is simpler. Even if the company has numerous projects throughout the year, outsourcing the task is still less expensive than hiring a team member.
• Many businesses are eager to recruit people who can work as writers remotely, using their own space, as remote work has grown considerably more common.
• A freelance writer’s existence is not just one of independence and enormous flexibility. A financially productive life is possible if you have business skills and put in enough effort.

Essential Skills for a Successful Freelance Writer

To succeed as a freelance writer, several key skills are necessary. First, excellent writing abilities are essential. This means having a strong grasp of grammar, punctuation, and style. Time management is also crucial, as freelancers often juggle multiple projects at once. Being able to research thoroughly and quickly is another important skill, as it allows writers to create well-informed content on various topics. Lastly, adaptability is key since freelance writers may need to switch between different writing styles, tones, or industries depending on their clients’ needs.

What are the different types of Freelancing writing?

When it comes to freelancing and writing for pay, there are many different types of writing you may offer.

You can decide what kind of writing you will undertake depending on what you are comfortable with, what interests you, or what your skills are.

Your financial requirements or your situation may occasionally influence your choice of writing style.

1. Content Writing

Freelancing content writing means Writing content for the web is referred to as content writing. This can include social media updates, blog posts, personal essays, and magazine articles. If you’re new to the field, it’s probably one of the most popular types of freelance writing and a fantastic place to start.

Content writing might aim to be informative, entertaining, promotional, or instructive. The customer’s aims greatly influence the length and format options.

Understanding your target audience, how content format relates to user intent, and search engine optimisation (SEO) will help you generate content more effectively.

Related Article: Guide to Freelance Content Writing Jobs in India

2. Copywriting

The copywriter succeeds when it comes to creating marketing and promotional materials. Understanding that the primary objective of this kind of writing is to sell is crucial if you want to become a copywriter.

Copywriters work on several material kinds to sell, promote, or influence the reader to take a certain action.

• category descriptions
• sales pages
• case studies
• website copy
• email writing
• product descriptions
• buyer guides
• product reviews

This is a fantastic field if you enjoy sharing an organisation’s or product’s history, like internet shopping, or are skilled at researching and contrasting various products. This kind of writing probably isn’t ideal for you if you dislike making sales.

3. Technical Writing

Consider that you might be strong at technical writing if you have experience in a particular discipline like engineering, computer science, or medicine.

Manuals, SOPs, and evaluation reports are written in this discipline with other professionals in their field in mind.

However, it also includes business planning, legal summaries, grant proposal writing, curriculum, and instructional or training materials.

It is an excellent fit for people who naturally write in a more formal style and who are skilled at organising content, procedure, information, and data.

4. Journalism

Traditional journalism is a different type of freelance work. These authors focus on producing investigative reports and feature articles about a subject or event. Newspaper stories frequently have longer assignments with strict deadlines.

The main goal of journalistic writing is to present facts that are confirmed and backed up by first-person interviews, statistics, and other sources.

It’s crucial to pay close attention to the little things and have the research skills to find reliable sources to confirm the authenticity of your writing.

Although it can be a rich industry, it can be challenging to break into if you’re a beginning writer or don’t have the necessary credentials.

Consider a career in journalism if you enjoy a good mystery and are willing to work harder to uncover the facts and solve problems.

5. Ghostwriting

As a ghostwriter, you produce content for another person. This implies that the outcome won’t typically be linked to your name. All proceeds from the sale of the finished product go to the client.

You may occasionally be asked to create a ghost piece for a non-writer with a story to tell. Sometimes, a blog owner simply too busy to generate content will ask you to write blog posts in their own tone and manner.

You won’t get any royalties or residuals if you ghostwrite a book. Due to the expectation that you can charge two to three times the rates of content writers, it can be a very lucrative freelance writing job.

You should be aware that if you ghostwrite content, you cannot link it to your public portfolio without your client’s consent. When ghostwriting, specify how you intend to share the final work with additional potential customers.

List the type of company and the work in your portfolio, at the very least, without mentioning the business or providing a link to the work.

Ghostwriting is a fantastic fit for individuals who can tell a compelling story and are comfortable working in the background.

If you adore doing research and writing but get queasy just thinking about your name on a book cover, you might make a terrific ghostwriter.

6. Writing Fiction

The majority of us are familiar with writing fiction. You, the author, have fictionalised storytelling. Fiction can be ghostwritten so you wouldn’t be credited as the author.

Literary or commercial fiction can be divided into genres, such as romance, mystery, and horror. Sub-genres are used to further categorise several genres.

Consider writing fiction if you have a vivid imagination and can create engaging stories that leave readers wanting more. Fiction writing is one technique to achieve your goal of having your name listed among the bestsellers.

7. Resume writing

What it sounds like, this kind of writing is just that. People who need help writing their resumes will frequently hire a freelance resume writer to do it for them.

Depending on your degree of expertise and the clientele you work with, resume writing can be a lucrative field for freelance writers.

Consider writing resumes if you know how to turn a housewife into a domestic engineer and if you have a wide range of knowledge about various vocations and careers.

Resume writing may be a good fit for you if your friends and family turn to you for advice when they require a resume to apply for a job.

Recommended Read:

• How To Write a Powerful Resume Headline
• Best Resume Format for Freshers with Samples

Greeting Cards

Consider a career as a greeting card writer if you have a knack for words, particularly those used to mark important life occasions, holidays, and regular occasions. There are lots of businesses that will pay you to write cards.

How to Become a Freelance Writer?

1. Completing Education

Education isn’t a prerequisite for freelance writing, but a bachelor’s or master’s degree in English or communication can increase your chances of getting hired, especially for specialized content such as marketing or technical writing.

2. Appropriate Tools

Becoming a freelance writer requires a laptop or desktop computer with writing and photo-editing software, professional email, video conferencing, and payment accounts.

3. Building Portfolio

Your freelance writing portfolio should demonstrate your skills, strengths, and interests through diverse topics and provide your contact details for prospective clients to reach out to you. 

4. Earning Experience

Start your freelance writing profession by writing for your family, friends, or neighbors. Acquire knowledge and skills. Showcase your work on your website, blog, or social media. Additionally, to improve writing skills, read extensively on relevant topics, focus on sentence construction, parallelism, and vocabulary, write constantly, and read aloud to practice. 

5. Market your services

You must sell your skills to get new jobs as a freelance writer. Promote your job using both online and offline strategies, such as referrals, word-of-mouth advertising, and brochures. 

6. Finding freelance writer jobs

Look for freelance writing employment on online job boards, establish social media connections with possible employers, submit magazine pitches, and tailor applications with examples.

Strategies for Self-Promotion as a Freelance Writer

1. Have a Plan

Plan ahead, Making time to develop a detailed marketing plan is crucial, regardless of whether you prefer a notepad and pen or a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

It only has to respond to the following queries:

• Your ideal client is who?
• What are your business’s immediate and long-term objectives?
• How do you intend to reach those goals?
• What steps will you take to monitor your development?
• What actions will you take to incorporate marketing tasks into your larger schedule?
• Which marketing strategies would you like to try?

2. Establish a Portfolio

Finding paid work as a freelancer is almost impossible if you don’t have a portfolio that showcases your skills.

Fortunately, there are several websites where you can create a professional portfolio. After presenting your portfolio to clients, they will contact you if you are a good fit for their project.

Start guest blogging if you don’t have any past work to include in your portfolio. This is the simplest and quickest approach to obtaining articles. Some businesses even pay guest writers to contribute to their platforms.

3. Participate in forums

There are a tonne of forums available for writers.

A good strategy to network with other authors is to stay current and active in some writer’s forums. Furthermore, there’s a good probability that you’ll learn about businesses looking for independent writers and content strategists. Not to mention, you’ll undoubtedly learn a tonne of valuable advice!

Discussion boards dedicated to the niche you wish to break into are just like writer’s forums in that everything we just talked about applies. This is a great chance to demonstrate to customers in your business that you are an expert without being arrogant.

4. Apply LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great place to find new clients. It is the finest social media site for networking with potential clients. Ensure your LinkedIn profile is tailored to draw in and encourage contact from your potential client.

5. Pitch Professionally

Freelancers frequently make the error of concentrating on themselves rather than their clients when pitching.

Explain to potential customers how you intend to address their issues in your sales pitch.

6. Encourage Referrals

Only slightly more established freelancers can use this marketing strategy.

Ask for referrals from clients you enjoy working for and for whom you frequently provide services.

Common Challenges in Freelance Writing and How to Overcome Them

Freelance writing can be a rewarding career, but it’s not without its challenges. Writers often face hurdles impacting their work-life balance, income stability, and client relationships. Here are some of the most common challenges and ways to overcome them:

Inconsistent Income

Due to fluctuating workloads, freelancers may struggle with irregular paychecks. To combat this, create a diverse client base and set aside savings during busy periods to cover slower times.

Time Management

Juggling multiple projects with different deadlines can be overwhelming. Overcome this by setting a clear schedule, using productivity tools, and prioritising tasks.

Client Expectations

Miscommunication or unclear expectations can lead to dissatisfaction. Ensure clear communication by discussing project scope, deadlines, and payment terms upfront.

Creative Block

Writers may sometimes lack inspiration. To overcome this, take breaks, read more, and explore new topics to reignite creativity.

Lack of Work-Life Balance

Working from home can blur the lines between personal and professional life. To maintain balance, set boundaries by creating a dedicated workspace and scheduling breaks.

Advice for a Valuable Freelance Writing Career

A job as a freelance writer requires perseverance, effective time management, and the drive to seek new assignments continuously. Study the freelance writing advice every author should be familiar with to help you develop a satisfying career in this profession.

1. Always keep an eye out for fresh writing gigs

You are in charge of customer acquisition when you run your freelance writing firm. You must constantly search for new freelance writing assignments to maintain earning money and avoid downtime between contracts.

Look through job boards online. Connect with other authors so they may refer you to clients when they’re booked up.

2. Make your story pitches

If you’re a writer, you probably have your ideas running through your head. Then, come up with pertinent story ideas and pitch them to the publications or newspapers you wish to write for.

Once your first story is accepted and you obtain your first byline, you’ll find it simpler to pitch ideas to other magazines.

3. Keep working at your job

If you’re a beginning writer, start by working part-time as a freelancer before starting your side hustle. Finding your first client and beginning to earn well as a professional freelance writer may take some time. If you have one, keep working at your day job, even as you start writing freelance.

Make the leap and transition to freelancing as your full-time employment once you’ve established a continuous stream of freelance assignments and writing clients.

4. Deliver a clean copy

You must submit writing assignments with an error-free copy. This entails editing and proofreading your work.

Make sure your sentences are succinct, clear, and simple to understand. Review your writing word-by-word and line-by-line to look for grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes.

5. Start a blog

Consider starting a blog on something you are passionate about, such as skiing, parenting, or food. Maintaining a blog is a creative outlet that aids in developing your writing abilities and helps you develop your writing style.

For potential customers to locate you, it also gives you an online presence and the capacity to use some search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques.

6. Learn the fundamentals of SEO

Materials that will direct customers to more businesses are needed. These will require content marketing writers who understand the fundamentals of SEO and how to raise a website’s ranking in search results.

As a freelance writer, know where to strategically place keywords to improve web traffic to the company’s website and understand how search engine optimisation works.

7. Take on a variety of assignments

Take on several writing tasks when you first start as a freelancer and work with all clientele. You’ll write about a lot of subjects that are unfamiliar to you.

One customer might give you in-depth white papers, thoroughly researched thought-leadership pieces that demand a lot of research. Another can ask you to provide social media content for their business.

You might be hired by someone else to write a copy. Even though the two jobs are very different, you will gain essential writing experience from both.

8. Become a tough person

You’ll receive comments on your work from your clients. Sometimes you’ll turn in a flawless piece, and other times you’ll need to spend a lot of time revising. Do not take criticism personally.

Writing for a client means delivering the content they require while adhering to their brand’s unique voice and tone. As a freelance writer, you must be tough. Successful writers take criticism in stride, implement the suggested modifications, and use the experience to advance their craft.

9. Select a writing niche

With some projects, you’ll have to start from scratch and write on a subject you don’t fully understand. Check to discover if there is a certain kind of writing that you excel at and love as you take on additional work.

You might discover, for instance, that you enjoy technical or medical writing. You will become a sought-after writer with those types of companies when you specialize in a particular genre.

Make sure it’s a good fit by taking the time to research the kind of freelance writing jobs beginners you want to undertake.

Learn more about beginner freelance writing jobs or freelance writer jobs. You can choose a job as a career.

Once you are aware of the type of freelance writing that best suits you, it will be much simpler to consider the following step: selecting your niche.

You might be able to make money writing greeting cards if you have a knack for words and can stir up emotions without breaking a sweat.

This can be a wonderful option to try if you enjoy writing poetry and are willing to take the time to find the perfect word to convey your message.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some related resources:

• How To Get Freelance Clients In 2023
• Freelance Content Writing Jobs: Finding the Right Fit for Your Skills and Experience
• A Beginner’s Guide on How to Become a Freelancer
• What is Freelancing? Freelancing Meaning, History, Pros & Cons of Freelance Jobs
• Proven Tips for Freelancers to Succeed in the Gig Economy