If you wish to break into freelance writing and make money working from home, listed below are some real-life recommendations on the way to get began and construct your portfolio from a profitable freelance author.
Freeelance writing work is a inventive profession that affords writers the chance to craft significant content material they really get pleasure from and construct their lives round a versatile, deadline-oriented work schedule. For people with robust communication expertise and a knack for writing, a contract writing profession might be an extremely rewarding method to benefit from the freedom of a work from home way of life.
However like many new freelance writers, as I realized after I was first making an attempt to interrupt into the content material writing trade, it takes extra than simply stable writing expertise to get established within the freelance writing enterprise. As a result of I firmly consider in holding the door open behind me, I’m sharing every little thing I’ve realized about constructing the writing portfolio it’s essential remodel your love of writing right into a full-time job as a profitable freelance author.
The Catch-22 of Writing Samples
Like many writers, writing has at all times come naturally to me. Regardless of being the type of one that has by no means been in a position to articulate my concepts effectively in a face-to-face skilled setting (and bombed loads of job interviews alongside the way in which), I’ve one way or the other by no means had hassle placing my concepts ahead in print.
However all the A papers I made in faculty didn’t imply something when it got here time to use for writing gigs creating internet content material. Regardless of what number of job boards I utilized to or chilly emails I despatched, no one would rent me with out printed writing samples demonstrating my proficiency in dealing with associated content material. Though I had some outdated print content material from my early writing days, a lot of the firms I utilized to wished at the least three hyperlinks to printed on-line content material.
As I quickly got here to be taught, that’s as a result of firms need to see not simply that writers can write. They need to see that they’ve a robust understanding of on-line content material writing ideas like search engine marketing (search engine marketing) and the distinction between high-quality content material and the kind of low-effort textual content produced by content material mills.
And so I discovered myself within the catch-22 that many freelance writing learners discover themselves in. With out samples, I couldn’t get a job. And with no job, I couldn’t create the printed content material I wanted to get a job.
Break into Freelance Writing
Few individuals wish to work without spending a dime. However there got here some extent in my life the place I noticed I merely wasn’t going to maneuver ahead within the occupation I’d at all times wished to be in — working as a full-time freelance author — with out doing no matter it took to get the samples I wanted to land freelance writing jobs.
I started researching web subjects associated to freelance writing and shortly realized one thing shocking from blogs that handled freelance writing and content material advertising and marketing: a university language arts diploma gave the impression to be just one path to a writing profession.
Time and again, I encountered self-taught writers who realized to provide the kind of writing web sites need by watching YouTube movies or taking an internet writing course (or just a few).
Seeing how these of us had been in a position to transfer into profitable careers as freelancers was encouraging. That’s after I realized that if I might simply construct my experience sufficient to get a foot within the door, the writing alternatives I’d been dreaming of would observe.
Creating Skilled Writing Samples
A sea change occurred in my line of considering after I realized my writing samples didn’t must have a significant on-line presence. They only wanted to be printed someplace on-line and showcase my potential to write down the type of content material my future potential purchasers had been in search of.
As a result of I used to be studying as I went, my path to knowledgeable writing portfolio was a bit circuitous. Nonetheless, I’ve been in a position to mentor different writers utilizing what I realized, and their path to publication is normally far more streamlined. With no educational background in writing, my husband went from having no on-line presence to changing into a daily author for SlashGear in only a matter of months.
Right here’s my greatest recommendation to create a standout portfolio:
1. Take Benefit of On-line Assets
I can’t overemphasize the worth of studying primary ideas associated to on-line publishing. Precisely what a shopper is in search of can fluctuate relying on the writing area of interest. Nonetheless, presenting writing samples demonstrating your understanding of ideas like anchor textual content or the function of search engine writing isn’t just a good suggestion. It’s additionally essential to land the vast majority of skilled writing gigs.
2. Polish Your Social Media Profiles
Even for those who’re not naturally inclined to doomscrolling, freelance writers can profit from having a presence on websites like Fb, LinkedIn, and Twitter (X). You need to attempt to current the picture you need potential purchasers to see. It’s additionally not a nasty concept to audit your social media profiles for any unprofessional or controversial content material that would make a shopper suppose twice about hiring you.
3. Begin a Weblog
Weblog posts can present the right house to apply the ideas you find out about search engine marketing and on-line writing. I had been publishing my very own “only for enjoyable” weblog for some time after I obtained extra severe about researching content material writing. I used the content material from my very own weblog to land a job as a daily blogger for TulsaKids Journal, the place I used to be in a position to work on making a extra skilled writing portfolio.
I do know just a few writers who’ve had related luck visitor posting for different bloggers or self-publishing on Medium, a website that lets writers produce their very own professional-looking content material. The important thing to producing high quality samples via weblog writing is to search out web sites that produce the type of content material you’re hoping to create after which attempt to emulate that website’s basic fashion, size, and tone in your weblog.
4. Write Enterprise Weblog Posts
A part of how I stored the lights on whereas I used to be working towards getting on with web sites like Looper and Soaps.com was studying to write down enterprise blogs. Not solely is there a continuing want for enterprise weblog writing, however it’s additionally a good way to construct up these writing muscle tissues and shortly create a good assortment {of professional} writing samples you should utilize to land future jobs.
Skilled enterprise weblog writers can cost a reasonably penny for high quality weblog content material, however there’ll at all times be a necessity for fast and low cost posts — a reality starting writers can use to construct a portfolio. It’s additionally a good way to shortly develop into an armchair knowledgeable in every little thing from chiropractic therapy to development work.
After mocking up a pattern, I joined each Fb group I might discover and pitched my companies for writing quick blogs of round 400 phrases for $10 every till I landed my first shopper. The pay stung, however it obtained me what I wanted to get to the place I’m right now and taught me to just accept editorial suggestions with out taking it personally. And importantly, I solely needed to do it lengthy sufficient to construct up my writing samples.
5. Pitch to Rising Corporations
I might by no means suggest writing for an organization that merely isn’t prepared to pay writers what they deserve. However for those who go searching lengthy sufficient in your favourite writing subgenre, you could find some fairly incredible up-and-coming web sites that will be pleased about the assistance. Though the work was unpaid, I’ll at all times be grateful for a little bit web site known as FilmFracture for giving me an area to write down about movie since these posts would finally result in my hiring at Looper as a horror and sci-fi TV and movie author.
Getting Employed is the Subsequent Step
When you’ve realized the tips of the commerce and constructed knowledgeable writing profile with at the least three good writing samples, getting your foot within the door with purchasers is simple. To get the phrase out, share all of your writing samples on social media websites like LinkedIn and Fb, and pitch your freelance writing companies to purchasers.
When you’ve got any ideas on methods to construct your writers’ portfolio, please drop a line and let me know within the feedback. I hope to see your identify in a byline!
