A career in writing can give you freedom and flexibility. Writing can fit into your lifestyle, and you can choose when, where, and how your writing career takes place. Freelance writing offers many advantages when looking for a career with freedom, but may not be earning you a stable income.
Starting a freelance writing business, however, can offer you the flexibility you seek while also offering a stable source of income. Freelance work can also be more suitable if you have children who need constant care or even if you simply wish to spend more time with family.
Here are five tips on starting your own freelance writing business.
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Choose your niche
It is important that you choose a writing niche that suits your interests, expertise, and writing style. For example, web content writing is more for entertainment value, so it is a more casual style of writing. Medical writing, however, is intended to inform and may require a more formal approach.
While you may think all writing is equally as simple, some people are more suited for certain types of writing than others. You will need to find what suits you. Finding your style might take a few attempts, but once you find your groove, it can be fun and easy.
Identify your market
Once you’ve found your niche, you can start identifying your clientele. While you may find some apps and sites online that hold listings of writing jobs you can do, there may be ways to earn a higher salary per article if you approach companies directly. If you aim to be a business writer, try approaching companies looking for corporate writers, as they tend to offer high salaries. You can also work with a thesis writing service as another option.
If you have never written before, identifying your ideal market may be challenging. Start where you think you want to be and then change and adapt as you learn what you like or don’t like.
Build a portfolio
When you start to work from home writing, it might be difficult convincing businesses that you are worth the price you are asking. So, it is important to set up a portfolio of your writing. You might need to take on lower-paying jobs or jobs outside of your niche, but once you have a portfolio and contactable references, your business will take off easily.
When you’re considering how to start freelance writing, consider the kind of places that will allow you to build a portfolio while working for them. Getting more business is always easier when you have samples and references.
If you are a student who does not know much about blogging, you can start as a professional essay helper, which is part of academic writing. EduBirdie is a great site to start with as it provides the perfect platform to work on thesis, dissertation and essay writing requirements from the students.
Sell yourself
Selling yourself appropriately can fill the gaps your portfolio misses. Being well-spoken and professional can promote your skills to future clients. If you promote your services through written adverts or email, make sure your writing is correct and clear.
You are selling your ability to write, so make sure it is perfect wherever you go. Small errors that slip through could leave a bad impression, and this might lose you potential customers. Proofread and check anything you do in writing to ensure the best impression is sent out.
Set your prices
When starting a writing business, you need to establish what you will charge clients and how pricing works. Setting a price per article can seem like a logical approach, but ensure you specify an average article length. Without the specification, you will be obligated to accept the same amount for a 7000-word article as you do for 200 words.
Also, make sure your prices are market-related so that you can get customers and make money without selling yourself short. If your prices are too high, you will struggle to get clients. If they are too low, you will be working harder than you need to make ends meet.
Conclusion
Being a freelance writer brings you freedom and flexibility to do what you like when you like. It means working for yourself and might require a bit more effort to get off the ground. However, once you have a client base and some experience, you can start smoothing out the process.
You may even find yourself working faster as you gain experience. Starting a freelance writing business may open opportunities to employ ghostwriters where you get the assignments and they write for you. This will free you up even further and allow you to experience the greatest perks of freelancing.
Author Bio:
Emma Rundle is a freelance writer covering topics in blogging, running affiliate sites and social media marketing. Her expert-level knowledge and rich experience in this field make her the go-to writer for many clients. In her free time, she learns web development, practices yoga and cooks Mexican food for her family.
