Becoming a freelance writer is just like being a rock star because you have to be talented, know the right people, and have some luck to earn something and gain your faithful followers. Seriously though, a freelance career is always about hard work and knowing how much you can do without going overboard. The trick is to wait, stay patient, and learn the signs because you should tell wrong from right by positioning yourself in a correct way.
If you already have a diploma, it should be the point where you start as it represents your skills and passing through basic college courses. If you are still a student, you should pass special training. After all, you must advertise what you can do with academic proof. You can also check free writing courses at Udemy, Khan Academy, or Coursera.
Look for a job as an editor or cooperate with proofreading specialists. It will help you gain some experience and understand that editing large volumes of data is not always the bed of roses. Such jobs are available even for students who have good writing skills. As soon as you show good results, you may even get promoted and learn how to spot mistakes.
The most important is to practice even if it is some small job, a description for YouTube videos, blog posts, or a small landing page. The trick here is to apply for various offers and train yourself the best way you can. This way you will learn how SEO tools must be applied and how technical writing differs from copywriting or creative posts.
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As a freelance writer, you must provide examples of your work online. If you have never done that before, it must be presented as “before” and “after”. Remember that you should always ask your clients if you have a right to provide a short sample of their content since we are dealing with intellectual property. As you present your skills in practice, they should not be mixed with your CV document.
Your resume should be available online at places like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It must provide background information, testimonials from your clients, inspiring posts about writing challenges, grammar tips, and links to the samples. Once you establish a name, work at your branding strategy as you promote your freelance writing services.
Hold on to your clients by staying respectful and remaining stylish by showcasing what you can offer. For example, if you work with a famous blogger, participate in his or her campaigns, ask questions, cooperate, and be there for your customers. You can also make discounts for your services and do something that will help people notice you. As people will leave testimonials, it will help you create a network of clients as word-of-mouth does its work.
The most important is to check your written content twice. It is the most common flaw of novice freelance writers. Start with editing first by reading things aloud. It is a stage where you can add or remove certain parts by revising each paragraph. It is where you change the structure of odd sentences. Once done, you must continue with proofreading. The purpose is to fix grammar, style, spelling, and syntax mistakes.
Remember that being a freelancer can be about earning $100 per day or living through two weeks without any requests. It is one of those challenges that you have to learn without breaking down or giving up. As a freelance writer, you can always polish your skills and constantly learn how to write better by reading and editing text all the time. Most importantly, you must be creative and love writing regardless if it is technical writing or copywriting. It will help you achieve success and get over the stress as you pass through the times of job-related silence.