The complete guide on how to start freelance writing

If you’ve got a way with words and love to write, you may consider looking for freelance writing work. Freelance writers are able to take on a range of projects, from a variety of different employers, which can make for an interesting side hustle, or even a varied and flexible career.

If you’re ready to take the leap, but not quite sure how to get started, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for all you need to know about getting started in freelance writing, building a portfolio, and making an income.

You’ll also learn how the Wise Business account has become a lifesaver for freelancers looking to receive payments from abroad and save money along the way.

How to start your freelance writing career in 6 easy steps

For most people getting started in writing, it makes sense to choose a topic to focus on. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to have studied the subject you write about or hold any set qualifications. Often simply being passionate about a topic, and having an engaging writing style, is enough to start winning work.

Here are some simple steps to get started:

1. Choose your freelance writing specialty

Picking both the type of writing you want to do and the related niche are important for your future as a freelance writer. By choosing an area where you're hold expertise and enthusiasm, you’ll find you can write well without needing to spend hours on research - and your energy will shine through in your work. Take a look at both the areas of writing and some of their corresponding niches.

Business-to-business (B2B) writing

Though sales teams often get the glory for closing B2B deals, the content that makes their clients aware of the product is from marketing teams, who often employ freelance writers.

This area of writing isn’t going away. In fact, B2B businesses are still bringing their products and services online, so this is a place where your business skills (if you’ve got a background in it) can really shine. Another interesting aspect of B2B writing is that it takes a different tone than writing for individual consumers. As business deals take longer to close, you can expect this type of content to both inform users and offer comparisons among various products and services.

Copywriting

Copywriting gets into the nitty-gritty of making the sentences, paragraphs, and entire articles flow and produce a desired action from your readers. This area of freelance writing often occurs on landing pages, where a copywriter is used to get the perfect words and phrases on the site to close the deal. For this reason, copywriters can make the big bucks. Of course, big money also means big results, as copy also comes with thorough testing, you can expect plenty of scrutiny and measurement alongside your writing.

Business-to-consumer (B2C) writing

B2C writing is one of the most dynamic options in freelance writing, where you will write content from the top and bottom of the funnel. For example, you could be writing an article about how to get to Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C or an article detailing where to buy the latest product from a famous brand. Both articles serve an essential function, but are focused on readers at different phases of the customer journey.

Unlike B2B writing, you will often use a more informal tone. As strategies differ in each business’s content plan, you will find that your writing in this area can be quite dynamic.

You could choose one of these popular niches, or pick a favorite hobby or interest of your own for your personal blog:

• Travel
• Fitness and diet
• Health and wellbeing
• Family, relationships, and parenting
• Yoga and meditation
• Cooking and nutrition
• Finance and budgeting
• Leadership and careers
• Crafting, knitting or other creative hobbies

Technical Writing

Freelancers often take the technical writing path if they hold niche expertise in a specific field. Some examples of fields where technical writing is flourishing are medicine, engineering, law, IT, and other STEM fields. Technical writing also offers quality pay, as experts with quality writing skills are rare.

You can expect to find an array of options for technical writing, from blogs on niche issues to technical documents necessary for both internal and external use. In the end, a technical writer is typically responsible for making complex topics more digestible for their target audience.

2. Set up a website or blog

Having an online presence is essential if you want to become a freelance writer. Writing your own blog is a simple way to achieve this, and gives a space to write, share, and get feedback on your work. You can get a blog for free from Wordpress or Wix, or post on an outlet like Medium.

Alternatively, you may want to set up your own website to serve both as a space for blogging and an online resume and portfolio to share with prospective customers.

If you want to create a resume for recruiter, you can build it with our free freelancer resume template which can be customized in different formats.

3. Write great sample work

Before you can progress any further you’ll need to create sample work which becomes your portfolio. Many writers publish online on their own blogs, or as guest writers for other blogs and online magazines. Share your work with family and friends at this stage, to start to get feedback and develop a reader base.

When you start to send out pitches for paid work, you can use your sample work as a resume to show what you’re capable of.

4. Pitch yourself everywhere

You’ve now put together your portfolio and started to build your readership in your chosen subject. It’s time to start to pitch for more work.

You’ll find that online and print magazines and other outlets may offer one-off paid projects, guest opportunities, or ongoing writing jobs. Some of these may not be paid - or may pay only a token amount. However, for many new freelance writers, they’re a neat way to build your portfolio further and reach a broader audience — so well worth considering.

You can also pitch companies and websites you love, to offer your services. Here are a few great ways to get your name out there:

• Develop a short, effective ‘elevator pitch’ so you’re always ready to tell someone what you do. You never know who you’ll run into who may need a writer
• Contact companies you love and offer to either write for their blog or create sponsored posts about their products for your own blog
• Join networking groups online and in person to build connections among other freelance writers. It’s common for available jobs to be shared in these communities
• Pitch online and print magazines directly, contacting the editors with ideas for specific articles you may provide
• Look at freelance marketplace sites like Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer.com — there are often writing opportunities here, although they may not be the highest paid out there. Pick the jobs that appeal and use it as a springboard to bigger things if you need to
• If you love to blog, read and comment on other blogs in your niche. You’ll quickly get to know other writers, and may find opportunities to collaborate and share ideas
• Keep your LinkedIn and other social media pages up to date and include links to your published work for employers to see

5. Check writing job boards

Specialist job boards are a perfect source of leads if you’re looking for more high profile and paid writing work. Communities of writers may share ideas and information about sites, magazines and blogs you can connect with. Take a look at these job boards and resources as a great starting point:

• IWriter
• BloggingPro
• The Writer Finder

6. Collect testimonials from your clients

As you start to build a reputation, it can really help to have testimonials from previous clients. Ask for a few words about working with you, either by email after you’ve completed a job, or using the testimonial function on LinkedIn.

Publish great client reviews on your website, so new customers can see what you do best.

Three tips for making more money as a freelance writer

Like any new business, it’ll take time to grow your freelance writing career and develop the connections you need to start earning money. However, once you’re up and running it can be a great second income — or a full time job if you’d like it to be.

Here are some tips on taking your freelance writing to the next level, and earning more money as you go:

The right goals for you will depend on whether you’re writing for fun, as a second stream of income to supplement your full time job, or as a future career. However, having some goals set out in writing is the best way to make sure you stay on the track that works for you. Your goals might be to write a certain number of pieces per week, to get published in a particular magazine, or to earn a fixed monthly amount, for example.

Working freelance means you’re in charge of your own time. This is an amazing perk — but also can mean that you spend longer than you realize on some pieces of work, or that you blur the lines between work time and leisure time.

Tracking how you spend your time is the best way to make sure you’re charging the right amount for your work, and can help you see ways to earn more by focusing on the writing which pays best per hour.

1. Avoid content mills

Content mills offer work to freelance writers, often writing blogs and content marketing materials. However, they often offer low rates to writers, and keep a large amount of the profit from the writing for themselves. In most cases it’s better to avoid these companies if possible. Instead, create your own online presence with a blog or website, network with businesses in your niche, and pitch directly for paid writing opportunities.

This may take a little longer than getting a fast fee from a content mill, but it’ll very quickly turn out more profitable.

2. Develop new business as you go

If you’re writing to earn an income you’ll need to continually pitch to new clients to win more work. A good way to do this is to set aside a fixed amount of time every week or month, to seek out new leads, build your network, pitch clients and develop new business ideas. Treat this as a crucial part of your working week, to make sure you have a continued pipeline of work on an ongoing basis.

When you first start writing you might choose to charge a relatively low fee for your work as you build your skills and your portfolio. However, you should review your prices and increase them over time, to make sure you continue to grow your business. Ask friends in the same niche, or use your online network, to get a sense for the market rates they charge, and to make sure you’re pitching at the right level.

3. Grow a global client base

Freelance writers can choose to work for employers based anywhere in the world. Don’t feel constrained by your home location, as you may be able to develop a client base overseas.

Starting to look in English speaking countries is the easiest option - try the UK, Australia, Ireland or New Zealand. However, it’s common for companies in Europe and beyond to need English language blogs, website copy and more — so it can also pay to reach out to customers based in countries where English isn’t the first language, too.

Freelance writers can choose to work for employers based anywhere in the world. Don’t feel constrained by your home location, as you may be able to develop a client base overseas.

Why Wise is a great choice for freelance writers💡

By getting a smart multi-currency account like the Wise Business account, you can invoice clients in their home currency so it’s easy for them to pay you quickly, making working with an international customer no different to working with one here in the US. You can also create and send your invoices by using our free invoice generator or downloadable invoice templates, and find an independent contractor agreement template to make your work official. As you take on more clients you’ll get better at creating and chasing invoices, and managing your money as a freelance writer. If you’re working with clients based overseas it’s a smart idea to have an account which makes it easy to get paid in foreign currency, so you can invoice clients in their home currencies for ease. Try the Wise Business account to see how easy it is to receive payments in foreign currencies. With your own local bank details you can get paid in major currencies like British pounds, Australian and New Zealand dollars and euros, for no fee. You’ll even be able to hold dozens of different currencies in the same account, and switch between while using the mid-market exchange rate. That means there are no hidden fees to worry about - just a small transparent charge to convert your money back to dollars.

How to be a truly great freelance writer

Once you have your basic building blocks in place, it’s time to take your writing from good to great. Here’s how:

1. Research everything thoroughly

Just like with any other skill, it takes time to really get familiar with the ins and outs of freelance writing. Researching around the subject can help - read all you can about how to write great articles, copy and blog posts, what kind of jobs can you get as a freelancer, how to set your rates, and how to optimize your writing for search engines. You’ll also find a huge volume of helpful and enjoyable information out there about how to become a writer and excel in the career, from those who have already made the leap.

Here are a few good places to look for ideas and inspiration:

• Make a living writing
• Creative Revolt

2. Get familiar with the skills and tools that are required

As you develop your client offering, ask what other services they may value. You’ll probably find you can also sell editing services, image sourcing or editing, and maybe search engine optimization (SEO) or social media promotion. By educating yourself on these topics you could increase your income and serve your clients even better.

Great tools and resources for writers:

• Editing products like Grammarly, and Hemingway
• Copyright free image sourcing from places like Unsplash and Pixabay
• Image editing tools like Pixlr X
• Learn SEO with Moz
• Make quality infographics, photos, and posts with Canva

3. Become a master of organization

As a freelance worker you’re in charge of your own workload - which means you’re a project manager, writer, editor, marketing manager, accountant and HR representative all in one.

Create your own systems to make sure you keep on top of the organisation, using some of the following tools:

• Make communication easier with Slack, WhatsApp or any of the other simple online solutions available
• Try task management programs such as Asana or Trello
• Manage your money on the go with a Wise Business account

4. Always continue honing your writing craft

Even experienced freelance writers can get better. Continue to educate yourself and learn about the writing skills you need for the type of content you are working on. A key way to get continual professional development is to read other writers working in the same field. Follow industry magazines, sign up to blogs in the same niche as yours, and make use of social media to keep up to date by following fellow writers on Twitter, Medium and any other outlet you love.

If English isn’t your first language you can still make a career out of writing for English language publications based in your home country or in English speaking parts of the world. You’ll need to follow the same basic steps as a native speaker - and if you need some extra practice with your writing you can consider blogging or taking on lower paid work to build your portfolio.

5. Create an outstanding portfolio

Coming up with your portfolio is one of the first things you’ll do as an aspiring freelance writer — but your portfolio isn’t a static document, so you’ll need to update it and your pitch materials as your career and experience grows.

6. How to pitch for jobs

Pitching for work is intimidating when you’re first getting used to it. It’s well worth investing time in creating high-quality targeted pitches for clients you’re interested in working work. Find prospective customers on freelance marketplace websites like UpWork, Problogger, Fiverr and Textbroker, or contact companies and sites you love directly.

Your pitch should be a short and pithy introduction which gets customers interested. For example:

“I’m a freelance writer and digital nomad, specializing in creating engaging copy about the products, services and tools which make life better as a traveler and remote worker. I’d love to discuss how I can help you grow your business with compelling blog posts and articles, ad by generating energy in your social media channels”

Use it as a chance to get the reader’s attention, before providing more background, examples of your work, and your rates.

7. Just do it

Getting started is always the most difficult thing about any new endeavor. Freelance writing is a great creative outlet, which can be fun as well as providing an income. And best of all you’ll need little to no monetary investment to get going. Get yourself a free blog or website, spend a bit of time daydreaming about your favorite topics to write about, and start writing. It’s really that simple.

Give Wise a try and make your dollar go further

When you’re receiving your money from your latest freelance writing project, do you want to get the most you can out of your earnings? Wise offers rates that could help you save, and you can hold your money in over 40 currencies and cheaply shift money between them.

The Wise Business account offers this, and much more. Whether you need to sync bill payments with QuickBooks, pay multiple employees at once, or receive payments from abroad. Wise Business is here to make your business banking easier.

Wise is not a bank, but a Money Services Business (MSB) provider and a smart alternative to banks. You can open a Wise account easily online - no need to waste any time standing in line.

Save money with Wise Business 🚀

Some key features of Wise Business include:

Major local account details to receive international payments with ease No monthly account fees just a simple one-off fee for account details Receive payments from e-commerce platforms (such as Amazon or via Stripe). Create invoices using the Wise invoice generator or invoice templates. Accounting integrations, including a QuickBooks Bill Pay connection. Bill payments will be synced, matched, and categorized in QuickBooks for simple reconciliation. Batch payment options. Fast payment of up to 1,000 people.

Read the guide on how to open a Wise Business account