If you enjoy writing and want to earn money while working from home, you may consider being a freelance writer. From greeting cards to business writing, there is a myriad of chances for freelance writers who are dedicated to finding them and promoting their business.
If you are not the type of writer who craves celebrity, the level of self-promotion required to become a freelance writer may be difficult or unwanted. Fortunately, ghostwriting is a viable option that can turn into a profitable company for a freelance writer who is ready to sell his or her services.
Time is a valuable commodity. In today’s market, a writer’s success is only as good as his marketing skills. Marketing and promoting your services, running your business, and obtaining consistent clients or projects can all take up as much time as billable writing work.
It takes time to build a name for yourself, and it also takes time to become a freelance writer who can earn a living writing full-time. Here are the benefits and drawbacks of starting your own freelance business, as well as what you’ll need.
Pros
- Earn income while doing something you love
- Choose your own hours and clients you want to work with
- Freedom of working from your laptop and anywhere
Cons
- Marketing can be time-consuming
- The competitive business that may be hard to break into
- Income may not be steady, especially when getting started
Your clients
While writing for exposure is not a bad idea, especially when you are just starting out, you will need to locate paying clients if you want to become a freelance writer who can pay the bills. Your clientele will be heavily influenced by the type of writing you produce. What is your writing background? What about technical writing? Newsletters? What about ad copy?
What is your platform or area of expertise? Are you a medical professional, a beauty consultant, a software specialist, a foodie, or a musician? Writing what you know is a solid rule of thumb, but a varied writer may be able to sustain a continuous stream of paying clients. The Writer’s Digest is a fantastic resource for locating paying markets and writing requirements.
Getting Started
Simply do it. Every day, write something. You can’t market something you haven’t written yet. Writing is similar to exercising in that you must keep at it in order to stay sharp. If you already own a computer, you can become a freelance writer for very little money. If you’re writing for an American audience, you’ll need to have a strong mastery of the English language. Networking, research, and internet abilities are also required.
