Competing against the pros online is a monumental challenge for every writer, most especially so if you are a beginner.
You have no resume, you have no experience, you do not know where to start, and most importantly, you have no regular clients.
But is it possible to find freelance writing jobs for beginners and succeed in it?
Yes, it is possible! Here are some excellent ways to approach your writing career as a beginner in freelancing. These are:
- Online Marketplaces
- Content Mills
- Job Boards
- Entertainment Websites
- Blog It
- Write an eBook
- Offer product Descriptions
- Create Specialized Web Content
Online Marketplaces
An online marketplace is a website where buyers meet sellers. It is like amazon or eBay, but you will not find writing jobs in these two as these are giants in the retail industry.
Where you have to go are websites that make freelancers meet clients. These are online market places not dedicated to writers, but all sorts of work that can be done remotely.
Examples of these are:
- People per Hour
- Fivver
- Freelancer.com
- UpWork
In these sites, you have to create a profile and a portfolio. Then you need to search for writing jobs and then place a bid. If a client chose your bid among all others, then you win the job, and you can start working.
Most of these sites are free, and you only have to pay a percentage of what you earned. Most of the time, you will pay 20% of the job price, so always bake this amount on your bid, so you do not get shortchanged.
Content Mills
A content mill is a business website that offers articles and other written materials to their clients. These articles are sold cheaply, and depending on the clientele of the website, there can be tight deadlines on the projects.
Examples of content mills are:
- ClearVoice
- Great Content
- HireWriter
To join a content mill, you have to apply as a writer. If you pass, you will go through some training, but mostly you have to read through its stylebook of standards.
The pay varies from one company to another, and the content mill takes a cut off every article you write. Generally, the writer logs in to a control panel and choose from a lot of assignments, and then submit it upon deadline.
Job Boards
A practical method of finding freelance writing jobs for beginners is to use a job board.
A job board is not a marketplace for freelancers and buyers. Instead, it is a place where employers are looking for employees to join their writing team.
Job boards do not typically charge anything from the freelancer, but they charge a fee to the employer who posted the job. Think of it as a classified ads section of a newspaper.
Examples of job boards are:
- ProBlogger
- Blogging Pro
- Indeed
- Simply Hired
When applying for a writing job from a job board, you and your client will decide how to get paid, and how much.
Be careful, as you have no guarantee that you are not dealing with a crook, unlike a freelance marketplace where the funds are deposited to an escrow account, and then released to you when the client is satisfied.
Entertainment Websites
An entertainment website is one that offers various articles that people read for fun. These websites continuously look for fresh content, but you will not be employed.
You must write an article that meets the company’s parameters, and then get paid if you pass the editor’s standards.
Examples of these are:
- Listverse
- College Humor
- Cosmopolitan
Many of these offer premium pay of up to $100 per article. However, the standards are pretty high, and you must write content that has never been written before.
Blog It
As a beginner, one of the best things you can do is to start your own blog. Be passionate about the niche you select, and then write materials that solve a specific problem.
Various niches exist that you can make money from like:
- Parenting
- Personal finance
- DIY and Self-help
You can make money in several ways if you create your own blog. You can charge for advertising space, and you can also earn money as an affiliate marketer. Selling your own products or courses if you want to is another option, and nobody will take a percentage of your sales.
LinkedIn is a professional social media website. It first started out like facebook, where you can add friends, called “connections,” and then get a job referral from them.
Today, LinkedIn has also become a job board where you can find writing gigs. Here, some employers post vacant positions in their company, and there are those who are also looking for freelancers.
Write an eBook
Whether you are a budding novelist, poet, or only an expert about something, you can create an eBook and sell it online.
Today, many people need help on various things, and you can help solve this problem if you turn your knowledge into written instructional content.
Sell your eBook to:
- Amazon
- Google Play
- iTunes
- GoodReads
- Smashwords
When you write an eBook, different eBook stores require different formatting. So read them and then format them accordingly or your book will be rejected.
These stores also take a considerable cut. On average, they will receive 40% off your selling price.
Offer Product Descriptions
Go to eBay, Amazon, and other retail marketplaces. Find products that have lousy product descriptions, and then contact the seller.
This is called cold-pitching. It happens when you offer your services to somebody who is not looking for it.
If you do this, you must be subtle in telling the potential client about the problem, and then show how you can solve that problem.
You must include your pricing and a portfolio, and then work out an agreement with the client.
Create Specialized Web Content
Specialized web content has something to do with a niche. If you are a gamer, then you can find gaming review websites and offer a stream of steady content for a price.
To succeed in this, you must find a niche where there is a huge demand. And since there is a huge demand, there must be a lot of websites offering the same information.
And this is where you come in. Since there is a demand for content, offer your expertise, and charge money for it. Some niches that you may consider are:
- Casinos
- Games
- Movie reviews
- Making money online
- Parenting
- DIY
- Video transcription
Specialized content puts you in a spot where you are the expert. In time, you will be writing articles in a breeze, and earn a considerable sum of money for it.
Summary
Now that you know the freelance writing jobs for beginners, it is time to whip out your laptop and write your resume. Create a portfolio and start looking for clients.
While many people have resentment about writing, claiming that you cannot make a living out of it, the only reason you cannot succeed in it is if you do not put in the hard work.
Remember, the Earth is occupied by 7 billion people, and there are hundreds of websites popping out every day. It is nearly impossible for you not to find a niche or client that can make you money from writing.
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