Freelance writing is an ideal way to make an income from home, and breaking into the industry isn’t as difficult as you may think! As with most jobs, experience is key, so don’t expect to be making a full time salary from the start. If you follow a few tips and tricks, then you could find that in just a few short months you’re well on your way to becoming a professional writer.

photo credit: sixninepixels

Breaking into the freelance writing business all comes down to three aspects;

(1)   Building a portfolio

(2)   Making contacts, and

(3)   Marketing yourself

Here’s a few ways you can help yourself move from aspiring writer to experienced pro.

Build a Portfolio

Having a portfolio is the difference between an amateur and a pro. If you’re applying for freelance writing jobs, your application is going to be considered far more seriously if the employer can see a few examples of your work. It gives them a feel for your individual style, and gives them an idea of how you could provide what they’re after. But how do you build a portfolio if you’ve never written before?

There are actually a few ways of doing this. The most basic way is to simply write a few short articles on a range of topics, in a variety of styles that go into your portfolio and nowhere else. It means you won’t be getting paid for these articles, but if you’re completely new to the business, it’s a good starting point. You could also consider creating a blog or Squidoo lens. By doing this, you could be earning a small amount for your posts through advertising.

If you don’t want to create your own blog, try contacting blog owners to see if they accept guest posts. This means you’ll be writing an article to be published on someone else’s blog. Some blog owners pay for this, others don’t, but the most important thing is that your blog post will include a by-line; a small paragraph about you. Having your name attached to your work is a huge advantage.

Finally, you could try using online article writing services. The beauty of these is that you pick what work to do, rather than being selected to undertake the work, so everyone has a chance. The downside is that rates are very low; in fact, you could be looking at just a few dollars for a 500 word article. Remember, the early days aren’t about the money. Always check the terms and conditions of these websites, but some will allow you to use your work for sample purposes.
Make Contacts 

If you’ve contacted blog owners, that’s a good start in making some valuable contacts. Write a good guest post, and you could be asked to do more work. Although it’s not guaranteed, you could find your pay for this goes up as the blog owner becomes familiar with the quality of your work.

Another way of making contacts is to use the article writing services websites briefly mentioned above. With rates being so low for these jobs, many clients find they’re inundated with suboptimal articles. You could be the diamond in the rough they’ve been looking for. Produce a great article, and you could find clients coming directly to you for more work, reducing the risk of having someone create a total dud.

Freelance websites may seem a bit scary, but they’re actually very useful in making contacts. Many professional writers look for on-going jobs, where there’s going to be a steady pay for a number of weeks or months. A one off job paying a few dollars simply isn’t worth their time. However, they’re a great opportunity to expand your client contact list. If a client has one job, chances are they’ll have more at a later date. Write a good article now, and you could be in demand later on.

Market Yourself

When using freelance websites to apply for jobs, you’ll be expected to write a cover letter, as with any other job. Even if you’re new to freelance writing, don’t knock your abilities. No client wants to hire a writer who says ‘I’ve never written before, but I think I can do it’. Boast about what you can do, and what you have done, even if you think a small piece for your local newspaper wasn’t a big deal, any experience is good experience. Don’t be embarrassed to talk yourself up.

You might even want to consider creating your own website and offering your writing services. Your website should include your:

(1)   Portfolio

(2)   Contact information

(3)   Rate of pay, and

(4)   A photograph of yourself; a good photo really helps in getting jobs as clients can see you’re a real person and not an agent that is going to outsource the work to lower quality writers.

Further Measures

If you’re serious about becoming a professional freelance writer, you may want to consider some training. Qualifications that are useful are a creative writing or English language degree, a proofreading course and perhaps some SEO training if you’d like to specialise in that sort of writing.

With a bit of effort, anyone can make money by writing from home. Make use of the unlimited opportunities on the internet, whether that’s through blog writing, article writing services or freelance websites. If you’re after a challenge, you may even want to think about writing your own book and self-publishing. The popularity of eBooks has made this process much simpler in recent years, and it can all be done online. Explore different options, and think outside of the box!

Amy Harris writes for Financial Training– which helps British and international students find the right financial courses in the UK, such as ACCA courses, Business Degrees & CIMA courses. She is an American expat who enjoys helping people with their education and career search.

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