Writing done by someone not officially employed by a company is called freelance writing. Working as a freelancer allows you to focus on one writing area or offer a wide range of services. And your clients may include anyone from businesses in need of copywriting or content creation to news organizations, lifestyle magazines, and other publishers. Services in this category include but are not limited to writing blogs, articles, website content, ebooks, white papers, case studies, etc.
How Do You Succeed as a Freelance Writer?
If you’re serious about making a living as a writer, you’ll need to put in a lot of hours of hard work. What follows are the four most underutilized tips to follow for advancing your professional freelance writing status:
Stick with Your Day Job
Do you want to know the best way for a newbie writer to get started in the freelance writing industry? Don’t give up your day job just yet. Work on it as a side gig before committing to a full-time startup as a writer, as it may take some time before you land your first client and start making any real money. You will feel confident enough to take the leap when you start receiving a regular flow of work and clients.
Don’t Shrink from Constructive Feedback
Every now and then, good or bad reviews from customers who have used your services will surface. A situation like that would not be catastrophic. If anything, it will help you fine-tune your procedure. There is no way to the top that does not involve multiple resubmissions. Sometimes you’ll turn in a polished draft, and sometimes you’ll need to make significant changes before turning it in again. Put in the effort to enhance the quality of your services by considering comments and suggestions made by your clientele.
Learn About Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
A growing number of companies understand that quality content is essential to attracting and retaining customers. It’s crucial that they find content marketers who are well-versed in SEO principles and can apply them to raise the site’s rankings. Today, if you don’t use SEO, you’re already behind the eight ball. Any freelance writer worth their salt should have a solid grasp of SEO practices and the art of keyword placement for maximum online exposure.
Don’t Rule Out Yourself For a Lack of a Degree
Knowing the subject matter inside and out will help your chances of connecting with your target audience. To the extent that it does, it could make you more noticeable to potential customers. That said, writers are not required to highlight their educational background when seeking employment. If you don’t have a strong body of written work to show for yourself, no amount of good grades or fancy qualifications will help.
If you’re someone who has no trouble putting their thoughts into words and can communicate effectively, freelancing as a writer might be the perfect profession for you. Not everyone is born with innate talent; some must put in a lot of practice to improve. Nonetheless, it’s a fact that talented writers can come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds, not just those focused on writing like English or journalism. And those hiring understand that.
About Cassidy George
If you put in the time and effort, freelance writing can be your ticket to places and experiences that most people can only dream of. Cassidy George has retraced her steps and is operating once again in the familiar territory of freelance writing. She has written for over 25 different publications, like The NYT, GQ, the BBC, Vice, etc.
The appeal of the counterculture is captured in Cassidy’s multidisciplinary works. A lifelong student of the nuanced but consequential interplay between politics and history that affects how we live as a society, Cassidy’s writing is a manifestation of her zeal for this research.
