Finding Work as a Freelance Writer

Working as a freelance writer can be challenging.  Businesses and publications are not exactly knocking on your door or calling your number, but they are looking for you.  The key is to get in their field of vision. 

A freelance writer should be a shameless self promoter, using every available avenue to get his/her name out.  When a writer takes advantage of the number of outlets available to find work, then he/she will find a steady stream of income.  Keep in mind that this income will not be a major windfall, but a decent living can be made as a freelance writer. 

Where?  How?  You may ask.  First, build a website and target certain key words for SEO strategy.  I suggest starting local with the closest major city.  For example, bill yourself as Freelance Copywriter for Orlando Businesses.   Furthermore, this allows you to create an online portfolio that busy professions can access.  Second, get business cards; they are after all one of the best promotion tools available. 

Next, there are a number of different avenues you can use to find work.  Cold calling and mailing letters do work.  But also keep in mind shameless self promotion in person.  Go to a Chamber of Commerce meeting and hand out business cards.  Make contacts – then you may find that the letters are easier to write and may have a better success rate.  If you want to write magazine articles, find a mix of query letters and complete articles to send to magazines, and call your local newspaper and ask to be a stringer reporter or intern (have a complete article ready to submit when you do this). 

Use Craigslist.  It is free advertisement, and many businesses use to look for writers and advertise for writers.  An online job board for freelance writers such as O Desk, Sun Oasis, or Ifreelance.com are places to look.  One word of warning, when using sites such as IFreelance and O Desk, you will not find many people willing to pay the same rates a corporation would pay.  May of the business owners using these sites are small business owners, many of whom are just starting out.   Relying too much on them will cause you to be working on small paying projects a majority of the time. 

Find a niche, whether it is technical writing, grant writing, SEO, or white papers.  Focusing on a certain area helps to narrow down your search, and it helps you stand out among other writers.  The same idea works for magazine writers.  Write what you know.  Is it retail, gardening, hunting, or music?  When you write with this idea in mind, you have better query letters and better articles, and it will help you find more success. 

The best advice I can give is to work to continually increase your portfolio and network.