Getting freelance writing jobs: 3 vital tips

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There are two types of freelance writer. those who go looking for freelance writing jobs, and those who wait for jobs to be offered to them.

The first type of writer usually turns into the second type of writer very quickly however, once the writer has compiled a portfolio, and knows his own worth.

So if you’re still in the early stages of your writing career and are still job hunting, here are some tips:

1. Read the “writer wanted” ad several times. Then make a list of what the ad asks for - write it out manually. This is vital. I’ve placed dozens of ads for writers on behalf of clients; of the respondents, a full 80 to 90 per cent either misread the ad, or willfully disregarded the requests made in the ad.

If you want to stand out from the majority of respondents, doing exactly what the ad asks you to do will ensure that you do.

2. Create a portfolio, even if you’re completely unpublished. People want to know what your writing’s like. If you have no examples of your writing available at all, create some before you start looking for freelance writing work. At the very least, create a Web site with several pages.

Anyone who’s considering hiring you to write for them wants to see your writing, and the more examples you can provide the better. Even if you’re unpublished, having created a Web site shows that you’re a writer who can write. (You may be surprised at how many people claim to be “writers” who patently are not.)

3. Know how much you expect to be paid. How much is your time worth? Writing is a task like every other. It takes time. Even if you’re an inexperienced writer, you should expect to be paid for your time, IF you complete the writing task as assigned.

There’s always a discussion going on about dismal writers’ pay at writers discussion boards.

Remember: as a freelance writer, you set your own rates. Therefore, if a writing job offers $10 an article, don’t apply if you expect to be paid $100 an article.

You set your own rates, and people advertising for writers have a budget. If their budget is $10 an article, they’ll get writers or they won’t. If you charge $100 an article, ignore these ads (and the ads for the $2 article writers too). The writing world is wide, with payment rates varying depending on skills and experience.

Major tip: there’s much less competition at HIGHER rates of pay than lower. If you’re an experienced writer, with strong skills in Web writing, for example, you can expect to be paid at rates of $150 to $200 an hour once you’ve got a portfolio.

There’s plenty of Web writing and other writing around at great rates of pay.

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