How to start your own Freelance Writing Business

How to start your own Freelance Writing Business

Thinking about starting your own freelance writing business?

Freelance writing is an excellent profession that allows you to explore your creative side while painting a picture with words.

There’s a lot of diversity in writing and you will never get bored writing blog posts, magazine articles, website content, press releases, and more.

I started my adventure in writing over 5 years ago. Back then I was working my nine-to-five job and I was looking for a way to make extra money so, I started writing for content mills and small publishers that turned me around $25 to $30 per article.

I ended up taking a break from writing as one of my other side hustles took off (and that was my e-commerce store).

Today I’m back on writing as I’ve sold my e-commerce store which was a lot of fun (but also a lot more work) and I’ve come back to my passion for writing.

This lucrative industry can make you a six figure income (more on how Holly makes $200K per year writing down below).

Whether you’re looking to build a career in freelance writing or seeking an avenue for extra money, this article will show you exactly what you need to start making money freelance writing today.

Let’s get started.

Getting Started Freelance Writing

Once you’ve made the decision to start freelance writing you really want to start by carving out a niche for yourself. You’ll make a lot more money being labeled as a technical writer or a B2B writer or any other field you might be writing in, versus being called a general freelance writer.

So you’ll pick a niche then begin working on your portfolio.

Where you’re at in the process a portfolio may or may not be required. The purpose if a portfolio is to show off your work so for example if you are a logger you mean need a portfolio as your blog be able to show off your writing skills or do you have writing that live online a portfolio may not be required.

How to Build a Portfolio

Your writing portfolio is just a place online that has samples of your work that you can show off to potential clients.

So you can create your own website, you can also write articles in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and zip it in a folder so you can share that when you need to. You can also use tools like Contently (or others) to write articles and share your work.

Where to Find Clients

Find clients is one of the biggest pain points for freelancers but it really doesn’t have to be here are some places where you can find paying clients to start making money:

• Job banks
• Freelance markets
• Social media
• Networking
• Groups

Job banks include job sites like Indeed and Monster.

Freelance markets are job banks specifically for clients to find freelancers, like Upwork and Freelancer. There are others so don’t be afraid to search well here.

Social media is often overlooked. Facebook and LinkedIn are the two networks successful freelancers often find clients. I actually found 2 clients last week (already been paid by one) on Facebook!

Networking through events like FinCon and other conferences and markets are a great way to get business. Amanda Abella recently talked about how she made $30,000 from attending a personal finance conference.

And then there are groups, and these can be social media groups like Facebook groups where your clients hang out, like if you’re a real estate writer, join real estate groups. If you specialize in writing blog posts, join blogging groups, etc.

And, LinkedIn groups, Twitter lists, as well as neighborhood groups like Nextdoor, etc. Don’t discount neighborhood marketplaces either, like Facebook marketplace, which is a great source of leads for freelancers.

How Much Money Can You Make Freelance Writing

You can make a little or a lot.

There are a variety of different ways you can bill clients:

• Per word
• Per hundred words or per thousand words
• Hourly
• By project

You will make the most money by the word or by project. Clients that quote you per hundred words or per thousand words are usually more low-paying gigs.

Newbies can start at $.03 to $.05 per word and build your rate as you get more experience.

Consider your time and energy when quoting your rate too. Don’t be afraid to quote a four figure or larger rate for a large project. You’re worth it.

How Holly Makes $200,000 Per Year Writing

Then, there’s Holly. She makes a living writing, to the tune of $200K per year. She has been featured on Forbes, Good Financial Cents, Financial Samurai and other publications. She is the real deal.

She’ll teach you her strategies for making over $225,000 per year writing.

Final Thoughts

In short, can you make money freelance writing? Yes! Can you make it a career or a side hustle? Yes and yes.

Take this as far as you’d like.

If you’re facing job loss or currently unemployed, or seeking additional income, want to make a career change, freelance writing can be your solution!

I hope you found this article educational and entertaining. Shoot me a comment down below to ask any questions or share your experience!