Today, I’m going to cover the 9 ways to become a freelance writer and work from home. This is a comprehensive list of the ways you can make money if you love writing.
There’s a lot of reading here, use quick links below or the Table of Contents if required.
- Fiction Writing
- Technical Writing
- Non-Fiction Writing
- Advertising & Sales Copy
- Content for Websites
- Journalism
- Grant Writing
- Writing for Print
- Writing for the Web
I must admit I’ve never considered myself to be a writer. In fact, at school the last thing I wanted to do was to write compositions, I was always more interested in art and sports than writing.
However, over the last few years, I’ve made quite a lot of money creating special educational and career guides and even designing a whole website for a government project.
So, I guess I do have a talent, but it’s not my preferred way of communicating. Being an extravert, I’d much rather talk!
Do you have a passion for writing? Great! You’re actually halfway there to become a freelance writer doing what you love every day!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure page for more info.
Do you need to have the experience to become a freelance writer?
When I started offering my freelance writing services in 2003 I didn’t have much experience or a portfolio of my work.
But I DID have a lot of expertise on my topic which was helping people to find work they love. I was able to write in an engaging and informative style (which I still do here, I hope!). 🙂
But the good news is, today freelance writers are in more demand than ever. Good fiction and non-fiction writers are certainly in high demand and can charge premium rates for their work.
What types of writing can make you money as a freelance writer?
To make money as a freelance writer you can tap into several different types of writing. Some are more specialists than others.
You’ll find there is more work on writing nonfiction topics for online publications like websites, blogs and electronic newsletters.
Here’s a list of the different types and styles to help you make money as a freelance writer:
9 Ways to Become a Freelance Writer & Work From Home
TABLE OF CONTENTS ->>
1. Fiction Writing
Writing fiction takes a certain type of creative person with a vivid imagination (think J.K. Rowling).
But it didn’t stop Amanda Hocking becoming a best seller author on Amazon. Take a look at this article on how she is making herself millions of dollars in the process.
Fiction books need to be engaging and keep the reader from never wanting to put the book down. Take a look at this article I found on the Writer’s Write site covering the ‘17 Most Popular Genres in Fiction and Why They Matter‘.
With platforms like Amazon Kindle Store it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to self-publish and get your work out there.
What are the most successful topics for fiction books?
According to the Bookadreport website the most successful topics for fiction books are:
- Romance/Erotica – $1.44 billion
- Crime/Mystery – $728.2 million
- Religious/Inspirational $720
- Science Fiction/Fantasy $590.2
- Horror $79.6
Here’s a great book by Joanna Penn ‘How to Make a Living with Your Writing: Turn Your Words into Multiple Streams Of Income‘ for freelance writers.
2. Technical Writing
This is a great field if you already have some knowledge of certain sectors. Technical writers are high in demand nowadays.
They create instructional leaflets to writing in-depth descriptions of products and company training manuals.
One of the most comprehensive (and reasonably priced) technical writing courses I’ve found is by Joseph Phillips. 5.5 hours of video training and almost 1000 students.
3. Non-Fiction Writing
Non-fiction writers can create ‘How-to‘ guides, blog posts, website content, newsletter content and articles on specific topics.
The more knowledge you have about specific topics, the easier it’ll be for you to create content on an ongoing basis.
Take a look at this article from the Huffington Post on the ‘7 Things You Need to Write a Bestselling Nonfiction Book‘ for inspiration.
4. Advertising and Sales Copywriting
Creating ads for jingles is a great way to become a freelance writer. You’ll need to have a vivid imagination and put yourself in the customers’ shoes.
You can do this by creating demand, desire and strong calls to action.
This book takes you from learning how to pitch your first story idea to any publication and get it printed — and get paid.
Check out this book on How to make Living Writing for Newspapers and Magazines and start a freelance writing business
You’ll learn how to:
- how to find publishing opportunities on blogs, websites and search engines
- how to create different and interesting professional written articles
- How to grab the attention of various news publications
More importantly, you’ll learn how to how to market yourself online to attract editors with your personal website and online portfolio.
Also, you might want to take a look at these free tips for writing and selling great jingles on the DiscMakers Blog.
Don’t forget to make a note of some of the most popular television and radio jingles and you’ll get the idea.
5. Content for Websites
Creating content for websites requires great writing. But you also need an understanding of how the search engines work. This is known as SEO, which is search engine optimization.
Google recently made big changes in the way it ranks the quality of web content, so good writers are now in high demand.
6. Journalism
If you want to make money as a freelance writer then journalism could be a good area to investigate. Writing as a journalist means creating stories that are current and newsworthy.
You can offer your work to radio and TV news stations, magazines, newspapers and online news sources.
You may find Nick Rennie’s book on how to become a journalist has lots of great tips and information. Having worked as a journalist for 20+ years he shares his knowledge with you.
Check out this book on How to Become a Journalist to get lots of tips and information from an insider.
7. Grant Writing
Grant writing is often overlooked by writers yet it can be one of the most lucrative income sources around. Visit the Grantwriters site to tap into free advice and tips on becoming a grant writer.
8. Writing for Print
A great place to start is writing on your own blog, or try volunteering to write for your local paper or small non-profit publications.
This will not only give you the opportunity to fine-tune your writing skills but also you’ll have a portfolio of your articles to show as a reference.
Check out the Writer’s Market for comprehensive information on a variety of newsletters, magazines and other publications that are taking queries.
It’s always a good idea to start writing about topics you enjoy and have knowledge of, try writing a few queries to get yourself going in the print market.
___________________________
QUICK TIP: One major drawback when you’re writing for print is the time it takes to receive payment. I’ve waited up to four months for government contract fees.
So, this option isn’t really suitable if you need a regular income without waiting weeks or months to receive your fees.
___________________________
9. Writing for the Web
This is a great way to make money as a freelance writer and start your new career because the web is literally crying out for content.
You’ll see phrases like, ‘content writing‘ or ‘content creation‘ describing text created for an existing or new website. Writers for the web are commissioned to create engaging and original content for articles, websites, newsletters and blogs.
Also, read the BBC Bitesize Learning FREE tips and articles on the BBC’s Writing for Online Space.
This site offers lots of great advice and an overview of the basics of writing engaging news online. It includes language, style, visual appeal – and how to avoid making mistakes. Always good to know!
How to get started as a freelance writer?
OK, let’s look at how you can become a freelance writer. Well, I suggest you write a batch of short articles of between 400 – 1000 words on your preferred topic(s) to get you started.
You’ll find writing good content (known as ‘copy’) is a very valuable skill. There’s plenty of work around once you’ve practiced and improved your writing skills.
Small business owners and entrepreneurs constantly need fresh content for their websites
Why not start a blog and improve your writing skills? You can add affiliate products from Amazon or Clickbank or add Google’s Adsense to advertise and make money if people click on the links.
Where can you find freelance writing jobs?
OK, now down to the nitty-gritty. You’ve decided you really do want to get paid to write. So, where do you go to find writing jobs?
But before you offer your services on these sites you need to get clear on the terms you’re offering. For example, are you giving the client copyright over your work?
You’ll find a LOT of writers offering their services on the sites below. You will have competition in the beginning, but talent always rises to the top, so keep on going and learn your craft.
Where to find help as a newbie freelance writer?
One of the best ways to learn how to get paid to write is by taking a course from the people who are already making money as freelance writers.
Makes sense, yes?
I’ve found Carol Tice’s expertise as a freelance writer is second to none and she has made a fortune over the years with her freelance writing skills.
You may want to join the waiting list of Carol’s Freelance Writers Den. I joined (she opens up for new members a couple of times a year) and have found the 300+ hours of training for new freelance writers to be really helpful.
You can put your name on the waiting list and she will contact you when it opens again. There is also a job board and forum so you can ask any questions as a newbie freelance writer. 🙂
You can join the waiting list for the Freelance Writers Den right here
Don’t forget you can always market your freelance writing services to your local businesses. They often need their websites and blogs updating regularly.
It’s worth paying them a friendly visit and leaving your business card with them, so they can get in touch.
Tap into the $7.5 billion greeting cards industry
Did you know the greeting card industry is huge in the US, netting around $7.5 billion a year!
In this interesting article by Sandy Forbes, another option may be to create shorter, catchy ideas for greeting card companies that can pay anywhere between $15 – $300 (£10 – £200) depending on the publisher.
They will probably want exclusive rights, then once you agree and sign the agreement then they send payment. Below is a list of greeting card publishers to help you get started.
- Blue Mountain Arts
- American Greetings
- Oatmeal Studios
- Hallmark
- Gallant Greetings
- Avanti Press
- Smart Alex
Did you find this post useful or inspiring? Save THIS PIN now below.