So you want to be a Freelance Writer but have no idea how to start? OK, this is not a huge problem to deal with and you should be on your way within the next hour. Yes, from the time you start reading this article to the time you have become a Freelance writer takes about an hour.
I’m going to assume 2 things about you: The first is that you have never published anything for money in your life. The second is that you are reading this on a computer.
What You Need to Get Started
To start from the very basics of setting up your office:
1-Computer
2-Internet connection
3-Word Processing program
That is it. You do not need anything else to get started. Most computers come with some word processing program on them or you can download Open Office for free, just Google the software and download it.
You don’t actually even have to own a computer or have an Internet connection at home though it is much more convenient. You can use a computer and Internet connection at the library if you have no other option. You will want to get both the computer and the Internet connection as soon as possible though to expand your working time.
Start Writing
Now that you have those three things, you need to write something. For this you can take a few routes. There are essentially 3 ways to go about it and each is more lucrative than the last. Because you have never written anything professionally before it might be a good idea to start at the second tier just to get used to the job.
The First Tier: Residual Sites
The first level has you sign up for accounts with Wikinut, Helium or Yahoo Voices. Write on the topic of your choice and receive residual pay based on how many people read your work.
These sites all work essentially the same way: You write articles for little or no upfront payment but you are paid based on how many people view them.
Here are the top 5 residual sites
Of the 5, Yahoo Voices publishes the slowest but the residuals last forever. It can be a few days before your articles appear online there though. Skyword has the best writers platform and will teach you SEO in a painless fashion; it automatically checks your articles before you submit and tells you what to correct. Working for any of these companies will teach you how to write online.
This is good for brand new writers and even experienced writers who have never written for online markets. You will learn good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and web formatting. These skills are not to be underestimated, as they are absolutely essential for all Internet writing.
The Second Tier: Online Writing Companies
The next route is to sign up with some of the top freelance writing sites on the Internet and start writing for them. These sites work by finding clients for you and splitting the profits. You will generally never see what these sites earn off of your work. You will only see what you earn. These sites, as with the residual sites, can be good exposure and good training.
One thing you will learn writing for many online companies is how to write quickly and efficiently. Your typing skills will drastically improve as well. All of this adds up to being able to complete more articles in a given time period and thus earn more money.
The Top 5 Online Writing Companies:
Generally speaking, Scripted will teach you how to pitch articles. Demand Media, Textbroker and Constant Content generally have the most work. Scripted and iWriter normally pay the best.
The Third Tier: Individual Clients
This is where you will find the best money of the three groups. This is also the most difficult and the most difficult area in which to get started. To find work in this group you will be marketing your services and actively looking for clients. In the other two groups the clients are provided.
At this level, you will find clients, pitch your stories or writing services to them and then complete projects for payment. While I actively encourage everyone reading this to get to this level, if you have never written anything before this is going to be a very difficult place to start. These high-end clients will want you to have a website, samples and references.
For marketing you are looking at both direct mail and email campaigns, cold calling and networking. At this level you really need to know what you are doing in terms of writing effective copy for your target audience. Not only do the clients expect more but also the demands of the additional marketing work will require you to have the writing aspect down pat.
There are online services that help you find clients and they can be useful for those just getting started at this level.
The Top Online Sites for Finding Freelance Clients
FlexJobs is the best at helping you find the kinds of clients you are interested in having. The others have plenty of work but you may have to wade through low paying clients from time to time. Both Guru and oDesk have Time Tracker Software that the client may or may not require you to use.
What I recommend
I told you in the beginning that you could be a freelance writer in an hour. Even a complete novice can get started and then build on the foundation. I recommend, for the complete novice, the following:
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Sign Up to Yahoo Voices and Skyword
Skyword will teach you SEO and Yahoo Voices will give you long-term residual income; it’s always good to have a place to put articles that have no other home. At Skyword, apply for the news program and select the various categories that interest you. Write and publish a few articles there. All of these articles immediately become your first samples.
- Apply to Demand Media, iWriter and Textbroker
These three pay better and will help you hone your online writing skills. Expect to hear back from Demand Media and Textbroker in a few days, iWriter is open once you verify your email address.
- Don’t take on more jobs than you can handle.
Please, just take one or two jobs on at first. There is a learning curve in everything and this is no different. You don’t want to ruin your reputation with a company immediately because you bit off more than you can chew. Once you get comfortable, write like crazy. Sites like Demand Media and Scripted both put initial limits on how many jobs you can have in your queue just to make sure that you have a handle on things. The other sites leave it up to you.
That is really all there is to it. What I recommend can all be done at once. Save jumping to the final level until you are really comfortable with writing online. When you are consistently writing good SEO copy without thinking about it then you are ready.