How to Find Freelance Writing Opportunities
A Writer's Guide to Getting Self Employment Jobs
Sep 17, 2009
Getting self employment jobs, especially in the field of freelance writing, isn’t easy. It requires a lot of digging, plenty of looking and an extreme amount of letter-writing. Learn what else it takes to find - and get - freelance writing opportunities.
Self Employment Jobs
Writing gigs are among the most prevalent self employment jobs listed online; there’s a wide world of opportunity out there for freelancers who want to earn. The trouble is, not all the jobs listed are legit. Not all of them pay very well - or even at all - and not all of them offer the exposure beginning writers are seeking. Sure, there’s a lot of jobs out there…but finding good freelance writing opportunities requires a different sort of finesse altogether.
When it comes to finding, and getting, self employment jobs, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
- Never pay for the privilege of job hunting. Paid job listings just aren’t a good idea for those who want to earn money with their work. There are way too many free job boards out there for freelance writers. There may be opportunities on paid boards, but it’s better to find jobs without spending on them.
- Get payment terms right up front. It’s fine to submit a sample piece of prose or two, but there’s no need to do a bunch of work for free. Find out all the payment terms for every freelance writing job upfront. Find out how much, when and in what form the money will arrive.
- Know the rights involved. Some companies will buy all rights to the articles they commission; others will allow freelance writers to re-sell their own pieces. The writers should know their rights on every piece they publish on the Internet.
Find Freelance Writing Opportunities
The most important aspect of getting self employment jobs is knowing where to find these freelance writing opportunities. How else are freelancers going to make money with their writing?
The good news is that it’s not at all complicated to find freelance writing opportunities. This is a highly popular form of self employment, especially in online markets. Web sites are content-driven, and pages are constantly in need of fresh writing that’s rich in keywords, and interesting in nature. To find freelance writing opportunities, turn to (free) online job boards which will list new self employment jobs on a daily basis. Use reputable Web sites to avoid writing scams, and research companies before accepting jobs.
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