Making a living as a freelance writer is possible, but it requires some planning to have the best chance of success.
Learn the Craft
Success doesn’t come without some hard work, study and effort. Editors will only take approaches from writers seriously if those approaches are professional.
It's important to learn the basics of freelance writing. Ingenuity and the talent to write are things that no-one can teach, but there are many aspects of the craft that can be learned and even the most naturally talented people must be sure that they are tackling the job in a professional manner. Learn and follow the rules and expectations of editors and publications.
Here are a few areas of expertise to research.
- How do freelance writers get paid – and how much?
- What is the market for freelance writers and what types of freelance writing jobs are there?
- What is the difference between editing, copy editing & proofreading?
- What is meant by: byline, lede, hook, nut graph, slant, credit, masthead, kill fee, crib sheet, tear sheet, galley, and clip?
- Learn about layout and keywords for E-zine and Online Article
- Learn how to benefit from research
- Learn how to win bids on freelance writing sites
- What are the top five mistakes freelance writers make?
Get a Collection of Clips
Once all the research has been done, it’s important to get some practice writing articles. Doing unpaid or low paid work at this stage can be a good investment in any freelance writer’s future.
- Try approaching local freesheets or newspapers.
- Apply to online magazines and offer to write for them, even if they do not pay very much, they offer excellent opportunities to learn the techniques.
- Every writer has the freedom to start their own blog. A blog can be used as a showcase. Blogs need not be simple diaries, they can be used to create a writer’s own online magazine, with articles about subjects of their choice. The important thing for every writer is to have their writing available for people to read. Gone are the days when only the chosen few could find their names and their writing in the public domain.
Approach Magazines
Becoming a credible, published freelance writer usually means being published by a recognized print magazine. Freelance writers should not be too afraid to present their article ideas to an editor of a magazine. Provided that the writer makes an approach in a professional manner, and can provide samples of their work - online or in print - experience is not necessarily required to get a commission for an article.
Even if a writer does not have a long professional track record, some considerations will help to swing the editor’s decision in the writer’s favour.
For example:
- Is the writer an expert in the field concerned?
- Does the writer have unique access to the subject matter?
- Does the writer have a unique idea?
Credibility, special connections, and originality will help any writer secure that first contract with a major magazine.
But remember that becoming a writer, like everything else, starts with research and hard work.
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