How to Make Money Online as a Freelance Writer
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David
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November 28th, 2012
Writer Wordart (Photo credit: MarkGregory007)
There are so many ways to make money online as a freelance writer that I'm going to be very limiting in my list here. Depending on who you are, how you write, and your experience, you can be very successful as an online freelance writer.
Questions you must ask to make money online as a freelance writer:
1) Do you have any experience?
Naturally, this is the most important question. Even if you're a literate person, just knowing how to read and write is not going to get you any work. Do you have a degree? Have you worked on school papers? Do you blog? These are all experiences that give you the opportunity to refine and improve your writing skills. They show potential clients or employers that you're capable!
2) How well do you write?
Again, being able to write is different than writing well. Are you one of those people who breezed through school with high grades and poetic whimsy? Or did you have to fight to learn grammar, sentence structure, figurative language, and composition? There are jobs for writers of all ilk, but being a natural born writer will take you much, much further.
3) On what subjects are you an expert?
Even if you're not an amazing writer, you can go very far if you have any sort of insightful knowledge. These can range from the highly technical (like physics, engineering, finances, etc) to the more experiential (home-making, cooking, book recommendations).
Exercise: Grab a piece of paper and list out 5 topics you know well, or would like to know more about. Think of things you enjoy talking about. I love to cook, so I know that I do well whenever I write about food. Add the things you love to the list!
Remember: Many freelance writers must write about things they might not necessarily care too much for when the bills come due. But, having areas of expertise, especially popular ones, will bring you more work!
4) How much time do you have to write?
There's a big difference between writing out a few quick pieces for a friend and dedicating yourself to a profession. What do you want to do? How much time do you have? Whether you want to work part-time or full-time, schedule out a plan of how many hours you can write a day or week. This will help you figure out which clients or projects to target, and not take on too much or too little.
Where can I go to find freelance writing jobs?
If you aren't already established through a blog and you don't have people banging on your door for more work, you might want to start with online bidding sites like oDesk, Elance, Guru, and anything else in that arena. I recommend starting out with these, which will give you a chance to see the market and competition. Eventually, you can move towards more selective projects, but this is a great starting point!
Tip: Consider building an online portfolio, even if only through a free blogging program like WordPress.com or Blogger. Another awesome resource is HubPages. Check 'em out, and get to work!