How to Become a Freelance Writer
Want to learn more about how to become a freelance writer? With more and more people enjoying the benefits of freelancing, you might be wondering how you can take the plunge into a freelance career yourself. Freelance writing is a popular choice, as it offers a huge variety of potential projects and the chance to turn your passion into a flexible career. Even better, you can get started as a freelance writer without any previous experience.
In this guide, we’ll explore freelance writing in depth, including the different types of work available and how to start your own freelance writing career.
What Is Freelance Writing?
Freelance writing is the process of producing written content on a self-employed basis. Instead of being employed by a single company, freelance writers work with multiple clients on either one-off or recurring projects. These clients can range from individuals to businesses, agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Working as a freelance writer offers freedom and flexibility. You can:
- Choose where and when you work.
- Set your own rates.
- Decide which services to offer.
- Select the clients or organizations you collaborate with.
However, a key thing to remember is that you’ll also be responsible for all financial and administrative tasks, such as handling your own taxes and invoicing clients. You’ll effectively be running your own small business. For more on freelancing in general, you can check out our Beginner’s Guide to Freelancing.
What Do Freelance Writers Do?
A freelance writer transforms a client’s brief into a completed piece of writing. There is no exact process to freelance writing, as each writer will adapt their approach to individual clients and projects. However, it generally involves the same basic steps:
- Pitching or briefing – A client might contact you with a proposal (a brief), or you might pitch an idea to them. If you need more direction on identifying potential jobs, check out our guide on how to find freelance writing jobs online.
- Planning – Once the project is confirmed, you plan out the piece. This could involve researching the subject, creating a schedule, and producing an outline. Some forms of writing (like blog posts) have common formats you can follow.
- Writing – Next, you draft the piece according to the client’s brief. Depending on the complexity of the project, you might produce multiple drafts before you’re satisfied with your work.
- Reviewing – You proofread your draft, then send it to the client for feedback. The client may request revisions (which should be addressed in your contract or the initial negotiation process).
- Invoicing – Once the work is approved, you issue an invoice. Some freelance writers request partial or full payment in advance to avoid issues with a client not paying.
Common Types of Freelance Writing
The nature of a freelance writer’s work depends on the type of writing they specialize in and the kinds of clients they serve. Some of the most common areas include:
- Content writing
- Copywriting
- Blog writing
- Ghostwriting
Let’s take a look at each of these types of writing in detail.
Copywriting
Generally speaking, copy refers to writing produced with the intention of directly selling a product or service. A freelance copywriter may produce marketing content such as:
- Landing pages
- Product descriptions
- Advertisements
- Website copy
- Social media posts
The term copywriting is sometimes used interchangeably with content writing, but they do serve different purposes. While copywriting is often focused on persuading and converting users, content writing is focused on educating and informing them. Read more about the distinction between the two in our dedicated blog post.
Content Writing
Content writing typically involves longer pieces of writing – or content – that aim to tell a story of some kind.
It can be used to establish the client’s authority on a topic, build trust with potential customers, and inform readers about a particular subject, service, or product. Doing so encourages readers to take an action such as signing up for a service, buying a product, or providing an email address.
The most common forms of content writing include:
- Blog posts and articles
- Press releases and statements
- Business reports
- Instruction manuals and handbooks
- Emails and newsletters
- Social media content
- White papers
A freelance content writer may choose to specialize in one or more types of content, depending on their skills, experience, and interests. Or, they may prefer to be a generalist.
Blog Writing
Blogging is one of the most common forms of written content, with over six million blog posts published worldwide every day. And with many businesses looking to share blog content as a way of establishing their brand and improving their SEO rankings, it’s no surprise that blog writing is a popular choice for many freelance writers.
Blog writing involves producing an article on a particular subject, usually for the client’s own blog. The client might provide a title or a more in-depth brief for what they want the post to cover. It’s then up to the freelance writer to deliver that content.
Blog posts can vary in length, but the average is between 1,500 and 2,500 words. This makes writing blog posts an achievable goal for freelance writers who are just starting out.
Ghostwriting
A ghostwriter is someone who writes on behalf of someone else. They must adapt their own writing style to the tone and voice of the named author.
For freelance writers, ghostwriting can involve anything from writing an article under the client’s name to producing a novel or autobiography for a public figure.
Ghostwriting differs from other forms of freelance writing in that freelance writers cannot claim credit for a piece of work they have ghostwritten. This usually means that they can’t refer to the piece in a resume or display it in a portfolio. However, ghostwriters can generally charge higher rates than other freelance writers.
Ghostwriting also usually involves less research than other writing gigs, as the “author” provides all the necessary resources and information.
How Much Do Freelance Writers Make?
A freelance writer’s income will depend heavily on the type of writing they do, their level of experience, and the clients they work with. How writers charge for their services (per word, per hour, or per project) also makes a difference.
Generally speaking, though, new freelance writers may start out charging around $15–$20 per hour for their work. With more experience and professional training, they can increase their rates.
How to Become a Freelance Writer
Breaking into the freelance writing industry can seem daunting, especially if you lack formal experience. The good news is that it’s entirely possible to launch a successful freelance writing career as long as you’re methodical and determined. Consider the following steps:
1. Research the Industry
Before diving into freelance writing head-on, first make sure that you understand the industry and what to expect from it. By studying the different types of writing and their conventions, you’ll better understand what you want to focus on and how to pursue it as a career.
A good place to start is job listings on freelance marketplaces, paying particular attention to what clients expect from a writer.
Many freelance writers also run their own blogs and newsletters, where they share insights into the world of freelance writing. These are great places to pick up information and tips about what working as a freelance writer is really like.
2. Set Goals
Setting SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) goals can help you take the necessary steps toward a successful career in freelance writing.
Think about the following questions:
- What services will you offer?
- What sorts of clients would you like to work with?
- Will you specialize in a particular niche?
- How much would you like to earn?
Once you’ve defined your goals, you can think about what you need to do to reach them.
3. Develop Your Skills
It goes without saying that to be a successful freelance writer, you’ll need to be able to write well. But you’ll also need some other skills:
- Good time management
- The ability to stay focused
- Basic skills in relevant writing tools and software (like Google Docs and Microsoft Word)
- Strong communication skills
- An understanding of SEO
And if you choose to offer particular services, such as technical or legal writing, you may need to develop specialist skills related to those areas.
Luckily, there are various ways you can improve and expand your skill set. These include:
- Reading widely
- Practicing your writing
- Following training guides and videos
- Having a mentor
And while you don’t need any particular qualifications to work as a freelancer, taking an in-person or online freelance writing course can be a great boost to your confidence and potential job opportunities.
4. Build Your Experience
Starting off as a new freelance writer might seem daunting at first. You’ll need to demonstrate your experience to find writing jobs – but how are you supposed to gain that experience if you haven’t worked as a freelance writer before? Fortunately, building your writing experience isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
First, you can start demonstrating your skills by writing samples. These are pieces of writing similar to what you would produce for clients. If you plan on writing content for blogs, for instance, you could create a few sample blog posts to both flex your writing muscles and provide an example of what you can do.
You can also gain experience with real clients by volunteering your writing services to:
- Friends and family
- Charities and nonprofits
- Local businesses
When starting out, make use of online freelance marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr. These sorts of gigs may pay less than other freelance writing work, but they’re a great way to gain experience.
5. Market Yourself
The key to a successful career as a freelancer is marketing yourself. For freelance writers, this can involve:
- Building a portfolio
- Creating a website
- Setting up a blog (and posting regularly!)
- Updating your resume
- Setting up professional social media profiles
- Guest blogging
- Cold emailing potential clients
If you choose to specialize in a particular type of writing, this will help you narrow down your strategies for marketing and know which clients to target.
Building a network with other freelancers will also help get your name out there and learn about potential work opportunities. You can do this by posting in online freelance writing groups, joining writing societies, and attending online and in-person networking events.
Becoming A Freelance Writer
Now you know what to expect, are you ready to give the world of freelance writing a try? Our Becoming A Freelance Writer course will teach you everything you need to know to pursue a profitable career in writing. You’ll enjoy CPD accreditation, expert guidance, and a publishing guarantee if you achieve 80% or more on your final assignment.
Interested in getting a sneak peek? Sign up for two free lessons to try it out for yourself.
Updated on March 26, 2025
Your email address will not be published.