How to Start a Freelance Writing Business

Whether you’re looking to use your way with words to launch a new career or to embark on an interesting side hustle, starting a freelance writing business is a great option. But where and how do you start? It can be a daunting prospect, but you can do it. In this post, we’ll explain how.

10 Steps to Starting a Freelance Writing Business

Here are our 10 steps to guide you through the process of starting and growing your freelance writing business from scratch:

1. Develop your freelance writing skills.
2. Choose a freelance writing niche.
3. Set up your own website or blog.
4. Use your existing network.
5. Create a portfolio of work.
6. Collect client testimonials.
7. Build a social media presence.
8. Check writing job boards.
9. Pitch yourself for work.
10. Decide your rates.

1. Develop Your Freelance Writing Skills

We’ll start with the most obvious step, but it’s one you could easily overlook. To succeed as a freelance writer, honing your writing skills is crucial. You probably wouldn’t be pursuing a writing career if you weren’t a good writer, but you need to remember that the same circumstances apply to your competitors – and that’s without considering the impact of AI.

Continually working to develop and improve your skills to become a better writer will enhance the quality of your work, help you stand out in a competitive market, and enable you to charge higher rates. Here are some things you can do right away:

• Practice regularly: Write every day to improve your skills, even if you’re just keeping a private journal.
• Take writing courses: Check out online writing courses or take part in workshops to learn different styles and techniques or to brush up on the latest technology. 
• Learn the lingo: As with all industries, the freelance writing world is awash in its own terminology. To understand what’s being asked of you, you’ll do well to get to grips with some key words (and, indeed, with what keywords are). Have a look at our handy glossary.
• Seek feedback: This is the scary bit, but if you’re going to make writing your business, you’ll have to get used to feedback. And it will really help. Try joining a writing group or finding a mentor to get constructive feedback on your work.

2. Choose a Freelance Writing Niche

Specializing in a niche – even if you do also write on other subjects – will make it easier for you to market your services and attract clients. Here are some ways to find your niche:

• Identify your interests: Think about topics you’re passionate about or already have an in-depth knowledge of. Consider the type of content writing you’re best at, whether that’s long form or short form.
• Research market demand: Investigate the technology, health, finance, and lifestyle niches, which have a high demand for content.
• Evaluate the competition: Assess the level of competition in your chosen niche. Even in an area where a lot has been written, you may find an angle that hasn’t had much coverage.

3. Set Up Your Own Website or Blog

Having a professional online presence is essential for showcasing your work. And that presence will allow potential clients to find and contact you easily. You’ll need to:

• Choose a name: Select a memorable and professional name for your blog or website. Have a look at our related post, How to Choose Your Freelance Business Name, for some detailed guidance.
• Select a platform: Choose a reliable platform to ensure your website or blog is always accessible. Free blogging platforms are available for freelance writers.
• Design your site: Many platforms include user-friendly tools to help with site design. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing your business, branding your business – using a consistent color palette and font, for example – will create an attractive and functional website
• Include essential pages: Add pages such as About, Services, Portfolio, and Contact to provide clear and comprehensive information about your business.

4. Use Your Existing Network

You might think, “I’m just starting out. I don’t have an existing network,” but you’d be surprised. If you’ve followed our advice to find your niche, then chances are you’ll have some personal and professional connections who can help you find initial clients and build your reputation. Even if you don’t think you do, try these things:

• Reach out to friends and family: Simply telling them about your new business could lead to previously undiscovered connections. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking whether a friend or family member knows anyone in need of your writing services.
• Attend networking events: Participate in industry events – the advantage of the niche again – or online forums to connect with potential clients and other freelancers.
• Use social media: Let’s face it. You’re probably on social media. And if you’re not, consider joining. This is another great way to announce your services and connect with potential clients. If you’re struggling over what to say, you might find some helpful templates here.

5. Create a Portfolio of Work

A portfolio demonstrates your writing capabilities and provides proof of your expertise to potential clients. In an earlier post, we looked in detail at how to build your freelance writing portfolio. At the very least, you’ll need to:

• Select your best work: Choose a variety of writing samples that showcase your skills and versatility.
• Create new samples: If you’re just starting, write sample articles or blog posts in your chosen niche. Although doing this will involve writing something for free, those pieces will at the very least provide samples of your work and could furnish you with material to pitch to a client (see step nine).
• Organize your samples: Make your portfolio easy to navigate by categorizing samples by topic or format.

6. Collect Client Testimonials

Positive testimonials from satisfied clients can build trust and credibility, boosting your online discoverability and encouraging more clients to hire you. Collecting testimonials isn’t difficult, but you do need to be proactive. Take a deep breath, have some confidence in your business, and do this:

• Request feedback: Here we go again! If you took our advice at step one to seek feedback, this might not feel so difficult. Ask your satisfied clients for testimonials as soon as possible after completing a project.
• Display your testimonials: They’re always lovely to read, but you need to make those nice words work for you. Add the testimonials to your website, portfolio, and marketing materials. And make sure they’re easy to find.
• Highlight key achievements: This is definitely the time for blowing your own trumpet. Focus on specific results or benefits your clients experienced from your work because those will set you apart from the competition.

7. Build a Social Media Presence

We touched on the benefits of social media previously in terms of your existing network. Now that you’re a business, it’s time to build on that to reach a broader audience, network with industry professionals, and promote your services:

• Choose your platforms: Focus on platforms such as LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or Facebook, where your audience is most active.
• Share content regularly: Post updates, writing tips, and links to your work to engage your audience.
• Join relevant groups: Participate in social media groups related to your niche to connect with potential clients and fellow professionals. You may have started with a small network, but that will soon grow.

8. Check Writing Job Boards

Writing job boards are excellent resources for finding freelance writing gigs and building a portfolio and client base. Here’s how to get started:

• Register on job boards: Popular job boards for freelance writers include Upwork, Freelancer, and ProBlogger.
• Set up alerts: To make the best use of your registration, make sure to create job alerts based on your search to get notified about new opportunities in your niche.
• Make it a routine: Regularly search and apply for relevant jobs to increase your chances of landing work.

9. Pitch Yourself for Work

Writing jobs won’t just land on your desk – or desktop – simply because you’ve set up your business. Now that you have your niche, why not pitch your services directly to your audience? Here’s how:

• Research potential clients: Identify companies, blogs, and publications that align with your niche. Make a list and check each entry to see how recent its content is. If it’s not up to date, that’s where you could help!
• Craft a compelling pitch: Personalize your pitch to show why you should be hired. Remember the great things your clients said in their testimonials and use those to highlight your skills and experience and the ways you can add value for the client.
• Follow up: To demonstrate your enthusiasm and interest, send follow-up emails if you don’t receive a response initially.

10. Decide Your Rates

We’ve left this to last, but it may well be the first thing you want to know before you set up your business: What can you expect to earn as a freelance writer? Although some writing jobs will pay a flat rate per piece, as a freelancer, you will generally be free to set your rates. Here’s how you can do that:

• Research industry standards: Look up average rates for freelance writers in your niche and for your level of experience and expertise.
• Calculate your expenses: If you’re looking to make a living from writing, you’ll need to make sure that you can cover your living expenses, so make sure you factor those in along with your business costs.
• Record your time: You may think you’re free of time sheets as a freelancer. Think again! Having a record of how long each project takes – including reading the brief and doing necessary research – will show you how much you need to charge to cover your expenses. There are plenty of tools available to keep track, such as Clockify and Toggl, including some free options.
• Adjust as you gain experience: When you start out, you may have to set rates that don’t quite cover your expenses so you attract clients and build your portfolio. As you gain experience, however, you can use that growth to justify an increase in your rates.

Becoming A Freelance Writer

By following these steps, you can establish a solid foundation for your freelance writing business and gradually build a steady stream of clients. Remember, persistence and continuous improvement are keys to long-term success in this field.

And if you’re at step one and looking to develop your writing skills, what better way to do so than with our Becoming A Freelance Writer course? The course includes the opportunity to write three posts for our blog, which will provide a great start for your portfolio. And if that wasn’t enough, you can try a couple of lessons for free!