5 Golden Rules of Getting Freelance Writing Jobs

If you are a starting freelance writer, the task of finding clients seems to be a tough endeavor. Make use of the following golden rules of getting lucrative writing jobs, and your freelance career is likely to be a success.

• 1. Create a website with your portfolio and a blog.
  Your potential clients should have something to refer to when deciding on whether to hire you or not. Therefore, a decent portfolio is a must. Gather all the suitable samples of your previous work that demonstrate your experience, talent, and flexibility. Clarify the niche of your expertise. The other areas of your writing should logically derive from it. Your website should look professional; include relevant personal information and your current photo. Run a blog. Constantly upload new interesting articles and give feedback to the comments.
• 2. Apply for job ads.
  Register in several freelance writing platforms and follow the openings. Do not apply for low-paying jobs. Define your expectant payment level and keep to it. The more experienced you become, the higher payment you can demand. Try to find job boards that are devoted only to the niche of your specialty.
• 3. Keep networking, both online and in-person.
  Successful freelance writing career is all about connections. Let everybody know about your occupation. Register in any social media writing platform and communicate with other freelance writers there. Sometimes, you may get very interesting job leads from these sources. Do not underestimate in-person networking. Visit different social and business events in your niche, where there is a great possibility to leave a deep impression on any potential client.
• 4. Pitch your services.
  As soon as you feel confident in the quality of your work, you may start the most interesting and profitable part of your freelance writing career. Research the area of your interest and find out new opportunities. Contact the owners of local businesses or non-profitable organizations and offer your help with promoting their websites. Look through the online publications and suggest on how to improve the quality of their articles. Sometimes, you should convince them that they need your skills, but the results are worth the effort.
• 5. Be professional.
  When applying for job offers or promoting your services in query letters, explain in details why you are the best candidate to do the job. Write about relevant skills and experience not only in writing, but in the needed industry. Keep business-like tone and don’t get distracted from key points. Evaluate the volumes of work to be done and offer real deadlines.