What Do You Need to Become a Freelance Creative Writer

Breaking into the freelance industry takes time and effort. Other than hard work, potential writers must be able to write creative prose. They must be able to market their skills and reach out to potential clients. To get started in this field, creative writers should read through the following tips.

Literary Publications

One of the main places to sell short stories is through a literary publication. These magazines will publish creative poetry and stories. They do not pay as much as commercial options, but it could be a good way for the writer to get exposure.

Ghostwriting

Becoming a successful novelist does not happen overnight. While writers build their career, they may want to take ghostwriting jobs to pay their bills. Many bidding sites offer ghostwriting projects for aspiring novelists. Although the pay is often low, it allows the writer to get paid for practicing their trade.

E-Books

If the writer has a second source of income, they do not have to worry about earning money immediately from writing. Instead of ghostwriting for someone else, they can create their own fiction novels. E-books can easily be written, edited and formatted by the writer. Once the book is complete, the writer just needs to buy a cover and post it on Amazon or a similar site. Like any product, the writer will have to market their book if they want it to sell well.

Editing

To make a living, writers cannot just write short stories and poetry. Instead, many writers resort to editing novels and creative writing. Self-published authors always need a good editor to go through their writing. These positions tend to pay fairly well and allow the writer to check out different writing styles.

Web Comics

For artists, web comics can be a viable source of income. There are a number of web comics that earn enough for the writer to just create comics and relax. Since it takes time to build up a site, writers should not expect this option to pay off immediately.

Scripts for Videos and Plays

Someone has to create the scripts used by popular television shows, plays and movies. New writers will normally be hired to work as assistants during the writing process. If the writer has a talent for script writing, they may be able to submit a script on spec. They also could apply for script writing jobs through one of the many freelance bidding sites.