Have you ever wanted to become a freelance writer?

Freelance writing can result in serious payouts, especially if you’re good at it. I make anywhere from $100 to upwards of $300 per article I write. Of course, I have a specific strategy to make that much money for each article.

Don’t worry! I plan on telling you my strategy because it’s essential to practice it.

And I’ll also show you how to get your first freelance writing job.

Now let’s get into the basics of how to become a freelance writer today!

Become a Freelance Writer with this Strategy!

Niche.

That’s my strategy. I’m a niche freelance writer.

I didn’t become a freelance writer to write about every single topic someone is willing to pay me to write about. It wouldn’t be worth the money I charge. If it’s a topic I know nothing about, I have to put research time into it.

You usually don’t get paid extra to research. Instead, you get paid for the word amount.

So, I niched down. I’m an outdoor freelance writer. I write about hiking, biking, camping, and related outdoor recreational activities. I’ve been into hiking for a decade. I’ve been biking for over a decade. I also camp and do other outdoor activities all year round.

Outdoor recreation is my passion in life. So it’s easy for me to write about it with little research necessary.

The strategy is simple – niche down and only become a freelance writer for topics that have to do with something you love and are passionate about.

It’s worth it in the end.

Become a Freelance Writer for these Uncertain Times

My goal is to start an agency focusing on outdoor brands and businesses eventually.

I want to provide my clients with writing, marketing, social media, and search engine optimization services.

But I decided to become a freelance writer for the time being because of how uncertain these times are. As of today (2023), we’re nearing a recession. During a recession, companies, and brands typically reduce spending and tighten budgets.

This means expensive agencies start to lose clients and potential new clients decide not to use the agencies. On the other hand, if an agency is well-known and respected, it’ll likely keep most of its clients and be able to sustain itself.

But for a brand new agency, it will be a challenge during a recession.

So, I decided to hold off on starting an agency and focus on becoming a freelance writer instead. Freelance writers are cheaper than agencies. In addition, companies and brands are usually more willing to spend smaller amounts on freelance work than to hire an agency or delegate it to a paid employee.

Plus, it gives me plenty of time to learn more about the trade to better prepare myself for when I launch my agency in time.

How to Get Your First Freelance Writing Gig

It’s going to take some work.

I want to be honest with you from the get-go. You’ll have to work a little bit before you can start getting paid. You’ll have to spend a little bit of money, too. But don’t let this discourage you. Stop procrastinating about it and start making it happen.

• Buy a $10 domain name. Do what I did and get YourName.com if it’s available.
• Then buy some cheap shared hosting. It’s like $120 for a whole year, and you can pay monthly if you want to.
• Next, install WordPress blogging software. It’s free, and over 40% of websites on the internet are powered by it.
• After you set everything up, start posting one blog a week. If you can do two or three a week, it’ll be even better.
• Make sure you create the best possible content about the subject you want to become a freelance writer for.
• Build up some social media followings for what you’re writing about.

The steps above will enable you to develop expertise and some experience before becoming a freelance writer. Potential clients want to see proof that you know what you’re doing. They don’t want their time wasted.

Starting a blog around the niche, you want to sell freelance writing for will make you more trustworthy. If your content is at its best, people can see just how good of content you can create for them.

Otherwise, you’re just another freelance writer no one knows in a pool of millions of other writers no one has ever heard of.

After you establish yourself a little, start contacting different websites and blogs about writing for them. Show them your work and explain your passion for the niche. Social media is great for finding business, especially on Twitter and LinkedIn.

You’ll have to go to them. They’re usually not going to come to find you unless you’re well-known. The only way you’ll ever be known that much is by getting out there and finding work yourself at the beginning after you become a freelance writer.

And if you get rejected at first, don’t be discouraged. We all do! I still get rejected occasionally, but I still get plenty of acceptance. But you have to keep trying to get them.

And that’s how you become a freelance writer. Focus your efforts on using my strategy above to have a better chance of gaining a client. Take advantage of the times and what they have to offer. Not everything has to be depressing and negative right now. And be sure you work the essentials above to get your first gig. If you’ve enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please follow me on Twitter for more freelance writing tips.

About the Author

Shawn Gossman has created content, blogged, ran online communities, and shared a passion for digital marketing for over twenty years. Shawn believes the best way to help content creators, businesses, brands, and marketers is to give away more than you sell. The same advice is recommended for the readers who follow this blog. Shawn also offers various services for extra help in content creation and blogging.