How to Start a Freelance Writing Career

Whether you're looking for a little extra cash now and then or a way to augment a fiction career, freelancing writing can be lucrative, challenging, and very fulfilling if you play it right!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Use Ad Revenue Sites. Sites like eHow, Bukisa and Hubpages all allow you to publish your own content and then receive pay off the ad revenue that you create. This will start very slowly and gradually build up, but it allows you to start earning immediately and to create a portfolio that will be essential in getting other jobs.

2. Know Your Boards. Use job boards like Freelance Writing Jobs and ProBlogger (links below!) that crawl the web looking for leads to post on their sites.

3. Create a Dynamite Query. List your contact info, links to your work, your experience, and let a little of your personality shine through. Play up your strengths and cover for your weaknesses.

4. Apply Apply Apply! There are, at this moment, thousands of freelance writers, most of whom are looking for more or any work. It's difficult to grab a piece of the pie, but sheer statistics are in your favor. Keep applying!

Tips & Warnings

• This is a career that will take several months to build up sustainable income. See the feature "Cash Dash" on The Final Word to get a semblance of what a freelance writer makes.

Resources

• Freelance Writing Jobs
• ProBlogger
• the final word

[vikki9]

on 2/18/2009 Very helpful information.Thank you.

[kabney]

on 2/16/2009 Good article, very useful information!

[mamavic]

on 2/9/2009 great article- I'm glad you were honest as to how it takes a while to start making money at this.

[kaytay]

on 1/20/2009 again, great freelance advice! 5 stars

[Cherrie]

on 1/9/2009 Good Article, I liked your "Final Word" website but could not find the "Cash Dash" button. Thanks and blessings.