Writeropolis Media

If you’re committed to enhancing your writing capabilities, learning about marketing, and delivering projects to clients promptly, you can achieve success as a freelance writer. Newcomers can learn and develop these crucial traits.

If you possess any level of specialized knowledge in a subject you’re passionate about, you have a valuable opportunity to write about it. Effective communication is key; if you can articulate your thoughts clearly and compellingly in writing, you will likely find an audience eager for your insights.

Whether it’s through blogs, traditionally published articles, or social media captions, there is — and always will be! — a market for humans creating art. No software will ever replace the complexities of the human mind.

Here are some key points to remember before diving into freelance writing.

1. Understanding the business side

Many people forget that freelancing is a business. To become a freelance writer, you need more than just creativity. You must also be prepared to manage a business. This step requires a good understanding of fundamental business principles and a willingness to learn as you go if you don’t know what you’re doing.

For example, effective marketing of your services is crucial. This step might involve creating a professional website, using social media platforms, networking both online and offline, and consistently submitting pitches to relevant publications.

Moreover, managing client relationships is another key aspect. Communication skills like staying responsive to client inquiries, understanding their needs, and delivering work on time fosters trust and can lead to repeat business and referrals. For instance, if a client requests revisions, it’s important to handle this promptly. Setting competitive rates requires thorough market research; you’ll need to analyze the going rates for your niche and adjust accordingly to ensure you’re both competitive and fair to yourself.

Maintaining precise financial records is indispensable for tracking income and expenses, preparing for tax obligations, and assessing your overall business health. This step might include using accounting software or hiring a professional accountant when necessary. By keeping accurate records, you can track your earnings, manage your expenses, and ensure you’re prepared for tax season.

By seamlessly blending your passion for writing with diligent business practices, you can craft a sustainable career that provides long-term stability.

2. Financial backing

Whether you write for personal projects, maintain a blog, or create print or digital books, each project requires significant time and effort into researching, writing, editing, and formatting.

As a freelance writer, it is common for payment to take several weeks or even months to arrive after completing an assignment. Finding clients, finishing projects, and submitting your work can be lengthy and almost always unpredictable.

It’s essential to have financial support during the initial stages of your freelance writing career. This support might mean relying on savings, pursuing part-time work, or leaning on support from family and friends to cover expenses during periods of irregular income.

3. Writing skills

This skill might seem fundamental, but let’s delve deeper. If you’ve ever engaged in writing, regardless of the context or level, freelancing could be a meaningful change in your professional direction. Consider your experiences: perhaps you’ve crafted professional correspondence as an administrative assistant, maintained a blog or website, or written academic papers that garnered praise from instructors. Each instance indicates you possess the foundational skills and potential to thrive as a writer.

If you’re hesitant about stepping into the freelance world, choose a specific topic or genre that piques your interest. Write a short piece reflecting that focus: a news article, a blog post, or a non-fiction essay. Once you’ve completed your draft, find a writing group online or in-person that can provide constructive feedback. A beta reader’s insights can help you gauge your strengths and identify areas for improvement.

No matter how much we want them to know about your new professional pursuit, don’t share your work with your family or friends unless it’s relevant to them; they won’t tell you the truth.

4. Educational background

Even if your writing experience primarily comes from your academic career, you can pivot to become a professional freelancer. Start by identifying the specific genre you are passionate about, whether fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or a niche like fantasy or memoir, and start writing.

While there’s a significant difference between theoretical learning and practical execution, you have the potential to bridge that gap if you’re willing to put in the work. You already have the foundational skills; now is the time to put them into practice. Set aside dedicated time each day for writing, building a sustainable routine that fosters creativity and encourages productivity.

5. Experience

Even if you don’t have extensive professional experience as a writer, you can gain valuable skills by starting a blog or a personal journal. Blogging allows you to engage with an audience. Journaling can help you reflect on your thoughts.

Both practices provide excellent opportunities to build your portfolio and establish yourself. An idea might bubble up that you can file away for later use.

6. Self-motivation

Motivating yourself can be a challenge. There might be days when you don’t feel inspired to write, but it’s crucial to push through these moments and stay committed. You need to start and finish your work tasks each day if you’re striving for consistent pay. If you have had trouble in the past about staying committed without reminders from others, think about this aspect before you begin.

One option might be leaning on friends and family for emotional support. Writing is a lonely job, so don’t forget that you have cheerleaders in your corner. If you need a coffee break, take it and go back to work. If you need to throw in a load of laundry, do it and go back to work. If you need to take the dog for a walk, do it and go back to work!

7. Time

Like every person trying to adult in this crazy world, holding down a full-time job, maintaining relationships, and being in a constant state of change means that nonessential things often get thrown to the side. I like to say “that’s for tomorrow Me.” However, it’s important to regularly set aside time for finishing your projects and marketing to attract clients.

Organizing your day is an important part of using your time wisely. Spending an hour each day can help you get started as a freelancer, but this time limit will affect the writing you can do and the amount of potential clients that you can pitch to. Maybe you’ll find that you can ramp up that schedule: one hour before your full-time job to research for your freelance project and one hour after your full-time job to pitch.

8. Confidence

Have confidence in your writing skills for the projects you want to pursue. For example, if you are writing young adult fiction as a freelancer, you don’t need to write at a PhD level; write in a way that suits your audience. Writing at about an 8th-grade level is usually enough. Don’t make your writing more complicated than necessary.

You don’t have to be perfect with grammar when writing persuasive copy for a product. Many copywriters use less-than-perfect grammar because the goal is to appeal and persuade, not to meet academic standards. Each writing genre has its own style, tone, and voice, so focus only on what you need for your niche.

9. Flexibility

Demonstrating a willingness to begin your freelance writing career at a lower level while fully aware of your potential for growth and development showcases an essential quality: flexibility. This adaptability highlights your commitment to refining your skills over time and illustrates your understanding of the industry’s competitive nature. Embracing entry-level opportunities with the mindset that each experience will contribute to your expertise and portfolio reflects a proactive approach to professional and personal development in your writing journey.

For example, you might want to write recipes for a famous chef, but the first work available might be for a less-known blogger. Take the job because it will help you develop your writing skills over time.

However, once you’ve gained the necessary experience and you’ve got a good system going of finding and creating content for your clients, don’t let yourself stay there. Push yourself to pitch bigger projects to high-profile clients. Consider a 60/40 ratio: 60% entry level gigs and 40% high-profile clients. Or find what ratio works for you. Becoming a successful freelancer is what you make of it.

Transformation is integral to existence.

At times, it can arrive unexpectedly and catch a person off guard. In other moments, there’s a heightened awareness of its impending arrival, allowing someone the chance to get ready. And, even if someone decides to take control and make the change, it can still be intimidating. There might be an air of insecurity about whether or not to proceed with the change.

One way to transform our inner selves is to get out of our comfort zones. There’s nothing better than thinking about your next trip to help do that.

Rather than traveling for pleasure, book your next trip as a solo creative retreat. Take some time off of work. If you can only weekend warrior it, do it. If you have kids, find out who can take them on while you’re off creating. Find a pet sitter if you have pets.

To prepare, gather up every half-done project, scrap of paper and voice memo with the spark of an idea, some adult coloring books, candles, music, journals, comfortable walking shoes, bathing suit, gym clothes, notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, whatever will help get your brain moving mentally and physically.

Make sure your favorite food delivery app is in order, so that you can order meals and have them delivered to your room so you don’t even need to leave. If you need to, take a dip in the hotel pool to refresh yourself, hence the suggestion to pack a suit. Feeling antsy? Take a walk around the hotel’s perimeter or hit the gym or take your notebook to the breakfast area.

Those are some ideas to get you thinking about how to make the trip work.

But what if you’re still on the fence about even going on a solo trip? That’s totally normal! We’re conditioned to travel with others, but creating on a trip with other people is tough because everyone has their own thing that they want to do.

So, to support you in your decision of self-exploration, these five questions can help evaluate whether planning a solo trip right now is a good idea. These questions will help distinguish between the conditions that merit your time and energy and those that do not.

Let’s get started.

1. Do you want to take a trip?

That seems like an easy answer, but it’s not. We do what we do because we want to share our talents with the world. However, being creative and trying to make money from it is a different beast. Singing for your supper means shaping your output to please as many people as possible, which can be tiring. Worrying about whether others like your work also takes up a lot of mental bandwidth. If you want to be happy with the work that you produce, make sure it is for you and not just to please others.

2. Will the trip make me happy?

Before making any plans, ask yourself: will this trip give my project some meaning? Will it make me happy? Will it inspire my current creative project? To answer this, you need to know what you want. Wanting to make a career out of being an artist means pouring energy into the business side of things. So, it’s time to evaluate your creative goals. Start by listing achievable objectives in a SMART goal format, then categorize them into short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. If you already have goals, now’s a good time to reassess them with the SMART goal framework.

3. Can the trip help me reach my goals?

The final step is to take action, which might push you out of your comfort zone but can lead to positive change. A positive mindset, patience, and self-acceptance are key. Remember, your goals might change, so it’s critical to stay flexible when setting new ones.

4. Will being out of my comfort zone improve my life?

Compare yourself only to who you were yesterday. There will always be someone who looks more successful but focus on your growth. Celebrate your achievements and think about your next steps. This mindset will keep you motivated and help you move forward.

Change can happen on a smaller scale, too. Consider upgrading your security system, planting a garden, or buying new linens. There’s a possibility that the trip might do more harm than good. Consider the potential changes can improve the quality of your work. Any change you make should help make your life easier, less stressful, and more enjoyable.

5. Am I worried about traveling alone?

Being afraid is natural, but letting fear control you isn’t. We’re all scared of failing, uncertainty, and many other things. Yet, there’s one thing that successful people do: they don’t let their fears take over their lives. They learn how to face whatever it is that’s giving those butterflies in their stomachs. Then, they take a deep breath and jump in.

Whether you are afraid of public speaking or heights, you must find the courage to face your fears. Go through with it, no matter what happens. Once you finish, you will become a stronger and more experienced person. You can choose to embrace the benefits of change or decide to stay the same.

If you remain the same, you will always feel unsatisfied and miss out on life.

Many people insist they aren’t creative, but everyone possesses innate creativity. It’s a fundamental part of being human. Everything is creative – from fixing your morning breakfast to deciding your outfit based on your mood and the weather.

Creativity is a vital force in our lives, extending beyond art. Embracing a slower pace allows us to create still moments that spark our imagination and unlock new possibilities.

Taking a moment to pause allows our minds to explore new ideas. In these quiet moments, we discover fresh thoughts and surprising connections that spark creativity and lead to innovation. Embrace boredom to enhance your creativity.

Here are four tips to get started.

1. Go for a walk

Most of us go for walks, but we walk fast because we’re doing it to exercise. We aren’t doing it to be in nature. We’ve trained ourselves to believe that we don’t have much time. Life keeps us from taking our time and slowing down. But try walking slow; take at least an hour-long stroll. Let your mind wander, feel the fresh air on your face, and walk. Don’t think of everything else.

2. Take a bath

If you cannot go out, take some extra time in the bath. Soak up slowly, feel the water on your body, and enjoy the sensations. Try not to make it a task you must do or complete in a particular time. Add more hot water if you need to. Set up the room so you won’t need to get out for any reason. Stay in there while you let your mind roam and stay in the moment.

3. Do nothing

Everyone feels as if they must always be doing something. No one has downtime anymore. However, having downtime is necessary for your creativity. You must take time to do nothing, which is not the same as boredom. Doing nothing is an excellent way to reboot your brain so that you can handle more complex tasks. It’s about giving your mind a break and not feeling bored or unproductive.

4. Unwind your mind

If thoughts come to mind, that’s great when you’re letting yourself be bored. Explore the thoughts without worrying about the direction it’s taking you. Daydream about your wants, needs, and desires without editing your thoughts. Think about things differently from new angles, explore options, and get weird, silly, and outrageous. It’s okay because you’re thinking.

Boredom is not something that we allow ourselves to often feel. When alone, we pull out our phone, flip on the TV, or get on a laptop. Most of us never let ourselves think bored or still silent. However, unleash your creativity in a way that helps, find that silence, and let yourself get bored.

Producing content demands creativity, strategy, and commitment. However, creators often burn out, chasing likes and follows.

Rather than constantly producing something new, repurposing existing content can extend the reach of your original work. Repurposing content involves updating previously created blog posts, videos, or graphics with fresh insights and delivering them to your readers in a new format.

This approach maximizes the value of your initial investment and helps maintain engagement with your audience, as different formats cater to diverse preferences.

9 ways to repurpose your content

Here are some ways to repurpose your website content right now.

1. Turn old content into a newsletter: Great content and less stress. If there’s anything that needs updating with the content, targeting your newsletter readers is a great way to make sure the updated content reaches them.
2. Give something away in a PDF: If you have a blog series on a specific topic, compile them into a PDF and share the link at the bottom of the post. This strategy provides your audience with a valuable resource they can download and refer to at their convenience.
3. Make images: Maybe you have some tips or a quote that might be useful.
4. Write a book: Have you been writing your blog for a while? Turn some of the most valuable content into a book.
5. Be a guest on a podcast: Podcasting is not for the faint of heart, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of starting one, why not appear as a guest on one?
6. Host a webinar: Record it, release it.
7. Discussion video: Make a Reel or YouTube Short discussing your old content in a simplified way.
8. Guest posts: Turn your best advice into a guest post. It’s a great way to showcase your knowledge and establish authority in your field.
9. Slideshow: Turn your “top 10” into a slideshow, or share them one by one in your Story or in a Reel.