Is it getting hard for you to make ends meet due to the prolonged lockdowns in the country? Are you looking to find your first freelance writing job to support you and your family but have no idea how it works?
Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. We’ll tell you the exact step-by-step process to land your first freelance writing job.
So without any further ado, let’s understand how it works.
What Is Freelancing?
When you work for multiple clients as a company instead of being someone’s permanent employee, it’s called freelancing.
Freelancers are often referred to as independent contractors. The compensation they receive and their commitment to the company is not the same as those of the firm.
Everyday People Are Turning to Freelancing During the Pandemic
Researches say that due to the current outbreak of Covid-19, the growth in contract-type job openings has increased straight from 24% to 34%. More and more people are turning towards freelancing because the entire market is closed, but the bills never stop coming.
By April 2019, the demand for freelance workers quadrupled. So, here’s the good news, plenty of freelance writing jobs are available for you to work for. You just need to understand the complete A-Z process of freelancing and start working.
How to Find Freelance Jobs During the Pandemic (Even If You Don’t Have Any Experience)
Ready to jump into the world of freelancing? Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Learn The Basics of Writing And Brush up Your Grammar
Let’s put it the hard way. If you lack good writing skills, it’ll get difficult for you to get hired.
So, it’s time you do your research, relearn all the grammar rules, and schedule a time to practice writing every day.
You can start by reading these books on writing:
- On Writing by Stephen King
- On Writing Well by William Zinsser
- Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
Apart from that, here are the three platforms that can help you improve your writing:
- Grammarly: It’s a freemium tool. You can use it for free for basic grammar editing, and if you want advanced suggestions, you may need to buy its subscription. That’s around $199 per year.
- Hemingway Editor: it’s a free tool. Just type the URL in your browser, copy-paste your text, and it’ll highlight all your difficult to read sentences, passive voice, etc., so you can fix them.
- Udemy: The platform offers an unlimited number of courses from multiple instructors, and you can get them under $10 on your first login. Take your time and analyze the courses. And if you find the one that can help you take your writing from level 1 to level 2 and it’s no more than $10-$20, consider it.
2. Create Samples and Hit Publish (No, You Don’t Need a Website Yet)
It’s essential to show clients you can deliver what you claim, which is why you need to get published. So,
- Choose a topic (yes, any topic) and write a good long-form (2000+ word) article on it.
- Edit your work.
- Upload it on Medium (A free online blogging platform)
Avoid sending work through PDFs and Google docs. They’re acceptable but not very professional. Plus, consider not niching down at the moment. Instead, try landing writing jobs for multiple clients under different niches.
It has two benefits. First, you’ll have more choices and can get paid to write within a short amount of time, and second, it can help you find your interests in topics you never knew you had.
3. Set Your Rate Like a Pro
The internet is full of advice on setting your freelance rate, which can be confusing at times.
Here’s all that you need to know about setting your rates.
Most freelance writers work for a per-word rate. You can do that too. The starting rate that you can offer your potential clients is $0.10 per word. Try to avoid anything less than that if you’re willing to pay your bills.
However, if you’re desperate for work, you can consider projects for a little less than this rate. But keep on increasing it with each new client you get.
The second way of charging is per hour. Sometimes, you may need to do projects which require heavy research and interviews. Thus, it’s better to charge an hourly rate to compensate for your time well.
You can start your journey from $10-$15 per hour.
Find Your First Freelance Job During the Pandemic
If you want recurring work, we’d advise you to schedule a daily search for work on different job boards. And please, don’t stop once you land a client. You never know when a good opportunity may pop up.
Here’s a list of five top job boards that you can start from.
Pro tip: Optimize your LinkedIn profile to catch the eyes of the recruiter.
4. Send Your First Pitch
It’s finally time to write your pitch and send it over to your client.
You may feel nervous, think you are not good enough, your hands may tremble, but hey, what’s the last thing they can do?
Reject you?
That’s all right. In the world of freelancing, rejection runs with us side by side. You don’t need to be scared of it.
It’s a number game. The more pitches you send, the better chances you have of landing a good freelance writing job.
Here’s a template that you can use for your pitches:
Subject: Hey [Name]! Here’s a quick question for you
Hi [Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I’m a freelance writer. I’m adept at researching and writing on a wide variety of topics.
All of the articles I’ll provide will have:
- an eye-catching headline
- an engaging introduction
- required stats, examples, and sources; and
- the final call to action
Here’s a list of my previous work:
[Sample 1]
[Sample 2]
[Sample 3]
I have a quick turnaround time, and I can commit to 2-3 articles a week.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Regards,
[Your Name]
Are You Ready to Launch Your Freelance Writing Career?
Please don’t fret about it. By now, you know more about finding your first freelance writing job in the current pandemic than an average person.
So, it’s time you put this knowledge to use and take the first step!