There has been a bit of a dip in freelancing in recent years, due in part to the global pandemic of 2020.
With the worst of that now out of the way, more people than ever are looking to set up their own businesses. However, for many people, this can be costly, and if you want a job you can do from home, you may feel your options are limited.
Luckily, more businesses are opening online stores, so it is now the right time to break into freelance writing.
Below you will find some tips on how to set up as a freelance writer.
Get the right equipment
Firstly, what kind of writer do you want to be? A professional blogger? An SEO writer? Perhaps you want to be a freelance journalist. Either way, you will need the right writing equipment. This is fairly easy to come by. You will need a laptop that is lightweight and easy to transport. 12 inch Lenovo laptops are good for this. If you will be conducting interviews, it is also worth investing in dictation software. If you like to take handwritten notes, be sure to purchase small pads of paper for your work bag.
Build a web presence
Word of mouth is great, but it rarely expands in real life in the way it does in films, especially in a market as competitive as writing. Therefore, you will need an online web presence. Again, this is easy to do. There are many websites that provide pre-designed pages, allowing you to redesign them to match your brand and style. You can even put some of your work onto your site. Just be sure that you have the permission of the person who you completed it for. This is a key reason why it may be best to produce a few original pieces first, as this allows your web visitors to see your work. Websites are also a great place to display contact information and service fees.
Create a portfolio
Much like a graphics designer, any professional writer has a portfolio. This will be made up of original pieces of work, and other pieces that you have permission to keep.
Many jobs you will apply for in the future will ask you to see examples of your writing. Therefore, it is best to have a portfolio at the ready to access your previous workpieces. Why not place all of your pieces onto a USB stick? This is a great place to store work without eating into the memory of your computer. Just remember to back them up first!
Be patient
This is not a tool, it is more of a character trait. However, any freelance writer will tell you that you need to have patience. Especially in the first few months: patience towards your clients and of course, towards yourself. You will make mistakes, but this does not mean you are a bad writer – it is a learning curve. You will need to go through a few clients before you find one you have a good rapport with. Making mistakes in the world of freelancing is acceptable, as long as you don’t repeat them and truly learn from them.
