Getting Started Freelancing: FAQ for Beginning Writers

Thanks to our “open door” policy here at Freelance Parent, Lorna and I get quite a few queries from folks getting started freelancing. These curious individuals pose questions on just about everything: “Do I need an English degree to be a writer?” “Where is the best place to start getting writing jobs?”

Because I enjoy feeling a bit like Ann Landers and because I wish I had had the guts to ask someone for all the information I needed when I was a beginning freelance writer, I always take the time to craft a reply. Over time, I actually developed a template response to these queries, since so many of the questions centered on the same subjects.

Although we certainly welcome questions at any time (seriously, I think my alter ego is an advice columnist), I thought I would make the search a little easier by posting an FAQ for all new freelancers. Feel free to pose more questions either in the comments section, or you can contact us directly at admin (at) berrybrewer (dot) com.

Do I have to have a college degree or a degree in English to be a writer?

No, you don’t have to have a college degree in order to get jobs, but it does help. I have a Bachelor’s in English, and it’s helped me to land quite a few editing jobs and writing jobs with those looking for something a little more academic. That being said, I also know plenty of freelancers without degrees who get along just fine. Some people would argue that the school of life and a good knowledge of your niche (whether you want to write SEO, product descriptions, or anything else that catches your fancy) is more than enough.

Overall, I’d say as long as you know the rules of grammar and composition, you should be able to find some kind of writing work (although it might be harder to get the bigger and higher-paying clients, at least at first).

I’ve never written professionally before, but all the jobs I want to apply for ask for samples. How can I get around this?

Ah, the Catch-22 of any employment. You can’t get hired without experience, and you can’t get experience without being hired. Fortunately, writers have a bit of an “out” because there’s nothing stopping you from writing all you want.

One solution is to submit articles on pretty much any topic to free content sites. Most of them don’t pay at all (EzineArticles.com, Buzzle.com), while some pay peanuts (AssociatedContent.com). The trade-off is that you can point to a URL and say, “I wrote that.” Web Marketing Today lists 25 free content sites you can consider, though it’s important not to give too much of your work away for free.

Your other option - and in my opinion, the better one - is to create a portfolio of samples. If you want to write press releases, write some. You can either make them up or offer to write them for free for a worthy cause. The same is true for just about any kind of content. Most clients won’t be able to tell that you didn’t write them for the $100 you’re quoting them; they’ll just see good, solid work and hire you based on that. Many beginning freelancers are better off with this option, since you aren’t giving your hard work away by posting on the free content sites.

(I would also argue that a stellar portfolio is especially important if you’re going in without a degree.)

What are the best websites to read for getting started freelancing?

• Definitely check out Men with Pens. Their blog offers a lot of freelance tips and advice (plus they’re really great guys). There’s a link on their site to something called Write for the Web. It’s an ebook they wrote specifically for newbie freelancers. You can either buy the book or take the Sparkplug U Get Started Freelancing: Writing for the Web course we’re offering, which is going to be using the book as a required text. Either way, it’s worth every penny for those just starting out.

• You’ll also want to add Freelance Writing Jobs and The Golden Pencil to your list of blogs to read. Both of these ones offer advice and also list daily updates of jobs available all over the web. Most freelancers read these, though, so the competition for the jobs can be stiff. Get to them early each day.

• IttyBiz is marketing-related, but Naomi offers some good advice on general freelancing, as well.

• You should also check out About.com’s freelance writing page.

As you get more and more involved in the online freelance writing community, you’ll notice a lot of overlap. We all get along pretty well, and there are some amazing networks in place. Become an interactive part of the community by reading the blogs, commenting on the blogs, and even starting one of your own. I’d say that at least 50 percent of our freelance knowledge base comes from these incredible folks.

Okay, I want to get started. Where can I find freelance writing jobs?

We started with Guru.com (Elance.com is another popular job-finding site). You have to pay for both services – basically you pay an up-front fee, and then they also take a cut of every client you have. Paying money out sucks, but you can get some really good contacts through them.

Overall, these sites work by having employers post the jobs they have available and having freelancers bid against one another to get them. Some of the jobs on these sites are ridiculous (we’re talking $1 for a 500-word article), but there are also some really good ones – and once you work with a client successfully, we’ve found that they often return to you for more.

Note: BE WARY of most other job posting sites. There are far more scams out there than plausible sources of work. Always get the opinions of other writers in the community before you shell out any money or share your credit card information.

In the beginning, we didn’t make too much money off the bidding sites, since we didn’t have any customer feedback or job history. Once you build up your site statistics, though, you tend to get considered for better jobs and even get invited to bid on some of them.

• I also mentioned The Golden Pencil, Freelance Writing Jobs, and About.com above. They all offer great links to jobs as well as regular updates on job postings.
• Darren Rowse’s ProBlogger Job Board has some great listings for freelance writers who want to use their talents to blog for money.
• You may want to try checking out Craig’s List or your local newspaper.
• Subcontracting is also a possibility, so if you find other freelancers or freelancing firms you really want to work with, drop them an email and resume letting them know that you’re available for any work they might have. Again, making contacts in the community and networking is key here.

That’s great, but these jobs aren’t paying very much. How can I actually make a living doing freelance writing?

Hard work and perseverance, I’m afraid. It takes quite a bit of effort, trial-and-error, and time to get to the point where your incoming work is equal to or greater than your monthly financial goals. The important thing to remember is that most of your income is going to come from referrals and repeat business. Even if you have to put out ten query letters and fifteen Guru.com bids every single day before you get a client, you still have to do it.

As long as you do a good job and create a good relationship with that client, you are more than likely to get his or her business again. Eventually, you’ll create a roster of clients who like you, return to you, and tell others about you – it just might take awhile. Stick with it.