Freelancing has gained popularity in recent years. People are tired of dull jobs that don’t allow them to utilize their own skills. They want to build their own schedule and work on their own time.
People who love to write, especially, find their dream job in the freelancing world.
This is all great in theory. But in reality, being a freelancer takes much more work than a regular job would. Along with all of those things that come later in your freelancing career, you first need to build a good foundation and set yourself up for success. This isn’t easy, but it does pay off.
Here are some tips on how to start building your freelance career.
- Find a niche
Many people start by thinking that they can write about anything and everything and that this is the best way to be noticed and find proper jobs. However, this is as far from the truth as it can be.
Writing in many different niches will get you nowhere in your career and it will only get you low paying jobs. On the other hand, if you choose a niche or two to write in, you’ll become an expert and that’s a great way to gain attention and earn more money.
You can find some ideas and tips on finding a niche from expert writers at Best Australian Writers, for example.
- Do some marketing
If you want to be a freelancer, you’ll have to do some self-promotion. This is usually more important for those who want to build their own website and work independently than for those who want to find work on job boards like Up Work or Freelancer.
When you have a website, you can’t expect clients will find you on their own. You need to share the link to your website where you can, talk to people, promote your brand and your expertise. Build a strong community through your social media and learn how to communicate and promote your content.
- Don’t settle for low-paying tasks
It seems tempting, at the beginning to accept any job that comes your way. You feel like you’ve hit the jackpot when someone wants to hire you as a freelance writer for the first time in your career.
However, sticking to these low-paying jobs for too long is bad for your career. Sure, it can be good for building your portfolio and boosting your confidence but in long-term, it’s not.
Instead of thinking that it’s impossible to find better jobs, take some time to find some niche jobs that will not be so popular among writers. For this to work, avid job boards or at least have a narrow niche.
- Utilize your experience
No matter what age you are, you probably have some experience and knowledge that can be useful to you in your freelancing efforts. Maybe you had a different job or you have attended a seminar, heard something new and interesting – it can all be used once you start freelancing.
Not only will it make your job easier, but it can open doors to great jobs. You never know when your client will need one of your skills that you don’t consider that important.
- Learn to outsource
Many people struggle to catch up with all of their work. Freelance writers are not an exception. Too many tasks at once can be overwhelming and this happens too often. Not only that, but they also have a lot of other things on their minds – blog running, social media, etc.
Outsourcing is the answer to all of these struggles. For example, instead of checking your grammar, you can use Student Writing Services or similar tools instead of spending hours doing it yourself. Of course, in the beginning, you probably won’t need it but as you make progress, it’s a good idea to hire professionals to help you out.
“I tried to do it all by myself for such a long time and it really didn’t work out for me. But once I realized that it doesn’t have to be that way, my job became easier. Now I have people who run my website and do all those things that are mostly unrelated to writing and I can focus on writing and improving what I do best,” says Courtney Hart, a HR Manager at Top Canadian Writers.
- Work on your skills
This is by far the most important step if you really want to succeed. Focus on learning before you start your freelancing career but don’t neglect it later. There are always new things that you can learn and more ways you can improve your work.
For example, read writing guides at Freelance To Win or similar websites. They can offer a lot of helpful information and help you find new and interesting way to build your career.
There are also community blogs like Copy Blogger – they host a lot of experienced professionals that love to share helpful tips on developing your career.
- Take your time
Building a successful freelancing career is never easy. Of course, you’ll want to work as hard as you can to get to the top and achieve the best results but that doesn’t come overnight. Give yourself time and plenty of space for resting. Using helpful tools is always a good idea – Write My Australia or UK Top Writers, for instance, are excellent proofreaders and they will help you finish your work faster.
Remember that building your freelance career is a marathon, not a race and don’t be too hard on yourself if at times it seems as if you’ll never achieve your goals.
Wrapping Up
Freelance writers have a great opportunity at achieving great things in their career. With a good foundation and some of the things mentioned in the tips above, that shouldn’t be too hard. It takes time to build a good reputation and to become what you always wanted to be. Remember to pick a niche, always learn and improve and don’t settle for less than you believe you deserve.