Imagine you’re sitting in a lounge chair on the beach, staring out over the glittering sea, the ocean breeze ruffling your hair, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of the waves.
It’s peaceful. Perfect for thinking.
And so you do, scribbling down your thoughts with one hand and drinking a martini with the other.
You’re a freelance writer. You get paid to write for websites, magazines, corporate clients — all different types of gigs.
And it’s work you can do from anywhere.
One week, you’re on the beach. The next, perhaps you’re in the mountains. The week after that, you’re visiting family.
Sounds like a dream, right? Like it can’t possibly be real?
But it is.
In this post, I’m going to teach you how to become a freelance writer. I’m also going to talk about what’s changed with freelance writing and what it really takes to build a writing career in today’s world, both as a full-time professional writer or just doing it on the side.
Because the career is real. The freedom is real. In fact, you might even say it’s easier than ever before. Here’s why:
The $877.66 Billion Opportunity for Writers
That’s not a typo. 🙂
Have you noticed how just about every business has a website, blog, and a social media page (usually Facebook)?
Maybe you’ve also noticed how the stuff most of them publish kinda sucks? Boring content, unprofessional spelling and grammatical mistakes, etc.
Well, that’s why successful businesses are hiring freelance writers in droves. By the end of 2022, will be worth an estimated $407.30 billion and the research firm Absolute Reports predicts spending will increase to $877.66 billion by 2028.
Freelancing is the new normal, but here’s what’s crazy:
While businesses are well-aware of the importance of content marketing, writers are still stuck in the Stone Age of wanting to get published in magazines and newspapers. Yes, you can still make a living that way, but with an increasing number of publishers not paying writers at all, the competition for paying gigs is getting stiffer and stiffer.
With content marketing, on the other hand, there’s actually a shortage of writers. You can make a lot more money with way fewer headaches.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Develop Your Content Creation Skills
Your skill at creating exceptional content will have more of an impact on how much money you make than anything else. Here’s why:
The companies paying the highest rates are the ones who understand the importance of quality content. They are happy to pay professional writers and copywriters, because they believe (correctly) that it will help them dominate their competitors.
For a handy visual reminder of the ROI of content marketing, check out the image below (click to see a larger view):
Embed This Infographic On Your Site:
So, how do you level up your content writing skills?
We have dozens of posts about that very topic here at Smart Blogger. Start with this step-by-step guide about how to write a good blog post and work your way through. Our Freelance Writing Hub and list of favorite writing tips are other great resources.
In particular, here are some of the most important writing skills for you to develop:
- Mastering content frameworks. The web is overflowing with list posts (i.e., 7 Ways to X) for a reason: they work. It’s not the only content framework, though. There are actually about a dozen proven frameworks, and the best freelance writers master as many as possible.
- Writing headlines. The headlines of your posts have a bigger impact on their traffic and overall success than any other factor. Get in the habit of brainstorming 5-10 per day. Like anything else, writing the perfect headline is mostly about practice.
- Thinking for yourself. Ever notice how most writers are just regurgitating the advice of other writers? Don’t be one of those. I’m not saying you have to be entirely original, but at least layer your own thoughts on top of the standard advice. It’ll give your writing a much greater sense of authority.
- Supporting points with examples. Instead of making a point and leaving it hanging there unsupported, get into the habit of backing up every point you make with an example. There are exceptions to this rule, but you’re far better off having too many examples than too few.
- Keeping the reader emotionally engaged. To get work as a freelance writer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that your posts need to make logical sense, but you might not realize they also need to resonate with the emotions of the reader. The better you get at keeping readers emotionally engaged, the more shares you will get on your content, and you’ll be able to charge more.
And while those are a good start, there’s one particular skill that’s so important it deserves its own point:
2. Up Your SEO Game
Companies and agencies are more than happy to pay a little extra for someone who understands the basics of SEO writing.
The more intimate your understanding of powerful keywords, user intent, and competitive analysis, the more likely your post is to rank well in the search engines. Therefore, your writing becomes more valuable.
Because put yourself in their shoes: wouldn’t you rather pay more for someone with a proven ability to rank? I certainly would, and so it makes sense to become that person.
The strongest portfolio you can have is a collection of posts ranking on page 1 of Google. Sarah Peterson, for example, now makes over $1,000 per post, because she has a proven track record of ranking well.
Granted, it takes time to build that kind of portfolio. Let’s walk through the process, starting with what you do when you’re a total beginner.
3. Build a Portfolio of Writing Samples
You’d think it would be really hard to become a freelance writer without an extensive writing portfolio, right? After all, it’s proof for prospective clients that you know what you’re doing.
But here’s the thing:
There are different levels of proof, starting with…
Level 1: A Portfolio That Proves You Know How to Write a Decent Post
You’d be surprised how many so-called “freelance writers” don’t understand how to write a proper blog post. I’d say it’s more than 80%, which sounds horrible, but it’s also a huge advantage if you do know how to write a good post.
Let’s say you’ve been working on your content skills (the first step above *cough*), and you’re getting comfortable writing different types of blog posts. Well, create a few writing samples to show off your skills.
If you have your own blog, put them there. If not, it’s quick and easy to publish them on other blogging platforms like Medium.
The best part is, you can do this in a matter of a week or two. Two or three posts is enough, and you don’t need anyone’s approval to publish them. If you don’t have an online presence with published work yet, it’s absolutely where you should start.
Level 2: A Portfolio That Proves You Know What You’re Talking about
Next, you want to build your credibility as a subject matter expert.
And I’m not just talking about demonstrating your expertise. This phase is also about showing you can get published on top publications.
Think about it… if you see someone writing on one of the top sites in your space, don’t you immediately assume they are an expert?
Well, that’s the kind of credibility you need. It’s also far easier to do than you might assume.
Because most big sites have stopped paying for content, they’re always looking for good writers. In our guest blogging program, we’ve helped hundreds of new writers get published on sites like Forbes, Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Lifehack, and dozens of others. I won’t say it’s easy, because it’s not, but it’s far easier than most people think. Here’s a guest post by Laura Tong published at Huffington Post:
I’m generalizing here, but for the most part, it’s about the pitch. If the editor likes your idea, and you follow up with a well-written piece, you can get published almost anywhere.
And that immediately helps make you a hot commodity as a freelance writer.
Level 3: A Portfolio Showing Documented Results for Clients
Finally, you want testimonials that prove you can get results for clients.
One way is to track shares and search engine rankings for the posts you write, like we discussed above for Sarah Peterson, but an even better way is to create case studies. Here’s an example from Ross Hudgens of Siege Media:
He shows screenshots of increasing client traffic by 250,000 visits per month for three different clients. Nothing is more compelling than that. Granted, it’s super hard to do, but that’s what makes it so valuable.
Your long-term goal should be to develop that kind of proof for yourself. It might take you years, and that’s fine, because when you get there, it can literally make you one of the highest paid writers and consultants in the world.
4. Get Your First Paying Client
So, we’ve talked a lot about the skill and credibility aspects of becoming a freelance writer. What about getting freelance writing jobs? That’s the hard part when you’re an aspiring writer, right?
In the beginning, yes. Eventually, top freelance writers end up getting more work than they can handle, mostly by referral, but getting those first few paying clients can be a real slog.
Here are some insider tips for getting started:
- Keep an eye on agency job postings. One of the best potential clients is agencies, because they usually have an ongoing need for writers. Instead of only getting paid once, you can develop a relationship with a few and get new freelance writing gigs for months or even years into the future. Here’s a big list of content marketing agencies.
There are two main ways of getting work from them. You can reach out to them and ask if they have any freelance work — a gutsy but effective approach — or you can keep an eye on their “careers” page.
- Pitch software company blogs. This might seem odd, but stick with me here for a moment. You want to work with businesses who have money to spend on marketing. Chances are, those companies are subscribed to various apps for email marketing, analytics, and so on. Most software companies in the marketing space (like Hubspot, Sumo, Ahrefs, etc.) also publish a great deal of content. So, who better to write for? You’re instantly getting in front of thousands of the right clients. Many of these blogs will also pay you to write for them, so in many cases you can get your first client while also prospecting for new clients. What could be better than that?
- Browse high-quality job boards. LinkedIn Jobs, ProBlogger, and Freelance Writers Den are a few good options.
- Link to your services in your byline. Let’s say you’re in “Phase 2” of the portfolio building process we walked through above, and you are writing some guest posts for top blogs in your space. You can mention it in your byline to attract clients. Here’s an example from Sophia Dagnon over at Copyhackers:
Before we move on, there’s one thing you SHOULDN’T do…
Compete against bottom dollar freelancers on content mills like Upwork.
Yes, writing gigs are always available on sites like those, but generally speaking, it’s clueless, frustrating clients who will nickel and dime you over everything and never refer you other work. It’s better than nothing, I suppose, but I believe you’re far better off pursuing some of the options I mentioned above. Not only will you get paid more, but you’ll be treated better too, and it will be much easier to grow your client base.
5. Scale until You No Longer Want to
In the beginning, you’ll probably be thrilled just to get a writing client paying you to write a few articles on the side, but I think it’s useful to step back and think about how freelance writing fits into an overall career.
Here’s the career path for most freelance writers:
Phase 1: A Nice Side Income
Most new freelance writers start writing part-time with just a few articles on the side, and I think that’s smart. You can learn the craft, build your connections, and make a few bucks on the side. Most likely, about $20-$25 per hour.
Is it going to make you rich? No, but it’s certainly not a bad side hustle. A lot of part-timers clear $500-$1,000 per month from their writing.
Eventually, if you’re good, you’ll also start getting more freelance writing work than you can handle in your spare time and even start becoming an affiliate, and that’s when you can ponder moving on to the next phase.
Phase 2: A Full-Time Job or Business
When should you consider quitting your day job and diving headfirst into a freelance writing career?
The easiest answer: whenever you feel confident your freelance writing skill could replace your salary. You can either…
- Go to work as a full-time content marketer. The number of job openings for full-time content marketers is exploding. Here’s a graph of the job growth just from 2017 to 2018:
- Start your own content marketing agency (i.e. copywriting or freelance writing business). Once you’ve picked up a few clients, you can become a business owner — start hiring people to work under you and grow your own miniature agency.
Both options have big upsides. You can have a long, solid career as a content marketer working companies who truly appreciate it, and building an agency could potentially make you a millionaire.
At some point though, I’ve found that even the most successful writers usually end up moving on to…
Phase 3: Starting Your Own Site
In the past, you’ve probably thought of starting your own site as the first step, not the last, and it’s true — there’s nothing stopping you from starting your site right now.
But think about it for a moment…
Would you rather start your own site on WordPress right now, spend a couple of years learning everything from scratch, and then slowly but surely begin to make money from it, or could it actually be a better option to go to work for someone else for a while, get paid while you learn, and then start your own site with several years of experience under your belt?
Over the years, I’ve noticed an increasing percentage of our students choosing the second option, and I think it makes sense. Yes, you can absolutely start your own site right now, and yes, you can be successful — we are the market leaders in helping people do exactly that — but it’s a tough road. You have to persistently put in the effort for years before it begins to pay off.
If you become a freelance writer and start working for other businesses, on the other hand, the payoff is fast. Probably a month or two to learn the basics and then another month or two to land your first writing job. While it might take you longer overall to build your own publishing powerhouse, it’s easier to stay persistent when money is coming in each and every time you publish an article.
The bottom line?
You Can Make Good Money As a Writer
Too many natural-born writers believe it’s impossible to make a living writing. It’s just not true.
Yes, it’s tough to make a living as an author or ghostwriter. Yes, it’s difficult to scrape by writing for magazines and newspapers. Yes, there are plenty of would-be poets and novelists living under bridges — or worse, working for a content mill!
But those are only a few types of writing.
If you want to make money as a freelance content writer, go where the money is. That’s what I did. I started out writing for other sites, took a full-time job at Copyblogger, and then branched off on my own — exactly the career path I described above.
The results?
About $5.3 million so far. In this case study, I described exactly how I did it.
Oh, and did I mention I did it all from a wheelchair without being able to move from the neck down?
Yeah…
So please, don’t tell me you can’t make money as a successful freelance writer. You absolutely can.
You just have to be smart about it.
Thanks Jon. You read my mind. This is exactly what I wanted to let me know I am on the right path. I love writing. And I believe I can do it. Thanks again Jon.
That’s awesome! You’re welcome Rachel!
Hey Jon,
What do you call it when you’re reading a great post on Smart Blogger and you suddenly see a screenshot of yourself in the middle of it? Whatever it is, I like it. 🙂
Awesome thoughts and wonderful inspiration to writers like myself. It IS possible to make a living as a freelance writer. You’re living proof.
Off to tweet…
Kevin
Thanks Kevin!
That must feel awesome. Can’t get any better than that!!
Dear Jon,
Your post is really inspiring to become a writer. I am really impressed by the figures and future prospects.
Thanks..
Shahid
I’m glad that inspired you! Time to get to work. 🙂
I’ve been thinking of becoming a SERIOUS freelancer. Funny how I’ve recently got tired of some freelance sites. So, thanks Jon for the great piece. I sure would be excited to earn $200 for a writing gig.
There are tons of $200 writing gigs. You’ll get one, I’m sure. 🙂
I always knew this would be the case and I’m so glad you’ve confirmed it! I’m a freelance writer and am starting to finally reap the benefits. Thanks for the awesome post!
That’s so good to hear, Emily.
Jon, You are the single most inspiring person I’ve encountered in 2018.
You make it simple but not easy and you’re so relatable.
Love you, your story, your encouragement. God bless you!!
I’m honored and flattered, Betty. Thank you.
Have been following you for year or so, believe I am subscribed. Thank you for good info.
Most welcome, Nancy.
Wow! This is totally awesome! I love this post. Thank you Jon!
Hey Jon,
You posses the ability to drag someone, willingly or otherwise, from the beginning of your article till the end. I love this about you.
That said, I’m inspired to venture into content marketing, again. After failing for the first time.
I hope the zeal from reading your article will keep me fired up until I start making consistent income.
So help me God.
Victory! 😉
Thanks Jon for the Post. I was wanting to get into freelance writing for more than a year or so, but was actually not digging the ditch (writing the actual post).
Am part of your Guestblogging program and it’s awesome. Again, I know it’s not much use without doing the needed work.
And on a side note, from among the 100s of emails I receive your emails for me would stand out. I read the email text and mostly click the inside link as well.
Pumped to have you as part of our tribe, John!
Hi Jon,
As a student of your work I’m always fascinated with the value you bring in your posts. You nailed it when you’d stated that making money off your website can take years. As a blogger that’s been at it for a few years now I’ll admit that I haven’t made substantial income. Luckily, I’ve been writing for large sites and have been improving my writing at least.
This article has inspired me to try freelance writing again. I was aware of this route but the way you’d described it makes it worth trying again.
Thanks for sharing this!
Excellent. Yeah, if you need to make some money, it’s a much faster route.
Hi Jon,
Your post resonates so strongly with me. I’ve been on the steepest learning curve of my life for the past 5 years, learning from the best like you and Sonia Simone at Copyblogger, and it’s paying off in spades. In 2019 I’m going to achieve my greatest dream: I’m packing up and moving to Europe on a one way ticket, because I can. Because, for the first time in my life, my income doesn’t rely on me being tied to a geographical location. I now attract clients from around the world because I am a Copyblogger-certified Content Marketer, and Smart Blogger-trained writer. All I need is a laptop, an internet connection and a PayPal account! Thanks for everything, Jon
Cheers, Mel
You’re living the dream, Mel! Congratulations!
Hey Mel,
Sorry to chime in…
Congratulations! That’s awesome. 🙂
When in 2019 is the big move?
Don’t know yet, Kevin. We have to sell our house first. It’s on the market now. I’ll certainly be in touch before I move. Not that it matters. . .and that’s the whole point!
Cheers, Mel
Hi Jon,
I have learnt a lot from this post. I’ve cited my flaws and I am ready to implement what I have learnt from it. Good read bro!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow! This article struck me like a lighting and provided me with direction as an aspiring freelance writer! Kudos Jon!
Hi Jon,
Thank you for opening up about being able to “move” that was deep and so are you.
I ran across you in a search and I actually subscribed a few months back. I get emails from you but not overwhelming.
This article is Excellent and Thank You!
My quick question is based on stories and articles I’ve written people seem to like my work. How do I know what to write about if I’m knowledgeable about quite a few things?
Thank you again and I trust a man like you!
Good question, Steph. The simplest answer: go where the money is. If you’re knowledgeable about quite a few things, look at who is paying for articles in those areas, and then cherry pick the best clients from among those niches.
Grand slam answer! Thank you Jon for your time!
You are the Man!
Hi Jon, I was introduced to your blog by friend and since that day, I lit up myself every day by reading from you.
Thank you.
Hi Jon,
Thanks for this advice. I’m glad you mentioned Medium. A lot of advice suggests new writers should get samples displayed on their own website. I get that idea. But I found it can cause a lot of unnecessary frustration when you’re new to WordPress, themes, and SEO.
I spend hours (days) trying to figure out some basic tasks. Now I realise those were self-imposed barriers I created by following certain advice. It’s far better to get writing experience rather than overthinking on website building. Medium or Contently can serve as a portfolio and takes the pressure off getting a full website ready.
The fewer barriers the better. Thanks again for the timely reminder.
Michael
Hey Michael,
That’s awesome — the fewer barriers, the better!
Jon actually discusses Medium and the idea of getting started somewhere OTHER than your own website in his How to Start a Blog in 2018: New Method That’s 20X Faster post. If you haven’t already, it’s a great read.
And if you’d like to learn whether Medium or a different free blogging platform is a good fit for you, this Smart Blogger post from a few weeks ago should help.
Good luck!
Kevin
Hey Kevin,
I really appreciate your advice. I haven’t read Jon’s article on How to Start a Blog in 2018. It looks ideal.
My current website is for my new writing business. I’m planning to discover my blogging direction by using platforms like Medium. I’m impressed with your article The 5 Best Free Blogging Platforms in 2019. That’s really helpful as I know Medium has some topic limitations but I wasn’t sure about other options out there. Excellent stuff.
Also, more encouragement for me to post something valuable on Smartblogger in the near future…
All the best,
Michael
Jon, this is perfect. It absolutely can be done, without selling your soul on Upwork.
I would love it if you could talk more about content frameworks. I’ve just started developing them for my own writing, but there’s not a lot out there on best practices. Thanks for everything you do!
Thanks Briar! I’ll think about writing some more posts on content frameworks. Until then, we have a great deal of teaching about those in Freedom Machine. You might want to check out the program, if you haven’t already.
Great post Jon, l’m very new in this and was referred to you by a friend. Taking in some pointers.
Excellent! Welcome!
That’s a nice post, very informative. I have collected a lot of new information about blog writing and getting paid through it. Even I would like to become a content writer but didn’t have many ideas about how to start it. Now got a clear idea of how we can earn as a freelance writer. Since I know the basic of SEO it will be good for me to contact the clients and boost my blog as much as possible. In this, I can earn a lump sum by writing blogs.
Jon, I have come to your website purposely -to learn how to write content that is lovely and lovable. Thanks for the advice. Grazing on!
Hlo sir i am a blogger and i wnated to be freelancer but I didn’t know much more about that ,so thanks for the information
Jon,
Once again, you’re at the top of your game. If you just read and followed the link to the Brian Dean freebie, you would have gotten such killer information, it’d blow your mind.
SEO has always been an issue of confusion with me and that guide really helps.
You see, this is what I dig about you man; you give such high-quality advice.
I can’t believe anyone that’s serious about blogging or writing for the web would pass over such great advice. (Notice I said advice, not post. Because a post is just another post…usually.)
I keep an electronic book of the absolute best stuff I find online and this one is the best I’ve seen in a long time. I’m going to curate this and share the links with my mailing list.
Thank you so much, Jon, for another incredible lesson.
You da man!!!
P.S. I also took your Guest Posting course and it actually works. Not only did I get to guest post on quite a few blogs, but your writing advice helped my craft considerably. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
Definitely excellent “advice”!
I’m a yoga & meditation teacher, hypnotist and help people deal with stress release
and show them natural tools. I’m not tech savvy but willing to learn.
Wondering do you think there is a market for my expertise?
Love your work Jon! You’ve done it again!
I caught up with Brian Clark for a beer on Sunday. Was really good to meet him.
Would love to have you back on the podcast as a guest expert to talk about exactly this … it’s been a long while!
Thank you Jon. I read all your articles (well most of them anyways). As always, great information. Heck I’d probably pay for it. You continue to inspire me and my efforts in writing. Keep ’em coming!
Hi Jon, May I just say how impressive your journey is. I discovered you while listening to an interview ou made with James Altucher . He also ” advertises” about content marketing as a great “potential” career . I wonder if a ” foreigner” would stood a chance ? English is not my first language ..however it would be interesting if some businesses and companies/ online bloggers etc wanted to reach global audience ( French is spoken in many countries in Africa which is a fast developing market , and I can also write/ translate into Russian ). Would love to be able making this kind of “serious” income while traveling / moving around. Having said that, my experience with Twitter ..thousands of twitts and merely 135 followers ..yet my content is engaging with 10 of thousand of retwitts at times …it I am probably doing something wrong
Thank you for this fantastic roadmap Jon.
You have literally ”hidden the gems right out in the open” : )
All it will cost is to take action. Read, read and read again to learn.
I count it a privilege to be learning from you.
Hi Jon,
I have been a subscriber to your posts for some time now. They are all very informative and interesting. I am writing in the Health and Wellness niche and I already have a few sample articles on Contently and Medium. I will follow your advice in this post and hope I will get some good clients.
I had started doing the lists but then I got busy with the other ‘upwork’ stuff I’m doing and that kinda fell by the wayside. thank you for reminding me to keep working on it.
Hi Jon,
You are one of those people who make me wanna kick myself for not doing what I should have done a long time ago. Your kind of writing is so awesome that sometimes I see a long post and decide I’ll only read a part of it only to end up “reading” even the diagrams, lol.
Good work Jon
You are more than an inspiration. Let me tell you something. Two months ago, I started an affiliate website that deals with everything smartphones. Now, I wish I had started with the kind of writing you have described in this post.
Reason?
This is what I need at the moment.
You rightly stated that I need some money coming in before I can have wings to fly my website. I am stuck but I have to take your advice and work hard towards successful freelance writing.
Hi Jon,
I’ve been following your blogs and courses and I must say they’re awesome.
This post, particularly was insightful. But I have a few questions that I would love to ask you.
Please how do you ensure you have subscribers from all over the world? I’m a Kenyan, but would love to connect with people from the US, Canada and other parts of the world.
Secondly, how do you ensure you get work from agencies. How do you approach them?
I know it’s difficult to reply to every comment, but I would be grateful if you gave attention to this.
Thanks in advance.
Denzil
Hi Denzil. Traffic automatically comes from all over the world when you’re writing in English. So, that’s not an issue.
Getting work from agencies is a bit more complicated. I’ll be releasing some info on that shortly.
Thanks Jon. I can’t wait to read from your post about getting work on agencies.
This is such valuable information about digital marketing. If possible, Please share about digital marketing strategy.
Hi,
This one is such a helpful post, working a freelance writer is easy and straightforward. One should have a flexible writing tone to meets various customer’s requirements.
By the way, the post is awesome and I enjoyed reding it.
Hello,
Very informative post.
Thanks for sharing this post with us.
Have a great day.
Priyanka
Thank you for information. Thorough as always!!!
Thorough and informative as always.
Thank you
We definitely enjoy your blog site and find the majority of your post’s to be precisely what I’m trying to find.
can you use visitor authors to write material for you? I wouldn’t mind producing a post.
or elaborating on the majority of the topics you write related to here.
Once again, awesome weblog!
Hi Jon!
I’m excited about the new secret program. I’m anxious for the juicy details on Monday!
I wanna be down with you!
Steph
Hi Jon.
Thanks for your awesome guide on this post’s. Its very helpful for me.
By the way, I have a quick asking about foreign language.
What about a blogger from any country with English is not their native lang’? Are they have any change to write in English too? Do you have any recommendation tools to help foreign writer like them? Looking for your advice.
Awesome share.!!!!!!!! .Your article will help me.Thanks to share this informative article and looking forward to learn more from this blog.
Wonderful post!!! Genuinely love this kind of post!
Very inspiring and something that I aspire to. Thank you Jon for your very helpful advice.
This article is really helpful and informative for me.
Hi Jon,
Your article was quite long but was very interesting. Few points which you mentioned were really great and are very helpful for any freelancer.
I would like to know about how to get the first project as a freelancer ?
Because it is becoming very difficult for a beginner to get his/her first project because they don’t have a work portfolio till their first project.
Thank you very much for a fabulous article and keep writing for us.
Regards from,
Paravidhi Pvt. Ltd
Great article with the kind of information most writers need. Thank you!❤💙
I’m a former student of Jon’s and I can tell anyone reading this that it works. He knows what he’s doing and he’s usually ahead of the pack. I left my job two years ago to focus on freelance content marketing fulltime. I made about $70k my first year and almost doubled it my second, landing my first Fortune 500 client. Here’s what Jon doesn’t tell you: One of my clients asked me to be their CMO. I honestly liked them and was getting a little tired of only talking to my dogs all day so I made a list of ridiculous demands and a high salary request and they said: Done. I’m keeping content marketing as a side hussle, because you never know, but it’s a great feeling to walk into a job interview and know that you hold all the power.
This is an infinitely useful article Jon! You are like a Candle who lights other Candles. Thanks for being such a great motivator. I have a question…..to start writing for clients, do you set aside certain days and times, like a schedule, or do you write when you feel like it the most, eg. in the middle of the night!!
Jon, you’re such an inspiration to me. I had a hard time when I had a brainstem stroke in 2011. I was homeless for THREE years, waiting for Social Security Disability. Had to hire a lawyer. My family had just lost my dad to colon cancer so they were unable and unwilling to help.
But your story just blows me away. Most people would’ve given up after the car accident. God has big plans for you. Just as He does for me. He is good!
Hi Jon…This article is great!
So I never thought like “I should be a writer” but I keep reading your stuff
(I’m sucked in like another swig of a slurpy even after you already have brain freeze) and I’m like this is cool “I want to be a writer!”
Hi John!
I’m a student at your guest blogging course and also a member of serious blogger only. Regarding your suggestion to work for others (agencies, magazines, newspapers etc) would free lance writing work for weight loss programs too? My blog is currently based on the weight loss programs that I used to get awesome results (highly recommended programs I-might add). I’m already talking about these programs on my blog and social media by the way, I wanted to figure out how I can monetize it because they don’t offer affiliate programs.
Thanks for taking the time to reply 🙂
Number 1 is critical. However, one of the biggest problem is figuring out who you are as a writer and what you should write about.
Great post! I started a blog first and make a nice side income as a freelance writer after just a few years. I taught elementary writing for years, so had the basics down. I’m always looking for ways to get paid more!
Lots to think about here! I started my website a year ago and it’s steadily growing but I realize I need to change my headline game and a few other things. Thanks for the boost!
Outstanding post, Jon.
You have correctly connected all the dots and set the ground for someone who wants to become a freelance content writer. It definitely boasts a lot of value and an exciting read, for anyone into the content business.
This article was inspiring. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I haven’t pursued freelancing for one reason or another, but it’s an area I want to explore. Even though I have low self esteem, reading this gave me a confidence boost. Anything is possible! 🙂
Hello! I loved this article.
I started freelancing 8+ years ago and if I would need to advise anyone starting now I’ll say that you need to know exactly what services you’re good at. Based on your knowledge, skills and previous experience, you should be able to craft a core offer that you can offer at a price.
Let’s assume that you have some skills In Photoshop, you enjoy doing graphic design, and you already use Adobe Illustrator at your current job. In this case, your core offer might include logo creation, image resizing, image retouching, offering courses on how to use Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop, or simply offer graphic & poster design services.
On the other hand, if you’re already an SEO & Content manager with a proven level of experience, you can offer professional SEO & content writing services. You can start small by designing a landing page and promoting yourself as a genuine SEO expert.
On that page, you’ll be able to integrate the feedback you receive from your customers, provide pricing options and also connect with customers on a personal level. Of course, you can also start by working on a third-party platform such as Upwork. There are tons of high-quality platforms that you can use to hone your skills, grow your customer database and gain the experience needed in order to build your own business.
Starting a freelancing business takes time and effort. However, once you notice that you start to make quite a profit, you should consider going a full-time freelancer and then getting ready to start your own small business. Your startup is just around the corner, together with your financial freedom and your success.
How that helps!
Cheers,
Fran
How come anything I follow great writing like this I feel I’m not up to the task? I should knock that doubtful guy off my shoulder and go ahead.
Thanks for this great writing.
Wow so much here. I can’t believe how many resources you give us in this one post. I’ve been following you for some time and found you to be a real inspiration.
I’ve enrolled in some of you mini courses. Currently in the “Paid To Write Club. Finding it very helpful and is helping to build my confidence.
Thank you Jon. appreciate all you r doing to help us new writes.
Jerry