7 tips on how to find writing jobs

by Bradley Williams | 6 min read

Becoming a freelance writer is perhaps one of the most fulfilling and exciting career choices around. But all writers starting out have one very obvious and very challenging task to deal with … Knowing how to find writing jobs.

The very nature of freelance writing and the freedom it brings means that there it is a rather competitive industry. But at the same time, there are plenty of clients out there looking for talented and experienced copywriters.

As such, there are plenty of places to find the work you need. In fact, according to the Location Rebel, there are more than 100! So, to help you build up your portfolio and earn more money, here are 7 very straightforward ways to find writing jobs.

1. Search through the job boards

Luckily for you, there are already plenty of job boards around where clients post all sorts of projects. If you are just starting out and have very few contacts in the industry, then this is a good place to start. Some examples of the most popular job boards around include Contena, Blogging Pro and ProBlogger.

There are plenty more, and some are focused entirely on certain niches. Once you’ve decided on your chosen niche, you can search through Google and find the job boards best suited to you.

2. Become active on Facebook groups

There’s literally a never-ending supply of Facebook groups that you can join and become active in to help you find work. Many such groups aren’t ones where clients are looking for writers, but more where small business owners and freelancers get together to support each other.

You should be active in helping solve other people’s problems and recommend ideas. Over time, you will make contacts who need a copywriter or who know someone else who is looking for your services. A few great groups to get started in include the following:

3. Explore Reddit

Many people seem to love Reddit, whilst others hate it. Despite your preference, there’s no doubting that it’s a great way to find writing jobs. You will have to scan through lots of irrelevant posts and sift through work for other jobs, but you could find yourself landing a perfect client because of it.

Here are three subreddits that you can use to find some work. But remember, these aren’t the only three options. By searching around and becoming active in the community, you can find writing gigs better suited to your niche.

4. The power of Twitter job boards

Twitter is a great way all on its own to find writing jobs. You can follow the good job boards and best writers, then get quick and easy notifications every time new opportunities pop up. Similar to Reddit, you may need to sift through the fog to find the right clients, but when you do, it will be worth it. Here are some useful accounts to follow:

5. Guest post for free

“Wait, what!? Write for free? Surely that defeats the whole point?”

Not at all. In fact, guest posting for free is one of the best ways to get ahead as a freelance writer. By writing for popular publications, you expose yourself to hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of eyes. These guest posts may lead directly to job proposals from clients who read your piece and loved your work.

As well as this, these guest posts serve as work to showcase to other clients you are pitching to. If you can write a guest post for a world-renowned site like The Huffington Post, then this gives you invaluable credibility for the future. But how do you get guest posts in the first place? The best way is to find publications you are genuinely interested in, and then start to become familiar with their work and build a relationship with them.

You can follow their other writers on social media and start to engage with them. After some time, these writers may help you get your foot in the door. Alternatively, you can simply pitch them a post idea that you know their readers will love. You could get shot down by taking this approach, so that’s why it’s usually good to build some familiarity first.

6. Create a blog

As well as writing blog pieces for other people, you can create your own blog to showcase your beliefs and the quality of your work. By writing about your industry you can start to build up a following on social media, as well as helping people to find you organically.

Simply by writing about your niche, others within your industry can find you and will follow what you write. You never know what avenues this will then open up. They could simply message you after reading one of your articles and ask you to write some stuff for their site as well.

7. Join a copywriting agency

If you really are a good writer, then copywriting agencies like Copify are crying out for your services. You can sign up as a writer and get exposure to a wide variety of exciting clients and topics to write about. Better yet, you are not then limited to one sort of writing. You could build up your experience with things like blog posts, product descriptions, and web pages. Then, you can earn added income, hone your skills as a writer, and be better prepared for future clients you pitch to.

Now that you have a better idea of how to find writing jobs, your ability to secure more work comes down to two very simple things: creativity and perseverance. Yes, finding work initially can be tough as you are not the only writer around. But at the same time, it is not impossible. With a passion for the art of writing and the desire to succeed, then you can find enough work to build a whole new career as a freelance writer. If you need some more inspiration for finding writing jobs in 2018, check out these words of wisdom from some of the most successful freelance writers around.

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