Here’s where to find freelance writing jobs for beginners

October 19, 2018

So, you’ve decided to become a freelance writer, great decision! But now comes the hard part…finding writing jobs. Well, don’t panic. Finding freelance writing jobs is about consistency, patience, determination and hustle. To help ease the burden and get you started, we’ve put together some tips on where to find freelance writing jobs for beginners.

Job boards

There are a whole host of brilliant job boards online that are constantly advertising freelance writing jobs. The main problem is that they tend to get snapped up quickly. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be searching. There are five main job boards to get you started. These are:

1. Contena: This is a job board that curates all jobs online, including other job boards. Though there is a fee for joining.

2. ProBlogger: This is considered one of the best out there. It’s a free job board that you can search for jobs via keyword or niche. You’ll need to pitch, so be prepared to pitch many times a day on this job board to land a gig.

3. Copify: Copify is a jobs board that offers a wide variety of paid writing jobs. The great thing is that once you’ve passed the initial application, there is no need to pitch for jobs, you can simply accept the ones you want from a vast pool. You also have the chance to progress to a higher paid “pro writer”, and receive direct orders from clients for higher money.

4. Upwork: Upwork is a platform that advertises all types of jobs, but freelance writing jobs are widely available. You can set your own “per hour price”, but you’ll need to pitch for jobs alongside other people.

5. FreelanceWriting Jobs.com: This job board posts daily and real-time freelance writing jobs online for both those just starting out in the world of freelance, to experts in the field.

So, if you’re wondering where to find freelance writing jobs, then these five are a great place to start!

Guest post

Guest posting may seem counterproductive to the idea of getting a paid freelance writing job, but when it comes to where to find freelance writing jobs, it’s a great place to start. If you offer guest posting for websites you’d generally love to write for, there is the chance that will ask you back to write for them again, except this time for a fee. Just make sure you do a brilliant job. Even if they don’t offer you paid work, they may offer you a fabulous recommendation to use for other freelance job applications. Follow these 10 tips on how to write a guest post.

Ask family and friends and local businesses

Connections via friends and family is often a great way to find freelance writing jobs. You’d be surprised at the connections that some people have. Let them know what your new career is, and they may be able to suggest people or businesses they know who may need your content writing services. Don’t be afraid to ask local businesses too. Call in and have a face-to-face chat with them about what you do, and how you could help their business, or fulfil any of their freelance writing needs.

Email businesses

If you’ve got a website portfolio ready, then emailing people is a good idea. Contact businesses online and simply sell yourself. Link them to your experience, reviews and showcase your passion for writing and their brand. Don’t be worried if you don’t experience a high success rate with this method. It can feel disheartening, but it only takes one person to reply and build a new contact and client.

Use social media

Facebook groups and Twitter aren’t just for social media, they’re also great places to find freelance writing jobs. There is a lot of potential for writing gigs on Facebook. If you know the right groups to join then you won’t have issues finding consistent and quality work. However, this approach will take time as you are building relationships with potential leads, but it’s worth it for future long-lasting clients. Some Facebook groups to join are:

– The Smart Passive Income Community
– The Entrepreneur Incubator

Some places on Twitter to find great freelance writing jobs include:

@WhoPaysWriters

@Write_Jobs

@JJobs_tweets

Twitter isn’t only a brilliant place to find freelance writing jobs quickly, it’s also a great way to build relationships with potential clients. So if you aren’t on Twitter, or you simply haven’t used your account much, it’s time to reactivate and start tweeting your desire to find work, and actually find work.

Have people come to you

This is the ultimate goal of freelance writing: when you no longer need to search for jobs. When you build yourself a great reputation, then you’ll find people start to source you out, rather than you sourcing them.

However, in order for this to happen, you need to have an online portfolio to showcase all of your fabulous work and testimonials of previous people you have worked with. Your online portfolio should be in the form of a website. These are easy to create thanks to WordPress and they allow you to appear much more professional.

Final thoughts

When you are searching for freelance writing jobs, it’s important to stay motivated and determined. Lots of people tend to give up quickly as they become disheartened at having no response back, or the struggle to find long-lasting clients, but you need to stay determined. All it takes is one great client and you’re on the road to freelance success.

Put yourself in a good position by creating a website that showcases your best work, and if you haven’t got any written jobs yet, then create sample pieces. This could be anything from short stories, product descriptions or blogs on certain topics such as fashion, travel, beauty or sport.

Simply showcasing samples of what your best work could be is often a good place to start. Now you know where to find freelance writing jobs, it’s time to start searching for your first freelance writing gig!