Freelance writing is the dream for a lot of people. And if you know God’s calling you to write, freelancing can be a great way to start. Unfortunately, it can also be a really tough industry to break into. So exactly how do you find freelance writing jobs for beginners?
That’s what I’m here to help with. Let’s dive in!
The Cliff Notes
To find freelance writing jobs for beginners, reach out to friends and family, search online job boards, get involved in your community, consider former employers, and pray.
Specialize in one kind of content, such as blogging, and work on becoming an expert in that area to set yourself apart and impress clients.
Freelancing is a great career option but might not be for everyone.
Freelance writing can be an amazing outlet for sharing your faith or otherwise impacting the world for Christ.
Consider pursuing freelance writing if you love to write and have a way with words, want to be in charge of your own schedule, don’t mind hours of computer work each day, are willing to work hard for little pay (at first), and can handle rejection.
Why Pursue Freelance Writing?
Photo by Fiona Murray-deGraaff on Unsplash
Before we get into how to find freelance writing jobs for beginners, let’s talk about why freelancing is a good career option and how to know if it’s the right path for you.
First, know that getting into the freelance world can be tough. It’s going to take time, effort, and perseverance. It’s important to know that before you make the decision to pursue this work. Because if your heart’s not in it or you’re not called to it, you’re going to want to quit pretty fast.
And that’s OK! In all honesty, freelance writing isn’t for everyone. How do you know if it’s for you? Here are some signs:
You love to write and have a way with words
You want to be in charge of your own schedule
You don’t mind hours of computer work each day
You’re willing to work hard for little pay (at first)
You can handle rejection (or are at least willing to get back up after getting knocked down!)
Even if none of those resonate with you, if God’s called you to write, that’s pretty much your answer. Freelancing is a great way to gain some experience and exposure so you can one day move on to where God’s leading.
What’s more, freelancing itself can be an amazing outlet for sharing your faith or otherwise impacting the world for Christ.
A Note about AI
You might be wondering if pursuing freelance writing is even worth it since more and more people are turning to AI for their writing needs.
I won’t sugarcoat it here. I’m all about being upfront with y’all, and I’d never want to encourage you to do something that’s bound to fail. So here’s the truth:
Yes, AI has impacted the writing industry as a whole, but especially content writers (think blogs, web pages, social media, etc.). There are plenty of businesses choosing to generate that kind of content with AI rather than hiring writers.
But…and it’s a big BUT…there are also plenty of businesses that understand the value of human-generated content.
Not to mention, with all the legal issues that we’ve seen surrounding AI in the last couple of years, some professionals choose to stay away from it altogether. Others choose to use it as a tool, rather than a replacement for quality writing.
Have writers lost opportunities to AI lately? Yes. Is there still a need and desire for human writing in the business (and faith) world? Absolutely!
How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners
Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash
Now that all that’s out of the way, let’s talk about how to get started. If you’re still reading this post and are still interested in writing for a living, you’re probably wondering how to find freelance writing jobs for beginners.
In the spirit of full transparency, finding jobs can be challenging. Freelancing is a super competitive industry. You’ll probably hear the word “no” a lot, if you even hear anything at all.
That said, getting work as a freelance writer is possible! Here are some tips I think can help.
1. Reach out to friends and family.
As with any business you’re wanting to start, your existing network (people you know) is usually a great place to look for your first client or two. (But please don’t go bugging your frenemy from high school with a “hey girl” message on social media!)
I’m not telling you to be sleazy or act like a used car salesman. But I do encourage you to let your people know what you’re up to and ask if they know anyone who may be interested in working with you.
You might be surprised at the responses you get. After all, these people are in your corner (hopefully!). They want to help.
2. Search online job boards.
Online job boards are both a pain in my you-know-what and an amazing opportunity. Look at sites like https://problogger.com/jobs/ and https://www.freelancewriting.com/jobs/. You can also simply Google “freelance writing jobs” and see a list of places to search.
Now, you’ll have to do some digging. You likely won’t land on the perfect gig right away. You’ll also probably apply to tons of these jobs and not even hear back about most of them. It’s all par for the course, unfortunately.
Another word of warning about online job boards: Some listings are scams. Be sure to do your research about any company before applying for a job they’ve posted.
3. Get involved in your community.
Even in today’s digital world, personal, face-to-face connections are still the best way to do business. If your county has a Chamber of Commerce, consider joining or at least attending some of their networking events.
You can also connect with other business owners through their stores or services. Become a regular customer, build a relationship with them, and then you can potentially talk to them at some point about handling their writing needs.
4. Consider former employers.
One of my very first blogging clients was someone I’d worked with (in a different capacity) in the past. Are there small businesses you’ve worked for or currently work for? Depending on your relationship with the bosses, you might be able to provide writing services for them.
5. Pray, pray, and then pray some more.
I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention prayer. Asking God to open doors for me (and help me see those doors!) and close the ones He doesn’t want me to walk through has been HUGE in my career.
I could tell you story after story of times God has answered specific prayers and given me a certain number of book sales or a new freelance client, etc. There have also been numerous times I’ve gotten a firm “no” after praying for direction.
Of course, I can’t neglect to tell you there have also been plenty of times my prayers have seemingly gone unanswered. But what I’ve learned is that “unanswered” prayers aren’t really unanswered. They’re either a call to wait or a call to keep doing what I’m doing.
Sometimes I picture God going, “Child, I’ve already told you what to do. Just do it already!” Haha ;)
Anyway, the point is that prayer is vital. Bring God into this new endeavor! He truly cares about every area of your life and wants to work all things for your good and His glory.
Bonus Tip: Specialize in one kind of content.
As a freelance writer, you’ve got a lot of options regarding what to write. There are plenty of different types of content that businesses need. You could write website pages, emails, product description pages, blog articles, social media posts, etc.
At first, you may do a little bit of everything, and that’s OK! It’s good to gain experience with a variety of content types. But as you work on different projects, make note of which ones you enjoy the most.
But don’t stop there. When you’ve figured out your favorite, do everything in your power to become an expert in that specific content area.
Take courses, read books, learn from the top experts, and, eventually, focus your efforts only (or mostly) on this content type. This sets you apart from more generalized writers and looks really appealing to clients.
In my opinion, blogging is the way to go. It pays a little less than sales pages or website copy, but it can give you consistent work.
Think about it. You could write a sales page for every product a company has, but that’s a one-and-done deal. Once they have the pages, they don’t need you anymore. On the other hand, when you write someone’s blog content, you produce articles two or three times each month, if not more.
That’s recurring work, which means recurring income.
But here’s the thing: blog writing is different from other kinds of writing. In fact, I’d say each type of content requires different skills.
For one, you need to know basic search engine optimization (SEO) if you’re going to focus on blogs. You also need to know how to structure your articles and write in a way that encourages people to click the link and then keeps them reading till the end.
Blogging isn’t just about slapping some words on a page and calling it a day. It’s strategic, from the way you choose topics to the way you craft your sentences. Every detail matters.
If you’re interested in blogging for clients (or want to start your own blog), check out my course, Increase Your Impact: How to Blog for Businesses and Start Your Freelance Writing Career.
In this course, you’ll learn exactly how to write a blog post from start to finish, including:
Where to find topics
The best way to create an outline
How to craft content clients will love
And more.
Gain the knowledge, tools, and resources you need to start freelance writing now. More details are at the link above, or you can go directly to the course page here.
How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners? Don’t Give Up!
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Friend, finding freelance writing jobs for beginners can be tough. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart (speaking from experience here!).
But when you land that recurring gig with your dream client and start helping support your family financially through writing, it’s so worth the effort, frustration, and rejections. I promise. ;)
Remember to take a look at my course if you’re wanting to start blogging. Or, for just a taste of what you’ll find in the course, grab my free Guide to Writing SEO Blog Posts here.
Good luck and happy writing!