How to Become a Freelance Writer with No Experience
You’re already qualified to write!
At Sohuis, we’re ready to teach you how to become a freelance writer with no experience. Freelance writers are always needed, and it’s a great way to earn extra money. Here are six tips for you to know how to become a freelance writer with no experience.
6 ways to become a freelance writer without experience
1. Know your strengths
You are more prepared to get into freelance writing than you realize. As women, we naturally have insight into many subjects. What is your area of expertise? Psychology, raising children, time management, cooking, computer science? Companies are looking for writers like you because you are an expert.
Niche writing is the key to find freelance work in your area of expertise. Instead of presenting yourself as a writer who can write anything, narrow your target market to businesses in your niche. Expertise in a subject gives you clout.
2. Polish your writing
Practice writing samples, and research style and content in your niche markets. Educate yourself about your niche markets by reading blogs to see how other freelance writers handle your subjects. Give yourself a break during this learning process—every article you write is a step in the right direction to know how to get into freelance writing.
Write samples varying from 500 to 1500 words. Compose and polish these relevant articles in your niche to showcase your skills. These samples will be your marketing tools, so it’s worth spending the time needed to get them right.
Persistence is the key to building any business. Check out our masterclass on How To Write Words That Sell.
Here’s the number one tip on how to become a freelance writer with no experience.
3. Create relevant content
- Focus – Keep your intent clear and direct. Simple words are often the most powerful.
- Personality – This is essential to stand out and gain clients. Personality in your writing is part of your brand. Here’s a masterclass on Why You Need a Genuine Personality Brand.
- Grammar – Fix grammatical errors. Software like Grammarly is useful but not always correct. Poor grammar gives the impression you’re not a professional
- Research and incorporate search engine optimization (SEO) words. – This is crucial in today’s crowded market. Research and understand how to write content that is search engine ready is a key to creating happy clients!
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4. Develop a business
A website is a necessity in today’s market. Be professional in how you present yourself. There are do-it-yourself hosts like Wix or Wordpress to create a professional website.
Your website shows you’re a legitimate writer. An investment in promoting yourself in a web form will pay off. Your site must have your best writing samples as this becomes one of your best marketing tools.
5. Pitch your work
Send queries to your target market. Don’t underestimate cold calls because they produce sales. Make sure each letter is personalized and has a call to action. You want to send a clear message in your letters that you are the best writer for them.
Query a lot. You will get rejections, but don’t take rejections personally. Send out letters to your top potential clients. And the next day, repeat. It takes time, but you will get clients.
A frequent question is how many letters should I send out in a day? The answer is as many as you can prepare and still keep them personalized.
6. Market your work
Network – Networking is at the heart of marketing yourself when learning how to become a freelance writer with no experience. Reach out to others in your chosen niche and complementary markets. LinkedIn is a place to showcase your work and expand your network. Make your niche clear and send personalized messages to your target market.
Facebook and Twitter are resources where your friends may hear talk about writing opportunities. Your community will reach out to you when they hear about a job that fits your niche. If you see an opportunity that isn’t right for you, talk about it with others. Reciprocal networking reaps rewards.
Optimize! – SEO words aren’t just for your client’s articles. This same tool makes you stand out in a flooded market. For more ideas on how to market yourself, read our article on 5 Fundamentals of Marketing for Female Owned Small Business.
Our Sohuis team offers masterclasses for womenpreneurs to make you successful if you want to get into freelance writing. Freelance writers enjoy flexibility—and you can do this because you already have the right background for niche writing. To launch your business to the next level, join our team at Sohuis.
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