Monday, April 26, 2010

A Freelance Career in Writing

How do you get started with a freelance career in writing? There are many ways to achieve success as a writer, but there are some basic steps that pretty much every freelance writer takes to get his career on track. (These mostly apply to those focusing on the online writing market.)
First, find the job ads. My recommendation is that you research and bookmark at least 10 different online job boards. Then, make a point of browsing through them for suitable job ads on a daily basis. There are different types of online job boards - some you join as a member (some have upgrade possibilities, but you can start with a free membership), and others have completely free access to all job board information. There are also sites where you post your own writing, and publishers pay you a fee for the rights to it.
Second, take a chance. You will never get started with your career in writing if you don't put yourself out there. Bid on something small, with a VERY manageable deadline, and do you very best to please that client. Happy clients give good references. Write well, and edit well.
Third, build good daily habits. Start each day by setting up your daily tasks. Give yourself mini half-way deadlines for different projects, and schedule in a certain block of time each day (no more than 1 hour) for looking for new work. Resist the urge to surf the internet for hours on end, even for "research" purposes.
So, find the job ads that appeal to you, get started writing, and build good habits right from the start. The three important basic steps to starting your online freelance career in writing.