4 Ways to Get
Freelance Writing Jobs 

©Cheryl Wright– All rights reserved

When the economy is in a downturn, contract workers (or freelancers, if you prefer) usually freak out about where they’ll get their next pay check.

The truth is that since the ‘global recession’ began, my writing income has nearly tripled.

As a freelancer, you’re not compelled to stick to just one form of writing; you can do copywriting, magazine writing, content writing and more. 

Because I want you to increase your writing income, I’ve listed four different ways for you to get writing jobs.

1.    Register on Job Boards

This is not my first choice, but it’s usually a good way to get some quick income – provided you’re prepared to lower your prices a little.

Job boards are notorious for having clients that want writers to work for peanuts.  If you can, stick it out and stand by your regular prices. I’ve had several copywriting jobs via Guru.com but I’m yet to lower my prices (and I won’t do it!). While I was a ‘free’ member, I secured no work whatsoever, but once I became a premium member, I got heaps of work. (This must be a budgetary decision – don’t go the premium route unless you feel it’s for you, and your budget can withstand the $130 plus cost each year.)

In fact, my best client was found via Guru.  Or I should say he found me via Guru. We did one job only through Guru, and the remaining jobs I’ve done for him (more than six) have been done away from Guru.

You can find a wide range of work via Guru and similar sites, such as copywriting, magazine work, SEO and content articles, editing, ebook writing, and more.

I use job sites as a back-up when work is quiet – I don’t use them as my every day source for finding clients.

2.   Forums

Forums can be a great way to find clients, but you need to be mindful of the time you spend ‘hanging out’ on them.

I have spent a lot of time on one particular forum ( www.warriorforum.com  ) and after several months, was able to build a good reputation there. I’ve secured quite a bit of copywriting work because of that forum; work I would never had secured otherwise.

But don’t go on forums and blatantly advertise your services.  It could get you banned for life.

Instead help people out where possible, give advice, give suggestions from your own experience.  This will give your reputation a boost and when someone needs work that you’re qualified to do, you may just be their first choice.

3.   Create Alliances

If you’ve been involved with offline networking groups, you may have heard this term before.

They are usually called ‘strategic alliances’ and work very simply:  you refer your own clients to other professionals who can help your clients in ways you can’t.

Here’s one way this has worked for me.  I have an offline client who needed letters of introductory written. (These are simply letters introducing the client’s business to businesses they’ve not previously worked with.) As part of the work I was doing, I suggested the client include a brochure or flyer that featured his best products when he sent out the letters I wrote for him.

To do that he needed his products photographed.  He wanted to use a portrait photographer to get the job done. I suggested someone I knew who specifically worked in the area of product marketing; this is a specialised area and not something a portrait photographer would know how to properly handle.

So... I suggested this photographer, and he secured the job.  In turn, he refers his clients to me for their writing needs. Win/Win. He gets extra work, I get extra work. And both our clients don’t have to work with unknown entities.

4.   Your Freelancing Website

Have you set up a website for your freelance work?  I certainly hope so.

Just like any other online business, you need to advertise your work. If you do your research, clients will find you instead of you having to chase work up.  Keyword research is imperative to any writer who wants to spend their time writing instead of chasing clients.

I have around 300 unique visitors go to my business website every month.  Those 300 visitors don’t all turn into paying clients of course, but a percentage of them do. I don’t advertise, and haven’t done for well over a year. I spent a lot of time on keyword research when I set up my website because I knew having the right keywords attached to my website would mean clients would find me instead of the other way around.

In addition to these suggestions, writers need to be super organised.  The more work you can fit into your busy day, the more income can potentially earn. Ensure your skills are up to date by taking classes or reading up on a form of writing you’ve not done before.

Expanding your writing horizons is a great way to earn more income!

About the author: Cheryl Wright is an award-winning Australian author and freelance journalist. In addition to an array of other projects, she is the owner of the Writer2Writer.com website and the Writer to Writer monthly ezine for writers. Her publications include novels, non-fiction books, short stories, and articles. To keep up to date with her publications and new releases, visit Cheryl’s website  www.cheryl-wright.com