With the digitisation of almost every industry in the wake of the pandemic, the need for writers has skyrocketed and continues to do so.

While businesses were downsizing, they still needed to get work done. This meant managing their core workforce and outsourcing other vital tasks to remote professionals. Up till now, businesses have relied on writers to sell their products and services, attract customers, tell their stories and drive their objectives through good quality content; whether it's a sales copy, social media posts, blog content, article, web page content — you name it. 

There is a sea of opportunities for you as a freelance writer if you are ready to take action with the skills you already have, and before you say no to the idea of freelance writing, take a moment to seriously reconsider.  Why?   

First, you already know how to write. You don't need any extra special skills to be a freelance writer, only a desire to earn from the content marketplace, and English language proficiency. 

As long as you can speak the English language, you can be taught the necessary skill sets required to take on any of the many types of writing and build for yourself a career that produces a steady and sustainable income. 

Secondly, freelance writing is a great way to boost your income —not that this needs to be said— and live your dreams. 

The biggest flex of becoming a freelance writer is arguably the no-cap wage. How much you make is only determined by how much work you can take on, and you don't have to wait a whole month for your first paycheck. You can start making money in a matter of weeks. This means you gain the independence to commit time to working towards your life goals.

Lastly, consider freelance writing because it is where the wind is currently blowing. There's never been a greater demand for freelance writers. Content marketing is the rave of the moment and a more favourable alternative to advertising as ads have become less effective due to algorithm changes. Search algorithms now favor longer, more credible and more engaging content therefore businesses need writers who can steadily churn out such content to drive traffic and reach their audiences.

It's not just businesses, it's celebrities, influencers, solopreneurs —any entity or person with an audience to reach and maintain. 

By 2025, the content market is estimated to reach a growth of over $400 billion. Add that to the shortage of talented writers who are skilled in research, technical abilities and good writing, and you have yourself a wealth of opportunities. 

Freelance writing can be something you do full-time or as a side hustle and make a lot of money, and this article will break down 4 easy step-by-step processes on how you can get started as a freelance writer and make money online. 

Let's dive in. 

Step 1: Define your service 

The first thing you will need to do is choose what you want to do. This entails selecting a type of writing to offer and a field of focus. 

There are many types of writing to choose from, but grouped according to major categories, there are: 

• content writing, where you write articles or blog posts, 
• copywriting which involves writing persuasive content to boost sales, 
• creative writing where you combine your storytelling abilities and grammar to produce original works,  
• academic writing where you write scholarly pieces, 
• technical writing that involves breaking down complex concepts in simply understandable language, 
• journalistic writing which deals with news and reportage, and 
• ghostwriting where you write for other people without receiving a byline. 

Each of these types of writing branches out into various subtypes; all of which are in high demand. The type of writing you choose should be one you are skilled at or interested in.

Your field of focus, on the other hand, is the niche you want to specialize in. 

Think of it like a market you map out for yourself where you attract the right kind of people —people who need your services and are looking to hire at the moment. For example, if you choose content writing as a type of writing you want to do professionally, a field of focus could be social media, SEO or emails. 

The niche you choose should be an area where you have interest or background knowledge; whether it's tech, health science, real estate, fitness, food, etc. If you are good at blog writing for example, and you have background knowledge or interest in Medicine, you could niche down to medical blog writing. 

This doesn't mean you cannot take on other jobs outside of the niche you have chosen; in this case, non-medical-related jobs. You may offer other services but you want to choose one area where you can develop expertise and be known for. 

This might seem like an unnecessary detour or you might be thinking "Why restrict myself to just one thing when I can do a bunch of things and earn more?" 

Well, you can't earn more as a freelance generalist.

Prospects always go for freelancers who specialize in the service they are hiring for. Hence, Nching is significant to your success as a freelance writer. By choosing a field of focus, you portray yourself as having a specific set of knowledge that other writers don't have. This is the best-kept secret to landing high-paying jobs. 

When you have a niche, you will be regarded as an expert and people are always willing to pay well for expert services. 

Take an instance from your daily life; if you had a plumbing need, you'd rather hire a plumber than say, a carpenter even if that carpenter knows their way around plumbing tools. 

Likewise, prospects or businesses would prefer to hire someone who specializes in their area of need rather than someone who does a bunch of things no matter how good they are. 

Step 2: Research Your Niche

Researching your niche is important because it shows you the opportunities available to you as a writer in that field. You can do this by making a simple Google search of your industry. If you've niched down to freelance medical writing for instance, researching your niche can reveal to you the businesses looking to hire a medical blogger, other skills necessary to scale in that field, the topics that attract the most traffic, other related markets looking for your skills, or even affiliate marketing opportunities. 

You can also learn about communities within your niche that you could be a part of and form relationships that yield even bigger opportunities. 

Researching your niche is how you build your knowledge about your industry. The more you know, the easier and quicker it will be to establish yourself as a resource person, build lasting beneficial relationships and grow a self-sustaining business. 

Step 3. Build Your Portfolio

When you have identified the marketing opportunities within your niche, the next thing to do is to implement a client acquisition strategy so that you can start approaching clients and landing gigs. The first stage in this strategy is to prepare a work portfolio.

Every person you reach out to for a job is going to want to see proof that you know what you are talking about. Your portfolio should portray you as a personable, confident professional. It is a collection of your best pieces and some information about yourself and your work experience.

While you can choose to design your portfolio on Canva or save it in a doc file, having a portfolio website is a much better alternative because they are updatable, easily accessible and organized. 

Consider using a content management system like WordPress, Wix or Bluehost to set up a professional website where you can display your writing samples, and if you don't have writing samples, you can create some yourself. Simply write the type of content you can show to potential clients as proof of your skills. This means writing some articles if you are an article writer or some academic pieces if you are an academic writer, etc. 

Step 4. Find freelancing Jobs. 

Many sites collect and display writing job opportunities. Some good places to start are LinkedIn, Contently, ClearVoice, and Upwork. You can sign up for these platforms and start browsing through job listings for jobs that fit your skillset and pay well. When you find a job you like and can do, initiate contact and send your pitch. However, before you do that, it's important to take some time to research that employer. 

This research is vital as it can reveal to you more details to help you discern things like their hiring policies, the type of content they value and any other minor details you can include in your pitch to gain an upper hand. 

Your USP

When you submit your application for a job, it's best to include something noteworthy that sets you apart from the crowd. Keep in mind that there are always so many other writers vying for the same jobs, this means you have to snag the employer's attention with a pitch that has the "X" factor. 

You must sell value, something that the employer cannot say no to. 

For example, as a social media content writer, your application pitch can let the employer know how you will create content that will not only engage their existing customers but also double their followers in a short time. 

This is another advantage of researching the employer before you apply. The research can reveal to you areas within the employer's business where you can apply your skills to offer them value. 

Key Takeaways 

1. Prepare Yourself

While you get ready to launch into the freelance writing market, ensure that the service you choose to offer is one you like or can enjoy doing. 

Working as a freelance writer should not seem like a chore, else it negates the benefits of flexibility and being your own boss. 

Don't get it twisted, freelance writing will test your patience. You'll face so many no's and rejections, you'll deal with grumpy clients and people who won't even respond to your messages, and there will be moments when you are unable to land any paid work. It's all part of the process but these situations will be easier to handle if you enjoy what you do. 

Additionally, you will also be able to build the discipline and right work ethic necessary to succeed. 

In preparing yourself, you must cultivate a habit of consistency. Earning from freelance writing can be easy but it's not magic. You will have to intentionally build relationships with people, prepare your samples, browse through a thousand jobs to find the right one, carry out extensive research etc. Without making a habit of consistent daily actions and committing fully, you'll get frustrated and discouraged and stop without having achieved anything. 

2. Work on your skills

Successful professionals are known for their commitment to growth. There is indeed no limit to what you can earn as a freelance writer but you place a limit on yourself when you cease to increase in what you know and build on your skills. 

Read wildly, hop on the internet and do a little bit of research about a lot of things, practice writing, take courses, improve your existing skills and take on new skills. Join platforms and communities that concern your industry so that you can stay updated on market info and trends. These little efforts add up to help you shine in the long run. 

If you found the above resource helpful and would like focused one-on-one coaching on how to build a 6 figure-earning freelance writing business, sign up here.