The Best Plan to Become a Freelance Writer

Working on your own time, from where you want to work, writing about your passions, are all some of the great benefits of becoming a freelance writer. You may want to supplement your income and make it a part time "job", or may try to gain experience so you can make a good living doing it. This is a step by step plan on how to become a freelance writer, from someone who has done it and has learned a great deal, as well as helping me launch my own freelance businesses.

Take a step back and identify your passions, experiences, and education. It is essential to produce quality work, and when you are learning your craft, focusing on what you know, matched with your experiences and education will get you off on the right foot. I focus on writing about fishing and finance, as well as some other niches, but my skill set is centered around fishing and finance. With quality writing in a few niches, you can not only make money and grow what you know, but set yourself up for higher paying jobs as your specialization increases.

I have applied for hundreds of freelance writing/editing etc., jobs and the simple fact is, you are up against many people who are applying for the same jobs. You have to apply for a lot of jobs to get your foot in the door, but you want to do it as quickly as possible. Writing a short cover letter with a link to your resume website saves time, as well as separating you from the crowd. Think about it, 50 resumes, most have attachments, then along comes the resume website.

Along with your personal resume website, having your own website shows you understand web design, writing for the web and search engine optimization. If you really don't know much about the above mentioned, you must educate yourself in search engine optimization(especially keywords) and how to write for the web. What I can say from experience is that creating, marketing, and writing for my website, www.e-learnabout.com has made me a better writer and a more marketable employee.

 You could do this step before Step #3, but depending on how much success you have had finding freelance jobs, making yourself marketable first is a wise step. You can start out by writing for "Content Factories", that pay you an upfront fee and some do revenue sharing based upon page views or clicks on advertisements. Depending on what you want out of your freelance writing career you could be happy with a job at a "Content Factory". You can also patrol craigslist for telecommuting jobs. Tip: Look at the largest cities for available opportunities. You can also use other various work from home job sites.

Now that you have a "portfolio" don't be afraid to go after better freelance writing jobs. You won't know how marketable you have become, unless you test the waters with your new found skills. You also need to ask yourself, what kind of income are you after, up front payments, or the allure of residual income from your freelance writing.

 You will not become an overnight sensation, it takes hard work and persistence, Start out small and grow how much you can write in one sitting. Read, learn and grow your skill set. Don't rest on what you have written, but be on the lookout for new tips, techniques and networking opportunities. I have launched a web design business, from the experience and confidence I have gained from become a freelance writer and developing my skill set. There is only one person who sets the limit to what can be achieved, and that is you. I hope you enjoyed this article and my blueprint on my freelance writing journey.