Sonya 1New Freelance Writers: How to Stand Out
January 24th 2010 00:48
So you want to be a freelance writer? The good news is that thanks to the Internet, it is easier today to find freelance writing jobs. For the same reason, however, the competition is tougher than ever. To launch a successful freelance writing career, you must distinguish yourself from the competition.
These are our top tips for new freelance writers on how to stand out:
Start a blog in your niche and update it regularly. Even if you are writing for yourself in the beginning, treat your blog as a paid job. Research your posts before you start writing and edit them before you publish them. A well-written blog will help you demonstrate your writing skills.
Once your blog has gained a little traction, offer to write a guest post for a popular blog in your niche. This will help establish you as a expert in your niche and attract new readers for your own blog.
If you want to sign up for a content website, give Suite101 a shot. You have to apply as a writer and submit two samples of your writing. The big advantage of Suite101 is the editorial support you receive. Your articles must be written in the house style - a good experience for all writers who want to write for newspapers or magazines. You will learn a lot about writing for the web and search engine optimization, too.
While Suite101 is the best of the lot, there are more content websites you might want to join: Constant Content, Squidoo, HubPages, Triond and others. Anyone can sign up with these sites, therefore the quality of the content varies. If you join any of these sites, write quality articles.
Use Twitter to promote your blog and to network with writers and experts in your niche. Follow @FLTnet for job leads and other freelance-related tweets.
Consider writing for a charity. Not only will you have another clip for your writing portfolio, you will also help a worthy cause.
Remember: Starting out as a freelancer requires tenacity. You will have to put in a lot of work for little financial return. If you can't afford to work with little guarantee for payment, work part-time to cover the basics and spend your "free" time writing.
These are our top tips for new freelance writers on how to stand out:
Start a blog in your niche and update it regularly. Even if you are writing for yourself in the beginning, treat your blog as a paid job. Research your posts before you start writing and edit them before you publish them. A well-written blog will help you demonstrate your writing skills.
Once your blog has gained a little traction, offer to write a guest post for a popular blog in your niche. This will help establish you as a expert in your niche and attract new readers for your own blog.
If you want to sign up for a content website, give Suite101 a shot. You have to apply as a writer and submit two samples of your writing. The big advantage of Suite101 is the editorial support you receive. Your articles must be written in the house style - a good experience for all writers who want to write for newspapers or magazines. You will learn a lot about writing for the web and search engine optimization, too.
While Suite101 is the best of the lot, there are more content websites you might want to join: Constant Content, Squidoo, HubPages, Triond and others. Anyone can sign up with these sites, therefore the quality of the content varies. If you join any of these sites, write quality articles.
Use Twitter to promote your blog and to network with writers and experts in your niche. Follow @FLTnet for job leads and other freelance-related tweets.
Consider writing for a charity. Not only will you have another clip for your writing portfolio, you will also help a worthy cause.
Remember: Starting out as a freelancer requires tenacity. You will have to put in a lot of work for little financial return. If you can't afford to work with little guarantee for payment, work part-time to cover the basics and spend your "free" time writing.
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