How to Become a Freelance Blog Writer
For years now, I’ve done freelance writing for newspapers and magazines as a way to make side income, supplementing my full-time job. But this year, I’ve made the conscious move to freelancing for blogs instead of print publications, to the point where I now make about $2,000 a month as a blog writer (not including my own blog’s income or my full-time salary).
Becoming a freelance blog writer isn’t always easy in the beginning, but I’ve found that it’s vastly more fun and rewarding. It’s worth the effort.
First, let’s talk about what it’s like to be a freelance blog writer. To write a good post, you’ve got to do some research first, and add to that the writing time, and it can take between 90 minutes to 3 hours to write your best stuff. I can generally research and write a good post in 90 minutes if I’ve given it a little thought first (I do my thinking while exercising, driving, showering, etc.). So if you plan to do some freelancing, be sure you’ve got the extra time. I write between 6-7 free-lance posts a week (in addition to the 7-10 I do for my own blog), so that’s about 9-10 hours of work on top of your regular job.
But the cool thing about freelance blog writing is that you can do it from any place, any time of day. So you can write late at night, during your lunch hour, or in the early morning hours. You can do it while traveling, or while sitting through a boring conference. There’s a freedom to it that’s very appealing.
So how do you go about becoming a freelance blog writer? Here are some of my best tips:
Don’t quit your day job. Even if you’d like to become a full-time free-lance writer and eventually quit your job, don’t do it just yet. Test the waters and sharpen your skills before you do anything drastic. I suggest free-lance blogging on the side for at least a few months (if you’re already an experienced writer) and for 6 months or more if you’re completely new to the game. Get good at what you do, develop a relationship with blogs that pay, and get a feel for the workflow necessary.
Create a blog. The first step to freelance blog writing is to create a blog of your own. This will serve as a showcase of your writing, and a way for you to practice your skills. Blog writing isn’t the same as writing for print — not exactly anyway. Many of the same rules apply, but you need to get a good feel for the medium before you ask people to pay you for it. Don’t just write any old thing on your blog — write high-quality articles that would serve as excellent samples to any potential employers.
Get noticed. No one will read your blog at first. Don’t expect the traffic to come immediately. But write great articles with great headlines, submit some of them to social media such as Digg and Netscape, and you might get a few hits. If you get some popular articles, you could get some regular readers. Once you’ve got some subscribers (a couple hundred would be awesome), don’t submit your stuff to the social media — let your readers do it for you. And they will, if the article is worthy. If it’s not worthy, you don’t want to submit it anyway. The effect of a popular article — or more accurately, a few popular articles — is big, in terms of becoming a freelancer. It gets you noticed by other blogs, and they’re your real market.
Guest blog. Another great way to get noticed. Write to a bigger blogger and offer to do a guest post. Suggest a great idea for a guest post, one that will do well for the blogger. Include links to some of your best posts as a writing sample. If you write to 10 good blogs (start with the medium-sized blogs at first, not the ones in the Technorati Top 100), you might get 1-2 say yes. If so, rejoice! Now write an awesome post for them, with a link back to your blog at the end. Do a few of these, and you’ll get a wider audience for your own blog, and even better, you’ll begin to get noticed more. And that’s how you begin to brand yourself as a good writer.
Write to good blogs. Once you’ve developed a brand for yourself, and gotten yourself noticed, and developed a good sample of writing on your own blog and elsewhere, take the plunge and write to some of the bigger blogs. The ones with some money, because the smaller ones (written by one person) can’t pay you. Send a polite email, asking if they have any openings for freelance writers. Tell them a little about yourself (be very brief), include a link to your blog and a couple of your best articles. Offer to write just one article as a trial run. Write to 10 good blogs and see if you get any response.
Look on freelance job boards. FreelanceSwitch.com has a job board, and a number of other blogs have good job boards too. Keep your eye open for blogs looking for writers, especially in a niche that you’re knowledgeable about. Feel free to post yourself as a writer looking for work, with a link back to your blog. Apply for a bunch of jobs, just to see what they have to offer.
Know your worth. Have a target per-hour rate that you’d like to charge. And charge a little below that when you first start, just to get your foot in the door. Once you’ve been writing a little while (a few weeks) at the lower rate, only take jobs at your higher rate after that.
Give your best. If you do get a freelance writing gig with a blog, or a trial post or two, be sure to submit y our very, very best stuff. Only submit a post that has a chance of doing extremely well on Digg or Delicious. A mediocre post doesn’t help the blog you’re writing for, and certainly doesn’t help you.
Meet your deadlines. This is an obvious one, but if you constantly miss deadlines, you will appear unprofessional. If I’m an editor with the choice of hiring one good writer who meets deadlines and another good writer who misses them, guess who I’m going with. And your reputation is all you have to go on.
Know your topic. It’s best to write about stuff you know. If you know nothing about a topic, you will probably look dumb. If you only know a little about a topic, research it like crazy until you know a ton. Writing about topics you’re already very familiar with will save you a lot of time, and will probably be a much better read.
Professional details. As a professional blog writer, be sure to insist on a contract, and know the other details of a job before you start: the payment rate, when and how they’ll pay you, the desired length of the post, what format it should be submitted in, whether images or other media are required, the exact deadline, how to submit it, etc.
Note: A few times a month we revisit some of our reader’s favorite posts from throughout the history of FreelanceSwitch. This article was first published in June 5h of 2007, yet is just as relevant and full of useful information today.
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This is a great article and inspiring. Compact and concise.
Agreed
i think Danbro are give some great advice to freelancers too with regards to the payroll and accounting side of things – http://www.danbro.co.uk
I am new to enter blog writing so am trying to reply you.thanks to provide an opportunity to me
Good read, nice tips… would be good for ‘pro’ bloggers who wouldn’t mind getting an extra buck here or there.
It’s quite interesting because many magazines, newspapers, etc are now actually looking for their new writers via blogs
Can you provide links to other articles you have written on other sites? I would like to see the level and quality at which writers need to be writing at.
As a full time freelancer myself, this is a good read. Though I do not write for any other blogs yet I have been approached by a few, unfortunately all of them run as soon as they hear money.
This is another great article with very useful tips. I am hoping to pick up more blogging work, too!
Ok, so this is precisely waht I want to do – freelance blogging. I’ve got two steady gigs now, but I’d like to add just a couple more. Your tips were terrific and I’m going to apply them. Thanks for the great post.
Thank you for the guidelines.
I started my blog just 3 weeks before. Now I write consistently and trying to write offer good content. On my second week of blog posting I got an offer to write in a popular blog. Even it was not very close to my expertise, I accepted it and writing already for a week. Enjoying writing for myself and also for others. Feels nice when you are recognized.
Rajesh Shakya
Great Post! I’ve never really thought about freelance blogging, but it definitely sounds like something to think about.
Bottom line – just get blogging! It’s amazing how many lucrative jobs I’ve gotten via my blogs. Plus my blogs have been a great way to show case my writing just as much as clips, samples, etc.
I started my blog, http://www.muniwireless.com, in June 2003. Now it’s a small media company with conferences, webinars, quarterly magazine. I posted a series of articles on how I turned my blog into a media business here: http://www.pjentrepreneur.com.
Great advice! I’m beginning to do most of things things, and my next step is to grab me a domain/web hosting as well.!
I’ve been trying to figure out how to become a better blogger and get more out of my blog. Your advice is always appreciated/valuable.
- Thanks
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone!
@Fiaz: As for links to other articles I’ve written, you can see a number of ones I’ve written here on this site (see the first 4 under Related Posts above, or the Blog Writing and Productivity columns in the Columns section in the right column) or you can go to my site (zenhabits.net) and I’ve provided links to other articles I’ve written elsewhere.
Hi Leo,
I’ve checked your site and read some of what you have written, as you’ve said there are days worth for other topics to read, so I skipped some and will check it later.
I ran through this in the hope of finding out how to begin writing a blog as a blog writer and found out, that having a personal blog is one good way to hone your writing skills. I am not in a hurry to become a good blog writer, but becoming a blogger will be a good start.
I will definitely share my blogs in the future and I would welcome suggestions and constructive criticisms from you.
Leo, thanks for the great tips on how to work toward becoming a freelance blog writer…it does seem to be the wave of the future…
I have two blogs:
http://www.kristenfischer.com/myblog.htm
and my book blog, with more of a niche:
http://www.creativelyselfemployed.com/blog.htm
Share your blogs, guys, I’d love to check them out!
I started couple of months a blog with blogspot.com but I got discouraged because it seems no one really reads them, once one gets the traffic and exposure then it does become encouraging.
Great article, you inspired me a lot!
Excellent article. While working on your blog to get noticed, you can also find ways to monetize it. Often you’ll find out to be more profitable to blog for yourself, instead of looking for freelance gigs
I second all the “great article” comments. I’m a freelance writer who’s gotten tons of work/referrals through my blogs (I have more than one to deal with the different topics I write about), and I also contribute to several other blogs – although blogging isn’t the only kind of writing I do, it’s definitely a significant part. Blogging and the ability to write for the web are only going to get more popular/useful in the future too.
Hello,
I’ve been writing for a number of blogs and have stopped, partly because the pay is so very low – can you expand on how much blogging you have to do to bring in that amount of money?
I really think people should proceed with caution. In the long-run, surely it’s possible and desirable to make money from your own blogs as opposed to other peoples’ – the sort that are advertised on job boards?
Also, the quality of the end prodcut can be so poor, with no sub-editor or more senior team to challenge what you write.
So if you are writing for a blog as a “stepping stone” to higher paid jobs – then there may be an element of being lulled into a false sense of security – a more experienced editor may not be so impressed with blogging experience.
Which would you rather, one piece for a magazine or newspaper that can earn you up to £3,000 as some will, or in some cases, 1,000 blog posts to reach the same sum?
There are as you identify some excellent career-enhancing elements of blogging and some excellent writers blogging – but I do hope you don’t mind me highlighting some of the ‘down’ sides too.
All the best to you.
A common illness here: You’re blogging about blogging, again. You’re really, really good at it. I only hope we all remember to realize how much more interesting the Internet is, for everyone, when we’re not writing about writing, blogging about blogging, freelancing about freelancing.
The way out of this self-referencing insanity relates to the next-to-last item you listed: “Know your topic.” My advice is, don’t let your domain/design/brand jail you up, your ideas, your creativity. Try different topics, different themes, on different domains. Don’t tag, register new domains. It works.
There’s more to life than the Internet. Please write about it.
Then, don’t read and most important don’t comment. Thank you!
Psh. I agree with PJ. All these freelance bloggers write about is blogging and aspects related: adsense, seo, making money online, etc. Eff you and your denial.
@PJ You’ve nailed it on the head. That’s the one of the hush-hush issues with blogging about blogging. It almost feels like a pyramid scheme. Whoever started first and got the most of the traffic and exposure, got the reward. Not taking away from giants like Problogger, nowadays, the blog has to provide some beef and substance. Great niche is the key.
I’ve thought about freelancing blogs, but never really put any effort beyond that. This article, has given me a little inspiration to give it a try.
Very interesting article. We run a freelancers marketplace (http://www.peopleperhour.com), it might be worth adding it as a category in Writing (we currently have a Web Content).
Interestingly, we did have projects posted on finding a freelancer writer for blogs but never had any bids from writers..
Just another example that we got today:
http://www.peopleperhour.com/view_listings.php?id=450
@Linda – It appears to be true that the budget is lower for blog writing than newspapers/magazine, but then again I guess it’s a different type of writing (and readership).
Excellent article, Leo. I know a few people who prefer freelance blogging to more traditional freelance writing jobs. It’s nice to hear some feedback and tips from someone who’s doing it.
I was hired to write a series of articles for the micro-blog of a major retail chain. Unlike a normal blog that is typically posted the day you write it, these are submitted via email to the client for approval and published a few weeks later. The articles average 400 words and the research takes quite a bit of time for me (1-2 days) because they are fact-based rather than opinion-based.
I am paid $50/article (including 1 set of corrections). Additional sets of corrections are $25. I find that encourages the client to be more specific about their needs.
I was just sent a contract to sign. The contract states that I grant the client the rights to publish my articles in any form. Is this standard? Blog articles typically pay less than print. Shouldn’t they have to pay an additional fee to use my articles in print?
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
You’re paid $50 for a 400-word article that takes you 1-2 days to research? If you’re working 8-hr days, you’re making just over $3/hr.
We are a Medical Assisatant School interested in hiring a blogger to help promote our online medical assistant classes at http://www.medassistant.org – If interested please contact us.
Good article. I’ve noticed that even having a blog hardly anyone reads is incredibly helpful in getting blogging jobs. As long as you can prove you are out there and actually capable of what you claim, you can find a lot of opportunity.
Great post.
Another amazing resource is :
http://internetfreelancer.blogspot.com/
Nice post, find webmasters who need blog writer at http://www.savvylance.com
thanks.
If a blog post takes you 90mins to write, and you have a full time job and you do other things (have a life) how do you manage to earn $2000 a month blogging for others when clients pay so very little?
I am thinking with a FT job and a life that would leave you 8hrs a week to blog, in your case = 5 posts. With your stated income this is around $80 a blog post. Who pays this much for blog posts?
Please let me know as that’s the job for me!
I was wondering the same thing.
Second that. Quick posts take about 1/2 hr to write, proof, add some pics, post, share it to social networks. A longer post with research takes about 2-3 hrs. With full time job, and 3 blogs of my own, freelancing would have to be really profitable. On the other hand, ads and banners are hassle-free ways to earn some extra cash. I know, I know, people don’t click on the ads as ofter as they used to and the ad-blocking browser extensions really do the trick, but ads can give a blogger at least a place to start.
Another amazing resource is :
http://googlelance.com
What a great posting. It is much better than some of the advice that I have seen floating around the internet.
I find this post as a milestone and a starting guide to start a career in freelance writing. Thanks all others also who have given link to resources for the newbies. Thanks again.
Good piece. What are the odds that you would write a piece on how to transition from blogging to other types of freelance writing?
Very interesting information! I am a blog owner already
http://www.lancerglobal.com
Welcome to LancerGlobal – A Freelance Hub For Web-Business.
http://www.lancerglobal.com
The World’s Biggest & Cheapest Freelance Network
I know this post has been here for a while but I’ve spent the last few hours bouncing around the Internet trying to get a read on how much bloggers are making (i.e. writing for other blogs).
The difference between the high and low end of the scale is ridiculous. Even if we ignore the uberbloggers and gurus – experienced writers with a little marketing savvy seem to be able to command $30-50 a post. Not what they would see from print work but still passable.
However, at the other end of the scale, I see people working for $5 a post or even less.
My question is why?
What I have seen so far is that the bloggers at the lower end of the scale often take what is being offered – they respond to job postings and do little to attract their own clients. Whereas the ones earning reasonable figures have set their rates and then market their services effectively.
Surely if you want to blog full time – or do any sort of freelance writing – you need to ‘stick to your guns’ in terms of fees. For me that means that most of the freelance marketplaces are out of the question.
It’s much more profitable to go get our own clients – the ones that value what we can offer whether it be for a blog, an article, a newsletter or website content.
learned a lot from your post.. will be coming back for more.. =)
Good Resource.Please Review..
http://www.lancerglobal.com
Find Freelance Web Designers for Custom Web Design,Programmers, Graphic Designers, Coders, Writers and more
http://www.lancerglobal.com is the place to find Freelance Programmers, Web Designers, Graphic Artists, IT Professionals, Translators, Writers, Consultants & other Freelance Professionals. If you have a project you need help on, you’ve come to the right place.
Find qualified freelancers willing to do the job within your budget! Post your project for free and receive bids instantly.
if you want work as a freelancer, you have to see this site. is amazing. excelent to get some freelance work.
http://www.nextfreelancer.com/
enjoy it.
many thanks for this. you should check Danbro out; http://www.danbro.co.uk
Great tips! I’ve sold my first article and am thrilled. For so long I hesitated to even try, but now am spurred on and am reading everything online about freelancing, which is how I happened on your site!
These are great points. After you start your blog, seek out writing opportunities that resonate with you. If you’re a travel writer, you may want to check out Stumble Upon, Viscape, and other websites that allow you to create a profile and post articles. If you’re just starting out, you may consider writing for free. I wouldn’t make a habit out of this, but it could lead to paying writing gigs.
Some great tips here Leo. I found it almost humorous to find the “Create Your Own Blog” right after the one about not quitting your day job. Made me wonder how many started a blog with visions of immediate grandeur.
Speaking of blogs and grandeur- or at least income sometimes one finds things that can speed things up by getting much more out of the same work. About 2 weeks ago I was fortunate enough to find out from a top Internet marketer about a resource that GREATLY leverages how much search engine and online exposure one can get from a blog listing, by force-feeding your articles to a network of thousands, greatly condensing the amount of time it takes to create traffic and web presence. It incorporates ways to make each writing unique which makes things go much further. Pretty cool stuff.
This reopened for membership on April 15th and I’m told they may put the limits on that soon. I consider it one of the best “finds” I’ve made. http://myarticlenetworks.com
Great article. I am thinking of becoming a freelancer my self.
This article is just what I’ve been looking for, I’ve been reading some books about niche marketing and they focus on one thing, find a niche that you are passionate about, a hobby or interest in a certain field, topic or subject, cultivate it and make money from it. Well, I never made anything so special during my school days and currently I just have a normal day job. So finding a profitable distinct niche in align with my hobby or interest seems vague.
Although I tried my best to find one and actually started a new blog about it, it just seems not enough. Until I realized I’ve been blogging all along and have been very passionate about writing. This sparked the idea that offering my service by writing could be a profitable niche. Now that I’ve stumbled upon this article, it just made it so plain simple step by step on how to be a freelance writer (although I know it won’t be easy). Well, I’ll do a few more research, acquire some reference materials and finally I will do what I am happy doing.
Thank you.
All i can say is “WOW”
As a professional article writer, I have read many articles related this field and i must appreciate this resourceful and well written article. The author haven’t missed a thing regarding the issue. I have learned many new things here and would like to thank the author from deep of my heart.
Excellent site, keep up the good work
Wondering about finding an editor to improve my blogging. Just started and wanting to improve.
Kia Ora
My web hoster told me today that I should keep my blog at my website, and she thought that I was doing well with it and that I could write, so it encouraged me to start looking, and this is my first visit here.
Thanks for your article, and links to more articles. I am in search now of how I can write blogs for people’s websites and earn some cash in doing so.
Any tips from anyone else here, any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks.
It is the best Freelancing site and have the best and fair method of payment. It has the best user interface for buyer as well as for provider.
i must appreciate the whole blog to initiate and develop the interest of how to being a blogger
Great advice. I think the best thing that you can do is get writing, and prove that you can do it. Day in and day out with quality content. That is what will get editors to pick you.
[... - freelanceswitch.com is other good source of information. Online Car insurance claims [... -
Thanks for the tips. As a freelance writer myself, getting leads is half the battle. It’s sites like these that keep me going. This article has some good advice too. Hope it helps. /www.life123.com/career-money/freelancing/freelance-writing/freelance-writing—how-to-avoid-plagiarizing-your.shtml
This is a great article. It is such an informative article that I am inspired to discover the other gems on this site. Thank you.
Wow Great ideas and tips to follow.You can learn a lot from this superb post as it is quite interesting and useful as well.I also like it .You can improve your writing skill after reading this blog.
Hey Leo, I want to get into freelance blogging, and I was wondering, what is a good blog site to start out with?
there are soo many blog sites (ex. wordpress.com, blogger.com, livejournal.com, vox.com) try to visit their site and make a blog…
Hey, I found your blog while searching on Google your post looks very interesting for me. I will add a backlink and bookmark your site. Keep up the good work!
I’m Out!
WoW! That’s a very nice source of information. Thanks for that…
Great post.
Blogging for pay seems to be a dream job for a lot of people, until they find out just how much work it is! I “ghost blog” for others, as well as do standard marketing writing and consulting.
I make a point of charging a significant premium for the blogging for two reasons: first, to make sure the client is serious and will take the time necessary to review and comment on drafts (which they will if they know they’re spending $$$) and second, to position myself above the commodity of “get me a writer, somebody cheap.”
But I also discount steeply if they sign up for a retainer for a multi-month commitment. That helps them to see the value AND to devote enough time to see some real benefit.
I liked readind the content on your site.
Thank you
the article is precise and proves to be a good read too. clears many of the doubts of how to become a freelance blog writer.
Very Nice Post.
just a question- im rather good and creative at english writing and have received several compliments for this skill but havent yet exposed myself to the real world- would love to make a living writing – how, do u suggest, i go about it ???
Awesome advice! I neglected blogging for far too long, and I couldn’t agree more with this post. Thanks for sharing it!
hello sir,
could u help me with some tips on how to put my writing talent to good use. i’ve had no formal training or degree on the subject – im just a confident, talented and creative writer – i promise i wont overshadow u even if i do make it big, but just show me how to get there. when will i get a chance to say “LEO AND BEHOLD” ????
Thanks! Your advice has inspired me to take my blog writing a little more seriously.
Great site, looks like a lot of great resources are offered here. Thanks for the helpful comments from everyone and great post about blogging. I do it for love and am starting to eak out a living
~Dora
Thanks. this is really what i had been looking for for long but was not able to find any such blog. you have really done a good job as your part and now……………..we know where to start from. thanks gain. keep it up.
Thanks a lot for this great post i was searching for this article from days because i am a new blogger and really interested in how to get a good start to move on the right way .
A fantastic post Leo.Actually I’ve my own blog and wanna be a freelance blog writer and need your help.please tell me the basic thing about freelance blog writing.And a bundle of thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for some great information. I have a passion for writing and recently started two new blogs. One talks about home and garden design http://www.lanterns4less.com/blog and the other I started last week and talks about everything else. After posting 20 articles on my home and garden design blog I applied for my first freelance writing job and got it. I’m using my other blog to write about various topics so that I can have a “collection” of articles on multiply subjects to add to my freelance writer resume.
P.S. I printed a copy of this blog post. I think it makes great reference material.
Good pointer, definitely don’t quit your day job just yet. I don’t care what anyone says, blogging takes a while to actually start turning some descent numbers as far as income. If you just throw out a few post you won’t earn much but if you keep at, over time the rewards will come. You will see the passive income that everyone talks about but don’t be fooled. It takes work.
A great article/site for someone just starting into Travel Writing is Become a Travel Writer
Good lUck
Erkin Bekbolotov reflects on being a freelancer
I’ve been wanting to break into freelance blog writing but wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. I have checked out some of the freelance sites… but haven’t taken the plunge yet. I’m put off a bit by so many “low bids” from other countries and freelancers. Really good information here. Great read!
Brilliant article, very interesting and inspirational read. I work on a few blogs myself, like the article says, it really does just take time and creating quality blogs to get loyal readers.
Yeah, it’s definitely the move. Working from anywhere you want – nothing beats that. I’d suggest even going towards creating an authoritative figure in the industry you write about. Then collect income through advertising space. Or Adsense in the worst case lol.. but seriously, you could even sell your own ebooks about freelancing teaching others… ideas are limitless…
Getting the first few gigs can be hard, but writing a blog is an excellent way of showing off your writing skills. Creating a blog also forces you to decide on a niche and get to know that industry really well. That knowledge helps you sell yourself. I agree on the time frame too…it can be slow to build up readership on a blog so quitting your daytime job is not advisable until you get firmly established.
Hi Leo,
Thanks for the tips on how to become a freelance blogger.
I have to say that becoming a freelance blogger wasn’t something I considered until I read your article. This is definitely something I am now going to investigate further.
Thanks again.
Keith
Thanks for the tips.
I’ve been doing freelance blogging for sometime now and I’m able to generate a decent amount of money from it. There so many good writers out there…too bad they’re not using their skills to generate an income online.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Thank you for inspiring us bloggers.
I personally hire a ton of freelancer writers.. and the number one thing I request:
PROMPTNESS.. do not be lazy!
There are 1000′s of new blogs on the internet each and every day so working as a writer could be limitless
great site! thanks for sharing your tip. its a big help especially for beginners.
Thanks for the information. Big help for the beginners or even to some pros. Yeah, blogging takes alot of time and alot of your thinking too especially if you’ve written so many blogs already, it can get hard on the brain(or eyes) looking for more good articles.
Article really de-mistified how to become a freelance blogger. Its a lot simpler that most people realize.
Great step by step approach really can build the traffic to the site, due to activity. Google’s new caffeine update really puts an emphasis on activity.
Great advice! I’m just starting to realize what a useful tool blogging can be. Right now I maintain my own writer’s blog and also write about ten blog posts per week for a private client. I’d love to find more jobs like that, because blogging has become something I really enjoy.
Up to now I still can’t believe that there are would-be freelance web writers who do not even have their own blogs. I agree with this article, that a blog is a great showcase of one’s writing skills. It is like a portfolio or resume all by itself.
I agree with the comment above, that freelance writing as a profession allows you to work from ANYWHERE in the world, which is fantastic. You could literally work from the beach. By the way, following tool I found very useful while working abroad: http://www.englishsoftware.org/ It detects even more difficult writing mistakes!
Freelance blogging shows creativity of the writer. Reactions to what he/she encounters and knowledge about daily activities in life. Like knowing how to cook an apple pie or selling motor insurance up to the latest trend. Hooray to bloggers.
I have found some good projects on this site, but I keep getting underbid for now!
Great tips. I just communicated to a top blogger in my field of onshore outsourcing and offered to feature her in my blog and if she can provide me some resources to write about her and her links.
But you suggest that I should have asked her, if I could be a guest blogger at her blog? I think I screwed up.
Sean
Interesting article, very helpful – thanks. Have you heard about JobsFor10 (www.jobsfor10.com)? Seems like a new concept. I’ve joined it recently and they’re pretty cool. Has anyone had any experience with them?
Thanks,
Jennifer
Hello. Thanks for posting this article. Very useful tips to become a successful freelance writer.
Hello. Thanks for posting this article. Very useful tips to become a successful freelance writer.
Regards
Gina.
That’s great! I love to write and create content and I have just started a blog in the last few weeks. I am not earning from it but I am using it to build my internet presence and my brnad.
Keep up the good work!
Oli
I am also planning to be a free-lance blogger aside from my own blog. I wanted to expand my skills in writing. Thank you for the information.
Good tips as I am writing a fair bit for my site lately.
Thank you so much for the honest and well writted article. This area seems to be open to so many ‘get rich quick’ scams on the internet so it was nice to read something realistic and true. I hope to be able to put your advice into action!
thanks for sharing!
Great tips. Freelance writing takes a lot of effort and hard work .Your post was very honest and didn’t sound like it was the easiest thing on earth.
Hi. I don’t have any formal training about writing. But i am interested in this since i want to write things about food and travel based on my experiences. Thank you so much for sharing these tips. They were really helpful specially for starters like me. hope you can give me more tips and suggestions on how to become successful in this field.
Thank you,
Anna Marie Loopbaanadvies
I rally like the article, i actually now a few freelancers that make a very very good living blogging, this article give alot of great information on how to get started and be successful. Two thumbs.
Freelance writing is a lot of work; if you are willing to write quality information.
It takes time to research, it takes time to organize your thoughts, it takes time to get it down and then edit it.
Too many people seem to think that they can get paid freelancing throwing up just anything. Remember, you need to add quality and value to any writing…
Whether it is an article, an ebook, even a blog post like this…
I love writing but I am concerned about freelance contracts can any one help.
Very inspiring, i hope i’ll be good blog writer someday.
Regards
-Chin
Inspiring how-to article. Thanks!
Thanks for the great advice. I just gained my first regular client about 3 months ago and I’ve been looking for ways to build my website and get new work. This post is full of the exact advice I needed.
I was actually fortunate enough to start a career in freelancing first, and now I’m trying the blog thing. Great tips on how to get started and make it a successful run! I certainly need ‘em.
This is extremely helpful information. I’ve just started blogging and I’m working towards making it my full-time job. Writing to other blogs I think will be extremely helpful.
Great post. In fact, I would love to interview you for the new interview section of my website. Of course there will be a link to your blog. Let me know if you are interested.
Excellent post. I do think that freelancing is becoming the “natural” way to make something of yourself and exploit your real creativity these days. People have so much knowledge and potential waiting to be let out via their blog!
Freelance writing does indeed require dedication, and can be tedious at times. However, can be very rewarding when putting forth a good effort. If you are new to freelance writing online and are wondering where to start, try starting with GetaFreelancer.com and oDesk.com. There are, however, many other services out there to choose from, just be diligent and do your research…and you should be able to find a good fit for you:-)
I have been actively freelancing part-time for the past 10 years but I am a newbie to blogging. Your post was very informative and inspiring to me to learn that it is possible to expand my writing portfolio to include revenue from blogging (in time of course). I think another factor in succeeding as blogger is perseverance and dedication to the task. Like you have pointed out, building a blog and creating a following takes time and loads of hard work. Keep up the great blogs!
Very nice freelance training site.
Great advice for job goers turn freelancers. Odesk.com is excellent for gigs but foreign labor competition is abundant. Pajamajobs is a job board for telecommuters and has many categories such as <a href="http://www.pajamajobs.com/featured/love-to-talk-work-from-home-as-a-customer-service-rep/"work from home customer service. I have two colleagues who landed high paying gigs last year on Linkedin… that’s probably the go to resource online at the moment for freelancers. Great post. – Amanda
Love your article, i’ve written something similar about Freelance Web Designers, however i’ve gone down the route of exploring the process of setting up as a freelancer, from the initial stages of setting up a business… it might be useful for your readers too.
http://www.andy-morley.co.uk/website-design/becoming-a-freelancer/
Hope you enjoy it..
Thanks.
Andy
Thanks Leo for sharing this valuable information. However, I would have loved you advise on how much to charge per hour. You don’t have to be specific, just give me an idea of what to charge so that I don’t shortchange myself, and I don’t over price my service, and so lose getting clients. I’m new to freelance blogging and I’m hoping to get my first job soon.
And for experience blogger like you, how much do you charge for your work per hour?
Once again, thanks for the good job.
I have tried my hand at blogging but after much work and hardly any readers I decided to give it up
Wonderful article with some nice tips on how to become a freelance writer. Thanks.
hi
i want to start freelance bloginig can any 1 tell me how or where i can start
what to do ,where to go etc
Thank you so much for the informative article. I recently read something similar on Lexi Rodrigo’s blog, http://freelancefolder.com/8-essential-steps-to-starting-your-freelancing-biz/
She had 8 great tips on starting out as a freelancer that would enhance and add to what you have written above. You both stress the importance of networking and staying actively involved in blogging and using the resources you have available.
Well, I have two colleagues who landed high paying gigs last year on Linkedin… that’s probably the go to resource online at the moment for freelancers. Great post, thanx.
Nice tips, very helpful for those who want to be a blogger.
Good ideas, specially about pointing out that you do not need to quit your day job to become a freelance writer. I am just starting to be a freelance writer and I think it’s too early to quit my day job yet while being a writer. Plus, I am enjoying both jobs so much.
I have gotten great results from creative writing jobs because it is more of a niche writing market. It is great fun and I have to say this is a brilliant post when it comes to showing how you can make an income being a freelance writer.
Thanks for spreading this word!
Im a noobie blogger but I have been getting alot of viewers and these tip to monetize the blogs is nice thanks man ::d
Been a blogger for a while now, some good tips in this post.
This is just what I need to familiarize myself in blog commenting. Looking forward to many interesting and helpful articles from you.
yours is a very great piece. My greatest challenge has been how to attract traffic to my blog. I’m going to try out the tips above quickly, especially to “write an awesome post for” those big time bloggers “with a link back to my blog at the end”. Thank you very much for it.
Being a writer is an advantage..you can create your own blog and share to the rest of the word your talent.
Wow this is a very well written article! This is almost everything that a begginer blogger should know before starting work on his blog. I’m not a begginer but your article is helping me too.
Dear sir,
Iam so glad to come across to you ,and pleasure to communicate with nice people like you because itis really very interseting in blog writing world therefore,iam very devoted in free lance writing i would like to join in free lance
switch for future career and get a lot benifts both of us thus, i promise you to provide a lot good articles please breif me about the procedures to be followed
to get started.
Sincerely,
M. Abbakar
Many thanks for sharing. You have put it in a good way..
This is one of the best articles I’ve read on professional blogging. Very well written and full of useful content. I liked the realistic approach you presented. Far too many writers are looking for a quick fix into paid writing and don’t realise you need to be persistent. Thanks for posting.
thanks for the great tips on how to work toward becoming a freelance blog writer…some real info!
Hi free lance switch,
It has been a long time i have not contacted you back ,but itis pleasure to come
accross you again and deal much beacuse iam recently started this progarmme
as freelance writer.
Thank you and best regads.
M.abbakar
About 5 months ago my fiance began freelance blogging and really has found endless work because of the type of work she’s done on her own blog. It’s also led into doing the social marketing for a few businesses as well. Whether it’s a national business or a local business, it’s shocking how many business need these service, but have no idea how to do it. It’s a great opportunity for anyone looking for a good income and flexibility working from home (or the local coffee shop for that matter). Great article.
You just have to be a bit logical. Call it an exchange of information. The leaves to Post or must leave the relevant content of the article is being discussed. Instead of continuing with this line of thought that the author has given us fromsince I remember when I was working security guard and wrote in a notebook, while walking from one side to the other. This way of writing made me think and think. And I had to write well, standing, because if I sat down (which could not at work), my mind stopped working.
The other way to write my mind thinks, is being alone at night and without any noise. With a glass of whiskey beside XD.
Funny, right? article, this will allow us to place a link to our site. If we do this with jucicio and rationality, we will not have any problems with anyone
I do a bit of writing on the side and agree with what you wrote – especially:
1) Don’t Quit Your Day Job! – I know people who went into writing thinking that if they quit their day job and become desperate to succeed, they would. Never works – the stress of having to worry about your basic needs doesn’t do much to help with creativity.
2) Meet Deadlines – Critical. If you have a deadline, you must meet it. If you don’t think you have the time (due to Day Job, etc.), don’t make a deadline. That’s one thing that’s great about working on your own blog, etc. – you have no obligation to anyone to post at any time. It might affect your popularity if you don’t post often, but no one’s depending on you.
Thanks for all your comments in this, it definitely helps guide me through the bumpy path that’s freelance writing!
High freelance
It has been along time i haven’t call you about freelance course so i want to know more information about this i ssue
I agree with everything said in this article! I have learned that social media is an excellent way of branding and marketing your blog. I have written many articles and have created many blogs and implementing social media is my main source of traffic. Sure SEO is important as well, but there is nothing people love more than a trusted brand. Here is an article if you don’t mine me sharing that will teach everyone how to use social media to market their blog. http://vincentfrogameni.blogspot.com/2011/05/social-media-marketing-facebook-part-2.html
Hi There! I started blogging since last year around November, and i seem to get better at it every day. I like your tips, i will definitely use them in my advantage.
I also have a good tip; catch your readers email address if you can. If your readers like your content and you can get them coming back, they will become loyal readers which will help your own blog grow.Thanks for your good info! (sorry for my bad English im European) Good day everybody greetings
Hi there,
Well I am a freelance writer and I also write a blog on my webpage. Luckily I have got a handful of regualr readers who always come up with suggestions as they are also vet writers. Their feedback has really helped me grow in experience.
Truly, social media has become one of the major sources to promote your services but beware, spaming on social media can have negative effects on your business.
I must agree with “GUAP”, that blogging needs patience, but lemme add to it, it also needs hardwork and a little bit of luck.
Thanks
Particulary interesting blog post.
Great insights, especially about the patience required to build up a following for a blog.
This article was very well written, great job. I look forward to the next one!
Very good tips! this will realy help me when I need inspiration
I apologise, but, in my opinion, you are not right. I am assured. I can prove
it.
Freelance writing is such a rewarding career. You get to be your own boss. You get to pick and chose the projects which suits your strengths. You get to do something you love. I began freelance writing seven years ago and I don’t regret it.
just watched the Meryl Streep movie “Julie and Julia”, blogging seemed to work out well for Julie……good and interesting information will always be in demand.
This is an exalted website for writers. A writer can improve his knowledge by this website. From his traveling this sit he will learn many things about writer unconsciously.
I would add “Be Patient”. It takes a while for even the best writers to establish themselves in the Blogosphere. I’m banking that slow and steady wins the race.
Great article for beginners. I have an assignment about blogging and this article surely helps.
As I’m thinking about to find some freelance jobs, I found your article. Good starting point for me, thanx.
Freelance jobs have been good to me financially! It helped me achieved some of my dreams as a writer.
I wholly agree with not giving up the day job! Luckily, I was unemployed when I first started out, so I had hours to plug for projects and refine my online presence. Thanks for a great article though! I love reading how other people get started.
You write “And that’s how you begin to brand yourself as a good writer.” and then… “Once you’ve developed a brand for yourself…”
Question: What do you mean by branding? Do you mean you develop a reputation for writing about a particular subject?
What a great article! I was thinking about selling articles but I wasn’t really sure how to do it until I read this article. Thanks
I’ve been maintaining my own blog for about a year and a half, but I’ve also been contributing to a SBNation blog called “Behind The Steel Curtain.” Basically, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my writing “career”. I get to write about what I love the most–the Steelers–and I get feedback from hundreds of commenters and views from thousands of readers.
I agree, sometimes you just have to sit in-front of your laptop and start pounding away at your keys even if you don’t have a wonderful idea to start out.
I want to be a writer on chronological political history
I found it kind of hard to start as a writer, found my way in by starting my own blogs and using websites like elance and fiverr.
Allowing me to write for other people…
The toughest part is getting higher paying clients, its seems like everyone wants to pay the same for content…
Any ideas?
I was looking to hire a freelance writer when I came across this site. Does anyone know a site, or where I could start looking to hire a writer to create articles for a couple of websites I run?
I haven’t been freelance writer for many years. And I guess I am excited to try other alternative work for freelancer like me. Netscape and Digg already changed so I am looking for other options of social networking. I am glad to find the sites, which could offer me freelancing stints. Thanks for the interesting article.
$2,000 a month doing freelance writing for blogs is good money Leo, that’s good to know, hope I will get there too one day. However, you didn’t mention where you got the writing jobs from – if you don’t mind sharing it.
Thanks for the post.
Very interesting is all I’ve read, it is very good work and must also be dificl. I’m starting to create my blog to see how long they stand writing. A greeting.
Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve take note your stuff previous to and you are simply too magnificent. I actually like what you’ve received here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it smart. I can not wait to read far more from you. That is really a wonderful web site.
I need improvement in writing. This is really useful for me.
Hey Leo, these 11 tips are well thought out… and I’ll bet they STILL apply today!
Thanks,
Trish
would u help me to become a freelancer pls? what r the requirements to start freelancing?
Thanks for the info. With the Internet taking off,
there are more needs for Freelance writers.
Yes I definately agree with not quitting you day job unless you have something else to fall back on. I also work real estate notes on the side to help support what I do and still work part time.
chad
Once you get a list built and traffic to your blog or niche site you get tons of opportunities your way to be able to profit.
I chat a bit on this at http://www.earnmoneywithfreelancer.com.
click on the article “how to make money online” it tells a bit on how to do this.
Chad.
Thanks for the info, freelancing is definitely more accessable and viable with the many freelance sites out there.
All good and valid points; getting noticed is the key to being successful in freelance writing. You can be a great writer but if you don’t get out there and let people know, you won’t be as successful as someone who knows how to market themselves.
I’d say a good few hours a week should be set aside for pure self promotion.
I think it is only worth to accept collaborations with people you really vibe with. I know that passion is the only things that makes you succeed, so moving in this field is not difficult at all. Instead, it is very easy. You just choose the options that make you feel excited, and refuse the others. If you choose an option that you like but you get rejected, it simply means it was not the right one. Then you simply move forward to the next one tha you like. Thanks for sharing!
hi there , i just want to thank you guys for this wonderful post . It really helps , applying these steps would increase the chance of getting more job offers and basically would support free lancers out there. Keep up.
lol nice article but where to earn by writing the articles
Interesting flashback to an article from Leo’s past, highlighting exactly how he ended up building an audience for a blog that’s now considered hugely successful.
Thank you for a great article. I have just started on blogging. It is really helpful for me because I am not an English native. If you happen to know any good blog of non – native English blogger, please write a post on that.
Cheers!
There are a lot of useful ideas here, and I especially agree with making your own blog. It wont be long before people start coming and sampling your work. Social media is a great way these days to get your work found. Thanks for the tips.
Hi,
I’m delighted about your guidelines to starting a part-time career as a freelance blog writer.
I’m IT Risk consultant with prominent work developed at SW development in commercial Banking. Any ideas for starting IT Project Management and Risk related posts?
Thanks Leo for this informative tutorial, for me i feel like i have just learnt new things, most people think bloging is just an easy but there are aspect of specializing blog. Cant thank you enough.
There are lot’s of way to become a good freelancer. But before that you need to acquire some freelancing knowledge. Here I’m a newbie. Feeling pretty good to come. I’ll come here for seeing next outrageous post like that.
Hey great post, yeah dont quit your day jobs guys, freelance advertising and blogging is a fun but can be very tough niche if your not quite sure what your doing.
Great article. I think the most important points to make is that while there is definitely money and opportunities out there for people willing to grab them, but also not to be reckless as it takes a lot of time, learning, and effort. Having a balance between these two positions is key.
Hello all, I’ve been writing all my life. I’ve never written for a blog, but am very interesting in doing so, due to my love for it. Family and friends have stated on numerous occasions that I’m wasting my gift. I am interested in blogging about love and relationships. I know there are many out there who blog about this category, but everyone in this type of industry are uniquely different due to experiences. Can anyone suggest a direction in which I should pursue this, with possible success?
Thank you so much for this article ,this is the kind of encouraging help have been looking for in becoming my own boss and putting to good use my gift ,please i welcome any kind mentor ship assistance from all in this field.
Great tips! I guess I should hold on to my full-time job till I’ve tested the waters.
Some very good advice here and as a fellow freelance writer that took three years to build my now successful business, I would say I agree with most of it.
The only thing I would probably disagree with is the ‘know your topic’ section. In an ideal world, we would only write about what we loved and that passion and knowledge we have for the subject would shine through. In reality, I find I have to learn to love a wide variety of subjects that I have no fundamental interest in. I have to learn about my clients business and what kind of writing works for them. For my own blog, this rule applies. If I only wrote about things I loved in my business, well, I would have to get a day job!
Wow, you are really successful in freelancing. $2000 while doing just a few articles a month is almost a dream these days. The rates are too low. You are an inspiration to me and many other worldwide freelancers. Thanks for sharing wonderful tips.
You’re really successful, congrats for all your effort. I wish I were as motivated as you are.
I do not wish to be paid. I am elderly and very knowledgeable. My goal is to help people who are need of it; wheather it be domestic or financial. I would also give my opinions on news articles.
millions times thumbs up for this post.. I have just started my job as freelance writer and want to go with this.. and started my work just few months before and wrote on small blogs only.. This article is one of the mile stones for me…
truly good article, Actually the similar steps i took when started freelancing career, I have a blog and I am addicted to write everyday. One more tip – Write Write and Write you will achieve what you want
thanks
Sabrin
Quite insightful, especially for someone like me who wishes to pursue it in the future.
Totally agree with you!
Yup, everything must be in the right place before making any decision… And if you quit your day job already without realizing what you’re doing, you will be in trouble…
very well- explained idea.
the step by step tips that you shared gives insights to those who still confused of which way to go..
and i agreed that you put ‘Don’t quit your day job’ on the top of the list since we still dont know what the future brings.
you must have to know well what is your capacity, your limitations before giving it up. if you think you are ready to let go your job and focus to your new career, then follow your heart.
and $2,000 for a few articles per month??wow!!!it a big amount already..hope this can inspires all the writers out there..
I. really wanna be a good blogger but i don’t know how I’m good at typing i just don’t know were i could really use some help finding my way if any one’s willing to help out just email me at @flyingsquirrel22@yahoo.com
thank you.
Excellent read Leo.
I started my blog little over 7 months ago and am having lots of fun with it. It a music related blog based in South Africa, bring the news as it happens. Do you have any advice to expand my reach?
Thank you
Best guidence on blog writing! I would like know exact people who need blog writer,I have plenty of stuff to write.
Some good points here but the one I wanted to pick up on was the, “know your own worth” it’s really important.
I’ve been a writer for many years and it was one of the first hard lessons I learned. Too many new writers are being paid peanuts and being grateful for it. Yes times are tough but find out what the proper going rate for your work is and don’t undersell yourself.
Very good guidance for new blog writers.
Awesome post Leo, it’s informative and very helpful. I’m new to freelancing and looking for some good resources that could help me. It is indeed hard to look for clients to trust you for a project when you’re new. I’ve also tried several sites to look for clients like Staff.com, Odesk.com and Problogger.com but haven’t got any. With your post getting notice is a great way to build a good online reputation first and I’ll start with social media.
Great guidance for me.. I will follow it
I’m a new blogger and I can only manage to write one or two posts. I hope one day I can write much more posts per day. Thanks for sharing this secret!
Awesome article! It’s really informative. I’m rather impressed to read this nice content.
Whether payment based on the would count or a topic?
I’m a big fan of guest blogging. It’s one of the best ways to get recognised in your field since the google updates.
Hi there
How are you? I know that a lot of people are contacting you regarding guest post contributions but I’ll try my luck if I can get a guest post slot
I’ve been trying to read your blog posts for the last two weeks and thought that maybe, I can contribute a topic about “Top Tips for Commercial Freelance Real AgentsMArketing Themselves As Experts”.
I hope to hear from you again. I’m sure this topic will be a good fit for http://freelanceswitch.com/.
Cheers,
Kaylee Wilson
I just started blogging on my new blog website today. Looking forward to this. Thank you for sharing!
hello..
nice article with great information. Writing a good post is difficult for a newbie in blogging. I am also a newbie ,as I am in blogging from last month.But continuously writing quality articles are a art which comes with experience and practice.I am agree with you that good knowledge on topic is the most important for writing a good post .Thanks for nice sharing.
Hi Leo,,… blogging is the best way to express oneself!
May be seo is a friendly step towards successful blogging.
Excellent advice!! I feel inspired. Thanks!
Awesome article! It’s really informative.Although I tried my best to find one and actually started a new blog about it, it just seems not enough..
Great post ! at first thanks you for brilliant writing about freelance writing.from my very short knowledge i think it would be more effective for my freelancing career, although i cherished thousand of question on my mind, today’s this post give my all of answer that very question. thanks u.
Hi
I would like blog writing as my career,pls guide me through.
many thanks
mini
Brilliant article, very interesting and inspirational read. I work on a few blogs myself, like the article says, it really does just take time and creating quality blogs to get loyal readers.