There are endless writers available to write articles, blogs, or other projects for anyone who may need them. This means that there is plenty of money to be made in this industry.
The issue therein lies in who is getting those high-paying writing jobs. Who stands out from within the sea of available freelance writers and how do they do it?
How can you best make money as a freelance writer?
The answer may be found in the work that individuals put into marketing their skills, the quality of their work, and where they’re looking for potential clients.
How to make more money freelance writing
Writing articles can, in fact, turn into a lucrative profession if the right steps are taken. While it’s not on the list of the most high-paying jobs, it is possible to earn a living as a writer. How to make money writing articles is no perfect one-size-fits-all model, but with some guidance, you’ll be making your first paycheck in no time.
When you think of writing articles, you may picture writing for a newspaper or magazine. Times have changed significantly, now with a greater need for online writing. You no longer have to walk to an office and apply to be a writer. Instead, you can work online, writing articles for various organizations, individuals, and blogs.
So how do the top freelance writers make six figures? Follow these 4 tips.
1. Market yourself like the pros do
For some people, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to market themselves. Some people have difficulty putting themselves out there and accurately showcasing their abilities.
However, when competing for the many writing jobs out there, you have to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
While you want to be an attractive option to a potential customer, you don’t have to do anything flashy. You’ll want to present your skills clearly, demonstrating how you are the best writer for the job.
Create your own website
You’ll want to determine how you’re finding your writing jobs, as that will influence the ways in which you market yourself. If you’re reaching directly out to organizations to offer your services, you’ll want to create your own website.
You can create free websites on site-building platforms like Wix or Squarespace. However, nothing beats having your own domain name and hosting your website. I recommend using HostGator. This allows you to use the free blogging platform WordPress and gives you the freedom to design your blog however you like.
Speaking of design, the design of your site should reflect what you’re like as a writer. If you write blog posts, make it look like a blog. If you’re ghostwriting novels, make it a little creative. If you’re working on social media copy, make the design layout reflect a social media platform.
Make your website neat and professional, but also personal to your style. Additionally, you should include a few samples of your best writing. Allow potential clients to view your work easily before making the decision to hire you for a project.
Create a high-quality profile
If you’re not working on your own, then you’ll need to create a profile on freelance writing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. Your profile doesn’t have the creative license that a website has, though.
You can usually only include a photograph and a little information about your background. Make sure in your photograph you are smiling and look professional. If you have a headshot from a previous job, now’s the time to use it. If not, simply take a high-quality photo against a neutral background. Make sure the lighting is good and the quality of the photograph is crisp.
You should also proofread your description of your background and qualifications. There’s nothing more unattractive to a potential client than trying to hire a writer and finding typos or grammatical errors in their bio.
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2. Improve the quality of your writing
Once you’ve pulled in your first customer, you’ll need to deliver quality work in order to receive either a testimonial for your website or a 5-star review on a freelance platform.
Regardless of your method of writing, your reputation as a reliable source for quality work is critical to making money long-term.
Take an online course
This means ensuring that you provide the customer with an excellent result every time. Even if you don’t feel like the strongest writer, there are online classes and assessments to see your writing level and improve.
Seek out these resources if you need a little bit of extra assistance before getting started writing articles.
Use a grammar and proofreading tool
It may seem to go without saying, but you’ll also need to carefully proofread and edit each project you submit to a new client. Just like with your bio, you’ll want to avoid any typos or grammatical errors. Re-read each piece you write, and then read it again.
There are free and paid programs that will also check for spelling and any errors. Run your work through more than one of these checkers in order to catch any mistakes you might have missed.
Looking for the best tool to help you become a better writer? I both use and recommend Grammarly Premium.
Grammarly Premium is a writers’ best friend. Use this tool and never worry again about delivering anything but excellent content to your clients.
3. Find more clients
Making money writing articles can’t happen without finding the right clients. Finding the right organizations or individuals to write for may take a little time, but once you’ve figured out what works best for you, you’ll have a much easier time with it.
You’ll have to decide if you want to write articles on your own and seek out organizations directly or check writing job boards or if you want to use a freelance platform like Upwork or Fiverr.
Another option is to do a little bit of each method for a while and see which works better for you. One might emerge as a clearly better choice for you and your writing style. Additionally, you’ll want to figure out which does better in terms of bringing in consistent, regular clients.
To find the best writing jobs, consider using a paid service like Flexjobs. You’ll find higher-paying jobs there than at the popular freelancing platforms.
4. Get repeat clients
One of the best ways to make money writing articles is to have customers that return and reorder. While it’s great to work on one high-paying job, it’s even better to know that said customer will come back to you next time they need a project completed.
This consistency in keeping clients is really where the actual money is made.
In order to keep customers coming back regularly, you’ll need to maintain the quality of your work, clear communication, and excellent customer service. If you can do these things, you’ll be able to keep your clients returning and ensure a steady stream of income.
Wrapping it up
Hopefully, this article has given you some tips on making more money freelance writing. Ultimately, the money you make writing articles is up to the amount of time and effort you put into it.
If you research, carefully craft your strategy into the market, and continuously deliver excellent quality writing, it can be a lucrative field to get into.
