Are you interested in earning money with your words? Have you thought about being a freelance writer? Right now writers are in demand because of the internet. Let’s face it we have entered an era of technological change and the internet is one “trend” that is here to stay.
Why do people go to the internet? What are they looking for? If you guessed information, you are right? That’s why you are here isn’t it? You came looking for information about a certain topic. The internet is the largest repository of information in the world today. It used to be that libraries were the places to go for research and general information. They are still very important for much of what we need but they are not as convenient as going to your computer in the next room and searching for a recipe, a historical figure, or how to grow tomatoes.
With the stability of the internet traditional magazines, newspapers, and newsletter publishers are setting up an internet presence daily. In addition to their regular publications they need content for their websites. They have people to write for the traditional publications but there is still room for people to write for the web. You may be the solution to their problem.
In addition to traditional publications, there are retailers, internet marketers, and small businesses that are also setting up their businesses on the web. They need content as well. As more and more people flock to the internet it becomes a more profitable place. The more people with businesses on the internet, the greater the competition and the need to attract people to their website. Content is the key.
With good content that offers a benefit to reader the internet marketer has a greater chance of making a sale. They are seen as the authority because they can offer advice, information, and help to the people who have come to the internet. The trouble is that most internet marketers and business people don’t have the time or talent to write great articles that are both informative and easy to understand. This is where you come in.
Your writing skills are in demand is it is clear, concise, grammatically correct and interesting. Think about your high school and college papers. Did you get good grades? Did your teachers praise you for your creativity? Where you able to explain things in a way that everyone could understand? More recently, have you written a letter to the editor that got published? Have you contributed to your child’s school newsletter? Do you have a blog that is well read? Do people ask you to proofread their writing over and over again? Now is the best time to take your writing talent and start earning money from it.
There are many options to explore when considering freelance writing. You can start off writing for one of the many content companies on the web. I gave a few examples in the Use Your Expertise post. They are just the tip of the iceberg. If you specialize or decide to write for only a certain segment of the population or on certain topics you open yourself up for more opportunities.
Writing articles is but one type of writing that you can get paid for. You can also get paid to write blog post, write on forums, write short facts, write comments, write how-to’s, and the list goes on and on. Do a little research to find out what is in demand. Start writing samples in areas you already know about. Take your journal entries and write an article of blog post from that. When you approach a company or individual about writing for them you will have samples to show.
Eventually you will need to get a website up or turn your blog into a website. Get help with this or, if you are adventurous, do it yourself. I did my own blogsite, graphics and all, so I know you can do it if you have the motivation. Having a web presence shows that you are serious about your business and it is the place to put all your writing samples. You can also tell the site visitors about what you offer, about you as a person, and how you do business.
It takes confidence to hang out your shingle as a freelance writer. You have to market your self all the time and keep several projects going. If you are serious about writing you will do what it takes to keep your clients happy and always be on the look out for new ones.
Writing as a hobby is much different than freelance writing. A hobby can be put down and left for a while, then picked back up again. If you get money for writing as a hobby that’s great but it is not a motivating factor for you. A writing hobbyist is not concerned about perfecting their craft, customer service, or looking for the next gig. It’s fun and never time consuming. Freelance writing is not always fun. It’s hard work. The money you make from freelancing is a vital part of your livelihood. You depend on that money to pay a few bills. You will constantly find ways to get better and you recognize that your clients are your bread and butter so making them happy is top priority.
(c) Samantha Gregory
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