Why I’m Writing This Epic Blog Post And Why You Should Read Every Single Word!
As you know, it can be so difficult competing in today’s economy, that’s why I’ve been looking at the world of Freelance Writing so closely as of late, because this is something I’ve been meaning to research so I can share my analysis with you! 🙂
Because, if you love to write, and if you write lots of web content for yourself, then maybe writing as a Freelance Writer might be worth learning more about?
So in this epic guide of a blog post, I’ve spent many days brainstorming strategies for Freelance Writers, Ghostwriters, and other Agencies who might want to start offering writing services.
I look at all of the success stories that other Freelance Writers have had, and I ask myself this following question….
This Is The Freelance Writing Question That I Asked Myself… I’d Like To Ask You The Same Question.
Have you ever been frustrated because you want to get some work as a ghostwriter or freelancer, but you have no clue how to start?
Maybe you’ve been stuck spinning your wheels for hours days or even months but you’re still not sure how to start?
Maybe you love to write, but you don’t have a cool looking portfolio to show potential clients to, or maybe you aren’t even sure what the biggest and best freelance websites are these days?
If that’s the case, then you’re going to love this blog post.
In this blog post, you’re going to brainstorm a bunch of powerful strategies and tactics for freelance writers, ghostwriters, or even prospective writers or other agencies who offer any type of writing service.
You’re also going to discover how you can create a beautiful writing portfolio for absolutely zero cost, and also a ton of free blog platforms you can use to host your portfolio content.
And that’s why I’m publishing this blog post.
I’m Writing This Blog Post Because The World Economy Is Changing So Fast!
These days, there are a handful of super huge freelancing websites with small business owners who are constantly hiring writers. Fiverr.com, UpWork, and Freelancer come to mind.
That’s just one reason why the world of freelance writing is so fascinating to me. Because this world potentially provides to us, as passionate writers, an interesting opportunity to put in some effort and reap the rewards.
That’s why you should read every single word of this blog post.
Because I honestly believe, that there’s never been a better time to be a freelance writer or a ghostwriter. (Writing, along with teaching, seem to be my favorite two examples of a very low cost business to consider).
Because organizations of all sizes, and businesses all around the world need written content. However, as you know, companies are arguably more cost conscious than ever so they may consider hiring a freelance writer rather than take on a full-time writing employee.
So who is this blog post for? This blog post is for you if you’re interested in becoming a freelance writer, but maybe you’re overwhelmed because you have no clue how to start.
Let’s brainstorm this topic together. As always, I encourage you to reach out with your two cents and honest feedback.
Most importantly, this post is for you if you love to write.
DO NOT read this blog post if you’re looking for a get rich quick method or some type of guaranteed income thing. Being successful at anything requires massive amounts of effort, skills, experience, luck, and a never quit attitude.
Because I can tell you that as a freelancer, you will have to hustle to find clients. And if you have clients, then you will have to hustle to write content for your clients. So freelance writing in my opinion may be considered to be a laborious battle, however, may be worth considering if you love to write!
So, I honestly think that being a freelance writer could provide an awesome lifestyle for some, but always remember that it’s a lot of work. Anyone who says otherwise, is probably trying to sell you a dream.
In this blog post, we’re both going to brainstorm a ton of awesome strategies and tactics so you can proceed with the utmost confidence in this awesome world of freelance writing and ghostwriting.
Why There’s Never Been A Better Time To Be A Freelance Writer
You probably realize that the world economy is undergoing change.
Automation, robotics, advanced software and artificial intelligence are killing many different entry level jobs, and in my opinion, even more jobs are going to be on the chopping block as time goes on.
For that reason, it’s a great time to start thinking more like an entrepreneur.
It’s also a great idea to think how you can help OTHER entrepreneurs.
In My Opinion The Future Of Freelance Writing Is Bright Indeed, Here’s Why
In my opinion, many small business owners realize that content marketing is a great way to advertise their business. For that reason, there’s one thing these types of small startups need, it’s WRITTEN content.
They need content for their emails, for their blog posts, for their Podcasts, for their YouTube videos, for their email newsletter content, their affiliate promotions, and of course for search engines optimization.
They also need lead magnets, short reports, articles, and sales letters.
In my opinion, the good news, is that most people hate writing, and they suck at writing. Or, they otherwise BELIEVE that they suck at writing, or just find it to be too much of a hassle.
(I personally teach a handful of writing classes, and can attest that many students are truly nervous or shy about writing!). The reason I mention this, is because in my opinion a significant portion of humans living on our planet, simply don’t like to write.
That’s great news for those who love to write; people who might not necessarily be the best writers in the world, but we love writing nevertheless.
The Main Benefit That A Freelance Writer Brings To The Table Is Quality Content On The Cheap, With No Strings Attached!
I honestly believe, and I hope that you concur that many entrepreneurs and startups may want written content, and can benefit with good written content, but many simply can’t afford to pay for a full-time blogger, copywriting stud, or full-time writer of any type… And we’ve already addressed that there’s a good chance that they themselves don’t want to, or can’t write the content on their own.
That’s why, in my opinion, there’s never been a better time to be a freelance writer. I think that this is especially true if you’re a decent writer, and also a Native Speaker Of English.
But, how the heck are small business owners like us, supposed to get our names out there if we wish to start competing with the vast ocean of freelance writers who are already eagerly chomping at the bit for clients? Well, let’s brainstorm more about that topic in a moment.
The Two Most Important Attributes Of Freelance Writers And Ghostwriters
The following, like all of my content, is just my humble two cents; there are two attributes that you need to have if you’re a freelance writer or a ghostwriter.
The first attribute, is that you have to love writing.
Make no mistake, if you want to be a successful ghostwriter or a freelancer, the best case scenario involves you writing a ton of content.
It’s kind of like teaching, blogging, or anything else. The main reason I’ve actually kept this blog for any amount of time (lol), is because I love to write. If I hated writing, I’d never publish a single post.
The second thing you need to be a successful ghostwriter or a freelancer, is HUSTLE!
Hustling is arguably more important than your love to write, because you can be the best writer on the planet, but if you don’t hustle, then it’s going to be nearly impossible to land your first client.
If this stresses you out, then I urge you not to worry too much because I am going to provide you with a massive list of websites who hire freelancers later on in a future blog post (and I will update this area when I do with a link), so hopefully I can take much of the stress and anxiety out of your world.
I still haven’t gotten around to completing that epic post with the list of websites, however I did publish a list of the top 12 freelancing platforms and resources that I invite you to check out by clicking here. If you’re curious to learn more about different types of freelancing marketplaces, then this list contains 12 really powerful resources!
So, in my honest opinion, being a freelancer requires passion, and hustle!
You’re either going to be hustling for clients, or you’ll be hustling writing content.
So, you absolutely need hustle.
The Two Main Things You Need As A New Freelance Writer Or Ghostwriter!
Imagine that you’re the best writer on the planet, but nobody knows who you are.
How the heck could you convince someone to hire you, if you’ve never had any successful clients and can provide no evidence that your customers love your work?
Well, one thing you might consider sharing with your potential clients, in this case, is a portfolio of your best work.
Because, when you first get started, you might not have any social proof at all. Maybe you don’t have any reviews, or any past client work to speak of.
I’m going to show you a few awesome platforms where you can publish a portfolio for free in a few moments, but first, let’s talk about social proof.
Let’s Talk About Social Proof For A Second…
And, what do I mean by social proof?
Well, ask yourself, do you have any proof that people like your content?
It’s kind of like being an online teacher. As more and more students take your online courses, you get more reviews.
That’s my biggest source of social proof. My online teacher reviews.
For example, I have a Udemy profile that says I teach over 10,000 students, from over 147+ countries.
This is one of my BEST social proofs, because it proves that my sales pages convert, and it also proves that I have a ton of students.
So ask yourself, do you have any social proof?
Do you have any teacher profiles, any social media profiles, and forum profiles, an email list, or absolutely any proof that people like your content?
The main reason I mention this, is because you can show your social proof with your prospective clients as evidence that people enjoy your content.
If you don’t have any social proof yet, then in my opinion it becomes more essential that you have a portfolio.
So you could perhaps create a portfolio of blog posts, sales letters, templates, white papers, reports, social media swipes, or absolutely anything that you want to include in your profile.
This way, whenever you apply for a freelance writing gig, or whenever you’re scouting for clients, you can simply share that URL with your prospects so that they can see your writing style.
A Bunch Of Free Platforms You Can Use Right Now To Create A Really Cool Writing Portfolio In The Next Hour
There are two types of websites that we’re going to talk about in this guide.
The first type of website is a simple blogging platform. The second type of website is a platform specifically designed for writing portfolios. Both of these are a really good way to put together a portfolio, and I’m going to provide a wide variety of options so you can pick the one that you like the best.
Because when you first start freelance writing and scouting for clients, you’re going to need a place to house some of your writing samples if you want to impress the heck out of them, right?
If you don’t have writing samples, then you should spend at least a couple of days writing content that you can use to attract your ideal client.
So ask yourself, what type of content would your ideal client find to be impressive?
One great way to scout for awesome content ideas, is just by answering questions that others have! Start by browsing Quora.com and typing in some keywords in a niche that interests you.
That way, you’ll see questions that real people are asking asking, and then you can simply create content answering those questions.
Creating a portfolio is the first place to start, because if you don’t have any social proof then you at least require some content.
Without further ado, let’s briefly talk about 6 different platforms where you can upload some of your content, or start writing content in the next hour without paying a single red cent.
There are 5 free places that I can think of where you can begin publishing your written content.
WordPress.com
I’m personally a huge fan of WordPress! This very blog is developed on WordPress. It’s important to remember though, that there are two main flavors of WordPress.
There’s WordPress.org, which is what MrComputerScience is all about.
WordPress.org is hosted by YOU, and is therefore a little more of a hassle to setup and configure when compared to WordPress.com. WordPress.org also involves you buying your own domain name, in most cases, which of course also costs money.
There’s also WordPress.com, which is hosted by WordPress, so you never have to fuss with any type of hosting or cPanel if you don’t want to. WordPress.com also gives you your own domain extension, so you don’t have to buy a domain.
In any event, though I do use WordPress.org for MrComputerScience.com, I also have a really cool WordPress.com blog that I invite you to check out.
In fact, I’d like to show you two of my blogs; one of them is a WordPress.com blog, and the other is a WordPress.com blog.
Click here to check out my cool WordPress.org blog.
Or, click here to check out my WordPress.com blog (MrComputerScience.com).
In any event, I didn’t mean to rant about the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com so much. It’s just good to know that they have many similarities.
Remember that WordPress.com is hosted by WordPress, and WordPress.org is hosted by you.
Regardless of which you choose, it’s very easy to get a really cool looking blog setup.
If you choose WordPress.com, you can get a blog setup in the next 5 minutes.
If you choose WordPress.org, a little more technical setup is required, and it’s also more costly in theory, however, there are certainly advantages to having your own blog, being served from your own domain, and your own web host, et cetera.
Tumblr.com
Tumblr is another really popular free blogging platform. It doesn’t have as much customizable options that WordPress has, but it’s probably easier to get up and running in the next 5 minutes without fussing about how you want to customize your content.
The main thing that I love about Tumblr is that it’s very simple to setup. It also has super easy 2 Factor Authentication if you’re a security geek and enjoy that kind of stuff. Either way, if you’re frustrated from a lot of moving parts, then a Tumblr blog might be your perfect choice.
If you’re curious to learn more about what a Tumblr blog might look like, then I invite you to check out mine by clicking below.
Click here to check out my cool Tumblr blog!
Medium.com
Medium.com is another beautiful choice and has attracted a massive array of popular bloggers in a variety of niches. You can definitely blog to your heart’s content on this website, and it’s a great place to host your writing portfolio and samples. I would say that Medium.com is similar to Tumblr.com because it doesn’t have as much customizable options that WordPress has, and has far less moving parts. As a result, it’s much faster to use and you can get started uploading and writing content on Medium in the next 5 minutes.
You can definitely blog to your heart’s content on this website, and it’s a great place to host your writing portfolio and samples. I would say that Medium.com is similar to Tumblr.com because it doesn’t have as much customizable options that WordPress has, and has far less moving parts. As a result, it’s much faster to use and you can get started uploading and writing content on Medium in the next 5 minutes.
Quora.com
Quora.com is an interesting beast. First of all, you can actually reply to questions that people ask on Quora.com directly. So if you’re ever suffering from writer’s block when creating a portfolio of written content, then Quora.com might be your top choice because you can simply create awesome answers to questions that people are asking. Another beautiful thing about Quora is that there are people asking questions in absolutely every niche. So if you want to focus on weight loss, Internet marketing, or real estate, there are tons of questions that people are asking all the time. Quora also has a separate blogging platform so if you just want to upload existing content or write on a blog platform, Quora.com has you covered there as well. Another advantage of Quora.com, is that you could actually promote yourself as a freelance writer right within your Quora profile, so that has an added perk.
Steemit.com
Steemit.com is a very interesting blog platform that actually pays you in Steem (a crypto currency) if you have popular content. So, if you like the world of crypto currencies and want to potentially jump into the exciting world of crypto exchanges, definitely consider registering to Steemit.
Steemit doesn’t really give you that many options for configuring your blog, because all of the blogs look the same, and to be honest the formatting options aren’t the easiest on Steemit, but if you’re technically savvy it’s definitely a viable option.
Some people have been very successful blogging on Steemit, and there’s no reason you can’t share some of your portfolio content on this site if you want to diversify yourself a little.
JournoPortfolio.com
Journo is another awesome portfolio site that also allows you to blog right on the platform and also link to content that you’ve written on other sites. So if you want to combine a blog with a portfolio then JournoPortfolio is a great option.
The layouts and design on JournoPortfolio.com are really nice, so if you want to have a visually attractive portfolio you really can’t go wrong with this choice.
The only downside of JournoPortfolio is that they limit you to 10 articles on their free plan, and if you want to post more than 10 articles there is a small monthly fee.
To be honest, having a portfolio with 10 pieces of content should be enough, and I advise that you DO NOT spend any money until you can start getting clients of your own.
I have a cheapskate mentality, because I believe that you should always keep your costs as low as possible.
Once you start getting clients, then scale up if you choose.
Contently.net
I also wanted to talk about contently.net because it’s a resource that will allow you to easily centralize all of your content into one handy web address.
So let’s pretend that you have articles that you’ve written sprinkled all over the internet on 10 different websites.
You can use Contently.net to centralize all of your content into one easy to see hub, but it is NOT a blogging platform.
Contently.net is designed specifically for freelance writers, so it’s a really good idea to setup a profile here once you get established, or once you have articles and content posted anywhere online.
Another thing that’s cool about Contently, is that there’s a database of freelance writers that you can apply to. If you’re accepted, they will try to send you clients however they do charge you a small finder’s fee of about 15%.
Which Option Should You Choose?
All of these platforms have their own pros and cons, but I honestly wouldn’t get too stressed out about which platform to use.
It’s much more important to have good content that your ideal client would actually like. And if you’re too worried that you can’t decide which platform you would like the best, then I would spend an hour or so looking at all of the websites and just see which one makes you the most comfortable?
Because never forget this, one of the biggest secrets I’ve learned after writing tons of blog posts and emails (lol) is that it’s so important to be comfortable when you’re writing.
I think the best advice I can give you, is to choose whichever platform resonates the best with you.
Which interface looks the best to you? Which platform seems the most like your style?
Or, another option is to choose ALL of them. I personally have a WordPress account, a Tumblr account, my own blog with my own domain, a Steemit blog, and a bunch of other platforms that I’m forgetting.
I’m not saying that you should apply to all of these services. I’m just saying, that you have a huge amount of options. Just ask yourself, which one seems the coolest to you? Which one seems the easiest? Which one looks the best in your eyes?
Those are the questions to ask when you’re choosing a place to host your content.
How To Scout The Freelance Writing Landscape Without Getting Your Hands Dirty
Always look on Fiverr.com to see how much people are paying for written content.
Type in keywords such as “freelance writing”, “seo writing”, “blog content”, “ghostwriting”, and other keywords that you can think of.
Be careful to analyze the profiles of all of the top freelancers, ask yourself how much they are charging for gigs, and also how many orders they have in queue.
Freelancer.com can also be a cool place to scout. The thing that is cool about Freelancer.com, is that you can view to check how much each freelancing gig pays, and you can even see how much each employer has spent on previous freelancing jobs before, which is a good indicator to how serious they are, in my opinion.
My Honest Two Cents On Pricing Your Freelance Writing Work! (You Might Not Like This)…
When you’re first getting started, it’s a good idea to write for cheap simply because your demand might not be very high.
Unless you’re already very good at marketing, or if you already have an audience, then it might be very difficult and tricky to land your first client.
Don’t be surprised if you have to write 1,000 words for $5 to get your first few clients if you’re writing on Fiverr. And, you still might even have to hustle to promote your gig.
That sounds terrible, I know, but in my opinion, freelancing, like just about all online publishing endeavors remember is a social proof game.
In my opinion and in theory, the more leverage, positive reviews, and momentum you have, the easier it would be to charge higher rates, and the higher your demand is going to be.
A Cool Place To Scout For Clients
Before I forget, I wanted to briefly mention that The WarriorForum has a section called “Members Looking To Hire You”.
In this area, there’s always entrepreneurs looking to hire writers.
I’ve been keeping my eye on this section of the forum over the last couple of weeks to see if it’s worth mentioning in this blog post. To be honest, the majority of these jobs don’t pay the most, however, it might be worth checking out.
How To Easily Accept Payments When You’re Not Working In A Major Marketplace?
I honestly think that, if you’re having success as a freelance writer, that it might be a good idea to eventually branch out and build your own platform that allows you to promote and sell your freelance writing services on your own terms.
When I say platform I don’t mean to build a massive freelancing site (lol), but more along the lines of your own web platform where your clients can actually place orders right on your own website.
Having your own selling platform has a few key benefits, such as eliminating any fees that a marketplace may charge you (or your client), and if you have your own platform you can also consider building an email list of clients so you can communicate with them on your own terms.
That way, your best clients can go directly to you and they won’t necessarily have to hire you through a freelance writing marketplace.
In any event, PayPal and Stripe are both really popular payment processors that lots of small businesses are using these days.
There are a few benefits to this I think, and if you have your own clients who love your work, it might be a good idea to eliminate the middle man so to speak.
As you know, if you’re a fan of my writing, you realize that I’m a huge fan of email marketing, newsletter publishing, blogging, and Sales Funnels.
The reason I’m such a tremendous proponent of Sales Funnels in particular, is because this can be one of the coolest ways to accept payments for your services if you decide that you want to “branch out” from the freelancing platforms.
Another huge benefit of having a Sales Funnel, is that you can use this as a tool to split test and measure your marketing creatives.
If You’re Desperate For Clients Right Now Then Use This One Service
I spent some time searching for the lowest cost freelance writing and ghostwriting platform.
The reason I was researching this specifically, is because I figured and estimated that this would be a relatively easy place for decent writers to find clients.
In my humble opinion Iwriter.com seems to be one of the most successful and popular freelance writing marketplaces that also offers very low cost writing services.
Also, according to my initial findings, it seems that it’s very easy to apply to Iwriter.com to become a freelancer so you can begin bidding on writing jobs very quickly.
My advice, is that if you’re brand new, and want to get started and some experience, to check out Iwriter every now and then. They definitely don’t pay the most, so keep that in mind, however, they might be worth checking out if you’re just getting started.
If you see anything you like, then try submitting some content. What’s the worst that happens? You waste an hour or two writing some blog posts.
But, what’s the best thing that happens? Maybe someone totally loves your content? It’s worth a shot!
A Really Awesome Freelance Writing Marketplace That’s Stuffed With Clients
I’ve done a ton of research on all of the different job boards for writers, and this one seems like it’s the best one and most frequently updated.
My single favorite place to search for online writing gigs is the ProBlogger Job Board.
You can check them out at this link: https://problogger.com/jobs.
Usually this is the single best place to look, because lots of awesome small business owners are usually looking for blog writers in a variety of niches.
If you have a portfolio ready to show off, then it might be worth checking out the jobs that are regularly published here to see if anything matches your own style and inclination.
Attending Local Events And Plugging Your Services
One idea that’s more important than just about anything else, is that freelance writers and ghostwriters have to hustle.
In the beginning, you will hustle to get clients.
When you have more experience, you will hustle with fulfilling orders.
Which brings me to the idea of local events. Are there any small business owner organizations or communities in your hometown?
If you’re still having trouble landing your first client, then simply introducing yourself in front of other small business owners in your community, and letting them know that you’re an awesome freelance writer might be a very good idea.
What To Do If You’re Desperate For Your First Client?
What happens if you’ve applied for countless jobs, and NOBODY will hire you?
Well, if that’s the case, then you’re going to have to throw a couple of Hail Mary passes.
The first thing you can do, is start offering people FREE writing gigs.
I know, this isn’t the most ideal of situations, but what you’re probably lacking the most is exposure, experience, social proof, and reviews.
I guarantee that if you search enough for blogs in your favorite niche, and if you offer to write FREE blog content in order for some type of a promotion of your services in exchange, that at least some of them will at least consider your proposal.
You could even offer free writing gigs in exchange for a consideration of future work.
There are a few ways that you can advertise your free gigs in exchange for advertising, or consideration of future work, but always remember, that freelance writers are hustlers!
The good news, is that once you have clients who know you, like you, and trust you, then hopefully, you’ll probably spend a lot less time struggling for clients, and more time writing.
Of course, when you do NOT have any clients, it’s time to hustle until you find some who enjoy you and appreciate your work.
Thanks So Much For Checking This Out! You Rock!
This is probably the longest blog post that I’ve ever written, so I hope that you had a ton of fun reading and I thank you so much for checking this out.
The reason I published this blog post, is because I honestly believe that writing is awesome.
I also believe that many small business owners can benefit by having regularly published blog posts and other online content, but they just don’t have the expertise, time, skillset, or desire to get it done.
That’s why I had a ton of fun brainstorming these ideas and writing strategies with you; because I think that there truly is potential for ghostwriters and freelancers who are decent writers, and who love to write!
I thank you again for reading this, and as always, I humbly invite you to contact me with any questions, requests, feedback, or comments.
Also, and most importantly, remember that Freelance Writing, or any type of Online Publishing isn’t a get rich quick scheme!
Success at any endeavor requires an ABUNDANCE of skills, effort, workload, passion, experience, and also some luck.
In any event, I hope that you had fun, because publishing this was a pleasure.
Cordially and humbly…
Mike “Ever A Writer” DeVincent
MrComputerScience.com