1. Use Your Existing Contacts to Network

   Most professionals have a lot of contacts from prior personal and professional situations. These existing contacts are great resources for networking your talents to potential clients. Take advantage and seek out recommendations, testimonials, or leads. Your network knows you the best and can steer you in the right direction, leading to quicker success landing the best projects and increasing your earning potential.

2. Identify Your Niche Market and Stick to It

   A common piece of advice we give to all writers is to stick with what you know. Perhaps you have a university or graduate degree in molecular biology and are confident you can write research papers in this field. Or you may know everything there is about DIY home projects and want to share your experiences with others. Keep it simple and within your niche market when you are just starting. You can always branch out to other areas as you achieve success.

3. Tailor Each Application for the Exact Job

   Application templates are really helpful to have because they save time and contain all of the basic information you need to pitch to your clients. However, don’t make the mistake of sending out the exact same information on every occasion. You should carefully and appropriately customize each application so that you are addressing the client’s specific requirements or project needs.

4. Keep Applying Until Your Plate is Full

   If you don’t land jobs in the first couple of weeks, don’t get discouraged. It takes time to get a steady stream of work and build up a portfolio. And once you do successfully land a remote writing job you like, keep sending out applications until your plate is full. This will improve your chances of consistently having a new project to work on as soon as one is finished.

5. Check Out Freelance Writing Services

   Sites like Upwork, Fiver, and ProBlogger are great places to find small and large scale projects that pay very well. You can also check professional academic writing sites for opportunities to work remotely from home taking on assignments in areas you have experience in. These places usually can give you a steady stream of projects that will not only keep the money coming in but will give you a launching point to build your portfolio.

Remote freelance writing jobs are becoming easier to find and get because of the way we are connected online. Writing resources are available everywhere — some for free — and the need to use software tools that were only available to businesses is becoming increasingly rare. More people are starting to enjoy the vast freedom and flexibility that comes from a remote writing job. Follow the advice above and you can start winning freelance writing projects on a regular basis.

Why Freelance Writing is Becoming So Popular

The first two things people notice about becoming freelance writers is that the job offers a lot of flexibility and freedom. This just isn’t possible in traditional office jobs which usually require people to work part-time or full-time and might not offer much room for advancement.

Freelance writing appeals to people who want to do their own thing — write short and long pieces on subjects they are interested in and not having to deal with overbearing bosses or burnout that comes from dealing with stressful situations day in and day out.

Simple Process for Becoming a Freelance Writer

1. Identify Your Writing Interests

   There are endless topics you can write for when you enter the freelance market. But instead of trying to tackle everything under the sun, it’s a good idea to identify your biggest interests and to start researching the types of articles and blogs that are actually getting published and read by audiences.

2. Write Some Sample Pieces

   Assuming that you have little to no experience as a freelancer, you’re going to have to put together a really good portfolio of sample pieces to attract potential clients. Look through any articles or blogs you have written in the past and gather the best ones. You should also write new pieces on topics you find interesting and want to start earning money in.

3. Work on Improving Your Skills

   Even if you feel that you are a good writer already, there is usually always some room for improvement. Take writing courses, practice the art of editing, and work on expanding your vocabulary. Writing is a life-long pursuit and the more work you put into self-improvement the larger your readership will be.

4. Start Submitting Proposals

   A lot of your early work will be won by submitting proposals directly to potential clients. There are freelance sites that have a standard process for doing this, but you can also “pitch” to clients directly simply by sending a short but informative message that states your purpose and qualifications.

5. Connect with Other Freelancers

   The most successful freelance writers build extensive networks to share opportunities, resources, and advice. You can probably already think of a handful of writers you follow and would like to meet. Reach out to them and don’t hesitate to ask questions. The connections you make can be mutually beneficial.

The process is certainly simple, but you still need to practice plenty of persistence and patience. With more people joining the gig economy each year, it might be a little hard to land writing gigs when you are just starting out, but this will pass if you stay focused and dedicated. Contact a professional writing service (which hires freelancers) and study its resources. You can even check to see if there are any opportunities available to start writing for it so that you can get a feel for the industry.