No Tech Skills? Give Freelance Writing A Try
I have never been one to hide the fact that I have no tech skills. In other words, I don’t know much about coding, designing pretty websites, or troubleshooting. So when I decided to try my hand at making money online, opportunities were limited. Since I received my college degree in journalism, I figured that giving online freelance writing a try was a great choice. That was three years ago, and I have yet to look back.
If you do not have technical skills, this does not mean that you have no chance of making money online. Just like design and coding is not for everybody, the same thing holds true for freelance writing. But if you can write solid English that is easy to read, there is a good chance that you can make money as a freelance writer.
Does this all sound good to you? If so, here are some steps for starting a freelance writing career. You may not follow them in the order below, but you will definitely encounter each step somewhere along the path to success.
1. You Cannot Be Everything To Everybody
As a writer, especially a newbie, you want to make sure that you choose a niche or two. This is not to say that you should limit yourself, but you definitely want to focus on a small number of topics. You may be able to write about anything, but this is not what clients want to hear. For instance, you have a much better chance of landing a client in the automotive industry if this is your area of expertise.
2. Reach Out To Any And Every Contact That You Have On Your Email List
Believe it or not, hiring freelance writers is something that a lot of companies, big and small, do on a daily basis. Additionally, individual webmasters are always on the prowl for high quality writers. Once you get the ball rolling by contacting your network, you will have a good chance of landing a few gigs. From there, all you need to do is keep things rolling downhill.
3. Accept Small Jobs If That Is What It Takes To Break Into The Industry
But over time, make sure that you expand your operations into more lucrative markets. Do you think that Google made as much money on day one as they do today? Definitely not. There is nothing wrong with working for cheap as long as you are always pushing to reach the next income plateau.
It may take you a few weeks, a few months, or more than a year to increase your prices. You do not need a timetable, but you do need to keep in mind that you are worth a reasonable fee.
With these tips, you can become a freelance writer, either full or part-time. And remember, you do not need any tech or computer skills to get started!
Chris
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About the author: Chris Bibey is a full-time freelance writer offering tips and documenting his income at ChrisBlogging.
8 Rockin' Comments
February 20th, 2008 at 1:13 am
And if your email list is dry? I’d love to know about some sites that I could contact if this is an issue. Thanks.
-Nick
February 20th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Nick -
Consider finding people who outsource writing and work for them while you have a dry spell. Look for those who offer writing services and shoot them an email.
Worked for me :-)
February 20th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
:D
(worked for me for design too)
February 20th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I feel your title may be a little too positive. I don’t think that anyone can be a freelance writer- not in the least. Sure, just about anyone can get a gig or two, but those without experience and/or education won’t have much luck or success long term. Nick, you were a journalism student. I was an English & Writing student– we were both educated specifically in writing & research, not to mention the fact that we made it through a 4 year degree (not a small task). I just feel like this article gives writing as a “fall back” option, and it shouldn’t be. I am a professional, am paid as a professional, and am educated as a professional. Freelance writing is a tough field to succeed in (long term).
February 20th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Thanks for the tips, whilst I agree it is certainly not an easy career option, these tips definitely help in kick starting a freelancing career.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:29 am
Sign up through ODesk to make sure you get paid! It has been a terrific experience so far; lots of jobs to search through and a secure way to insure payment.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Thanks for all the comments guys and gals; they are well received. Additionally, thanks for stopping over and visiting my site.
As you can see, freelance writing is a viable career option. Easy? No, not all the time. But with that being said, what career path has an easy path to success?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Ditto what Allena said.
It makes me positively cringe when people think, “Oh, anyone can write.” It’s so utterly untrue! And it’s awful to watch bad writers bang their head against the wall of the publishing industry, when their writing is horrible and they lack the discernment to realize it.
The other erroneous part of this article is that writers make money. Ha! Even great writers usually make lousy money, unless they are very lucky.
And why are writers paid so poorly? Because everyone thinks that they can write, so the skill is undervalued.
My point isn’t to be elitist about writing. It’s to point out that we’re really better off working to our strengths and talents, rather than sniffing out how to make a buck.
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