Freelance writing is becoming a very popular way to earn extra money online. And the great thing is anybody of any writing ability can become a freelance writer. In this post we will take a look at what a freelance writer is. We’ll also list some of the best freelance writing sites to get you started earning extra money online.
What Is Freelance Writing?
Freelancing generally just means you are working on a self-employed basis. So a freelance writer is a self-employed individual that produces written content for sale.
Many people that work as freelance writers are not experienced professional writers with qualifications. Online writing jobs are becoming a much more popular way for people to earn extra money online. Or it could even provide a full time income for some people.
Online freelancing offers good flexibility, freedom to be your own boss and good earnings potential. As with any skill or service, the more qualified or experienced somebody is then the more opportunities there may be. But demand for writing services covers everything including just some of the following;
- Technical documents.
- Blog posts.
- Creative writing.
- Magazine articles.
- Newsletters.
- Product reviews.
- Copy-writing.
- eBook writing
- And much more.
Meaning there is likely a writing job suited to any interest and experience level.
What Skills Do Freelance Writers Need?
Now as we have stated there are writing jobs available that pretty much anybody can do. But it’s still important to remember that there are some basic skills required by freelance writers such as;
- Being a self-starter – you will have to get things done on your own.
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients to ensure project briefs are fully understood.
- Good writing skills including spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- Able to work to strict deadlines – projects are often expected to be completed quickly.
- Good organizational skills and the ability to multitask. You will likely be working on multiple client’s projects at once with different deadlines to keep track of.
- Good IT skills as you will be writing on a computer and using the internet for research.
Pros & Cons Of Freelance Writing
Pros;
- Freedom to be your own boss.
- Can choose work that interests you.
- Opportunity to earn extra money.
- Flexibility to work from anywhere at any time you choose.
Cons;
- As freelance writing becomes more popular some marketplaces are becoming over-saturated with increasing competition.
- Income can fluctuate.
- Will need to be organised and self-motivated.
Freelance Writing Platforms
There are many freelance writing platforms that allow both beginners and professional freelance writers earn money. Some of the top sites are listed below, some are open to everybody whereas some are aimed only at professionals.
Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the world’s largest online freelance marketplaces for digital skills. Any type of writing service can be sold through here including blog posts, business plan writing, resume writing etc. Anybody can use Fiverr but is more suited to experienced writers that can demonstrate their previous work.
Fiverr is a large global marketplace so there are lots of potential customers. However it has also started to become more crowded with other freelancers selling similar services. This means increased competition and potentially having to reduce prices to compete.
Find more information, visit Fiverr.
Upwork
Upwork is another global freelance marketplace very similar to Fiverr. Payment rates are based on quality writing and freelancers on Upwork are making between $15-$80 per hour.
As with Fiverr and most other freelance platforms it does tend to suffer from an overcrowded marketplace. Too many writers competing for business usually results in lower rates. Unless you can really make the quality of your work stand out. But they do attract huge amounts of customers so could be well worth checking out.
Find more information, visit Upwork.
FlexJobs
FlexJobs is an online job search platform that specifically caters to flexible online roles. You will find lots of online writing job opportunities on here, with various positions being recruited for people of all levels of ability and experience. FlexJobs screens each role posted on the platform to ensure it’s quality.
Find more information, visit FlexJobs.
Writing Paychecks
Writing paychecks is a freelance writing platform open to everybody regardless of experience or qualifications. Although the more experience you do have may qualify you for better paying jobs such as technical articles. As with all other platforms, your writing will still have to meet a minimum quality standard. But some free tools are provided to help you.
There are a wide range of writing opportunities including blog posts, documents, reviews, proofreading, ghostwriting and much more.
They don’t take a commission payment from your jobs. Instead you pay a small one time fee of $27 on registration which gives lifetime access to the site. This means you keep all of the future profit from any writing jobs undertaken.
Note: Writing Paychecks is only open to residents of the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
Find more information, visit Writing Paychecks.
Textbroker
Textbroker is an online writing service that companies can use to get quality freelance written content. As a writer on Textbroker you will be able to write; product descriptions, blog posts, press releases, social media posts, news stories, technical articles and more.
In addition to English, there is demand for content written in multiple languages. These include; German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian and many more. So there should be good opportunities from around the world.
What you can earn depends on the quality of your writing. You are graded at one of the following three levels and will receive the equivalent compensation;
- 3 stars receive 1.1 cents per word.
- 4 stars receive 1.6 cents per word.
- 5 star receive 5.5 cents per word.
Find more information, visit Textbroker.
Freelance Writing
Freelance Writing is an online writing platform giving writers the opportunity to earn money producing; blog posts, web pages, press releases, product descriptions, newsletters and white papers. The platform is open to both beginners and experienced writers.
Find more information, visit Freelance Writing here.
WritingJobz
WritingJobz has jobs for all levels of ability and offers competitive rates of up to $15 per page. Although you do have to undertake a short test first in order to be approved.
You may find jobs in; book writing, editing, proofreading, copy-writing, content writing, legal writing and more.
Find more information, visit WritingJobz.
ClearVoice
ClearVoice is a content marketing platform for freelancers. This platforms is only really suitable to professionals that can demonstrate past work. On registration you have to create your portfolio which is then vetted by ClearVoice.
Upon approval you can then start to apply for freelance jobs. These include; blog posts, articles, website copy, ebooks, guides, white papers, social posts, case studies, and info-graphics. You are able to set your own payment rates.
Find more information, visit ClearVoice.
nDash
nDash is another site suited to professionals with proven subject matter expertise. Your profile will first have to be verified before you can begin assignments.
Writers can pitch original content ideas for blogs, articles and whitepapers. You are able to set your own rates with nDash advising average assignment prices ranging between $150 – $450.
Find more information, visit nDash.
Contena
Contena is a specialist complete platform to help users start their freelance writing business. A paid membership is required to join the Contena Academy. But in return you get a training program, resources and access to the best online writing jobs.
There is opportunity to write most types of content such as blog posts, eBooks and web copy. These are for a variety of industries but commonly include; technology, education and finance.
The Contena platform is suitable for anybody, whether you have experience of writing or not. It is aimed more towards those seeking to make a full time income from writing. Memberships starting around $40 per month.
Find more information, visit Contena.
More Ways To Earn From Your Writing
You aren’t just limited to earning money by writing content for other people. Anybody can earn money by creating and publishing their own written content and articles.
There are many ways this can be done, commonly by creating your own blog and publishing your own blog posts.
Then there are sites like Medium and Quora which have options to earn money through subscription fees or advertisements.
Or use other general freelancing platforms, you can view this list of the best freelance websites.
Freelance Writing Conclusion
If you are looking to earn extra money online then freelance writing could be a great opportunity. It is simply working on a self-employed basis to create written content for clients.
There are many specialist sites that allow you to sell your services as a freelance writer. With many of these being open to all levels of ability and experience, so it’s not just for professional writers.
In addition to these sites there are lots of other ways to earn through your written content. This includes creating your own blog and publishing articles to sites like Quora and Medium. This way you are free to write about whatever interests you whilst also monetizing it.
As we’ve seen there are lots of earnings opportunities online when it comes to writing. So, ready to give it a shot?
You can find more articles like this on our blog including;
- Online business opportunities from home.
- Make money freelancing with Insolvo.
- Latium freelancing – work and hire in crypto.
- Where to promote your blog for free.
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