Are you wondering how to become a freelance writer with no experience?
Generally, it takes the right training, writing essentials, and an online portfolio to become a freelance writer. More importantly, you should know how to find beginner-friendly writing jobs, the best-paying clients, and other writers.
But why freelance writing?
Freelance writing gives you the chance to turn your writing passion into a side hustle. You can make money enough to pay your bills, invest, and go on a dream vacation from freelance writing.
Also, freelance writing means freedom to you as a writer. You get to pick your jobs, working hours, and even set your rates. Admittedly, not many jobs have such freedom!
What’s more, there are so many genres of freelance writing. From blogging and content writing to ghostwriting and fiction writing, there’s something for everyone.
How To Become A Freelance Writer With No Experience: 6 Steps
Here are the critical steps to freelance writing for beginners:
Step 1 – Get Freelance Writing Training
If you’ve never written for pay in your life before, then it makes sense to learn a few things about it first. Don’t worry about the cost as there are so many free online courses that you can take.
I particularly recommend the following three free courses for freelance writing for beginners:
- Get Paid to Write – This 6-day free course by Elna Cain takes you through the basics of starting a lucrative freelance writing journey.
- 200+ Freelance Writing Niches – If you are not sure about the things to write about, this free course by Gina Horkey highlights 200 plus profitable and in-demand writing niches.
- 30 Days New Freelance Writing Career – This is another free freelancing course by Gina Horkey that takes you through the things you can do to succeed as a freelance writer in 30 days.
Step 2 – Prepare Freelance Writing Essentials For Beginners
Every job requires specific tools, and freelance writing is no exception. Generally, here are the essentials for freelance writing jobs for beginners:
- Quality computer and internet device – You’ll be using a computer for research and typing. It has to be internet-enabled since you’ll be working online most times.
- Ergonomic chair and working table/desk – They give you an office-like experience when working from home.
- Email address – This is what you use to sign up for freelance jobs. It can also serve as your PayPal account.
- Google Drive – You need an online backup solution for your work, and this is where Google Drive comes in. Your files are safe on Google Drive.
- Canva – Some clients may require you to insert images into the article. It would help if you had a tool like Canva for that.
- Google Docs – Google Docs allow you to access and edit your work on the go. It also allows you to share your content with clients conveniently.
- Proofreading tool – I recommend Grammarly here for two reasons. One, it’s easy to use and provide the cleanest, error-free copy. Two, its premium version allows you to check for plagiarism, thus guaranteeing original content.
- Plagiarism checker: For freelance writers, reputation is everything. Consistent delivery of
plagiarism-free content is key to building a positive professional image. I recommend
Plagiarismchecker.ai as it is one of the most reliable plagiarism checking tools to avoid such
situations and cultivate a reputation for integrity and high-quality, original content.
Step 3 – Have An Online Portfolio
If you want to master how to start freelance writing with no experience, clients should find you effortlessly online.
It starts with having a portfolio website that you can host on Bluehost for $2.95/month using my link.
While at it, ensure your website contains an ‘about page’ that describes who you are, a ‘contact page’ that allows clients to reach out to you, and a ‘portfolio page’ where you post some of your published work.
It’s also essential that you sign up for social media accounts, and you should include your handles on the website. That allows your site visitors to also connect with you on social media.
In particular, ensure you sign up for Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Step 4 – Find Freelance Writing Jobs For Beginners
So, how do I start freelance writing with no experience? Most beginners begin writing blog posts, tutorials, product reviews, eBooks, and newsletters since they are more straightforward.
This, however, doesn’t mean that you cannot write news articles, product descriptions, scripts, or business proposals if you have the right training.
Now, let’s get to the job part, and here are your options:
a) Start a blog
So, can you become a freelance writer with no experience and make money? The answer is yes, especially with a blog.
There are two major roles that your blog plays. One, it helps you to have an online portfolio, as seen above. Clients will look at your blog to learn about your style.
Two, a blog allows you to earn passive income, which means you don’t have to look for freelance writing jobs anywhere.
I make $3,000 a month on this blog, but I know people who make as much as $10K monthly.
Are you interested in blogging? Consider signing up for Project 24 on Income School. You’ll learn a lot about how you can make a decent income from blogging.
In case you need help setting up your blog, here is a guide to use.
Using my link, you can host your blog on Bluehost for $2.95/month. Plus, you’ll register for a free domain in your first year.
b) Sign up for a freelance writer account
Have you ever heard of freelance marketplaces? They are websites where you can sell just about any service and get paid.
Freelance writing happens to be one of the most popular services you can sell there.
Here are my best freelance writing sites:
Signing up for a freelance writer’s account in the above marketplaces allows you to set your rates and work conveniently from home.
c) Apply on content mills
Instead of signing up on general freelancing sites, you can do it on content order sites that we call content mills. Generally, you need a good profile to find freelance writing jobs there.
In most cases, you’ll be writing blog posts, reviews, and news articles.
My top content mill recommendations for freelance writing jobs no experience are:
d) Visit local job boards
In case you want to save on the commissions that freelance marketplaces and content mills take, you should visit local job boards. The best recommendation is FlexJobs since the company handpicks the jobs it posts.
So, you’ll only find legit freelance writing jobs there. You’ll, however, need to subscribe at $14.95/month to continue accessing the job posts.
If you prefer free job boards, then consider the following:
Step 5 – Look for Well-Paying Clients (For Freelance Writing Jobs With No Experience)
Learning how to become a freelance writer means expecting competition, especially from experienced freelancers. So, what should you do to contend with them?
Here are tips that worked for me as a beginner and are still relevant to date:
- A strong proposal
Whether you are applying for freelance writing jobs in the marketplaces, content mills, or job boards, you should always write a strong pitch.
It should include your name, what you can do, and a link to your portfolio (or samples).
- Cold pitch
Cold pitching is when you apply to write for companies that are probably not looking for writers. Weird, right? Well, it works for me, and I think you should try it.
You have to give them a reason to hire you, and this means identifying a need on their website that you can solve. It could be poorly written content that they are not aware of or don’t have enough content to outcompete their competition.
Generally, a successful pitch saves you from worrying about where to find freelance writing jobs. You can find companies to send a cold email on Manta and Angel List.
- Guest post
You cannot master how to be a freelance writer without considering guest posting. Guest posting is when you write for high authority sites.
It allows you to leave a link that can help you draw traffic to your blog. Also, your name becomes known, and this is likely to attract well-paying clients.
You need to find websites that relate to your blog ranking high on Google and apply for guest posting.
- Leverage your blog
Since your blog is designed to give you an online presence, you should leverage its power. For starters, create optimized content to enable readers and clients to find you online.
Also, ensure you provide contact links to your social media pages to allow site visitors to reach out to you.
Step 6 – Build Beneficial Networks (With Freelance Writers With No Experience)
Lastly, you need to network with other freelancers to learn about their experience. For one, it allows you to learn how to get freelance writing jobs for beginners.
You also learn about the various challenges that freelance writers go through and how you can prepare for and avoid them.
So, how do you network with fellow freelancers? Here are the strategies I use to build my networks:
- Direct email – You can email the freelancers you find online, asking them how they do it.
- Social media – You should find freelancers on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.
- Newsletter – Sign up for newsletters from top bloggers
Closing Thoughts On How To Become A Freelance Writer With No Experience
Now you have the secrets on how to become a freelance writer with no experience. If you were hesitant to pursue freelance writing or you tried and sadly failed, it’s time to get into it.
Hopefully, you’ll find the right footing using my guide.
In order to get a job without experience, initially, you need to take courses and gain skills and good knowledge for your future job. You must become a specialist and prove with your knowledge that lack of experience is not a hindrance to the quality of your work.
Generally, entry-level writing jobs can pay anywhere from a few cents per word to several dollars per hour. However, as one gains more experience and develops their writing skills, they can command higher rates and potentially earn a full-time income as a freelance writer.
