When I started blogging, I noticed that many bloggers, at least in the personal finance niche, also did freelance writing on the side. I was decidedly against the idea of freelance writing as a side hustle. It wasn’t until recently that I changed my mind about freelance writing.
I am always encouraging readers to look for additional ways to earn money as they are getting started paying off debt. I have shared my five part series on how to start an Etsy shop and I’ve shared how to start a blog and tips for a successful money-making blog (and why my first blog failed).
I have found blogging to be my favorite way to earn extra money, but I am interested in exploring more options for readers who are looking to earn additional income from home. Today I will focus on freelance writing and how you can get started.
Why I was initially against freelance writing
My biggest worry when I dove into blogging was that I wouldn’t be able to keep it up. I was already pretty busy with my (then) three kids and my Etsy shop. If I hadn’t had other reasons for blogging, I wouldn’t have kept it up.
I made it happen, but I was busy. I set my goal at posting three times a week, and have followed through nearly every week. That involved lots of late nights.
Since my time was limited I figured the best use of time was to write content for my own blog. Content that I would write for my own blog would continue to bring me passive income in the way of ad and affiliate revenue. On the other hand, if I were to write for a freelance client, I would only get paid once for the article and they would make the passive income off of the article.
What Freelancing has to offer
While, my argument for writing a blog over freelance writing still makes sense, blogging is not necessarily right for everyone. Freelance writing has some serious perks that blogging doesn’t have. I shouldn’t have dismissed it so quickly.
It’s easy to get caught up in the impressive numbers of bloggers’ income reports without taking into account all the work involved in blogging. Blogging is much more than just writing.
Freelancers can focus solely on writing without worrying about site design, social media strategies, post promotion, newsletter management, marketing, and monetization.
Bloggers also have to work for a long time without making any money. In order to stick with it and not give up, bloggers need to be passionate about their topic and be dedicated to making their blog a success.
Freelancers get paid with each article they write instead of waiting for the payout later down the road in the forms of various streams of income. Of course, freelancers often get their foot in the door by writing for free when they start out.
Bloggers must write fresh content on many topics since they’re always writing for the same audience.
Freelancers can write new articles about the same topic for many different audiences. Of course their articles need to be original, but they can re-purpose their research and experience for various audiences. Freelancers can also write about a wider variety of topics than would fit nicely into a niche blog.
Can I do both?
Absolutely! In fact blogging and freelance writing actually work really well together. Freelancing can bring in money while your blog grows. You freelancing bio and byline can bring new blog readers to your blog and give link juice back to your site. Your freelance articles are like another form of advertising for your site.
It works the other way around too. Your blog is a great portfolio of your work. Your blog gives potential clients a great look at who you are so they can feel comfortable hiring you.
How do I get started freelancing?
You’ll definitely want to learn from someone who knows the ropes and has successfully navigated the waters of freelancing. I recently took two courses by Gina Horkey and was very impressed. She has a simple yet thorough teaching style. She is also transparent about finances, which I really appreciate.
She has a free 5-day course Kickstart Your Freelance Writing Biz, as well as a paid course, 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success. After taking the 5-day course, I went on to pay for the full 30-day course.
UPDATE: Gina’s has a new freelance writing course coming really soon. Everyone who has already bought her course will get access to the new expanded course. The new course will have more than double the content along with enhanced resources, but it will also cost double what the course sells for now. If you’re thinking about getting started with freelance writing, I recommend getting her course by Friday, August 26th!
If you’ve wondered if freelancing might be a possibility for you, I highly encourage you to check out Gina’s courses.
The paid course is very reasonably-priced and is worth much more than Gina charges. She does this intentionally to make it affordable to everyone. Before I even started the course, I could tell that she was someone who had a sincere desire to help people (and not just make money).
Gina’s paid course is set up as a self-paced email course. When you finish each lesson, you click “Done with Lesson” at the bottom of that email and the next lesson will be sent to you immediately. I love this because it prevents the frustration of lessons building up in your inbox that would happen in a one-a-day course. If you’re a go-getter, you can get the course done in less than 30 days, but you can take longer if you need to.
I love getting the a-to-z from the same expert source. While you can find free information by googling your questions about freelance writing, with each post you land on, you first have to verify the credibility of the source. Then you have to back up to see how their method compares to yours so you aren’t compiling conflicting advice. The continuity of a course is much more valuable than nuggets of info found here and there.
Gina is very clear about action steps to take with each lesson. Knowing what to do with the information you’re given is crucial. After going through the lessons in 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to achieve your own success.
Whatever you choose, give it your all!
I’ve found that the best way to be successful at something is to jump in with both feet. Set goals for yourself and get started. Just hoping that your blog will take off or that freelance clients find you, is not going to get you closer to your goal.
Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself. I made my first big investment in blogging when I enrolled in Elite Blog Academy a year and a half ago. It’s the most money I’ve ever spent on my blog, but the investment has definitely paid off. I wrote all about my experience with EBA here.
If you think that freelance writing would be a great fit for you, then I highly recommend 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success. You’ll learn everything you need to know to start a successful freelancing career. Of course, you’ll still have to apply the knowledge and do the work, but you’ll have a guide each step of the way.
How about you?
- Have you ever considered freelance writing as a way to earn extra money from home?
This post contains affiliate links for products I have actually purchased and love. That means if you purchase something through one of my links I may get a commission though the price for you remains the same.
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Great tips for aspiring freelance writers! I think that thanks to your articles, a lot of people are motivated and start their way as a freelance writer
I LOVE freelance writing for quick, easy money. However, I’m fully aware that’s what it is. I don’t plan to build my entire business around it, but in the mean time it helps pay down my law school debt.
I would also add that sometimes bloggers end up freelance writing because they are found through their blogs. There are places out there that will pay $50/post.
I have followed Gina Horkey and would really like to sign up for her course. It’s just one of those, “Should I invest in this right now?” questions for me. I homeschool our kids and am worried sometimes that I couldn’t keep up with the demands as well. But freelance writers, once they’ve really gotten in their groove, can command pretty impressive hourly rates. I would encourage those considering it to also check out Carol Tice’s blog, Make a Living Writing (www.makealivingwriting.com). She has lots of great advice on building up your portfolio, etc.
Freelance writing isn’t some get-rich scheme. It’s a real job that people train and go to school in order to do. It’s also a extremely low paying career because so many people who have no skills or experience think that they should give it a try. This drags down the pay rate and makes it harder for everyone to be published.
Please don’t approach writing as some kind of easy way for you to get out of debt. First of all, that won’t work. You have to really hustle to make freelance writing pay decently and the average amateur is going to waste a lot of time writing copy for almost no pay. You would be better off sticking to personal blogging, or developing some other kind of skill.
Secondly, you’re likely to get scammed or taken advantage of, most likely writing copy for spammers or content engines that truly make the world a worst place.
Third, it’s insulting to those of us who write because we love it, despite all the competition from people who think it would be easy or fun to be a freelance writer, and who think that it’s a good side “biz.”
Finally, you said: “Freelancers can write new articles about the same topic for many different audiences. ” This is a dangerous game to play if you don’t know what you’re dong. I wouldn’t recommend it.
I totally agree that freelance writing isn’t a “get rich scheme.” I’m sorry if it came across that way. I didn’t mean to step on any toes.
I know it takes time to build a business of any sort. When it comes out in real life that I make money blogging, people often act like I must have hit the jackpot and want to jump into doing it to because it “sounds so easy,” so I totally get your frustration. It’s definitely not easy or quick.
There are plenty of gifted writers who may not have a formal education in writing but are looking for a way to use their talent to earn an income. Those are the people I want to encourage!
The demand for freelance writers is growing. There will always be room for great content. If you’re good at what you do and determined to succeed, there’s no reason why you can’t.