How to be a Freelance Content Writer

Content writing is a satisfying career, no pun intended. It offers a decent work from home option to corporate life. It is one freelance option that offers many jobs in the market today. It is in no way a new development, as the field has been popular since the dawn of the internet. With the amount of websites that have sprung up, the scope of work is rife. You can opt for freelance for many different reasons. Extra income, work from home, be able to take on multiple tasks, independence; the list continues. Whatever your preferences, you can be assured that freelance content writing is a decent career option that can help you earn good money from the comfort of your couch.

Job Duties for Freelance Content Writer

Freelance Content writers usually perform a wide variety of roles. Usually your duties will revolve around spinning content and there can be instances of discontent, pun intended. Your duties as a content writer will mostly revolve around content, either online or in the print media. You will write editorials, advertising and trade publications, newspapers and, increasingly, in online forums such as blogs and online magazines. Let us have an in-depth look at some of the duties that will fall under your purview, as a content writer:

• Create content based on principles regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style and terminology
• Maintain the quality of content and a record of files and work revisions
• Edit, standardise or rephrase material prepared by others or fellow writers
• Confer with other teams like the design and style teams to understand the best way to approach an article
• Review published content and revise scope, format and content if needed
• Be able to translate business needs and objectives in quality driven and attractive copy
• Content management
• Keeping a record of the work you have done

Skills:

As a content writer, your skill set will include skills that writers boast off, but you will have to develop some skills that are not exclusive to writers, who write on fashion, sport, food, and even finance. You will, at a rudimentary level spin yarns. Content writers thus require certain additional skills over the ones who develop copy, or pen novels. There are many skills that you will be needed to master, if you wish to become a content writer. Some include:

• Writing skills
• Research skills
• Content development
• Content Management
• Acceptance
• Balance
• Clarity
• Consistency
• Be able to work remotely
• Interpersonal skills
• Unbiased presentation

Many websites, forums, and instructional videos offer resources so that you can hone and perfect the inner content writer in you. Some of the websites where you can pick up skills needed, include Lynda, Skillshare and Edx. Many websites also offer free and paid instructional videos and classes on writing, and in some cases certifications, where you can learn without having to move from your seat.

Being Successful as a Freelance Content writer:

Content writing is moderately well paid option, where you can earn handsome money with recognition. People like you who love writing, get to combine hobby into profession, come up with quality copies, and earn some money from the comfort of your couch. With experience, the ‘some’ money in question, rapidly evolves into handsome money. More often than not, talent is not a determinant of success in any sphere. It is possibly truer for writers, with the freelance market insisting that talent combined with the relevant experience attracts generous prospective employers. Hence, to be successful initially, you could:

• Offer to do projects for minimum fees, sometimes for free
• Bid the lowest for a project on freelancer portals
• Get good testimonials for guest blogs, recommendations for work
• Start a blog, back link it to more visible blogs
• Create a website, or at the very least, a web page
• Advertise your services on social media platforms
• Understand the product or service intimately
• Be able to simplify overly complex language

Average remunerations:

So how much do freelance content writers earn. Most of the revenue generated by you depends solely on your ability to market your services and your credibility with previous employees. The money in freelancing is varied: Usually freelance portals offer various kinds of payment models. In the fixed-price model, the price is usually pre-determined. The hourly model is the most popular and employers usually pay a predetermined sum per hour. Finally, in the project-budget based model, you often need to auction for such projects. Usually a fixed price model may range from $20- $200 and upwards, while you have to pitch for hourly projects, and budget payments, which usually range from $5- $35 an hour, with average payments at $19 per hour.

Finding Work:

Finding work as a content writer is quite easy. However, it may require efforts on your part, a lot of effort in fact. You will network with other writers and editors to build a responsive network. In the past decade, many portals exist where you can apply for jobs all over the world and offer proposals for international projects. The most advisable course of action is to take the extra pain, go the extra mile, at the start of your career, at the least. It is important to remember that you are entering a market, as a freshman and thus, you must be willing to put extra efforts. Websites like Odesk, Elance, Guru and Peopleperhour offer many jobs to freelance content writers globally. Freelancing has opened up the way we view work: and the trend only continues to rise. All you writing enthusiasts, you wordsmiths who wish to carve a niche in this booming field, do not just think about pressing those keys do it.

Resources:

Some of the websites where you can pick up skills associated with content writers, include: Lynda, Skillshare and Edx offer free and paid instructional videos and classes on writing, and in some cases certifications, where you can learn without having to move from your seat.