“So, what do freelancer writers do?”
It’s a question I’ve been asked often by family and friends, and honestly, I don’t blame them!
Allow me to expand a little: Not surprisingly (thanks to this very obvious blog post), I’m a freelance writer, and I’ve dedicated the last three years of my life to it—and apparently, I’m not the only one!
Around 59 million Americans—more than a third of the country’s workforce—were involved in freelancing in 2020, the same year I started. (A result of the pandemic, perhaps? I vote yes.)
Moreover, 2023 was declared “the year of the side hustle” (a fantastic term for freelancing) since 73 percent of workers in the U.S. planned to work in a freelance capacity.
That sounds great and all, but still—what DO freelance writers do, exactly?
Excellent question, my friends.
Here, I’ve compiled a handy guide to the freelance writing business, including what freelancer writers actually do, how they find jobs, the different types of writing, the benefits of freelancing, and whether there is money to be made.
Table of Contents:
- A Little Background
- The Definition of Freelance Writing
- Benefits of Being a Freelance Writer
- How Do You Find Freelance Writing Jobs?
- Different Types of Freelance Writing
- Can You Really Make Money From Freelance Writing?
- Freelance Writing: The Takeaway
A Little Background
In 2017, when my first daughter was around three months old, I decided to leave my day job in marketing to stay home with her. (Still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!)
Fast forward a few years and a second baby girl later, and this mama was ready to do…something. Anything. I missed being part of the professional working world, but I still wanted to be home with my tiny humans.
Enter: freelance writing.
Writing has always been my thing, and I knew freelancing was a popular option for remote work. But like so many others just getting started, I had a lot of questions—the main one being what, specifically, does a freelance writer do?
Thankfully, the last few years of freelancing have taught me a LOT.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
The Definition of Freelance Writing
Simply put, freelance writing is when someone gets paid to write content for a company or client without becoming a full-time employee.
Typically, a freelance writer works as an independent contractor or independent business owner and takes on multiple projects and clients simultaneously to maintain ongoing work.
QUICK DEFINITION: Freelancers work for companies on a per-project basis, typically as independent contractors, without becoming full-time employees.
You’re pretty much your own boss! You decide which projects you want to take on and go for it whenever your schedule allows.
As a freelancer, you’ll write for different clients or companies on a project-by-project basis—in my case, online articles, blog posts, SEO content, social media content, and website copy.
So, how does it all work?
The process of applying to and accepting a writing gig is similar to any full-time position. The biggest difference, however (aside from a lot more Zoom interviews) comes when you’ve finally landed the gig.
Your contract and schedule, which is usually discussed with the hiring manager before that final offer, varies depending on the work needed.
For example, when I first started writing parenting and pregnancy articles for Verywell Family, my contract stated that I would provide four articles per month and get paid on a per-article basis.
As for my schedule? It didn’t matter when I wrote the articles as long as I met my quota by the end of the month. (Pretty cool, right?)
Some jobs may require more strict adherence to deadlines throughout the month, while others might expect you to put in a specific number of hours.
The main difference between freelance work and full-time positions is, as a freelancer, you’re a free agent—a contracted worker who completes projects as needed, without the benefits (like health insurance) and other perks provided by the employer to full-time employees.
Benefits of Being a Freelance Writer
If you’re looking for a well-paying side gig, freelance writing really is a great option!
Here are some of the biggest benefits of freelance work:
- You make your own hours: Most contract work offers a flexible schedule, allowing you to work before the sun comes up, after the kids go to bed, or any time in between, as long as you meet your project goals.
- You can work how/where you want: Work at a coffee shop, on your couch, or in your home office—wherever inspiration strikes!
- You control your workload: Take on a single project or a bunch of different ones—once you’re comfortable with the schedule and pay, you control how much you take on.
- You get to work on a wide range of content: And that’s what makes it fun! For example, if I take on three separate projects, one could entail writing website content about organic food products, another writing parenting articles for an online magazine, and a third writing workout tips for a fitness site.
- You become a multitasking pro: Time management is your best friend as a freelancer, and writing content for so many different projects is a great way to become an expert at it.
- There’s more of a work-life balance: A flexible work schedule means more time to focus on other important aspects of your life! In fact, a Flexjobs survey found that 70 perfect of people choose freelancing to find a “better rhythm” between career and life goals.
How Do You Find Freelance Writing Jobs?
There are quite a few different ways to find freelance work! Here are three of the most common:
Traditional Job Boards
Personally, traditional job boards have always been my go-to when searching for freelance writing jobs. Some of the most popular include:
If you’ve ever visited a job board before, you know it works! Simply type in the job you want, the location (i.e., remote), and more.
When sifting through job postings, the title you’re looking for may not always be listed as “freelance writer.” You’ll see job titles such as “news writer,” “content writer,” “copywriter,” etc.
The key is to pay close attention to the job description: what are they looking for? Usually, the company will mention they’re searching specifically for freelance or part-time remote writers.
You can also filter your searches to include only remote, contract, and/or part-time roles. (I also like to start by filtering out newer jobs that have been posted in the last week.)
Once you find the job you’re looking for, you apply just like you would to any role—cover letter included. (I swear by cover letters, they’ve been crucial in getting me to where I am today!)
Freelance Job Boards
There are a lot of job boards that tailor specifically to freelance workers. Some of the most popular include:
The difference with these job boards is they focus solely on freelance, remote gigs. I’ll admit, I don’t use freelance websites nearly as much as traditional job boards, mainly because (in my experience) there aren’t as many quality jobs or high-paying clients.
That said, these types of job boards provide a great way to learn more about the freelancing world since they sometimes offer resources and advice.
Pitching to Magazines and Online Publications
What is a pitch, you ask?
Let’s say you have a creative idea for an article. Certain publications allow you to send your idea to an editor for consideration—also known as a pitch.
Generally, your pitch includes a summary of your article idea, why it’s relevant to the publication, any experts or research you’ll include, and usually a short bio about who you are and why you’re best suited to write it.
Instead of sending a story you’ve written, you’re sending the idea for it—one that, hopefully, catches the editor’s attention!
While every magazine or publication that allows pitches may have different submission guidelines (for example, check out the requirements for submitting to Scary Mommy), the overall information remains the same.
Example of a Pitch
Here is an actual pitch I provided to my editor at Fortune Well that she ultimately accepted:
Working Headline: Turning 50? Here’s Why It’s Time to Start Taking Shingles More Seriously
Article Idea: Shingles can sometimes fly under the radar, and older adults may not see the immediate need to get the vaccine. This article would cover the facts surrounding shingles and why it’s not just a typical rash. (It can be incredibly painful and debilitating when you have it.) I would like to speak with a dermatologist and/or internist about the effects of shingles, what older adults may not realize about the virus, and why the vaccine is effective in prevention.
This was a simple pitch (it’s all that was required), but it provides the purpose, summary, and details needed to give my editor a solid idea of what the finished article will entail.
Once I was given the green light, I wrote my article, sent it to my editor, made any edits or improvements based on her feedback, and voila! My article “Over 50? It’s time to talk about shingles. Here’s everything you need to know” was published. (See how the final title changed a little?)
Different Types of Freelance Writing
While there are many, some of the most common types of writers that clients and companies look for include:
- Freelance Content Writer: Content writing encompasses a wide variety of content, and a company may have you write blog posts, white papers, press releases, product descriptions, social media content, and more.
- Freelance Copywriter: Copywriters have strong digital marketing skills and write ad copy, social media posts, web content, landing pages, and more. It is similar to content writing, but the main goal of copywriting is to make a sale.
- Freelance News Writer: News writers cover timely or breaking news stories for magazines, online publications, news sites, and more.
- Freelance Ghostwriter: A ghostwriter gets paid to write content for clients or companies but does not get credit as the author. For example, I write ghostwritten blogs for Get Healthy U, the website of fitness expert Chris Freytag. I may write the blog, but Chris’ name is in the byline.
- Freelance SEO Content Writer: Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of researching, writing, and formatting your website and blog content in a way that helps them rank on Google. Many companies will hire freelance writers who specialize in SEO and can help grow their online presence.
- Freelance Blog Writer: The name says it all! Blog writers focus on writing blogs that are SEO-optimized and attract a target audience.
Can You Really Make Money From Freelance Writing?
In a word? Yes! You definitely have a good chance to earn decent money as a successful freelance writer.
On average, freelance writers earn around $24 per hour, and 20 percent make anywhere from 50 to 100k annually.
That’s a pretty wide range! The reason? It all depends on your workload, pay rate, and how long you’ve been freelancing. Some jobs pay a flat rate per article, while others pay an hourly rate. The more work you take on, the more you’ll make—it’s ultimately up to you!
Along these lines, the more experience you gain, the more likely you’ll be able to find gigs with well-established companies that offer higher rates.
Freelance Writing: The Takeaway
The bottom line? Pursuing a freelance writing career takes a lot of dedication, but if it’s something you enjoy and have the time to focus on, the rewards are worth it!
We’ve covered quite a bit, so here’s a quick recap:
- Definition: A freelance writer gets paid to write different types of content without being a full-time employee of a company or client.
- Payment: Freelancers usually get paid per article or per hour and work as independent contractors or independent business owners.
- Finding Work: The best way to find new clients or companies hiring for freelance work is to use traditional or freelance job boards, or pitch your article ideas to online magazines and publications.
- Benefits: Freelance writers can choose projects best suited to their schedules, take complete control of their workload, work on a wide range of content, and can choose when and how they work.
- Types: Some of the different types of freelance writing include content writing, copywriting, news writing, ghostwriting, SEO writing, and blog writing.
- Earnings: Freelance writers have the potential to make a lot of money depending on their experience level and how much they work.
If you truly love writing and are looking for a way to bring in some extra income, freelance writing work is the way to go!
Although it takes time to become successful (realistic expectations are key!), the journey along the way is an incredible learning experience—and one you certainly won’t regret.
Alex Vance 