Whether you want to make writing a full-time career or create a profitable side hustle, there’s no shortage of work for those with passion for words.

If you’re wondering how to get started, consider freelance writing courses to develop your skills and knowledge. Our Certificate of Freelance Writing and Certificate of Freelance Writing (Advanced) will help you to improve your writing skills, discover potential specialisations and find out how to get published (and paid)!

These freelance writing courses will teach you about different writing techniques, sentence structure and theme development, how to research and interview, as well as pitching your work in this competitive industry.

You will also explore educational, fictional and scientific writing, and how to write in various styles, including columns, reviews, news articles, newsletters, biographies and scripts for television and radio.

So, if you want to improve your writing skills and gain the knowledge to secure writing work as a freelancer – this is an ideal writing course for you!

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking freelance writing courses include:

• Categories of freelance writing
• Steps to getting started
• Necessary resources (including equipment)
• Researching the market
• Sources of information
• How to develop yourself as a freelance writer
• Publishing options
• Industry terminology
• How to improve a piece of writing
• Essential writing skills
• Informative language
• Persuasive language
• Imaginative language
• Connotation and denotation
• Literal and figurative language
• Writing an outline synopsis
• Planning your writing
• Word budget
• Contacting publishers
• Periodicals
• Books
• Sample publishing contract
• Protecting the writers work
• Copyright
• Income from writing
• Manuscripts
• Newspaper writing
• Advertising
• Writing books
• Technical writing
• Educational writing
• Fiction
• Biographies

 

…And more!

 

12 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs

When you’re skilled up and ready to find your first writing job as a beginner, it’s exciting! But it’s also daunting. On the one hand, you’re confident in your ability and can’t wait to get started – but on the other, you’re stuck. How do you find freelance writing jobs as a beginner?

When you’re ready to launch your writing career or side hustle, try the following techniques to start building your client list! Remember, if at first you don’t succeed – pick yourself up and try again.

Writing is a competitive industry, and those with perseverance reap the most significant rewards.

 

1. Pitch to Job Boards/Socials

Many websites have job boards, and they usually have lots of quality work for freelancers. Google ‘jobs board’and ‘content writer’ (or whatever type of writing job you’re looking for) to find a list of potential paying clients.

Make sure you promote your services as a writer on all your social networks too.

2. Join Facebook Groups

There are Facebook groups you can join as a freelance writer that helps you connect with other writers and potential clients. If you join an entrepreneurial Facebook group, you could ask, ‘What’s the one thing you wish was easier in your business?’ …then look for any responses mentioning content. You have a new lead with content needs!

3. Ask Your Network to Spread the Word

You might be surprised by how many leads you’ll generate – and work you’ll get – as a result of hassling your friends and family. Tell everyone you know that you’re a freelance writer looking for work. Spread it on social media and in your social life!

4. Guest Post for a Link (To Your Website)

A website is a must for all freelance writers. It doesn’t have to be amazing – you can even design it yourself on platforms like WordPress and Square Space! All you need is information about yourself, a portfolio of work and contact information.

5. Guest Post for a Link (To Your Website)

Guest posts are an excellent way to promote your writing while directing potential leads to your website. Look for online publications or websites that interest you or have content that aligns with your experience and offer to write content for free in exchange for a bi-line and link back to your website.

6. Network with Other Writers

Believe it or not, connecting with other writers – your competition – is a great way to find work. There will be times when writers have too much work and need to pass clients onto other writers. So, start connecting with other writers and let them know your skillset or particular areas of expertise so you’ll be top of mind when their workload is more than they can handle.

7. Try Warm Pitching!

Ditch the cold pitch. It doesn’t generate the leads you’ll need to survive as a freelancer. Why? Because people like to hire people they know or ‘know of.’ So, how do you warm pitch? There are many ways to warm up a cold pitch, from connecting with potential clients on social media platforms (LinkedIn and Twitter are good options) or attending networking events. It’s a slowly, slowly approach to building a relationship before pitching your services – and it pays off.

 8. Say You’re Taking New Clients

If you have social media accounts for your writing, make sure you promote that fact that you’re taking new clients. Often, people may overlook you thinking that you’re busy with a full client list. A simple statement welcoming contact from new clients could land you work.

 9. Printing & Design Referrals

Design and print agencies are your go-to when it comes to finding local work as a writer. These types of businesses deal with high volumes of clients who are often looking for content. A simple Google search of design or print agencies in your area will provide you with a starting point to find your first clients. 

10. Pitch it Perfect

If you want to write news or feature stories for newspapers, magazines – whether online or in print – pitch a new, exciting or unique idea, to the editor or editorial assistant.

You can find a list of media contacts via directories such as The Australian Writer’s Marketplace.

 11. Contact a Content Agency

Thousands of writing jobs are advertised daily with online job sites. You can register with these ‘agencies’ as a writer and apply for jobs as they come up. In most cases, it’s free to open an account, write yourself a winning profile and start bidding or applying for jobs.

The downside of finding work with a content agency is fierce competition and writers working for far less than they’re worth. Be wary, and only apply for jobs that pay respectably – after all, you get what you pay for, quality over quantity and all that

The positives? If you’re new to freelancing, it’s the perfect place to start building a writing portfolio. It’s also an ideal way to learn how to create a winning business proposal, follow set briefs and engage with clients.

A simple Google search of Australian content agencies will bring up many results; some of the most popular include Upwork, Prozely and Freelancer.

12. Join a Freelance Directory

Register for freelance work with an online directory, such as Rachel’s List. You can look for jobs that interest you, and potential clients can also find you.

Make sure you sell yourself in the ‘About Me’ section. If it’s an option, include a link to your website so that would-be clients see you as an attractive prospect for their next writing gig.

  

If you want to turn words into a career or side hustle, get started today with a freelance writing course like the Certificate of Freelance Writing or Certificate of Freelance Writing (Advanced).