Are you thinking to yourself “I want to become a writer, where do I start”? It is easier than you think to get started as a freelancer. You’ll want to your homework on where to land writing gigs, where to get advice from fellow writers, and how to establish a career based on writing goals and interests. Whether you want to write part-time to earn extra cash, or you want to transition into a full-time freelancer, there are actions you should take to ensure you achieve favorable results. Here are a few easy suggestions on how to start as a freelance writer.

Know Your Niche When You Start Freelance Writing

There are so many things to research and write it can be overwhelming to know where and how to start writing. Understanding how to get started freelance writing includes knowing your strongest writing interests and skills. A niche is a subject area you specialize in by experience through personal events, in-depth research, and so on. You may have more than one subject of interest. Start by assessing your interests by researching trending topics. You can also learn about companies and organizations seeking writers to create the same content. When starting off, consider focusing on one or two related subject areas to learn what content is most useful and most in demand by potential clients.

Getting Started as a Freelance Writer with a Website

A marketing tool most writers have is a website. You can start one free or use a webhosting service and pay a fee. The idea is to have something that promotes your work and services. Use it to display your writing portfolio and samples of written content. Your site may display contact information for potential clients to contact you, rates for your service or a request for a quote, and other related information about your writing. The website doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should provide a clear idea of your writing abilities and what clients will expect should they hire you.

Have Writing Samples Ready to Use

How to start a freelance writing business includes knowing which samples to use to showcase your skills. The samples may be part of your writing portfolio. If you don’t have a portfolio samples is the next best thing to showcase your writing experience. You can create samples based on personal knowledge or do research to create something original. Even if you’ve never worked with a client to have written content already on hand, you can easily create something just for example purposes. Create writing samples based on writing work you want to do. If you want to write essays, create sample essays. If you want to write eBooks, create a sample chapter of a book. If you want to write articles, create sample articles on topics of interest.

Know Where to Pitch and Check Job Boards for Writing Gigs

As you learn more about how to start a writing career consider sources seeking your skills and know where to go to get connected with them. Do research on recommended writing jobs to do when breaking in as a freelancer. Seek writing blogs by professional writers with tips on choosing job boards and lead sites for work. While there are many sites online providing opportunities for writers, some may work better for you than others. Some use multiple sites to find work based on personal interest and goals for personal earnings. You should also seek recommendations from other writers on where to seek opportunities to gain additional insight on how to start a freelance writing career.

Now you have an idea of what it takes to get started writing as a freelancer. After reviewing the basics on how to get started as a freelance writer you should have some ideas on which actions to take first. Knowing your niche, having a website, establishing writing samples, and knowing where to look for opportunities are all important actions to consider when launching a writing career. Setting rates for services is something else to review. As you complete more projects you can increase your rates. Review tips and advice for negotiating rates.