Tired of dealing with bosses who don’t appreciate you and co-workers who don’t do their share of the work? If you think you are ready for a career change, maybe the thought of going freelance has crossed your mind.
One of the more in-demand freelance jobs is freelance writing. Along with other types of content creation such as graphic design, there is a whole range of content that clients need and ask for. And because it is the digital age, content creators need not leave the confines of their own homes in order to fill this need.
If you are considering freelance writing in your career shift, there are five questions you should ask yourself first before making the big leap.
- Are you a “good” writer?
If you were not formally trained or educated in the art of writing, you must answer this question truthfully. Do not base it on what your family and friends tell you. You must make a real assessment of your writing by asking other people to read your written work and get their feedback: Do they get the message you wish to convey? Do you write in simple and easily understandable language? Do you demonstrate a good command of grammar, spelling and punctuation?
- What kind of writing are you good at?
Writing is not just one type. There are many types of content and therefore many types of content writing needs. These range from academic, research and technical writing, to journalistic writing, to copywriting, to creative writing, to blogging. And each type requires a different set of knowledge and skills. Based on your writing experience, what kind of writing would you be willing to do?
- Do you have a portfolio of your written work?
Once you have determined what kind of writing you will do, you must assemble your portfolio of written work that best demonstrates the skills you have. An online portfolio where you have digital copies of your published and unpublished work will be very useful. Potential clients will have a clearer picture of your skills set.
- What kind of writing can you do and how much work can you take on?
This is related to your answer in question number 2, but it adds another dimension that you should consider. Once you have determined for example that you will do academic writing, you must seriously think about how fast you can work on one project. That way, you do not accept too many projects and end up not completing them.
- What rates will you charge for your work?
If you are newbie, the best way to find out is to research and find out what other writers are charging for their work. You also have to consider your own experience and your potential client base and how much they are willing to pay. Once you gain more experience and complete more projects, you can revisit your rates again.
If you are ready and confident to take on your first freelance project, check out the following websites where you can browse what projects are available and bid for:
- Freelancer.com
- Upwork.com
- FreelanceWriting.com