Writing is not only a passion but can be turned into a career or even a business venture at some point throughout your life. If you enjoy writing frequently and are in search of a new profession, consider becoming a freelance writer. Below are some tips on how you can kickstart your writing business.
When starting your own business, it’s important to have your finances in order. Depending on your current finances and employment, you may already have a source of income to help you jump-start this new journey. An additional source of reliable income would be helpful when first getting your writing career off the ground in order to keep your bills and life afloat. It can also help to reduce the stress and pressure of beginning a new venture. Create a budget during this time to keep your savings goals on track and have enough room for an emergency fund. Set aside some money for the necessities of building a business such as a marketing plan to showcase your portfolio, cash to set up your office, and some funds for the freelance taxes you’ll need to pay at some point.
Just because you’re starting a new journey doesn’t mean you need to put your life on hold and restrain from making investments or large purchases. This can be renovating a portion of your home, buying a new car, or purchasing a new home that has the space for an at-home office. If you’re interested in this, look into 30-year mortgage rates on your home as it’ll give you a lower monthly payment. This type of mortgage will allow you to save more money per month to put towards your other financial needs and future goals. With this additional cash in your pocket each month, you can feel secure in setting yourself and your freelancing writing business up for success.
A necessary aspect of working from home is having a workspace that’s quiet and allows for optimal focus. In your home, this can be an unused guest room converted into a home office or a renovated basement. The key to this space is an ergonomic setup with a comfortable chair to ensure you don’t strain your back or body while sitting for extended periods of time. It would also be beneficial if you had multiple screens in order to stay more organized and easily reference the sites you’re working on. There are quite a few options for the best monitors while working from home, so be sure to do your due diligence and determine which one fits your needs and budget. Also, look into ergonomic chairs that’ll be good for your posture and put you at the correct height needed to reduce neck strain from looking down at a laptop. Ensure the lighting within your workspace is comforting as you’re going to be in your office quite often, and certain bright overhead lighting can be tough on the eyes. Look into blue light glasses if the majority of your day is spent looking at a screen or your phone to reduce the burden on your eyes.
As a freelancer, you’re going to want a space to showcase your work such as a writing portfolio. This can be done by creating a website with a domain that speaks to you, writing a brief “about me” page describing your background and work credentials, and uploading past projects you’ve written or worked on for other clients. Use the pieces that you feel show the best of your abilities, especially articles that are unique. Keep your portfolio up-to-date with relevant and current articles you’ve worked on to keep your content fresh and timely. To gain more opportunities to write, look into guest posting on other websites. Although a majority of these sites won’t pay you to write for them, you might get lucky and be able to make a profit off of a couple throughout your guest posting journey. Once published, you can add these to your portfolio as well.
Begin Networking With Social Media
As a freelancer, it might be hard at first to get a following or gain any interest in your work. Luckily, with social media, it can be a little easier to achieve some recognition. Creating engaging content for your social channels that aligns with your line of work is sure to catch some potential prospects’ attention. Be sure to create captions and enlist people to engage with your posts to spread the word more. Don’t forget to use LinkedIn to find new clients by sharing resourceful articles, and past articles you’ve written, utilizing trending hashtags, and even joining relevant groups. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people if you see an opportunity or even cold connect with people by using the LinkedIn messaging feature.
Another way you can also spread the word about your business is to use email marketing techniques. Not only is this way cost-effective if you’re trying to limit your spending in some areas of your business, but also is effective for connecting people with your brand. It’s a great way of staying in contact with your clients while also keeping them updated on new skills you’ve learned or services you may be offering. This can also lead more people to your portfolio and hopefully increase your business.
Becoming a freelance writer can be difficult, but with the proper steps in place, you can make it easier on yourself. Contemplate the tips from above like organizing your finances, creating an office, and designing a portfolio to kickstart your freelance writing career.
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