How to Get Your Online Writing Career Started and Find Clients

When you decide you want to take up freelance writing online, the first big hurdle is finding clients. With no one to write for, you can’t work, right? Wrong. The first job you need to do as a writer isn’t writing at all. Here are some ways to jumpstart your freelancing career and snag some clients!

Create a Writing Resume

First, you need to create a resume specifically for freelance writing. Your resume should include your educational background, especially information on any English, journalism, speech or creative writing classes you have taken. It’s also important to mention any educational awards you have received. Clients know a good educational foundation is important for writers.

Of course, you’ll also want to include your work history. Any experience you have with writing will be extremely helpful. Don’t worry if you don’t have any writing experience, just be sure to note qualities about yourself you think would make you a good writer (detail-oriented, great researching abilities, etc.). Also, mention any particular areas you are knowledgeable in. Whether you’re an expert on breast reduction surgery or monster trucks, your personal expertise could be just what a client is looking for.

Search for Gigs

Next, you need to search for writing clients. This process may be long and time consuming, but it is necessary for starting your career. You can use job searching sites like Indeed or Monster, or you can use sites tailored more for writers like Online Writing Jobs or Freelancer. Believe it or not, Craigslist is one of the best places to find writing clients.

When you are searching for clients, you must be very careful to avoid scams. There are several “work-at-home” scams out there that prey on job searchers. You also need to make sure any client you write for is legitimate. Don’t go throwing your home address, phone number, or social security number around. Do some research on potential clients before you trust them with any personal information.

Market Yourself

A great way to get more attention as a writer is to market yourself. An easy way to start marketing is to use social networking. Set up a Facebook page for your writing services and create a Twitter account. You can also create a blog or even your own domain for your writing business. Remember, you need to be active for these marketing strategies to work. Once you establish a significant online presence, you may be surprised to see that clients start coming to you!

Treat Your Clients Well

Once you’ve found writing clients, remember they are important and you need to work hard to keep them. Always turn in your assignments on time and never drop an assignment (even if you get offered one for higher pay). Always be polite and courteous. Turn in your best work every single time. Keep in mind that without clients, you can’t make money, so their satisfaction should be your number one priority as a writer.

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