If you’ve started freelance writing within the last few years, let me give you a brief history lesson. Most writers who began their freelance careers did so before content sites existed. How did we do it?
We all found other ways to start our careers. As I read the chat rooms for writers, I find it hard to believe that there has ever been another bottom rung on the ladder of a writing career. There was. The pre-mill routes still seem to me the best way to establish a job quickly and earn well.
Online pay has surpassed the traditional methods of earning a good wage in recent years.
What are some other ways you can start a career as a writer that will help you earn more money faster? Here are the ways that I made money in my first two years. From the first assignment, almost all of them paid more than mills. It was not the best hourly rate at first because I didn’t know much and wasn’t very efficient. But they quickly became a good option for earning money on an hourly basis and led to very high-paying work.
1. Writing contests are a great way to gain exposure and get paid articles. I was able to win two early on, and these led me directly into long-term relationships with editors and assignments for $500 in major publications. It gives you great visibility and starts an “awards-won” page that impresses potential clients.
2. I wrote for alternative papers for many years and eventually became a cover feature writer. Alt papers can be a good place to start as a writer, and you’ll get paid $50 or more per article. This can lead to many other opportunities. I was able to get a full-time job paying more than $40,000 per year from my alt press clips. One of my feature articles was optioned to be made into a movie at a cost of $20,000. Alt-press has gained credibility over the years as many successful writers, such as Elvis Mitchell, have come from there to land national radio, newspaper and TV jobs.
3. Many newspapers have closed, and others have no budget for freelancers. Many major newspapers need freelancers now more than ever. Although the pay is not great, I do get $300 per article for Seattle Times articles that aren’t too complicated. That’s better than $15.
4. Write for regional magazines and small papers. When I moved to Seattle for the first time and needed to find local markets, I began writing for Today’s Careers. This was a local free newspaper that featured local jobs. Each story cost me about $200. Easy, interesting work.
4. Write articles for small businesses or nonprofits. My first client paid $750 per article. My second client, a global corporation with a revenue of $1 billion or more, paid me $85 per hour to begin and gave me work worth over $20,000 each year for several years. Moral: If you’re able to write compelling, clear content, it doesn’t cost much to break into the world of copywriting. You can walk around town, attend your local Chamber of Commerce breakfast, or approach your favourite nonprofit to find businesses and organizations that need something written. You can now pitch to anyone, even the largest corporations in America. Writing a profile of a company can lead you to write an article for a magazine about the business.
5. Write online content. Write online content. They need writers! Call the businesses that have the worst-looking Web sites. You can suggest they add case studies, bios and a blog. Contrary to what you may see on Craigslist, all web content gigs do not cost $5 per page. You’ll be rewarded if you demand decent rates. You can also get some amazing samples.
6. Write a few free samples. It may surprise you to learn that I strongly believe in writing your sample articles to create your first clips. You don’t become confused or think that what you are doing is a job. You know that you’ll move on to more lucrative gigs quickly. This week’s Writer’s Weekly has a great article about how it paid off for a brand-new writer.
7. When I realized that I wanted to write reported stories, I took some UCLA Extension classes in journalism. After I decided I wanted to report stories, I took journalism classes at UCLA Extension. Although I do not believe that basic writing skills can be taught, it is worth your time to learn more about the field. Unfortunately, many writers enter the field without training. This limits their opportunities. A little education can put you in the lead.
Even just being in class can help you jumpstart your career. You can write for an online or school newspaper, gaining a few clips which will lead to paid assignments. If you’re a good writer, your professor may refer you to an editor if they like what they do. You could find internships at the school’s career centre, where you can build up solid clips. You’ll also gain confidence in your writing abilities for different markets.
All of the alternative ways I have outlined to break into freelance writing require a little more work. The majority of these routes involve actively marketing your company. You can continue to write for Mills if you enjoy writing short, easy articles.
If you want to earn as much money as possible right away, you should explore other ways of earning. You’ll get more interesting writing assignments and more opportunities to grow as an author.
This article originally appeared on WM Freelance Writer’s Connection.
