5 Reasons Why You Should Start Freelance Writing Today
Getting started is often the hardest part of a new journey. Find out why we feel freelance writing is a great opportunity for you.
Congratulations for taking the first step into earning money as a freelance writer. The simple fact that you are spending your valuable time researching the industry shows that you are already on the right path!
As with any new endeavor, getting started as a freelance writer can be a daunting task. With so much information online, along with a rapidly changing environment, there is a great deal to learn and understand.
When we began our freelance writing journey, we landed our first paying client in the first week that we began trying to get hired. What started out as a small project and job (just a $25 blog article) has turned into thousands of dollars from that same client that continually hires us to this day.
Unfortunately, many of us get stuck into an analysis paralysis limbo and end up spending way too much time researching freelance writing, thinking through every possible scenario, and doubting ourselves when facing this new challenge.
Our goal is to help others overcome doubts and quickly start earning real money from their written words. Whether you are looking to make an extra few hundred dollars per month as a side hustle, start a new career, or replace your existing job and income, we will teach you what has worked for us and thousands of others.
With that being said, here are 5 reasons why you should start freelance writing today!
1. Freelance writing is in demand
One of the top reasons freelance writing was an attractive option for us is that there is a constant need and demand for good writers. Businesses small and large (Fortune 500) work with and hire freelance writers to produce content (see our Beginners Guide to Why Businesses are Constantly Hiring Freelance Writers). This includes blog posts, articles, product descriptions, white papers, presentations, website copy, sales copy, email copy, newsletters and more.
Sure, some of the larger companies have in house staff or work with agencies to take care of these needs… but the majority do not have those resources. As a result, freelance writers solve problems and create valuable content!
One step we took to gauge the overall demand for freelance writing was to browse job postings and advertised writing opportunities online. We quickly noticed new job postings daily, with similar trends and needs that are being requested. This was a good sign that there is a good stream of demand from a wide variety of industries and niches.
2. Freelance writing will make you money with minimal start-up costs
We still recall the day that we decided to diversify our income with freelance writing. Being parents of two young girls, we were looking for a flexible and proven way to make some extra money from home.
Within days of beginning our freelance writing journey, we had already found our first paying client and have worked with hundreds since. Little did we know that we would still be working with that first client to this day!
Here are our rounded income results from the first 6 months of freelance writing work:
- Month 1: $350
- Month 2: $625
- Month 3: $975
- Month 4: $1400
- Month 5: $1950
- Month 6: $2300
As you can see, we were able to add over $2000 per month to our income within 6 months (and over $8000 during that time)! In addition, we continued to grow our writing income to thousands per month within our first year. Did this take a lot of hard work? Of course, nothing comes easy and you have to hustle. Fortunately for you, many freelancers do not put forth a ton of effort.
The other good news is that if we can do it, you can also start earning money from home in as little as a few days time! Imagine what an extra $100, $500, $1000+ can do for you each month.
Freelance writing can be a nice part-time income or can be scaled into a full time business!
As for start-up costs, freelancing writing requires very minimal capital to get going. Obviously you need a computer or laptop and internet access but you can get started with just those two items!
We spent $0 on marketing, $0 on building a writers website (recommended but not needed to launch), and $0 on any other tools before landing our first customer. Many other business opportunities will cost thousands up to tens of thousands to get started.
3. Freelance writing is rewarding
As a freelance writer, you are helping other businesses grow and succeed. Although you are not an employee of these companies, you are a team member and are contributing to their overall goals and mission. This is one of the rewarding aspects of being a writer.
Also, it can be challenging which helps you grow personally and professionally. For example, there are many aspects of running a freelance writing business that are identical to running any other type of business. You will need to handle sales, marketing, negotiations, accounting, customer service and much more. These are valuable skills to learn and master as they will apply to future endeavors.
Another rewarding aspect of freelance writing is how educational it can be. As you hone your skills and broaden your expertise, you will be learning so much about a myriad of topics. For instance, we have completed projects for clients in industries that we had no insight or knowledge on. After the research and writing that went into those assignments, we had new knowledge that was either just fun to know or useful for targeting future jobs.
Lastly, freelance writing can provide freedom. Whether you can free yourself from debt, free your time to spend more with family, or enjoy the freedom of working from home, these types of liberties are invaluable.
4. Freelance writing is remote and location independent
As we searched for opportunities, finding something that allowed us to work from home was at the top of the list. As parents to young children, and with other obligations, we needed something location independent and flexible.
Freelance writing fits the bill as it can be done from anywhere!
Want to write at home? In your RV on the road? Under a nice shaded tree at your local park? Not a problem… as long as you are disciplined and organized your location means nothing to your clients and potential success.
As a result of the Covid pandemic, remote workforces are also gaining in popularity and acceptance. According to Global Workplace Analytics, 25-30% of the workforce will be working-from-home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.
If you are also looking for a flexible, work from home, remote type of business, freelance writing is a solid choice!
5. (Almost) Anyone can become a freelance writer
Let’s face it… many people despise writing. The memories of essays and papers in school and the thought of typing away all day sounds miserable. If that is the case with you, you should move on to another business idea.
But even if you don’t love writing, you can grow your skills to get your projects done efficiently as you gain experience. Writing is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice.
To become a freelance writer, you do not need a college degree in journalism. You do not need work experience writing content for a past employer. You do not need to have published work and bylines in major magazines or websites.
What you do need is the ability to hustle and clearly and concisely turn a client’s ideas and projects into words that will delight their audience.
If you are able to write with the proper English grammar, spelling, and tone, and can meet customers’ needs, you can become a freelance writer.
So there you have it, 5 reasons why you should start freelance writing today. We understand it is easy to get stuck overanalyzing and overthinking things. If you are serious about writing, take actionable steps daily to make it happen, like setting goals and searching for writing jobs.
Do you agree with our top 5? What are your reasons and motivations for starting a writing business?
About the Authors
Hi there! We are Mike & Michelle, freelance writers, business owners, and parents to two young girls. Thanks for reading and joining us on your freelance writing journey. Whether you are beginner or a seasoned vet, we hope to help you grow your earnings and writing potential.