Freelance writing jobs online are exactly how I got my start as a remote worker. Quick story: After years of struggling in the corporate world, I decided to quit my full-time job to go freelance. 

It was scary. 

I had never written professionally before and I had no idea where to start. But I was determined. And I used that determination to launch a freelance writing career from scratch. 

The first year was tough. Some days, I wanted to quit. But I never gave up. And, by the year’s end, I was earning more income as a freelance writer than I ever did as a corporate cubicle dweller. The best part? I was working on my own terms. I decided how much I worked, at what times, and for whom. 

Sound appealing? You’re in luck! There are plenty of freelance writing jobs online you can go after, even if you’re a beginner. If I can do it, so can you! 

Types of Freelance Writing Jobs Online 

Not all freelance writing jobs are created equal. Some writing gigs pay per word. Others are paid by piece or project. Sometimes, you’ll write for an agency that supplies you with work. You can also strike out on your own and find clients via networking or marketplace sites. 

There is no right or wrong way to establish yourself as a freelance writer. What works for you won’t work for others and vice versa. 

Writing for Content Mills 

Content mills supply bulk writing projects to large clients. For example, a global Ecommerce shop might turn to a content mill to write product descriptions for the hundreds and thousands of items they sell on their website. 

The content mill then turns around and farms the content writing out to a pool of freelance writers. Often, these writing jobs are uploaded to a database and are claimed on a first come, first served basis. There is no guarantee that work will be available to you at any given time. 

To become a paid freelance writer at a content mill you typically have to pass a writing test. Don’t worry. The test is not difficult and is only used to determine your skill level as a writer. In some cases, the stronger your test writing piece, the higher your pay rate. 

Speaking of pay, content mills don’t pay the best. Writers often earn a penny or less per word. This can make it difficult to earn a full-time wage as a content mill writer.

However, I turned to a popular content mill called Textbroker when I first started freelance writing. Although the pay was low, the experience and confidence gained were invaluable. I like to think of my time as a freelance writer for a content mill as a paid writing internship. 

Content Mills You Can Use For Freelance Writing Jobs

Even if you’re not sure about writing for content mills, I encourage you to check out a few! Read up on some of the popular ones and decide for yoruself whether it’s worth it. Remember, no two freelance writers earn a living the same way. 

Textbroker 

Freelance writers receive a rating based on their writing sample. You can work on different projects and earn more the higher your rating. Work ranges from short articles to more in-depth research pieces.Pay varies based on skill rating from 0.7 to 5 cents per word. 

Crowd Content 

You have to submit a writing sample and be accepted to write for Crowd Content. How much you earn depends on your rating level and the content you’re working on. For example, Crowd Content offers some writers up to 7.6 cents per word for custom content. As an added bonus, writers with high-quality work and fast turnaround times are often rewarded with extra pay. 

BKA Content

A writing sample is a must before joining the BKA Content team. If invited to write for them, you get to pick and choose the projects you work on. Options range from SEO articles to product descriptions. Writers are paid between 1.3 and 5 cents per word. 

Freelance Marketplace Sites for Freelance Writing Jobs

Freelance marketplaces are the middlemen between clients and freelancers. On these sites, clients post gigs they need help with and freelancers pitch them their services. Clients award the gig to the freelancer they feel is best suited to the job. 

The marketplace site provides the platform for clients and freelancers to communicate, exchange work, and submit payment. Typically, the freelancer pays a percentage of their earnings to the marketplace. 

I enjoyed my time as a freelance writer for Upwork, the largest freelance marketplace site there is. It felt like a step up from writing for content mills since I got a chance to pitch my writing services directly to clients. Granted, I didn’t get every job I pitched to but I was earning far more per project than I was with Textbroker. 

As a bonus, pitching regularly on Upwork helped my confidence grow as a writer. 

Upwork 

It’s free to join Upwork as a freelancer but you’ll pay a fee to the site for your paid projects. Their fee structure is based on money earned with a single client:

• 20% for the first $500 earned with a client 

• 10% for $500.01 to $10,000 earned 

• 5% for any amount of $10,000 

Upwork reduces fees the more you earn with a single client. This encourages freelancers to establish long-term relationships with clients. 

Freelancer 

You bid on client-posted projects on Freelancer. Projects can have an all-in fixed price or be paid hourly. 

Freelancer will take 10% of your earnings when you accept hourly gigs. Fixed-price projects also incur a 10% fee or a minimum of $5 — whichever is greater. 

You have the chance to earn more on Freelancer by joining their Preferred Freelancers program. On average, Preferred Freelancers earn $1,000 more in their first six months than their non-preferred peers! 

Guru 

Before you start working on projects as a freelance writer on Guru, you have to come to an arrangement with your client. An arrangement sets out how you’ll be paid and when. Arrangements can be by milestone, by hour, by project, or recurring. Every time you complete a job, Guru will charge you a fee. Fees vary from 4.95% to 8.95%.

Freelance Writing Job Boards 

There are a lot of niche job boards out there. For example, you can find remote-friendly jobs on my work from home jobs page. But, there are also job boards that specifically cater to certain fields or career, like freelance writing jobs. 

By browsing these niche job board sites for freelance writers, you can read ads posted by clients looking for writers. When you find something that interests you, you send over your pitch to detail why you’re the person for the job. 

Of course, you won’t get every gig you pitch to. And the amount of pay will run the gamut from pennies per word to thousands of dollars per project. Gigs can also be recurring or a one-time article. 

I turned to freelance writing job boards once I gained confidence and pitching practice from freelance marketplace sites. I also set up a freelance writer’s website to serve as a portfolio. When you get there, a freelance service site can do wonders for your career. It showcases your talents and shows social proof in one convenient location.

Contena 

Contena is a membership job search site. With your paid membership, you get access to thousands of paid writing gigs. There are also valuable resources to help you launch and grow your freelance writing career via the Contena Academy. 

FlexJobs 

FlexJobs is another membership-based niche job board that is dedicated to freelance, remote, and flexible job options. While not all jobs posted are for freelance writers, there are plenty of fresh leads here that you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Plus, it’s affordable. I recommend freelancers sign up for a yearly membership. The cost comes out to less than $5 a month! You can save even more when you use this link and promo code AFFPROMO to sign up. 

ProBlogger

ProBlogger is a 100% free job board for freelance writing jobs online. You can find everything from blogging gigs to editing jobs. While ProBlogger doesn’t have as many job as Contena or FlexJobs, it is still a valuable (free) resource to find freelance writing jobs.

Networking for Freelance Writing Jobs

It’s nice to have the option of finding ready-to-hire freelance writing jobs via content mills, freelance marketplaces, and job boards. However, you can also take it upon yourself to find new clients and gigs via networking. 

Yes, it takes a little bit of virtual leg work to find your own clients, but it’s often worth it. The money you can earn finding your own clients is often much higher than what is found on various sourced-for-you-sites. Plus, networking is free! 

If you know you want to find your own clients but aren’t sure how to go about it — don’t panic. There are online learning resources that’ll help.

Horkey Handbook 

Gina Horkey knows what she’s talking about when it comes to building a freelance biz from scratch. And that’s why she created Horkey Handbook — to help others grow their own freelance writing career as a beginner. She created an amazing and comprehensive blog post you need to check out called how to become a paid freelance writer. Use it as a guide to help you go from thinking about freelancing to actually getting paid writing clients fast.

Find Freelance Writing Jobs Online 

There you have it —  the different ways you can find freelance writing jobs online, even if you’re just starting out. Remember, there is no set way to become a paid freelance writer. You may find one path that works for you and others that don’t. And that’s okay. What is important is you get out there and take steps to actually launch a freelance writing career. You’ve got this! 

Happily, 

Ashlee 

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Please check out my disclosure statement for more information. 

The post Where To Find Freelance Writing Jobs Online For The Clueless New Writer appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Wondering how to become a freelance writer? 

I get it. Believe me. 

Some seven years ago, I wondered the exact same thing. 

You see, at the time, I was a cubicle dweller. I struggled to climb the corporate ladder. I hated office politics. And I felt drained by the 9-to-5 grind. 

That’s when I started to plot my cubicle escape. And I knew, more than anything, that I wanted to become a freelance writer. 

And, like you, my first question was simply “how to become a freelance writer.” 

As it turns out, the answer wasn’t quite so easy to come by. And, my journey from corporate world to freelance writer freedom was anything but glamorous. 

Fortunately, for you, times have changed. And, today, it’s much easier to figure out how to become a freelance writer. There are a number of people, myself included, who’ve been in your shoes (and are willing to share their wisdom with you!). 

So, without further ado, this is my no-frills, no-fuss, straightforward advice to how to become a freelance writer in three stupid simple steps. 

You Don’t Need Experience To Become A Freelance Writer 

Fact: You do not need professional writing experience to become a freelance writer. 

I promise. 

Writing is not something that requires years of formal education. Heck, it doesn’t even require previous experience. You also don’t need: 

• A college degree
• Tons of writing samples
• To have written professionally before

What it does take, however, is the passion to write. Without that inherent passion to put words to paper, you will burn out. Quickly. And that’s no fun. 

Trust me. I know. 

I never wrote professionally. And I certainly didn’t know how to become a freelancer writer. 

But, I did have the desire to learn AND a passion for writing. Sound familiar? 

Good news! You’ve got what it takes to become a freelance writer. A desire to learn and passion to write are the only prerequisites to figuring out how to become a freelance writer! 

Got it? Good! Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get started. 

Step1: Niche Down 

A newbie freelance writer benefits from having a niche. 

A niche is a specific subject, topic, genre, or industry you’ll write about. 

For example, when I decided to become a freelance writer, I opted for the legal niche. I wrote specifically for lawyers, law firms, and corporate legal departments. 

But, that’s not the only niche out there. 

There are TONS of niches you can choose to write about. 

Which niche you decide will likely depend on your knowledge, experience, and interests! 

Feeling stuck for a niche? Grab this free guide to 200+ niche ideas for a little niche inspiration. 

Why A Niche Is Helpful 

As an eager newbie, it can be easy to think a niche limits your ability to find clients. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

In fact, your niche will make it easier to find clients. How so? 

When you know who your potential clients are (for me it was lawyers), it’s much easier to find them. And once you find them, it’s easier to market to one specific group, instead of trying to please all niches at once. 

So, before you start worrying about things like portfolios, rates, and contracts, be sure to pick a niche. 

It’s important to note: You can absolutely have more than one niche. And, over time, your niche might change. That’s okay. But, in the very beginning, pick a niche and stick with it. You’ll find it’s much easier to become a freelance writer with a well-defined niche than without one. 

Step 2: Get Some Writing Samples 

When you pitch a potential client (more on that later), they will want to see samples of your past work. 

Now, this is where most newbie start to panic. They now start asking questions like how to become a freelance writer if I have no writing samples? 

It’s easy!

You write them. 

Remember, you’ve already picked a niche at this point. Woohoo. And, while you haven’t yet written anything as a paid freelance writer, it doesn’t mean you can’t go ahead and write them for free.

That’s what I did. 

The Power of Guest Posting

You see, I knew I wanted to write for lawyers. 

And I knew that most of the lawyers I would write for would need blog posts for their websites. So, I started looking online for legal-niche websites that accepted guest blog posts. In case you don’t know, a guest blog post is typically a one-off contribution from a non-paid contributor.

Some blogs and websites allow the general public to write guest posts that are published on their site. You likely won’t get paid for your work. But you will get a byline (a mention of your name) and a valuable link you can show off to potential clients! 

Trust me, when it comes time to pitch, these bylines and guest post links are priceless. Having several guest blogs published on well-known, reputable legal websites helped me land some of my more lucrative freelance writing jobs as a newbie.

So, before you move on. Stop! 

Think about your niche. Picture your target client. Determine what kind of content they’ll want. 

Now, hop onto Google and start searching for blogs and websites within your niche that accept guest posts.

You can also check out this awesomely detailed guide to sites that take on guest contributors!

Once you complete this step, you’ll have real world samples of your writing skills, published and ready to be viewed when a would-be client inevitably asks to see examples of your work! 

Step 3: Know Where To Look For Work 

Learning how to become a freelance writer also means learning where to find work as a freelancer. 

There are several ways to find your clients: 

• Cold emailing 
• Freelance websites 
• Content mills 
• Job search sites 

Each have their pros and cons. And, as a newbie, don’t be afraid to try them all. Chances are, you’ll find one (or more) that works best for you. For me, it was a combination of cold emailing and freelance websites. 

Cold Emailing 

When you cold email, you are asking someone to hire you out of the blue. This sounds scary. And, it can be, but it is something you should consider doing. 

You can find potential clients to cold contact on LinkedIn. If you’re not not on this mega-networking powerhouse yet, what are you waiting for? 

Use these tips to create a powerful LinkedIn Profile that gets views! 

You can also use Google to your advantage. I would google law firms and lawyers in different metropolitan areas. It was easy to find their contact information. And, in a matter of minutes, I could introduce myself, my services, and send out several pitches. 

Pros of Cold Emailing 

• You find your own clients 
• You don’t have to pay fees to anyone for work performed 

Cons of Cold Emailing 

• It’s time consuming 
• You may get less than favorable responses 

Freelance Websites 

Sites like Upwork, Guru, Freelancer, and other freelance marketplace sites exist to connect freelancers and clients. Essentially, they serve as the middleman between you and your clients. That also means these sites take a cut of your earnings. How much, you ask? It depends. 

But, expect to cough up as much as 10% of money earned. 

Unlike cold emailing, you will not have to search google or scour LinkedIn to find potential clients. Instead, you’ll find a list of active jobs posted by clients looking to hire N-O-W. 

You then send in your pitch telling the client why they should hire you over the hundreds of other freelancers. 

Sometimes, you’ll get hired. Sometimes, you won’t. 

Payments are handled through the freelance site. And clients can leave feedback to let others know how easy (or difficult) you were to work with and the quality of the work received. 

Pros of Freelance Websites 

• Thousands of jobs right at your fingertips 
• Payments are handled for you 

Cons of Freelance Websites 

• Have to pay fees on earnings 
• Competition can be fierce 

Content Mills 

Okay. I’m gonna come right out and say it: Content mills are controversial.

Some freelance writers cannot stand them. They think that these content mills cheapen the industry as a whole. 

Others don’t have too much of an issue with them. 

I fall in the latter camp. 

You see, the issue with content mills usually stems from the pay. 

Content mills get their name because they are sites clients use to mass order writing for cheap. The content mill, in turn, farms out the writing assignments to freelancers. The pay rate is often as little as $0.01 per word (or less in some instances!). 

I’ve written for a content mill called Textbroker. You can read my review here. 

For a wannabe work-from-home introvert, Textbroker helped me develop confidence in my writing. 

Yes, the pay was crap. Yes, I worked hours on some assignments making way less than minimum wage. But, I knew that going into it. And, I was okay with it because Textbroker helped me earn my first paycheck as a freelancer and showed me how to become a freelance writer with practical experience. 

Looking back, it was like a paid writing internship. I didn’t earn a lot in terms of money, but the knowledge gained was worth it. 

Pros of Content Mills 

• Gain valuable experience 
• Can start writing for pay quickly

Cons of Content Mills 

• Pay can be super low 
• Writing assignments may be boring 

Job Search Sites 

Job search sites aren’t just for full-time office jobs! You can also use them to help you figure out how to be a freelance writer. 

Indeed

It’s simple. Traditional job search sites, like Indeed, make it easy to narrow down postings to freelance-friendly options. Simple search for “freelance writer” in the “what” box and, boom, an instant list of freelance writing jobs.

Keep in mind, not all listings will be work-from-home. Keep an eye out for this as you browse through leads. 

FlexJobs

Another great option? FlexJobs! 

FlexJobs guarantees all of its job leads are 100% legit. And, for freelancers constantly looking for work, a yearly subscription can offer lots of leads to keep you busy. 

Save an extra 30% off of yearly subscription plan by using promo code: AFFPROMO 

Job Boards

Two other sites I highly recommend (that are totally free) include: 

• ProBlogger 
• Freelance Writing Jobs

Both sites are job boards specifically targeted to freelance writers, like you. Clients posts ads specifically looking for writers for hire. Browse through these sites DAILY. You never know what you’ll come across! 

Again, the method you use to find work will depend on what works for you. For me, it was a combination of content mills, job search sites, and freelance marketplaces. Once you get into it, you too will find the right combo of work to keep you flush with clients! 

How To Become A Freelance Writer: Pitch Like A Pro 

You have a niche. You know where to find work. But how do you actually get hired as a freelance writer? 

That’s where pitching comes into play. 

A pitch is your virtual elevator speech. It’s a short and concise rundown of why a client should hire you (and not Freelance Writer Jane or Joe over there). 

Effective pitching can make or break your freelance writing career. No pressure, right? 

Don’t worry. Pitching becomes second nature after awhile. And, like any freelancer, you’ll refine your pitch the longer you’ve been at it. 

But, as a newbie, here are a few quick and dirty tips to remember about pitching: 

Be Specific 

Let’s say you find an ad looking for a freelance blogger. Tell the client why you would be a great blogger. Don’t write in general terms. Tell them you write blog posts that are engaging, informative, and share-worthy. Always sell your services in terms of what the client is looking for. 

Be Confident 

Don’t act like you’re new to the freelance writing game (even if you are)! Tell the client you’d be great for the job because of XYZ.  

Be Enthusiastic 

There are a lot of jobs you’ll pitch for that aren’t exactly your ideal client. That’s okay. Always sound enthusiastic, but never desperate. Let a client know you look forward to working with them and would welcome the opportunity to discuss the project further. 

Be Proud

Link to your previous work (why it’s important to submit guest posts!). It’s infinitely better to show linked proof to work than send attachments in pitches  

Be Kind 

Nobody likes to work with a jerk, right? So, always, always be kind in your pitches. Don’t come off as short or curt. Don’t appear to be overly confident. Be genuine, polite, and kind!

How To Become a Freelance Writer Course 

Feeling overwhelmed as you work to figure out how to become a freelance writer? 

That’s okay. 

There’s no shame in asking for help! 

For an extra helping hand, I highly recommend the online course Write Your Way to Your First 1K. 

The course creator is my friend and fellow blogger, Elna Cain. She started from scratch and built a successful freelance writing career (while raising twin toddlers!). Impressive, no?  

If she can do it, so can you. She shows you how in her online course. It’s filled with actionable steps, how-to guides, and lots of real world tips you can put to use immediately.

It’s the perfect course to show you how to become a freelance writer when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Sign up today and be one step closer to earning your first 1K as a freelance writer!

Questions? Comments? Feeling Confused? Leave an SOS in the comments section below. I’m here to help. 

Happily, 

Ashlee

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. What are they? Learn more about them in my disclosure statement.  

The post How To Become A Freelance Writer (Even If You Have No Experience!) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Although draining, Textbroker gave me the confidence needed to branch out and create a profile on Upwork. Upwork is considered the world’s largest freelance marketplace. Here, clients list gigs and freelancers have to submit a pitch to be considered. The client picks the best pitch and the freelancer gets to work.

After getting my feet wet on Upwork, my income almost instantly increased to $1,000 a week. Awesome, right?

It was progress, yes, but I wouldn’t say awesome. Between the constant pitching, searching for jobs, and the fees Upwork took from my earnings (as much as 10%), I became burned out yet again.

My Turning Point

Tired of bidding against fellow freelance writers or claiming work at cheap rates, I set out to become an independent freelance writer.

And that’s where things got really tough. Where content mills and freelance bidding sites bring the work to one site, striking out on my own meant that I would have to find my own clients and create a platform to showcase my work. It took me nearly a year to figure out the right balance of pitching to find new jobs while still leaving enough time to get current assignments done.

And if you’re interested in becoming a freelance writer with no experience under your belt, you may be a little intimidated about the idea of starting your own writing business. But it still may seem more attractive than working for pennies with a content mill or constantly scouring marketplace sites for legit leads.

Don’t worry. You can have the best of both worlds where you learn how to launch your own biz and have job leads come to you. In fact, there’s one website that will show you how to become a better writer AND delivers freelance writing jobs from around the web together in one convenient spot. “What’s this magical website,” you ask? It’s Contena!

Contena Review

Ready to become a paid freelance writing quickly without resorting to bidding sites and content mills? Check out my Contena review to find out how you can launch your own freelance writing biz and why it makes sense to start here versus following the path I took!

What Is Contena?

Contena is a one-stop resource for freelance writers. Founder, Kevin Fleming, launched Contena to give new writers everything they need to start their own remote writing business and land their first clients.

And when I say everything, I mean everything.

When you become a Contena member, you receive access to powerful tools like:

Contena Academy

Contena Academy is a complete video training course jam-packed with all the lessons and materials you need to tackle freelance writing as a newbie. From crafting your perfect pitch to sourcing the best clients, the Contena Academy is the no-fail way to become a successful freelance writer, even if you’re starting from scratch.

Contena Scout

Let Contena Scout scour the web for you to find all the best freelance writing job leads. You’ll save time, energy, and effort with this freelance writing job board. Search for specific leads within your niche or filter gigs by pay. With Contena Scout you’ll spend less time searching and more time applying, which means more money in your pocket at the end of the month!

Contena Submissions

Did you know there are a lot of companies readily accepting content from writers, like you? You could spend hours on Google finding these companies or you could let Contena Submissions do the hard work for you.

All you have to do is come up with your pitch and wait for it to be accepted. When your pitch is approved, you get paid to write. There’s no jumping through hoops or lengthy job applications to navigate.

Contena Alerts

Want to take the hands-off approach to finding freelance writing work? No problem! Contena Alerts has you covered. Set up your alert to notify you any time a new writing gig is posted that fits within your niche, is over a certain rate, or any other filter you choose. Get leads directly to your inbox and put your freelance writing career on autopilot. It’s that simple.

Fun fact: Contena members that use Contena Alerts are 3x more likely to get hired!

Contena Rates

When you find a gig posted on Contena that sounds promising, the next thing you’ll want to know is how much it pays. Some companies don’t readily share this information when posting a gig. This means you can get all the way through the pitching and acceptance process only to turn down the job because the pay is too low — such a waste of time, energy, and effort! Contena Rates prevents that by keeping a database of freelance writing rates companies are known to pay. Now you can find out exactly what certain companies pay (and what other writers have earned!) before you apply for the job.

Contena Coach

My hands down favorite feature of Contena? Contena Coach! Contena Platinum Members get their very own coach/cheerleader to lead them toward victory from the very beginning. With this feature, you’ll receive an initial consultation and plenty of helpful pointers. Your coach will even help you craft a perfect pitch and spruce up your marketing materials. And if you’re ever feeling stuck on how to position yourself for a particular gig, no problem. Your coach is waiting in the wings to help you apply.

When you put all of these amazing Contena resources together, you get a complete package of tools that will help you launch, build, and grow a remote-friendly career as a freelance writer.

Who Should Use Contena?

Who shouldn’t use Contena may be a better question Seriously, though, Contena is perfect for new freelance writers. With the many resources available to members, anyone can launch a freelance writing career from scratch, even with absolutely zero professional writing experience.

Remember, Contena makes you a better freelance writer AND helps you find paid writing gigs. Put it all together and you’ve got a single resource that makes it super easy to start (and grow) your freelance writing business.

Even if you have a little writing experience or dabbled in the freelancing game before, Contena can help you refine your approach and better position yourself as an expert in your niche. The number and quality of job leads alone makes a Contena membership worth it for both novice and pro writers (and everyone in between!).

Why Contena Is Great For New Freelance Writers

There’s a lot of information out there for new freelance writers. The sheer volume of guides, sites, and posts out there is enough to make your head spin. Instead of leaving you feeling empowered to launch your freelance writing career with confidence, you may be left feeling overwhelmed. Sound about right?

Contena combats this information overload for beginners by putting together everything you need in one spot. From Contena Academy to remote-friendly job leads via Contena Scout, you can launch and grow your freelance writing biz with confidence. And, if you ever have any questions, you know you can find the answers you need by contacting your coach.

What Others Are Saying

Take it from someone who took the rocky road to freelance writing, start out on the right foot from the beginning so you can more quickly build the income you need to survive. Contena can absolutely be the tool that catapults you from newbie writer to freelance success. But don’t just take my word for it.

Be sure to check out the Contena Wall of Wins to read real Contena Reviews and testimonials from users, who were once in your shoes!

I’m Ready To Get Paid To Write

That’s the spirit! Head on over to Contena to sign up. Keep in mind, Contena IS NOT always accepting new members. Why? Contena works closely with each and every member they accept into their community. To ensure they always provide the best service and support, they purposely restrict registration.

But don’t worry, Contena is worth the wait! So, if they’re not currently accepting new members, be sure to sign up on their waitlist. You’ll be the first to know when Contena is once again accepting new members and can activate your membership at that time, so you’ll be one step closer to pursuing your dream of becoming a paid freelance writer!

And, while you wait, be sure to check out the amazing articles on their blog. You can also get a head start and create your freelance writers website today.

Psst: Don’t forget about my free resource library for remote job seekers. It has a lot of freebies you can use to create your unique cubicle escape plan. You can gain access to it by signing up below!

Happily,

Ashlee

P.S. This post contains affiliate links for Contena, a site I actively use, trust, and recommend! I’m sure you’ll love it too. Learn more about affiliate links on Work From Home Happiness by checking out my disclosure statement.

The post This Website Teaches You How To Become A Freelance Writer (& Helps You Find High-Paying Gigs As A Newbie!) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Is it because you’re not sure exactly how to start? Are you afraid to take the first step? Too many unknowns and what-ifs? Fear not! I know it’s one thing to make a decision and something else entirely to actually take action. And when there’s a lot of information out there on the subject, it can make getting started seem overwhelming.

Fortunately, there are real, practical and actionable ideas you can implement today (yes, today) and start to see results. Before you know it, you’ll have a full-fledged freelance writing career on your hands. 

1. Sign Up for Some Content Mills

It’s not exactly glamorous or perhaps the vision you had when you decided to become a writer. But the truth is,writing for a content mill or two can actually boost your confidence, give you real world experience, and help you grow your freelance writing career.

My personal favorite content mill is Textbroker. Why? They offer feedback on the writing you submit. This feedback is very constructive and helps improve your writing.

This is a screenshot of my Textbroker dashboard:

And, as you can see, there are no shortage of assignments to choose from. When you sign up as an author on Textbroker, you’ll be given an initial star rating between 2 and 5. If you’re given a four-star rating, you can work on four star, three star and two star projects. If you’re given a three-star rating, you can work on three star and two star projects. And if you’re given a two-star rating, you can only work on two-star projects.

Each star rating has a different per-word rate — the higher your star count, the more you’ll earn. What’s great about Textbroker, that you won’t find at other content mills, are additional opportunities to earn:

• You can receive higher paying direct orders from clients
• Work on special teams like product descriptions or blog posts
• Become a proofreader

Remember, you don’t have to write for content mills, like Textbroker, forever.  Think of it as a paid freelance writing internship — you’ll gain confidence, experience and a little cash along the way.

2. Guest Blog

Take a look around the Internet and you’ll find tons of blogs and websites that accept guest posts (myself included). This is the perfect opportunity for the budding freelance writer to get their feet wet and get their name out there. Plus, it’s one of the most visible ways to build your portfolio with actual links to live work.

The sites you approach about guest blogging should be within the same niche you want to write for. Let’s say you want to write about personal finance. You might want to submit an article to The Penny Hoarder since they cover all things related to money.

Usually, a quick Google search with “your niche” + “guest blog” will give a good list of sites to approach.

Remember, there are right ways and wrong ways to go about guest blogging. Make sure you fall into the “right way” camp by keeping these things in mind:

1. Read each site’s guest post requirements, and follow them!
2. When submitting a guest post request, be personal! Don’t send a canned email. Take the time to find out the blogger’s name (it’s usually on their “About” page).
3. Introduce yourself. Don’t just say, “Hey. I want to write a post for your site.” Explain who you are and why you want to write for them.
4.  Don’t ask if they pay for guest posts.

Yes, some sites will pay you for your guest post — but those are few and far between. The majority of sites will offer you a link to your personal blog, portfolio or social media profiles — which can be even more valuable than any other payment!

For more opportunities to get your name out there, you need to check out this mega guide of 700+ Guest Posting Sites you can submit articles to.

3. Set Up a Writer’s Website

Speaking of getting links in exchange for guest blogging — when you guest blog, nine times out of ten, you’ll be given an “About the Author” section following your post. This is your chance to write a couple sentences about yourself so that the person reading your article can learn more about you. It’s also a chance to include a link so that readers (and clients!) can find you.

So, what should you link to? Hands down, the best place to link to is your own blog or portfolio. Not only is this super professional looking, it makes it easy to showcase your talent by maintaining and frequently updating a blog with your unique voice.

I’ve had a number of clients approach me about writing for them simply because they liked the work featured on my blog. You can achieve this too — and it’s much easier and cost-effective than you may think.

1. Sign up for affordable hosting over at BlueHost. When you do, you’ll get a free domain name (which will save you about $15). Your domain name can be your actual name or, if it’s taken, something like BenFranklinWrites (using your name of course).
2. Install WordPress. With BlueHost, this can be done easily and in just a few minutes. Check out my full tutorial for setting up BlueHost and installing WordPress for step by step instructions.
3. Select a theme. Colorlib has a great list of free WordPress Portfolio themes that are perfect for showcasing your freelance writing skills.
4. Start writing! You can link to guest posts you’ve written on your site, but it’s also a good idea to write an “about” page, services page, and frequently post about relevant news within your niche.

Check out these different freelance writer websites for inspiration:

• Pat Howard
• Emily Suess
• Sarah Kolb-Williams
• Brandi-Ann Uyemura

When you have a portfolio or writer’s website in place, it’s much easier to present yourself as a professional, polished freelance writer!

While you can easily get your own blog or website setup on your own, you may prefer to let someone else do it for you. If that’s the case, check out Fiverr. There are some extremely talented WordPress gurus on there who will get your portfolio site up and running (and looking great!) within a day or two — and chances are, it will cost less than $10.

4. Get Started on Upwork

The largest freelance marketplace is Upwork. There are literally thousands of gigs posted at any time, many of which are content writing jobs. Granted, there is a lot of competition on this site but if you know how to write an effective Upwork proposal, you’ll find it’s not that difficult to land some decent jobs!

I’ve found some great clients on Upwork that I still work with to this day. On average, I spend about 20 hours a month (I usually sit down for about five hours each Sunday night) writing for these clients and can earn about $1,200 for my efforts. That comes out to $60 an hour on average!

It’s free to submit proposals on Upwork but Upwork does take a 10% fee — so keep this in mind when you are bidding on work! You can get paid via direct deposit or PayPal, and can request your earnings whenever you want. My Upwork earnings go straight into my savings account since I’m using this money to build my emergency fund.

What are you waiting for? Sign up and fill out your profile completely. It will take Upwork several hours to approve your profile — but by the day’s end, you’ll be up and running and ready to write!

5. Clean Up Your Social Media Presence

If you’re going to present yourself as a professional freelance writer, your social media profiles better reflect this! If need be, have separate personal and professional social profiles. While you want to show your personality on social media (after all clients like to work with people they feel like they already know), you also don’t want to divulge too much information.

I get several clients who approach me each month via Twitter asking about my freelance writing services. Why? Because my Twitter profile is set up the right way:

<—-That’s me! I’ve got my name displayed, a professional handle, @AshleeWrites, and a description that is search-friendly with industry appropriate hashtags! I’ve also got a link to Work from Home Happiness in there (if you set up a blog or website, and you should, include it here!)

I can’t stress enough how effective social media can be when landing clients. It’s all about how you approach it!

Some best practices to keep in mind when using social media as a professional freelancer:

1. Share helpful and relevant industry news on occasion
2. Follow other freelancers and prospective clients
3. Be active and engage with others (it’s called social media for a reason!)
4. Don’t be shy — tweet or post links to your latest works, whether it’s a guest blog post or an article posted to your own website
5. Don’t spam — ever. This means no repetitive self-serving tweets and posts

Whether you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or a combination of platforms, social media can be a goldmine of clients when you take the time to market yourself the right way.

Still Not Ready?

Over at Write Your Way to Your First 1K, you can learn the action steps needed to launch a freelance writing career the right way. This includes plenty of practical advice and valuable takeaways that will prepare you to be successful. Learn more about the self-paced course for new freelance writers by visiting Write Your Way to Your First 1K.

Have any questions? Leave them in the comments below! Or, you can email me directly at Ashlee@WorkFromHomeHappiness(dot)com and I’ll do my best to help. Don’t forget to like Work from Home Happiness on Facebook for even more freelance inspiration!

This post contains affiliate links. What’s an affiliate link? Read my disclosure statement to learn how I use them on this blog. 

The post 5 Things You Can Do Today to Jumpstart Your Freelance Writing Career appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Freelance writing from home lends itself well to those looking for a change — perhaps you’re ready to quit your 9 to 5 or just ready to take your career in a new direction.

It also happens to be a great option when you need a flexible schedule that lets you work on your own terms — perfect for caretakers, stay-at-home moms and dads, or when you need to supplement your income.

You’ve probably heard all of this before and that’s why you’re ready to try your hand at freelance writing from home. But there’s so much information out there and different paths to take — how do you know where to start?

The best way to make room for yourself in what can feel like a crowded freelance marketplace is to carve out a niche for yourself.

Why Focus on a Niche when Freelance Writing from Home

Niche writing is great for a number of reasons:

1. Establishes you as an expert in a particular field
2. Makes it easier to target clients
3. Greater referrals
4. Higher pay

When you concentrate your efforts on a specific area, you can grow your freelance writing business more efficiently, spend less time sourcing clients and more time doing what you do best — writing!

Become an Expert

You probably wouldn’t start a service business that offered everything from home energy audits, nutrition education, virtual assisting, and life coaching. Why? For one, it’s confusing to clients. And two, you can’t really hone your skills if you’re trying to tackle too many things at once.

I know when first starting out it’s tempting to say, “But I’ll write anything for anyone.”  While that go-getter attitude is favorable, the approach is all wrong. People love to know they’ve got the best of the best working for them.

When you have a portfolio of writing samples within the same industry, you stand out as that expert a client is looking for. A portfolio with random samples from catalog descriptions to financial advice and everything in between doesn’t pack as much of a punch.

You’ve got to establish yourself as an expert — even if you’re not (just yet). This is easily done by focusing on a niche when freelance writing from home. Make sure you clearly define what is it you’ll write about and why you’re the best at it. This is your value proposition. It will go a long way in helping you stand out from the competition.

As social media expert, marketer, and digital communications lead, John Gordon, so eloquently put it:

“Experts are not called upon because they are the smartest person in every room; they are called upon because they are the smartest person in a specific room.”

When you find your freelance writing niche, you become the expert in your room — not the entire living space.

What’s in a Niche?

What do you love to do? What do you know a lot about? Are you already an expert in something? If you can answer these questions, you’re well on your way to start freelance writing from home the right way.

Ideally, the niche you pick is something you already have experience in. At the very least, it should be a subject you enjoy. After all, this will be your career and you don’t want to burn out before you even get going. It doesn’t mean you can’t change gears down the road — but when getting started, picking a niche is the easiest way to get established.

In-Demand Freelance Writing Niches

Before I started freelancing writing, I worked as a paralegal. It only seemed natural that I start freelance writing from home in the legal arena. So, that’s what I did. And it paid off.

Since I already had experience in the legal field, I was able to produce writing samples for clients and write knowledgeably on the subject. This allowed me to quickly land clients which led to plenty of referrals and eventually allowed me to raise my rates.

If a niche isn’t jumping out at you right away, consider these ideas for inspiration:

• Beauty
• Fashion
• Marketing/Advertising
• Ecommerce/Product Reviews/Product Description
• Pets
• Career
• Business
• Finance
• Religion
• Dating/Love
• Travel

Are you a fashionista? Do you love to travel? Have you owned your own business? Combine your life experience and interests and you’ll find the perfect subject matter that you actually enjoy writing about.

You can also head on over to About.com and scroll all the way to the bottom. You’ll see a section called, “Everything on About.com”

Browsing through all of their topics is great for inspiration. Chances are, you’ll stumble upon a niche writing idea that you wouldn’t have considered, but just happens to be perfect for you.

No Experience? No Problem!

Let’s say you clawed your way out of debt and learned tons of things along the way. Now you want to share all that wisdom with others as a freelance financial writer. Great!

So, what’s the problem? You have no experience as a financial writer or writing samples to prove how awesome you are. Honestly, it’s not even a problem.

If you don’t have any writing samples, that’s an easy fix — write them! Sit down and write 3 to 5 high-quality samples that fall within the niche you’d like to write about. At the very least, make sure your samples include:

One shorter article around 500 words

One longer article between 750 and 1,000 words

Clients regularly ask for a short example and a longer one, so it’s best to have these samples on hand from the start. The other sample articles you write can be your choice — just make sure they showcase your writing style and are indicative of the quality a client can expect when they hire you!

Consider Guest Blogging

In the freelance writing from home world, experience is usually second to talent. That is, if you’re able to deliver the quality of work a client is after, they don’t necessarily care where you’ve been published before (or if you ever have been!)

But sometimes, you’ll find a client who specifically requests links to previous work. No problem! The solution? Guest blog.

Again, let’s say you want to become a financial writer, do a little legwork and find websites and blogs in that niche  accepting guest posts.

For example, The Penny Hoarder is the world’s largest personal finance blog. They also happen to welcome posts from the public (they’ll even pay you for it!). If you take the time to write a high-quality and thoughtful post for their site, think how impressive that’d look to a potential client.

Not sure where to start? Head on over to Google and type in: Your Niche + Guest Blog

You’ll be presented a list of plenty of guest posting opportunities — helping you get the experience and exposure when just starting out. Guest blogging is valuable to all new freelance writers. It builds up your portfolio quickly and helps you establish connections with professionals in your niche.

Keep in mind, most guest posts are unpaid but still well worth it. Before submitting a post, make sure you thoroughly read a site’s acceptance guidelines (and then read them again).

You want to make sure you go about approaching them in the right way — impersonal and canned pitches that clearly do not follow guidelines will usually get tossed!

Still Not Convinced of the Power of a Niche?

Before attempting to establish a freelance writing from home career, you need to harness the power of niche writing. But don’t just take my word for it.

As award-winning journalist and writer, Nathan Meunier, notes:

“In the freelance world, getting paid to write about topics that resonate with you on a deeper level is powerful stuff. But being able to spin that into a full-time living, where you spend most of your days writing entirely about the topics you’re most passionate about? That’s where the real magic is at…”

You can learn more about the value of going niche in his book, The Niche Freelancer: How to Pitch, Sell Your Work, and Break Into Niche Writing Markets.

Once you pick one niche, you can certainly branch out and establish yourself in others, too. Check out Carol Tice’s How to Figure Out Your Best-Paying Freelance Writing Niche for plenty of extra inspiration and ideas!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see the disclosure for more information.

The post Freelance Writing from Home: Get Started Guide appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Five years ago, I announced to my friends and family that I was quitting my decent-paying job for an uncertain future as a freelance writer. My decision raised more than a few eyebrows. Why?

I had absolutely zero professional writing experience. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.

Those closest to me tried to talk me out of it. But I knew better. I knew that freelance writing jobs were a legitimate (and even lucrative) way to earn money online. So I persevered.

And here I am, five years later, earning a full-time income with freelance writing gigs. I learned a lot along the way. Failed a few times. Nearly quit more times than I can count. Even took a six-month hiatus to work as a Virtual Assistant. But in the end, I always come back to freelance writing because, for one, it’s what I love to do, and two, there’s never a shortage of freelance writing jobs online (even for beginners!).

So if you’ve wanted to try your hand at writing, but never go for it because of lack of experience, read on. You can start a freelance writing career with absolutely no experience. I did it. And so can you.

Freelance Writing Jobs For Beginners

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way: You don’t need writing experience or a degree to make it as an online writer. What you do need is a desire to succeed and genuine passion for writing. If you don’t have both of these traits, then this probably isn’t the right online career for you. Without a passion for writing or the desire to do it, you’ll quickly fizzle out and be no better off than when you started.

With sheer determination and a love of writing, you can get started as a freelance writer thanks to the number of online resources available.

How I got started with absolutely zero experience

As I said, I had no professional experience writing. I knew I wanted to be a writer and knew that the online landscape was filled with opportunities. But when you have no clue where to start, you can quickly become overwhelmed with all the resources.

I read just about everything I could find on the subject. And I learned that writers are very passionate about the subject of finding online work. Some swear by content mills and others loathe them. Some only use freelance marketplaces while others won’t go anywhere near platforms like Upwork. Others turn to online job boards and writing resource sites for job leads. So how do you know what works for you?

You don’t. You won’t know until you try them out. And in all likelihood, you’ll find that you strongly prefer one over the others. Does that mean it’s better than the others? Absolutely not. It just means your unique work style and preferences makes it the best fit for you. And, if you’re like me, you’ll use a combination of resources to piece together an income at various stages of your career.

Whatever you choose, remember, don’t let anyone make you feel bad about your chosen path. There really is no right or wrong answer as far as where to find freelance writing jobs online for beginners.

Content Mill Jobs

A content mill is  a crowdsourced writing platform. Clients go to them, post their writing assignments, and the content mill makes them available to a pool of writers. The client pays the content mill and the content mill pays the writer a percentage (essentially the content mill is the middleman between client and writer).

This is where I (and many others) started my freelance writing career. I signed up for several of them and started earning money that very same week. Now, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t making great money, but I was making money as a freelance writer (which, when you’re just starting out, can do wonders for your confidence!).

I found that starting out writing for several content mills was a way to get quick money, gain confidence, and also improve my overall writing ability.

I also got an insider’s look into what freelance writing jobs were like and how to deal with editors. Although my earnings weren’t huge, the knowledge I gained was well worth it.

I committed myself to content mills full time for about three months. On average, I was able to earn $400 a week (not great, but I was getting paid!) and was well on my way to a freelance writing career.

I can’t speak enough on how content mills are a great stepping stone when starting out. You don’t have to write for them forever (if you don’t want to!). As far as freelance writing jobs online for beginners, they are a quick and easy way to get your feet wet:

• Textbroker (pays up to $0.05 per word & has direct order opportunities)
• Article Document (pays based on quality, has byline and ghostwriting assignments)
• Domainite ($1.00 for every 100 words, pay is weekly, also has editing positions available)
• Great Content (pay based on complexity of assignment, can earn as much as $37.50 for 500-word article)
• Hire Writers (weekly pay, earn as much as $20.00 per assignment)

Freelance Marketplaces

There are literally thousands of freelance writing jobs online for beginners on the various freelance marketplaces. Clients go to these sites, post their assignments, and freelancers submit their bids and proposals. The client chooses who they want to work with based on the pitches they receive.

I turned to Freelance Marketplaces after my three-month stint as a content mill writer. I set up accounts on several of them and expected assignments to start coming my way. But they didn’t. After submitting as many proposals as I could, I realized that my profile was to blame for my lack of work. One minor tweak to my profiles and the pitches I sent out made a HUGE impact on the number of assignments I was offered:

Tell the client what you can do for them first and talk about yourself second.

Simple, right? Yep. But still most freelancers fill their profile with information only about themselves and fail to mention what they can do for the client. While you may have some impressive credentials, at the end of the day, the client wants to know what you are going to do for them.

So always, always, always write your profile and pitches with how your services will benefit the client.

After about six months of accepting jobs through freelance marketplaces, I steadily saw my income as a freelance writer increase. A year later, I increased my rates by more than 200% from when I first started. There’s more than enough freelance writing jobs online for beginners at these sites:

• Upwork (formerly oDesk, has payment protection, takes 10% of your earnings)
• Guru (payments are made based on completed milestones, fees vary based on your membership)
• Freelancer (has projects and contests available, fees vary on type of assignment completed)

Job Boards and Niche Websites

There are quite a few job boards and niche websites that regularly post freelance writing jobs online for beginners. After I used freelance marketplaces for more than a year to create a full-time income as a writer, I began to wonder what else was out there (plus it got stale paying all the fees!). So I started researching ways to find clients on my own.

What I found really opened up my eyes to the possibility of finding writing gigs without using a marketplace. The sheer volume of blogging, article writing, copywriting, and ghostwriting jobs available was astounding! I had less than two years of professional experience under my belt, but thanks to a number of assignments that gave me a byline, I was able to put together a decent portfolio to show clients.

Perhaps the best advice I ever got (at this point in my career) was from a prospective client. She told me that she enjoyed my cover letter, resume, and work samples but suggested that I put them together instead of sending them over as five different attachments (most clients will prefer you not bombard them with multiple email attachments!)

But how do you get all those things into one spot without using an attachment? A website.

The best thing I ever did to cement myself as a freelance writer for hire was getting a website.

Thanks to WordPress, anyone can get a site up and running in under an hour (even with no experience!). All you need is a domain name, a host provider, and a decent theme.

So once you’re ready to start finding freelance writing jobs directly, I can’t recommend enough getting your own website together. It’s amazing how much work you can secure when you have your own site and make it a daily habit to check for leads:

• ProBlogger (has a ton of useful information as well as some of the best jobs posted on their job board)
• Freelance Writing Jobs (handpicked job leads as well as a job board of freelance writing gigs)
• Blogging Pro (a wealth of blogging information mixed with WordPress, plus job leads)
• Indeed (makes it super easy to find “freelance writing jobs”, save jobs, and apply directly on some)
• Work From Home Happiness (as a writer myself, I frequently scour the Internet for freelance writing gigs and am happy to share them with you!)
• Craigslist (check your local market, but also the bigger ones too like New York & L.A., always beware of scams!)

Marketing Yourself

When you’ve really gained your footing as a writer, you can take your personal website and run with it (the sky really is the limit!)

You’ll have to market yourself like crazy in order to get clients to come to you. In recent years, social media has made this much easier. With the right tweet or post, you can capture clients’ attention and get them to seek out your services (remember to keep your profiles professional!).

When you do good work, you’ll notice that the number of referrals you receive from happy clients is enough to keep you with plenty of work (most of the time!).

But remember, when freelance writing (beginner or not) you’ll find work comes in a constant cycle of feast or famine. When you’re in a state of ‘feast’ you’ll be turning down work only to find absolutely no work coming your way the following week.

During periods of famine, I turn to freelance marketplaces and content mills to make extra money. It’s always wise to keep in good standing with multiple revenue streams (the freelance world is so unpredictable!).

And now that brings us to the present. I’ve started this blog. I have a couple of e-books in the works (an excellent source of passive income!). And I have a healthy client roster (a far cry from where I started five years ago).  I’ve shared my journey to show that even with absolutely no experience, a freelance writing career is possible and attainable!

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to start a freelance writing career. No matter which path you choose, stick with it. Success doesn’t come overnight (or even in a year or two!). But with a little determination, you can start a freelance writing career.

Looking for more? There are a ton of websites that use freelance writers. Here’s a list of sites — a good jumping off point when you’re just starting out. You can also check out this article for sound advice on finding a steady stream of freelance work.

Don’t forget to check out Elna Cain’s Write Your Way to Your First $1K, a course specifically built for new freelance writers with absolutely no experience. In just 7 weeks, you can learn everything you need to start a lucrative freelance writing career and earn your first $1,000 — no degree or experience required.

This post may contain affiliate links. What’s an affiliate? Check out my disclosure for more info.

The post Starting a Freelance Writing Career with No Experience appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

This Textbroker review is best suited for beginning freelance writers. When I first started researching freelance writing opportunities, Textbroker was a company I continually came across as it was highly rated by clients and authors alike. Now that I’ve had some experience writing for them, my personal Textbroker review is one of overwhelmingly positive experiences. I would not hesitate to recommend this site to anyone.

Textbroker is an online content firm or ‘content mill’ as it is commonly referred.

If you’ve always enjoyed writing, but thought it was impossible to get paid to write without experience, think again. Textbroker provides writing opportunities for freelance writers with all experience levels, beginners too! Depending on your skill level, you’ll be able to write for a certain set of jobs. But don’t worry, your work is continually reviewed and as your writing gets better, you’ll be given the opportunity to make more money with each article you write.

What is Textbroker?

Textbroker is a content mill. If you’ve never heard the term before, it means Textbroker’s  clients pay to have articles written and Textbroker offers these jobs to writers at a fixed rate. In Textbroker’s case, they pay by the word. The client pays Textbroker and Textbroker pays the writer (after Textbroker takes their cut, of course).

Essentially, Textbroker is the middleman. They bring together content writers with companies who need content. They make their money by taking a percentage of what the client pays and the writer gets the rest.

Signing Up at Textbroker

You can get started working for Textbroker in just a few steps. When I signed up for Textbroker, I was able to do so easily enough. The hardest part was the wait! It took just four days to get approved to begin taking paid writing assignments, but when you’re eager to get started, even four days can seem long!

If you’re interested in writing articles for Textbroker, you need to head on over to their registration page to sign up. Before you sign up, make sure you meet the qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (this will be verified)
• 18 years or older
• PayPal Account

When you reach the registration page, you’ll be asked to fill out basic personal information like name, address, phone number, email etc. You’ll also need to indicate your areas of expertise and create a login name and password. From there, read through their terms of services and privacy policy. If you agree to them, you can accept them and submit your registration.

Once you do, you’ll get a confirmation email directing you to confirm and activate your account. After that you’ll be able to log in.

Confirming Your Citizenship

A Textbroker review would not be complete without discussing a unique step in their registration process: confirming your citizenship. Before you can begin writing for them, you’ll need to submit a copy of a government-issued ID showing that you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

When I went through this process, I was a little leery. I never like to just hand out personal information online whether or not it’s for money-making purposes. But as it turns out, this is standard for all of Textbroker’s new hires.

When you confirm your email and activate your account, you’ll receive an email that states:

In order to write for textbroker.com, you must be a US citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 years of age.  Due to an influx of non-US citizens who have tried to sign up, we are now requiring a valid government-issued photo ID from all new authors, such as a state-issued driver’s license or ID card, US passport, permanent resident card, or military ID.

The email gives you options on how to submit it (email, fax, snail mail) and also lets you know that you may block out the ID number to help safeguard your identity.

Feeling reassured, I went through with it. I have no reason to believe my information was ever or will ever be compromised in any way. I chose to email a scanned copy of my license (with the number blocked out) to Textbroker. About four hours later I was sent a confirmation letting me know it was received and I was green lighted to continue on with the signup process.

Note: If you’re not willing to provide Textbroker with a copy of your ID, license, passport, permanent resident card, etc., then you won’t be able to begin writing for them.  There’s no way around it. If you want to write for them, you absolutely must provide proof of citizenship.

Once your registration is complete, you’ll move on to writing your sample.

Writing Your Textbroker Sample

Textbroker was the very first site I signed up for when I wanted to start writing for money. When it came time to write a sample, I was a little anxious.

A Textbroker editor will read your sample and rate it from a scale of 2 to 5. The rating you’re assigned will determine your pay rate and which articles you’ll be able to write.

For example, if you’re given an initial author rating of 2, you’ll only be able to write Level 2 Articles. This greatly limits the number of articles available to you. However, if your initial author rating is a 4, you’ll be able to write Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 articles which means way more articles to choose from and more money too.

Essentially, your sample article will determine your beginning pay rate and the number of jobs available to you. No pressure, right? I didn’t want to write something that netted me a poor review resulting in lower pay and limited access to articles. That certainly was not the tone I wanted to set for my budding writing career. This anxiety led me to spend more time than I normally would for a 300-word article. But it paid off.

My article was reviewed and I was given a Level 4 author rating. Whew. And trust me when I say, you too can write a sample that earns you a Level 4 review.

What do you write about? You’ll be given a list of topics and you’ll have to select one — if you want to score higher, you should select the topic you’re most comfortable with.

Things to remember when writing your Textbroker sample:

• It must be at least 200 words long
• It should be on a subject you’re familiar with
• It should be of your highest quality
• You can use a previously published work as your sample (remember to include a source byline)

Getting Paid

Once you’ve registered, confirmed your citizenship, and been given an initial author rating based on your sample writing, you’re ready to begin writing! But if you’d like to get paid for your work, you’re going to need to fill out tax forms. Why?

In order to pay you your money, we are required  by the IRS to ask you for a W-9.  This form confirms that you are a US person (citizen or resident) and subject to US tax rules.  This is a completely normal verification process that serious companies ask of their contractors.

Your data will be handled confidentially according to our privacy policy.
As soon as we have your signed and dated W-9, we can process your pay-off requests.  To expedite processing, please include your e-mail address or Author ID in the box “List account number(s) here (optional).” The process is quick and confidential.

You can either send the form in via regular mail or fax it on over. At this time, you cannot email it to them. However, I submitted mine without problem via an online faxing service like MyFax.com. You just fill it out, scan it, save it and send it.

It takes a business day or two to process your form once they receive it. And when they do, you’ll get a confirmation letting you know everything was verified.

Your Profile, Star Rating, and Making The Most Out of Textbroker

At Textbroker, your work will be continually rated by Textbroker’s editors. Your star rating will be the average rating of your five most recent articles.

This is really important. Your star rating will dictate what work is available to you and what your pay rate will be. You’ll want to try to write five-star articles each and every time. And trust me, the pay rate differences are great enough that you really do want to shoot for that five-star rating.

Here’s a rundown of the pay rates:

• 2 Star = 0.7 cents/word
• 3 Star = 1.0 cents/word
• 4 Star = 1.4 cents/word
• 5 Star = 5.0 cents/word

Textbroker’s star system acts as a bit of an incentive program for all their writers to contribute articles at a five-star level. After all, wouldn’t you rather make 5.0 cents per word versus 0.7 cents per word?

The good news is, you’ll receive feedback on how to improve your writing. Plus, Textbroker provides a guide of sorts on how exactly they go about rating their writers. This gives you a greater opportunity to improve and hopefully earn $0.05 cents per word!

Your Profile

As an author for Textbroker, you’ll be able to fill out a profile. Your profile is made public to only registered clients and Textbroker employees. It’s a good idea to fill it out in full and take some time doing so. The information in your profile can lead to direct orders.

Clients can perform author searches and the information you provide in your profile can lead these clients right to you. That’s a good thing. If a client sends you a direct order, you’ll notice that the pay is greater than the standard per word rate. For example, while a four-star author makes 1.7 cents/word on open orders, a direct order can result in 3-5 cents/word pay!

So having detailed information about you and your areas of expertise in your profile is a great (and easy) way to make more money writing for Textbroker.

Open Orders

While direct orders are a great way to make more money, you’ll likely find that open orders are the most common types of jobs you’ll be working on.

When you log into your Textbroker account, you’ll be able to click on the “Assignment” tab to see all orders available at any given time. These are known as open orders.

The open orders are broken down by categories and star rating. For example, as I check the open orders page right now, I can see that there are 149 “Shopping” articles available for authors with a minimum 4-star rating. There’s 45 “Movie” articles available for authors with a minimum 2-star rating.

There are over a thousand articles available at this moment. Each one is in a category and tells you what the minimum star rating is you’ll need to have to accept it. So if you’re a 3-star-rated author, you’ll be able to write 2 and 3-star articles. If your a 5-star author, you’ll be able to write 2, 3, 4, and 5-star articles.

From the open orders dashboard, you’ll be able to view the particular requirements of each available article. For example, when I click on the 149 “Shopping” articles, I’m able to see them all and their associated keyword, deadline, number of required words, and possible earnings. I say possible earnings because articles are given a word count range. You might see an article that needs to be between 400 to 480 words. If you were a four-star author, you could make between $5.60 and $6.72 depending on the final word count. Most authors will choose to max out the word count in order to make the highest rate possible on the article.

You can then click on each individual article to read the client’s instructions. This will typically include the keyword that needs to be used, the required keyword density (the number of times it needs to appear in the article) and any specifics on headings, title, and links that need to be included.

What’s great about Textbroker’s dashboard is that while you’re viewing an open order, no other authors can view it. You’ll have ten minutes total to decide whether or not you want to accept that order.

I think this is great. It allows you to thoroughly read through the assignment and decide whether something is a good fit for you without feeling rushed or that another author might swoop in and claim an article out from under you.

If you like what you see, you can click on the “I want to write this article” button. If not, you can go back and view other open orders until you find something you would like to write.

Team Orders

Yet another way to earn money through Textbroker are team orders. You must apply in order to be accepted into teams. In order to apply, you’ll need to be a four or five-star author.

Casting Call Teams are those which are open to all four and five-star authors. As I type this, there are 1,190 Casting Call Teams available! Team orders are great because you can leverage your experience, expertise and knowledge in certain fields to make more money. And since teams are subject based, you can write articles in areas that you know well and interest you.

There are a variety of teams like health writers, social networking, and education just to name a few. If you’ve got the know-how and meet the specific requirements expected of authors on these teams, you’re encouraged to apply. Like direct orders, you can make pretty decent earnings when writing articles as part of a team.

You may also be invited to join specific teams. Invite-only teams are based on your previous work and the information in your profile. Again, this is a good reason to make sure your profile is current and highlights your areas of expertise. The information in your profile can lead to direct orders and team invites.

Requesting Payment

Now that you know how to make money on Textbroker, you’d probably like to know how to get paid. It’s pretty straightforward.

You can request your earnings once a week as long as you’ve met the minimum $10.00 payout. Money is payed via PayPal. That’s it.

Remember, as an independent contractor, you’re in charge of paying taxes on the money you earn. Textbroker does not withhold federal income taxes from your earnings.

Ready to Write?

Although this Textbroker review is geared towards beginners, it’s still a great site to hang onto even after you’ve gained a little experience.

I’ve found even when things are slow elsewhere or when extra income is welcome, say around the holidays, Textbroker always has work available.

Plus, if you keep a four or five-star rating and have a strong profile, you might just find direct orders and team invites filling your inbox. These can actually be quite lucrative!

The bottom line? Trying to keep this Textbroker review as unbiased as possible, I really can’t say too many bad things. I’ve had success writing for them. It’s pretty straightforward. And your rate of pay is determined by your skill rather than experience. So even someone who’s never written professionally a day in their life can still earn their highest pay rates.

If you’re new to freelance writing (or even a veteran) Textbroker is a great place to find varied and steady work.

Are you currently or formerly a Textbroker author? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Please share them in the comments below!

Starting from Scratch

If you like the idea of becoming a freelance writer but just can’t get behind the idea of writing for a content mill — no problem! It’s certainly not for everyone. Launching your own freelance writing career with no experience is completely attainable (without having to write for Textbroker or similar sites!). Just ask mother to twins, Elna Cain.

She started a freelance writing career from scratch and is now a successful writer. Check out her self-paced ecourse, Write Your Way to Your First 1K, where you can learn how to become a paid writer and earn your first $1,000.

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement for more information.

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