Even if you studied English in school and enjoy writing, you might think it’s impossible to become a freelancer if you have no professional experience. While many writers have previously held roles on a staff, it is by no means a requirement to take on writing jobs for pay. It is perfectly possible to earn money as a freelance writer regardless of qualifications and experience, however you will need certain skills and personal traits to get started. You must also be willing to learn and be constantly seeking ways to improve your writing.
In this blog, we’ll show you how you can become a freelance writer even if you lack a background as a paid professional with references to prove your skills. Read on to see if you have what it takes to launch a brand-new career writing from home.
I have no references, who will hire me as a freelance writer?
When you apply to become a freelance writer, no references or CV are required. Instead, you will be asked to take a type of test, where your abilities will be assessed. This is also known as producing a writing sample.
In most cases, this will involve being given a brief with a title and instructions on what is required. There will be a word count that you must meet, and you may be asked to include specific keywords or a call to action at certain points in the article.
Sometimes, your application will ask you to research and write about a topic have no prior knowledge of. You’ll need to read around you subject, so you can discuss it in words that are your own. You’ll be assessed on how original your work is and if you attempt to simply copy another article online, you will immediately fail.
Today there is software available to companies that hire writers that allows them to check if the work has been plagiarised in seconds, so if you are serious about becoming a writer, never attempt this tactic.
Checking you submission before you send
You will not only be judged on how unique your work is, but also its quality. Your English skills such as spelling, grammar and punctuation will be gauged. As a result, it is essential that you proofread you sample piece before submitting it and ensure there are no simple mistakes within the text. Reading your article out loud can be a good way to see how it sounds and spot where it might need additional punctuation.
Delivering work on time
Freelance writers must work to rigid deadlines, as they are only one part of a process. Time is required for editors to revise pieces, but also for technical teams to upload work. Clients often need the blogs written for them delivered to a strict schedule so they can be posted promptly, so work must always be completed by the date it is requested for.
As a result, if you are asked to write a sample piece by a specific time or date, it is essential that you are not late. The company hiring you will be assessing how long it takes you to complete the article and whether you can be trusted to complete your work to a deadline.
Technical requirements
To apply to become a writer and enjoy a freelance career, you will need certain technical equipment to get started. You will need to have a computer that you can work on that has writing software like Microsoft Word. You’ll also require a connection to the internet that you can count on. You’ll need to submit your sample and any work you receive afterwards to an online platform. You’ll also receive briefs here and messages from you editing team, which may include requests for changes or positive feedback on you work. Internet access will also give you an easy way to research any topic required for the work you are assigned.
Are you an inexperienced writer looking to earn money from home?
If, despite your inexperience, you’re still set on becoming a writer, at Words of Worth Australia, we can help. Providing that you can prove to us through your application that you have the skills and qualities required to write like a professional we can offer you an extensive array of assignments. You can try your hand at blogs, products descriptions and copy for web and landing pages, and build your experience.
Not only will you be properly paid for every article that you complete, but you will also receive expert feedback from our editors helping you improve your work. Our experienced team can help you avoid common mistakes and offer useful guidance you can take with you on your new career, learning while you earn.
If you are ready to write original copy for us to deadlines, start gaining experience now by applying to write with us here at Words of Worth Australia.