Ready to make money from home in Canada? Then, you have probably researched a wide range of options for working from home and started to see a recurring topic: freelance writing.
So, is freelance writing a good side hustle for Canadians – and how does one get started?
What exactly is freelance writing?
Freelance work has become a popular option for those who want to create an extra revenue stream; sometimes, these freelancing jobs have become lucrative enough for Canadians to replace their full-time jobs.
Freelancing is a type of self-employed work that allows people to offer unique skills and services, often on a project-to-project basis. What attracts many to freelancing work is that this project-to-project system allows them to work for a wide range of clients and on diverse projects – all on their own schedule and from wherever they want to work.
In the case of freelance writing, the freelancer would offer services for writing and/or proofreading copy, ranging from press releases, webpage copy, blog posts, technical papers and more.
Can freelance writing be a side hustle?
Freelance writing, like any form of freelance work, can be a full-time job or a side hustle. As the freelancer sets their own hours, they can also determine their own workload.
Many freelancers who want to use writing as a side hustle determine how much time per day or week they can set aside for freelance writing and then fill that time with writing work. For those just starting in the freelance industry, this may take time, but dedicating set times for work will help ensure you keep on top of projects and do not allow it to become more than a side hustle (unless you want to grow it to become your full-time job).
Before becoming a freelance writer
Make sure to consider the challenges that many freelancers face.
Freelancing is running your own business, even if it is just a side hustle, which means it can lead to income instability, and there is no guarantee that you will receive the same number of projects every month.
Time management is also a major challenge for freelancers – not only to ensure clients receive their projects on time, but also to ensure you are not spreading yourself too thin or spending too much time on projects. For example, if you took on a project expecting it to only take 3 hours and it ended up taking 6 hours, you have now reduced the amount of money you make per hour by half.
On the flip side, many freelancers believe that the freedom to make as much as you want and work whenever and wherever you want makes up for these challenges. There is also a lot of income potential, as freelancers can set their own rates and determine what projects and how many projects they want to take on.
There are also a lot of different networking opportunities that can allow you to meet a wide range of people, and take on new projects and challenges you might not have the chance to when working a 9-5. Freelance writing side hustles also offer an opportunity to develop and refine your writing and editing skills while getting paid.
How do I start freelance writing on the side?
Now it is clear that freelance writing can be a side hustle, the question remains: how to make money from home in Canada through freelance writing. First, you will want to take a moment to consider your current skills. Do you have any experience with writing? What kinds of writing do you enjoy doing? Do you have access to a stable internet connection and a computer?
Once you have an idea of what kind of writing you would like to pursue, take some time to review your current index of past work with this kind of writing and build out your portfolio. If you are new to writing, you can instead write some example pieces to showcase your writing style. To do this, build your project brief and act like you are writing for a client. Once you have a portfolio, you can apply to freelance writing jobs on freelancing websites, join a writing agency, or reach out to companies you would like to write for. If you plan on pitching your services, it is important to determine your service rates and develop a pitch deck.
If you are ready to make money online in Canada through freelance writing, but do not want to find or manage clients, then apply to write for Words of Worth. You can focus on writing as a side hustle, and we will manage the clients for you.