Freelance writing can be a lucrative career or side hustle, but as anyone who has tried to work within the industry can attest, it is not always easy to find and land clients.
It may seem contradictory when thinking of how to make money from home in Canada, but should you ever write for free? Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer, which often depends on the situation. Continue reading to learn about situations that may warrant writing an article or two for free.
Guest posts in relevant publications
Writing guest posts can be a fantastic way to increase exposure and get relevant feedback on how to improve your writing, but it is important to consider what types of publications you are writing guest posts for.
First, make sure the publication is related to your target audience; that way, you will build your writing skills and advertise yourself to potential clients with these free articles. Also, look at the publication’s performance; if it does not get a lot of views or engagement, it may not be the right fit for you.
Projects for charities or organizations that are close to your heart
Sometimes, non-profit organizations need assistance with content creation, whether to help with current initiatives or to spread awareness for events they are hosting.
Suppose you have a personal connection to the organization. In that case, it can make sense for you to donate your time and skills to create content for them. Still, it is important to make sure the time you dedicate to these initiates does not eat into the time you set aside for working on income-generating projects. Depending on how the non-profit plans to utilize the content, you could also ask to be the public author on the piece to help generate more exposure.
Building your portfolio
If you are just starting as a freelancer, chances are you do not have a portfolio yet to be able to showcase your skills to prospective clients. While some writers will create example pieces to include in their portfolio, those are less influential than published pieces. This is why some freelancers trying to build up their portfolios will take on some free or low-paying assignments.
Showcasing your capabilities to a prospective client
Sometimes, clients want to see your skill level or ability to represent their brand and voice and will ask for a sample assignment. This is common in the industry, but before agreeing, review the project requirements carefully.
As this is meant to be a way to showcase your writing style and ability to emulate the client’s voice, they should provide you with information regarding their writing style and information on the topic, and the sample piece should be reasonably short. If the client asks for a longer piece or a lot of research, it may be a sign that this is less of a request for an example of your work and more of them fishing for free writing.
Guidelines to follow when writing for free
When writing anything for free, a couple of guidelines should be kept in mind, especially if you are trying to utilize these free assignments to make money from home in Canada.
Do not invest a lot of time in these pieces
It is crucial to stick to a strict schedule when writing for free. You should not spend more time than is completely necessary researching and writing these pieces, as they are directly competing with time you could be using to work on assignments you are being paid to write. Always carefully review the assignment criteria, stick to them, and do not go beyond the initial request.
Validate this is a client you would want to work with first
As mentioned previously, not all prospective clients ask for a sample assignment with pure intentions. Always validate a prospective client and see if anyone else has completed a sample assignment for them. Often, online forums highlight organizations known for taking advantage of freelancers by requesting free assignments. After submitting an assignment for review, follow up with them after a couple of days like you would during any interview process.
Make sure you can utilize the piece in other ways
Just because you write a piece for free does not mean you cannot utilize it in other ways. Any assignment you have completed can be added to your portfolio, thus allowing you to continue to grow it. This can be especially impactful if the free assignment is published with your name attached to it.
Ready to make money online in Canada? Then why not apply to be a writer at Words of Worth. After completing your trial article, you can avoid having to write for free after you join our team.