FabJob Guide to Become a Freelance Writer (ePub)

Get Paid to Write

Become a Freelance Writer

Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business

Imagine having a rewarding career that lets you get paid to write. Welcome to the world of professional freelance writing!

You may have dreamed of "becoming a writer" ever since you were a child, but now you can discover how to turn that vision into reality with the FabJob Guide to Become a Freelance Writer.

The guide explains how you can start a freelance writing business and get hired to write for publication or write for clients.

Writing for Publication

If you are like many freelance writers, you love to see your writing in print. There's nothing quite like the feeling of picking up a magazine, newspaper, or book and seeing your own words on the page - knowing that thousands of people will read what you have written.

And if you write for popular online publications, your words could be read by literally millions of readers. The icing on the cake is that you are paid to do something you love.

Writing for Clients

If writing for publication is the "sizzle," then writing for clients is the "steak." While it may not offer the same excitement that comes with seeing one of your articles in a popular magazine, writing for clients can offer solid rewards including more stability and higher pay for many freelancers.

The type of freelance writing you can do for clients depends on your expertise, and a client's needs. Some writers specialize in working with particular types of clients. Others work with a wide variety of clients, but specialize in particular types of projects, such as writing newsletters, speeches, or scripts, to mention just a few examples.

When you start your freelance writing business, you will determine what types of writing you want to do. You might choose a broad specialization such as "copywriting" or "technical writing" for any type of client that needs your help.

Or you might choose a narrow specialization such as writing grant proposals for non-profit arts organizations, "ghostwriting" autobiographies, writing business plans for technology start-ups, "search engine optimization" for retailers, or any other area that interests you and that clients need help with.

As long as you have the desire, you can become a freelance writer and start your own freelance writing business. No special education or experience is necessary to break into this career and succeed. You can start your own freelance writing business and become a freelance writer immediately.

If you would like to be paid to write, the FabJob Guide to Become a Freelance Writer is for you! In this e-book you will discover how you can get started and succeed in the exciting and creative freelance writing business.

The guide's author is Kelly Boyer Sagert, who has written seven books and sold well over 1,000 pieces of her writing to magazines, newspapers, online sites and other publications. An experienced copywriter and grant writer, she also writes for encyclopedias and other anthologies, including publications from Macmillan and Harvard University Press. Since 2000, Kelly has taught writing for the online school of F + W Media, the company that publishes Writer's Digest magazine.

In this guide she shares insider tips and expert advice from her own experiences and from a dozen other professional writers to help you achieve success as a freelance writer.

The guide covers topics of vital importance to anyone who wants to start a business providing freelance writing services and get hired as a freelance writer, including:

Getting Ready to Become a Freelance Writer

* How to develop the skills you will need as a freelance writer (including research, writing, and editing)

* What you need to know about copyright as a freelance writer, including:

o what you can legally use from other sources

o how to protect your own writing from being stolen

* The top professional associations for freelance writers (including several that beginning writers can join)

* How to get writing experience and credentials to help you get hired as a freelance writer, including:

o Internships (plus how to get an internship if you are not a student)

o Volunteer writing opportunities

o Writing for your current employer

o How to get a part-time writing job

o Educational programs for writers plus ways you can get educational credentials more quickly and less expensively

* How to find a mentor who can help you become a successful freelance writer

* What to include on your resume and writer's bio (includes samples)

* What to include in your freelance writing portfolio

Writing for Publication

* Types of publications that providing paying opportunities for freelance writers:

o Magazines (including popular consumer magazines found on newsstands, trade journals, and specialty magazines)

o Newspapers

o Online publications (including the top websites that pay for freelance writing)

o Books (writing books for a flat rate payment, writing for encyclopedias)

* How to find publications that hire freelance writers

* How editors want to be contacted by freelance writers

* How to write a query to get a freelance writing assignment, including:

o How to attract an editor's attention by tailoring your query to their publication

o A sample query letter

o What you should know about multiple submissions

* What happens after you are offered a writing assignment

* Plus, advice on choosing a writing specialty so you can get paid more and get editors to approach you

Writing for Clients

* Choosing a profitable freelance writing specialization

* The best opportunities in freelance writing for clients, including:

o Copywriting (also known as marketing writing)

o Technical writing

o Grant writing

* Information about types of clients who hire freelance writers, including:

o Corporations

o Other organizations and individuals

o Agencies that can hire you for freelance writing jobs

* The best and worst ways to find freelance writing work that pays well

* How to market your services to corporate clients, including:

o Responding to inquiries from prospective freelance writing clients

o Who freelance writers should contact in large corporations

o What you need to know about preparing proposals for freelance writing work

o What to do during your first meeting to make a positive impression on a prospective client

* Determining the client's needs and project specifics including the budget and scope of writing services to be provided

* Advice for working with a client to ensure satisfaction and help get repeat business

Starting Your Own Freelance Writing Business

* How to start a part-time or full-time freelance writing business for little or no money

* Information about business matters affecting freelance writers including insurance, licenses, legal structures, etc.

* Items to include in your business plan

* Choosing a name for your freelance writing business (plus information about using a pseudonym or pen name)

* How to set up an office for your freelance writing business

* Sources of start-up financing if you want to spend more on your freelance writing business (e.g. leasing an office instead of working from home)

* Pricing your freelance writing services, with information on:

o How to set your hourly rate

o Per word rates

o Daily rates

o Per project fees

o How to invoice clients

* What to include in a client contract or agreement (includes samples)

* How to hire an assistant for your writing business

* How to market your freelance writing services effectively through:

o Advertising

o Freelance marketplaces

o Networking and referrals

o Free promotional opportunities

* Advice on managing writing projects including how to choose vendors such as designers and printers

PLUS, you will discover:

* Samples of what you need to become a freelance writer and start own your freelance writing business, including:

o Sample query letter to an editor

o Sample resume for a freelance writer

o Sample writer's bio

o Sample scripts of what to say when talking to prospective clients of your freelance writing business

o Sample letter to an agency

o Sample rates for freelance writing services

o Sample writing contracts (sample letter of engagement and sample agreement)

o Sample invoice for a freelance writing business

o Sample press release for a freelance writing business

* Links to templates for creating business stationery and marketing materials

* Worksheets and checklists to help you keep track of expenses and writing projects

* And more!

You can have this expert information for an incredible price. It can cost hundreds of dollars to take courses on starting a business, and chances are they will not include specific information about starting a freelance writing business. The FabJob Guide to Become a Freelance Writer contains some of the best business advice you could get from other sources, plus much more.

It can save you many hours of research, help you avoid some costly mistakes, and give you information you need to become a freelance writer and start your own freelance writing business.