5 answers
Tamoso
Student
1
Question
Asked
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How to grow as a freelance writer?
I am currently a graduate of broadcast and journalism. I completed a Master's degree in creative multimedia and enrolled in a course of cinematography.
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5 answers
Tom Tate
Copywriter
3
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Tom’s Answer
Write every day! It's best to write about something that interests you because that helps motivate you to keep at it. I recommend writing for different channels: long-form, social media, blog, email, etc. Don't make the mistake of slotting yourself as only capable of writing for a single channel or length. You need to be flexible and able to respond to clients' needs. This expansive writing capability also allows you to secure work with a broader range of clients.
More and more clients want to see proof of your capabilities, so make certain you keep a current sample of your work to share digitally.
Create an account on Upwork. That's where I got started as a freelancer. Be willing to take lower rates starting out, but DO NOT provide content at ridiculous rates. A great example is someone posting a job paying $5-10 for a 500 word article or offering $.03-05 a word. Your skill as a writer is worth more. If everyone could do it, they would.
Master your choice of AI tool for research. I personally use ChatGPT for a range of tasks from research to outline creation to building a brand voice for a client to assessing what I have written. If I can provide enough background material and detailed instructions, I will use CHatGPT for a first draft. HOWEVER, I always edit what is written and add the human touch. AI is a marvelous tool, but not such a good writer at this point.
Check out resources like the book, "The Well-Fed WWriter" by Peter Bowerman. It's what I can a "dense read," bordering on academic, but I used it early in my career and found portions like setting rates extremely beneficial.
Diligently check your work for grammatical errors. Spellcheckers are not infalliable; in fact, they can be awful. I use Grammarly, Microsoft Word's Editor, and the Hemingway Editor App (on occasion) .
More and more clients want to see proof of your capabilities, so make certain you keep a current sample of your work to share digitally.
Tom recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for your suggestions, Tom! It's so detailed! I will try to follow every steps you recommended.
Personally, I keep my work AI free. But it's good idea to use it for research. I really needed it at this hour. Thank you!
Tamoso
Denesha Smith, MEL
Yeoman First Class Petty Officer and Freelance Writer
6
Answers
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Updated
Denesha’s Answer
Hi! Great question. Things that I recommend to growing as a freelance writer are:
1. Make sure you have a website to showcase not just you as a writer but your services, blogs, and portfolio.
2. Use many platforms to find gigs. Upwork is great but there are hundreds of more you can choose from.
3. Don't limit yourself to just writing blogs and articles. Also look into creating digital products (e-books, courses, planners, etc.).
4. Get Canva! It is an app where you can create just about anything -ads, resumes, presentations, content, etc.
5. Learn everyday. Get books on freelance writing, running a business, blogs, money management. Take courses from Skillshare or other successful freelance writers.
6. Get used to using AI as a tool but don't let it create your whole body of work.
7. Establish an online presence. Make sure you are on Linkedin, X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Lemon8, etc.
8. Network. Join groups for freelance writers and network.
9. Make your opportunity. Create services and pitch to prospective clients, friends, strangers.
10. Make sure you have a business card -either physically or digitally. HiHello is a great app!
Hope this helps. Good luck to you.
1. Make sure you have a website to showcase not just you as a writer but your services, blogs, and portfolio.
2. Use many platforms to find gigs. Upwork is great but there are hundreds of more you can choose from.
3. Don't limit yourself to just writing blogs and articles. Also look into creating digital products (e-books, courses, planners, etc.).
4. Get Canva! It is an app where you can create just about anything -ads, resumes, presentations, content, etc.
5. Learn everyday. Get books on freelance writing, running a business, blogs, money management. Take courses from Skillshare or other successful freelance writers.
6. Get used to using AI as a tool but don't let it create your whole body of work.
7. Establish an online presence. Make sure you are on Linkedin, X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Lemon8, etc.
8. Network. Join groups for freelance writers and network.
9. Make your opportunity. Create services and pitch to prospective clients, friends, strangers.
10. Make sure you have a business card -either physically or digitally. HiHello is a great app!
Hope this helps. Good luck to you.
Praveen Krishnan
Strategy
5
Answers
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Updated
Praveen’s Answer
The best ways to become a sought-after freelance writer are to:
1. Choose a specific field or topic to write about regularly on social media, such as LinkedIn. This helps you connect with people who are interested in your content and notice you professionally. Writing consistently also helps you learn more about the subject, making you appear more credible to your audience.
2. If you notice a lot of readers and positive feedback on social media, consider building a more dedicated audience. You can do this through newsletters, vlogs, and other platforms to engage with your followers more seriously.
1. Choose a specific field or topic to write about regularly on social media, such as LinkedIn. This helps you connect with people who are interested in your content and notice you professionally. Writing consistently also helps you learn more about the subject, making you appear more credible to your audience.
2. If you notice a lot of readers and positive feedback on social media, consider building a more dedicated audience. You can do this through newsletters, vlogs, and other platforms to engage with your followers more seriously.
Thank you so much! Would you also be able to share some tips on how to drive a traffic on my posts on social media, such as LinkedIn? I am quite a new user there.
Tamoso
Neal Ungerleider
Writer
3
Answers
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Updated
Neal’s Answer
The most important thing is to write and to write a lot in public. Keep a personal blog hosted on your personal/portfolio website or a Substack/Beehiiv newsletter as well as posting on services like LinkedIn. Master making videos on TikTok and YouTube if you haven't already, that is just as important as writing in 2025.
Keep writing, be persistent and don't forget to engage with your audience.
Keep writing, be persistent and don't forget to engage with your audience.
Thank you, Neal!
Tamoso
Saint P
SongWriter and Creative writer
59
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Saint’s Answer
Hi Tamoso!
That’s awesome that you’ve got such a diverse background! To grow as a freelance writer, start by finding your niche. Given your experience in broadcast, journalism, and cinematography, you could specialize in writing for film, TV, or digital media.
Networking is key—reach out to people in the industry and attend events to build connections. Having an online portfolio showcasing your best work will help too, so potential clients can easily see what you can do.
From there, it’s all about pitching regularly to publications or clients in your areas of interest. And always keep learning to refine your craft. The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities will come!
Hope this helps—
Good luck!
Saint
That’s awesome that you’ve got such a diverse background! To grow as a freelance writer, start by finding your niche. Given your experience in broadcast, journalism, and cinematography, you could specialize in writing for film, TV, or digital media.
Networking is key—reach out to people in the industry and attend events to build connections. Having an online portfolio showcasing your best work will help too, so potential clients can easily see what you can do.
From there, it’s all about pitching regularly to publications or clients in your areas of interest. And always keep learning to refine your craft. The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities will come!
Hope this helps—
Good luck!
Saint