Freelance writing is one of the fastest growing home-based employments. Compared to other online jobs, this has the fewest qualifications. Good skills in written English, knowledge of MS Word, and some background on keyword optimization are usually enough to get you hired. Sometimes however, employers welcome first-timers and provide them training and education. Even though it sounds enticing, freelance writing isn’t for everyone. We’re here to help you decide whether or not it’s the right career for you or if you should consider some other home-based job. Just ask yourself the following questions to find out.
“Do I enjoy writing?"
You’ll be asked to write articles throughout weekdays so unless you truly enjoy writing, you won’t stand a chance in this career. The number of articles and words required depends on the employer. Some only ask for one article a day whereas others may ask up to 10 each day. The minimum number of words usually ranges between 300 and 500 words but it could be more. Before you look for a job opening, ask yourself if you actually like writing or if you are merely attracted to the fact that it has fewer qualifications.
“Do I have good English?"
Look back to the days when you were still in school. If you got high grades in English, that pretty much says you’re good at it. You need to have a good grasp of the English language to qualify as a writer. That includes grammar, spelling, and proper use of punctuation marks.
"Am I good at writing?"
A good writer doesn’t just have good English. He or she must be good at composing essays as well. A well-written article is structured and comprised of different ideas that relate to one central theme. A creative mind is also a plus in freelance writing.
“Am I flexible?"
Flexibility is one of the most important qualities that a freelance writer must possess. This is at least in my opinion. Freelance writing is a broad term and employers have different needs. For example, one company may need an eBook writer while another is looking for a content writer. When it comes to the specifics, you will likely be asked to write about different topics such as health, تكنولوجيا, or even car insurance. This too requires flexibility.
“Do I have good research skills?"
Writing articles about things you don’t know about is next to impossible. That is why you need to be good at researching. Rather than using any article you come across with online as reference, you should learn to identify reliable from unreliable sources. Logically, you only want to use information from reliable sources.
"Do I type with speed and accuracy?"
A freelance writer should be fast and accurate at typing. Without these two things, you may not reach the minimum number of articles or words required of you in a day or week.
If you happen to enjoy writing but lack other qualities that make a good writer, you don’t have to give up that easily. Flexibility, good English and writing, fast and accurate typing speed, and the ability to research are skills which you can learn and develop over time. Then again, a person who lacks passion for writing and has all the other skills still isn’t fit for freelance writing. Think long and hard before getting into this career because not everyone is built for it. Anyway, there are other jobs you can land that are still home-based besides freelance writing.
For the meantime, check the resources below and see if there’s an open job for you! The following trusted websites host business owners and companies that outsource freelance writing jobs. Job specifications, pay, and the work period are usually specified by the employers. The best part is that signing up for an account is free.
- oDesk.com is a perfect place to start for beginners. You get to keep your own professional profile and get reviewed for your work. To increase your chances of getting hired, you can take tests on English grammar and vocabulary.
- Elance.com is similar to oDesk. It is home to about 600,000 contractors looking for enterprise solutions including freelance writers. When you finish a job, you will be rated for the quality of your work. The higher your rating, the better your chances of getting hired for another job.
- Guru.com is yet another trusted site if you want to do freelance writing. Compared to oDesk and Elance, it promotes collaboration across professionals.
- ال ProBlogger Job Board is where bloggers looking for jobs and companies looking for bloggers to hire meet.If you’re looking to hire a blogger the ProBlogger Job Board is a place to find them.
- Blogging Pro is where experience freelance writers makes the hit, so if you are good you are sure to make good clients.
If you have more writing job sites you can do well to add on the comment.
About the Author:
JudeneMacariola,is a former freelance writer. He is well-versed in writing about technology, health, and online jobs. Jude now works forBroadband Expert, a company that helps home owners discover high speed internet options that are cheap and reliable.