With the economy being in shambles, more and more people are looking to start up online business ventures. One of the most popular online business ideas is to become a freelance writer. While the opportunity to become a freelance writer is certainly out there, it is not as easy as some people think. If you are a good writer, and have an attention to detail, then you can certainly consider this as a legitimate small business career. Here are some things you need to know to start a freelance online writing career:
1. Before you even consider an online writing career, you need to get an honest assessment of your writing skills. Some people are writers and some people are not. It is a skill that can be learned, but you should not think that you can learn as you go as an online writer as a business. That is not realistic. Have a trusted teacher look over some of your writing and let you know if it is a real possibility for you. Get several opinions.
2. Now that you know you can write, you need to figure out if you can write constantly. Writing online as a freelancer means writing all day, every day. Many weeks it is seven days a week, and ten to twelve hour days are common. This is especially true in the beginning as you are building your client list and having to work for less.
3. Do you have some savings? If not, then starting a freelance online writing career is dangerous business. You will not make much in the beginning. You will be building your online reputation, and will likely have to take jobs that are not as lucrative at first. Have some money in reserve before you take on this venture.
4. Building your online web presence is very important. You will want to join up with some great online writing websites such as Associated Content, Helium, Demand Studios, and others to start building your name. Use your real name at these sites if possible so that you are gaining name exposure to the web. You would be surprised how many times you will get “cold jobs” from strangers. This is risky if you do not follow some rules.
5. When you take any job online, you should not do it without getting a retainer first. This means that half of the job should be paid upfront. This is especially true for strangers. Many people have been taken by doing the work, and then never being paid. Do not be a victim, even if it means you miss out on some jobs.
6. Use a networking approach to build your business. Online writing is lucrative once you have a name as a great, dependable writer. Ask for referrals when you do a job. Most people know someone else that needs great online content.
7. Do every job as though it is your last. Each online writing job you do is going to follow you forever on the web. If you put out junk, you will be tagged as such in future dealings with others.
8. Finally, you should check your ego at the door. Online web writing is nothing like print writing. It is a serious business that requires an entirely different skill set than the type of writing you are used to. If you have an ego, and are unwilling to learn what the client wants, you will not make it as a freelance online writer.
These are just a handful of the things you must consider before becoming a freelance online writer. If you are willing to learn, and have a good base of writing skills, then perhaps a freelance web writing career is just the opportunity for you.
