So, you’ve decided to take up a career in freelance writing.
You’ve hooked up the computer, installed the printer, and learnt
the nitty-gritty of your word processor. You’ve maybe even been
published a couple of times. You’re all set to conquer the world
of publishing. But wait. Do you know all the options available
to you?
We’ve compiled a list of all the jobs a freelance writer can
find on the Internet to keep the cash inflow steady:
Magazines Most of the freelancing industry focuses on magazines,
so let’s start there. You’ll find magazines on every topic
imaginable. From teen issues to running, you’ll find at least
one magazine to fit in your interests. While magazine publishing
is huge and widespread, don’t try to get published everywhere at
once. Find a few niche topics and start your way up from there.
As your expertise and interests grow, branch out to other
magazines as well. Topics most writers start out with include
health and nutrition, computers, parenting, teens,
relationships, disability, travel, etc.
Fillers in Magazines and Newspapers Not all writers make it to
the cover pages of magazines. At least not at first. In the
beginning, you might just have to make do with fillers. And they
pay as much as they’re fun to do. Jokes, opinion pieces, short
lists, news items and other short pieces are termed fillers.
Editors are always on the lookout for good fillers, so you stand
a good chance of breaking through.
Greeting Cards With e-cards, paper greeting cards seem to have
taken a backseat. Nevertheless, the sale of paper cards is still
ongoing and they are still preferred when it comes to relatives,
long-lost friends or special occasions. Despite popular myths,
greeting card markets are not as easy to break into as they
seem, can take a long time to respond and an even longer time to
get your card into print. The upside is that greeting card
markets pay extremely well for short writing. What’s more,
though limited, opportunities exist for e-card writers too. So
when you need to take a break from the regular work, dip your
fingers into the greeting card pool
Doormats, Magnets, Bumper Stickers, T-shirts, etc If you’ve
wondered how those words made it to t-shirts, stickers, doormats
and magnets, think no more. Freelance writers are often required
to write the slogans for such material and are paid quite well
for it. If you have the ability to coin a catchy or humorous
one-liner, this could be your shot to riches. You won’t get a
byline, and certainly no fame, but you could be earning as much
as $50 per word!
Posters They’re up in your room, you’ve seen them in your
friend’s office, and you often find a funny one at the fast-food
place down the street. Someone must have written them. Why not
you? A lot of companies sell posters and generate handsome sales
from them. In fact, writers of posters are usually paid in
royalties, that is, by the number of posters sold. So, instead
of being paid one-time, you’ll be paid over and over again for
something you wrote years ago.
Resumes Practically every one needs a resume (yes, even us
freelance writers). Some people write them up themselves, some
prefer to take the help of professionals. Write up a resume for
a friend or two at work (even if she doesn’t need one!) as
samples and respond to advertisements and calls for resume
writers. Keep in mind though that resume writing isn’t your
regular every day writing. You’re not supposed to decorate the
page with flowery prose or funny anecdotes. You need to be
professional, crisp and attention-grabbing. Practice with a few
fake ones, and you’ll soon be on your way.
Advertising Advertisers need writers, commonly known as
copywriters. They’re the flesh and blood of the campaign.
Getting into advertising can be a tricky business, but with a
few credentials and a polished resume, you’ll have no trouble at
all showcasing your talent to the world. If you are indeed good
at what you do, advertisers will line up to get you to work for
them. If you prefer not to work for someone, you could set up
your own copywriting business and promote it to get clients.
Website Copy With the Internet revolution finally having
realized in its full form, small and big companies alike are
looking for writers to write content for their websites. Not
only do these companies pay well, but they also give the writer
a much-desired break. If you’ve written website copy, you’ll
have no trouble finding more assignments of the same kind.
Simply guide the prospective client to the website and he’ll
know what kind of work he can expect from you. Aim for start-up
companies at first. They’ll usually hand over the whole work to
you and you can make a great portfolio.
E-books E-books are not here to replace print books. They’re
here to provide an alternative resource for distribution.
However, as opposed to print books, e-books are short, contain
lots of web links and usually provide answers to a customer’s
immediate needs. They can be downloaded off the Internet in
seconds, and you can profit from a single e-book long after
you’ve written it. Don’t get fooled though-- writing e-books
takes just as much time and dedication as writing print ones.
It’s only the mode of delivery that’s different.
Ezines Online newsletters, or ezines as they are frequently
called, are becoming the rage of the publishing industry. Many
of these ezines are paying markets and run regular features and
columns. Many of them have associated websites too. While the
pay in this market is less, you’ll be writing shorter articles
in much less time. Newspapers Generally, when we think of
newspapers, we think news. But newspapers hold a lot more
information than that. With regular columns, reviews and
updates, latest findings, and point-of-view articles, newspapers
are the writer’s best bet. And if you’ve gained entry into one
section of the newspaper, the other sections of writing open up
to you automatically. Though slow on the income, getting
published in your local daily is still a major ego-booster!
Newsletters There are many households and small companies that
publish newsletters. And all the more are springing up each day.
These newsletters are a great way to break into freelancing and
gather clips. Their requirements are not as tough to meet as
those of magazines and most editors are quite quick in their
responses. To add to that, some newsletters also pay quite well,
sometimes almost as much as small magazines.
Ghostwriting If it’s the fame you’re after, you won’t get it
here. But you can earn a decent amount of money ghostwriting
memoirs, books or even articles for people who don’t want to or
can’t write themselves. Ghostwriters are quite in demand today
with more and more people trying to preserve their family
history by getting memoirs or biographies written. However,
apart from the money, there’s nothing else. You don’t get the
credit, the fame or even the byline.
The prospects for writers today are immense provided you’re
ready to experiment in different areas. The Internet has made it
easier than ever to find writing assignments not only in your
own country, but around the world. A simple e-mail is all it
takes to apply for a job and send in the assignment.
It’s easy for a freelance writer to get stuck doing the same old
thing over and over. It’s not only fun, but sometimes necessary
to introduce a little spice into your writing routine. If you’ve
been writing articles all your life, try doing some greeting
card writing instead. If the money is slow, and you could really
use some extra money, apply for a resume writer job. If the book
manuscripts are lying unsold, try selling short stories for a
change.
With a little variation now and then, you’ll not only find your
income shooting up, but also your inspiration. So next time you
find yourself waiting for word on that manuscript, send out a
few short pieces instead. It’ll definitely be worth the effort.
* This article originally appeared on
http://www.WritersCrossing.com
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