Freelance writing can encompass many things: ghostwriting, academic writing, content writing, blog writing, SEO writing, short stories, report writing, creative writing, travel writing, speech writing, even poetry! Depending on your inclinations and interests you can take up any of these categories or combine tasks of different types to put your talents at work.

Who can take up freelance writing jobs?

We would say anyone, but that is not quite true. You could have a special talent in creative writing, you could be studying digital marketing and know your way with SEO, you could have experience with writing university assignments and take up academic writing, you could be a digital native and be an excellent freelance blogger, you could be an expert in a niche subject, like motorcycles, and find online magazines to write articles for.

The possibilities are endless, but make sure you have the competencies, the talent and, for some freelance writing gigs, the right knowledge. Does that mean that you have to be experienced? Not really! You could also be a beginner – that always depends on the demands of each writing job. Taking freelance writing jobs might actually be the perfect way to build a portfolio that will take you far in your writing career.

Great! But where do I start?

On the plenty available online platforms for freelancers out there! We have gathered them all for you on AppJobs! Writing is usually among the most popular categories on freelancing apps. Just check out the apps for yourself, sign up with the one or ones that you like and promote yourself as a freelance writer!

freelance writing jobs

Check out the following apps for freelance writers:

  1. Verblio
  2. Upwork
  3. Freelancer

1. Verblio

freelance writing jobs
Image by Verblio

Verblio is the ultimate app to join if you like writing blogs and content for clients. You can pick topics that seem interesting to you and the great thing is that you can get a different subject every day, so you never get bored! When you first sign up you get started with short-form jobs and slowly, by selling content and earning 5-star reviews, you’ll earn access to longer and higher-paying jobs.

You can read clients’ briefs and submit a draft that the client can accept, decline, or request edits for. Work will always be available for you, as customers need fresh content every month and there are jobs with a demand for writing from 300 to 3,000 words.

In the beginning, you can earn around $18 per blog post but this will change as you get more reviews and take on longer posts. You can send your invoices and get paid weekly or save up more invoices and send them whenever you want.

Before you sign up, make sure you are over 18, have U.S. citizenship and a valid Social Security Number. Your language skills need to be impeccable and you should be able to do appropriate research for your content. You should also have an understanding of content marketing and SEO.

2. Upwork

freelance writing jobs
Image by Upwork

Upwork is a platform where freelancers of various specialties can find interesting gigs, and writing gigs are among the most popular ones. You can search for projects, respond to client invitations for work and always choose the ideal projects for you.

You can get paid an average $20 per job but this amount can vary a lot, depending on the nature of each project, your seniority and the clients’ needs. Apart from fixed-price projects, you can also take up gigs with an hourly fee.

There are no special requirements to join Upwork. You just need to have enough knowledge and skills to complete the given tasks. And keep in mind that Upwork will keep a 20% fee that decreases to 10% and 5% depending on how much you earn.

2. Freelancer

freelance writing jobs
Image by Upwork

Another alternative for freelancers that want to offer writing services is Freelancer. You can place bids on projects that interest you or you might get contacted by clients with a direct offer. Either way, you will be in charge of the final decision: if the pay rate is satisfying, you can accept the project.

An average fee for a simple task can be around $17 but it can vary a lot depending on the project. Keep in mind that with a free Freelancer account you are allowed to place up to 15 bids for projects per month. In order to be able to place more bids, you should subscribe to a Membership with a cost ranging from $4.95 to $69.95 per month. There are also some fees that will be extracted from your payment amount: 10% of the payment for hourly projects and 10% of the winning bid or $5 (whichever is greater) for the fixed-price projects.

I want to, but I don’t feel confident enough to start with freelance writing jobs

If you have the urge, the talent and the will, the rest is easy to achieve! You can brush up your skills or acquire new competencies to become more knowledgeable and competitive with Simplilearn, one of the world’s leading certification training providers!

freelance writing jobs

More tips on how to promote yourself as a writer

When creating your profile as a freelance writer make sure you mention your qualifications, any writing experience you have and even provide samples of your work.

When accepting freelance writing jobs, always make sure they are the appropriate gigs for you and be punctual with meeting the deadlines. Use your communication skills to understand what your clients want to save time with debriefs. Being friendly and prompt will earn you good reviews, which will attract even more clients.

How about my insurance, taxes and earnings when taking up freelance writing jobs?

Your earnings are usually paid online and either deposited to your bank account or paid via PayPal or similar platforms. Your hourly pay can vary a lot depending on the level of experience, your expertise, the nature and complexity of each writing gig etc. You can check out more about this on our blog post here.

Then, there is the matter of taxes and insurance – two hot topics of the gig economy, which have been under discussion by journalists, academics and experts. Some platforms offer insurance schemes, but as a freelance writer you’ll most probably have to follow the rules that apply to freelancers in your country. Check out some useful information on our blog post about financial planning. to get an idea of what you should pay attention to when it comes to these matters.

If you need to get to know much more about freelancing and freelance jobs, let me invite you to the following blog posts: