Why it's So F*ing Hard to Be a Freelance Writer - Make a Living Writing (2024)

FAQs

Why it's So F*ing Hard to Be a Freelance Writer - Make a Living Writing? ›

It's highly competitive to get in at the great-paying magazines, or to land the lucrative copywriting gigs. Some clients are flaky and end up stiffing you. Some clients are boundary-pushers and want to suck up all your time. You'll need to find a way to differentiate your writing services and stand out from the crowd.

In fact, blogging, journalism, and freelancing are all a lot easier than book publishing, and you can break into them easily if you have a bit of talent. For over a decade now, I've made a very good living as a writer. It is both harder and easier than you think.

Figuring out how to become a freelance writer can be daunting at first. Freelance writing is a job anyone with the interest and dedication can do, but it is especially attractive for self-motivated individuals who want more flexibility in their day-to-day lives.

You can make money as a freelance writer by developing newsletters for businesses to communicate with their customers or potential customers. This could include writing headlines, marketing copy for emails and content to be distributed via newsletters.

If you're serious about making a career change, there's no faster way to make money online than freelance writing. The best part is that if you do it right, you can blow past the $1K a month mark in no time. Freelance writing offers much, much greater earning potential.

It says “There are over 4,882 freelance copywriters currently employed in the United States. 53.7% of all freelance copywriters are women, while 46.3% are men. The average age of an employed freelance copywriter is 42 years old” but the date of this result was published on 9 Sep 2022.

Healthcare and medical writing

The healthcare and medical sector is one of the highest-paying niches in freelance writing. Content in this niche requires skill sets similar to technical writing, as well as extensive knowledge of the healthcare industry.

One of the most common misconceptions about freelance writing is that you need years of experience to get started. The truth is, many successful content writers and copywriters began their journey without any direct experience in the field.

Client acquisition: You must constantly find new clients to maintain a steady flow of work, which can be time-consuming and very challenging. Lack of benefits: Freelancers do not typically receive benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, or retirement plans, which can be a drawback for some.

Are freelance writers in demand? ›

A lot of businesses are already out there looking for SEO experts, and there aren't enough of us out there to satisfy the demand. So if you can level up your skillset and stay client-focused, you can absolutely still be a full-time freelance writer in 2024.

Most freelance writers work 21-30 hours a week.

Freelancing comes with plenty of perks: You can choose your projects, set your own hours and work wherever you like. Yet the same flexibility that makes freelance writing an attractive career can put you at the risk of burnout if your workload and stress levels get away from you.

Many successful freelance writers are full-time writers (like me). They are making a living writing (or with passive income) and have no challenge finding clients or a writing opportunity. But, there are even more writers that barely make enough money to replace their dead-end job.

If you're working already, that work provides you with some financial security. That work may even spark some ideas for articles you want to write. And if you're parenting or studying, considering part-time freelance writing means you can beaver away at your side hustle without any real pressure.

We recommend beginner freelance writers charge no less than $0.05 to $0.20 per word. If you consider the example of a 1,000-word blog post, this means you'll range from $50 to $200 per post. In reality, many beginning writers make $0.01 to $0.04 per word, which is an unreasonably low fee.

A lot of the more 'fun' types of writing — poetry, creative nonfiction, short stories, personal essays — generally don't pay well. That's not to say you can't get paid to write poetry, for example, but don't expect to make a full-time career of it.

One of the best ways to work that gig hustle is to network like a pro. The truth is that it is possible to earn a good living as a freelancer if you're willing to put in the time and energy to make it happen.

Realistically, it is not likely that one masterpiece novel will allow you to quit your day job. However, building a catalog of multiple books and publishing consistently on a regular schedule makes being a successful full-time author far more likely.

If you can string two grammatically correct sentences together, in most cases, your writing is good enough. Throw in some keen research skills and the ability to adhere to deadlines, and you can be a freelance writer. Bottom line: You don't have to be a genius or have some type of special writing ability.