Start a freelance writing career

Many people would love to be a freelance writer. It could mean being your own boss, or you might want to make a large income. As exciting as it sounds, its important to understand that its not that easy. It takes a lot of hard work and you arent guaranteed success. If you want to begin a successful freelance writing career, hear are some pointers for getting started.

Decide what you write well. Find your edge. If you are an expert in an area such as business, travel, teaching, or computers, you can work in that area. Its easier to write what you know and you will have more knowledge in your subject and should do a better job as well.

If you dont know what you should write about, try writing fiction, such as short stories and poetry, or search through an issue of writers market and find a newspaper or magazine that you think you could contribute to. Think about what you are familiar with and look at different writing pieces you have finished before. If you have a area you want to write about but you dont know much about, read up on it and learn what you can so that you can write about it. If you are really interested in a subject, you should enjoy researching it.

Write as often as you can. The only way to get better at writing is by practicing. In addition to practicing, you want to get as much of your writing out there as possible. Dont just write a few pieces, send them out, and think you are done. You dont want to just write two or three articles, mail them out to a magazine, and wait. Once you finish one article, write your next one. You want to get your name out there.

Submit every good article. If youve spent hours on a piece and you hate it, dont give up on it. Work on it some more until it is to your liking. Chances are, if you spent that much time on it and can finally get it right, its probably good. If youve spent 5 times as many hours as you had planned and you still dont like it, then maybe you can give up. You do have to remember to submit your best. Still, dont be too hard on yourself. Put it aside and look at it days, weeks, or months later. Maybe by then you can look at it differently and make something of it.

Build a portfolio. Just like an artist has an art portfolio, you should have a writing portfolio. A lot of times, a publisher will need to see some examples of stories or articles youve previously had published. Keep your work organized so that you can easily send out examples. Keep track of everything youve done with your freelance career and think of each as one step closer to succeeding.

Dont give up unless its absolutely necessary. If youve been writing for 6 months, had several rejections, and only 1 or 2 published pieces, this doesnt mean you should stop is not necessarily a sign of giving up. A slow start is the reason why you keep another job until you are established. But, if you have been writing nonstop for 5, 10, or more years, have never had a piece published, and have been told you are a bad writer, maybe its time you end your freelance writing career. If you love to write and believe you are an amazing writer, this hopefully wont happen to you. Constantly look through your work and find out ways to write better, and success will come in time.

About The Author Do you want to learn more about starting a freelance writing career and more about creative writing? To cure writer's block and get published, go to ExpressitinWords.com.