Is Freelance Writing A Good Career? (Everything To Know)

Freelance writing is one of the most straightforward career options or jobs out there that every new freelancer feels pursuing/doing about.

Many people get started as freelance writers, apply for jobs, and end up wasting a whole lot of time. On the other hand, many start out, land clients, and live happily and prosperously ever after.

So, what’s the scenario? Is freelance writing a good career? Is freelance writing worth it? Can you survive as a freelance writer? How much do freelance writers make? Why do people fail and how to become a successful freelance writer?

All of the questions that I talked about above (and many more) will be answered descriptively in this post, so make sure you read it fully.

Let’s get right into the main content as we’ve got quite a few questions here…!

Is Freelance Writing A Good Career?

As I already started this article with a vibrant and positive tone, most of you reading this can sense what the answer is going to be but still, here you go:

Yes, freelancing writing is one of the highest rewarding and satisfactory careers that not only unleashes creativity but also creates a great work-life balance.

Freelance writing is definitely worth it if you are planning to get into it but be sure to remember that it’s going to take a lot of patience, a lot of craft, hours of practice, and a lot of learning throughout.

The fact is that even after hundreds of thousands of writers are available in the industry, there is a shortage of ‘good and skilled’ freelance writers.

Companies and individuals are always looking for committed and skilled writers because content marketing is one of the most reliable, sustainable, and high ROI generation channel in the digital marketing world.

Many people think content marketing, as well as freelance writing, is dead but that’s definitely not the case at all!

People believe that social media and other channels have taken over written content but think about how many times you searched for something on Google/Bing/Yahoo or any other search engine and landed on a social media post?

There are more than many chances that you must have landed on someone’s blog or website, right? There you have it! Freelance writing still has a lot of scope and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon (at least not for the next few decades).

I just pulled up a screenshot from Google Trends and you can see the interest for the term ‘freelance content writer’.

Well, this proves that freelance writing is still worth it and a fantastic career option if you want to get started with your journey.

Are Freelance Writers In Demand?

As you already know that freelance writing is actually a good career option and a lot of people are interested in it, there’s no denying that freelance writers are in great demand.

Still, if you need proof, here’s a random screenshot I’ve pulled from Upwork. Look how freelance writers are killing it and generating an impressive amount of revenue on a consistent basis.

Also, you can see how individuals and companies have started seeking skilled writers over the past couple of years…

So, in short, yes – freelance writers are really in demand and if you know your craft, you will never lack new and better opportunities.

Can You Survive As A Freelance Writer?

Without a doubt, I would answer this question with a big YES! Not only you can survive as a freelance writer but you can actually survive well!

I myself got started with freelance writing and I’ve never felt that I’ve chosen the wrong profession or occupation. The pay rate goes high as your experience and portfolio build up.

As a matter of fact, freelance writing has made people millionaires (including me). You can keep this thought or question way far if you’re thinking about whether or not there are any good finances in this path.

Do Freelance Writers Make Good Money? How Much Do Freelance Writers Make?

Starting with the first answer – yes, freelance writers do make good sums of money. However, the pay can be different according to the experience, work required, and locations.

According to PayScale, a freelance writer earns around:

• $24.63 per hour
• $25,000 to $115,000+ per year

Now those are pretty satisfactory numbers, aren’t they? In a nutshell, you won’t have to worry about the pay rates if you have got great writing and researching skills.

Why Do Freelance Writers Fail?

The main reason why you see these people complaining that freelance writing is not worth it or that it’s dead is that they might have tried it and failed miserably.

And it’s the truth! You can’t ignore it! A huge proportion of writers fail to become successful freelancers and only a few lead to the top.

Here are the reasons why that happens:

• Expecting High Hourly Rates From The Beginning
• No Great Writing & Researching Skills
• A Lot Of Rejections
• Not Knowing How To Land Clients

Expecting High Hourly Rates

You surely get paid really well as a freelance writer but you can’t expect to get paid $150 an hour right off the back!

This happens with a lot of aspiring writers. They watch videos on YouTube and see it as a ‘money-making business’ which is going to make them millionaires and can’t handle the low rates in the beginning.

The truth is that you will have to work at extremely low rates for the first couple of months before you have built a solid portfolio and client base.

Things aren’t going to look super nice and beautiful from the beginning. You will have to work your way up to enjoy the work-life that you’ve dreamed of.

No Good Writing & Researching Skills

This point connects with what I just wrote above. Everyone thinks he or she can write really well and conduct great research.

Fortunately and unfortunately, that’s not the case for sure. Churning out words and spending hours and hours doing research isn’t something everyone is capable of carrying out.

Many people think it’s just a piece of cake, jump into the world, write pathetic content pieces, and when they get rejected, they think it’s the client’s/company’s fault.

Can’t Handle Rejections

You won’t sign up your first client on the very first day. You will have to face a lot of rejections before you get hired.

I myself was rejected over 83 times before I landed my first client. People would send a few proposals and hope for landing jobs in the air.

That’s not how it happens. You might have to try real hard before your proposal gets accepted by a company/client. A lot of individuals can’t digest the fact they got rejected multiple times and leave everything in the middle. You will have to be aware of this.

The Skill Of Signing Up Clients

See, clients aren’t going to come running to you magically. You will have to learn how to market your services better than others and know how to signup clients and build relationships with them.

There are many great writers but they rarely get work because they don’t know how to connect with companies or clients and sell their services.

Freelancing is not just limited to Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer.com. You can signup clients independently and build a strong client base that can be controlled by no one else but you.

Tips To Become A Successful Freelance Writer

There isn’t a huge list that you will have to go through to become successful in this industry. All you will have to pay attention to are these points:

• Hone Your Craft
• Always Be Learning
• Learn Marketing
• Build A Portfolio Website

Hone Your Craft

That’s the first thing you are going to want to do for having a great and long career in this industry.

You will have to practice as much as you can and will have to improve:

• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Writing styles
• Researching process
• Speed and productivity

When you will have these strong points, you will be able to put yourself up and make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Always Be Learning

The process of content creation is always evolving in this world of the internet. The research and writing process that existed ten years ago isn’t in demand now and what’s accepted now won’t be in the future.

You can’t be rigid and stick with one writing or content creation style in the ever-evolving world. Hence, you will always have to learn and adjust to the changes.

Learn Marketing

When I say ‘learn marketing,’ I don’t mean you should learn stuff like SEM, PPC, SMM, affiliate marketing, and others.

What I mean is that you should know how to sell your services. One of the best ways you can do this is by creating a list of all the publications/blogs that exist in your niche and then reaching out to them professionally via email.

But it’s not just limited to sending emails. You can learn new strategies for building connections and learn the skill of marketing your services.

Build A Portfolio Website

It’s all about presenting yourself in this business world. If you can present yourself better, the opportunity is yours and vice-versa.

If you are serious about this, you should have a portfolio website where you talk about everything you know, everything you have done, all you have achieved, and how you can help clients get results.

The vast majority of the writers don’t use this strategy but it works exceptionally well. If you have a super professional portfolio website, clients will consider that and give you a chance.

Pros Of Becoming A Freelance Writer

Let’s now discuss the advantages of choosing this occupation and find out what’s great about it.

• You can work from anywhere around the world and at any time of the day.

• You are not working under pressure. Everything is under your control and you are your own boss.

• A fabulous work-life balance.

• As no two days are the same for a freelancer, there is a lot to learn.

Cons Of Becoming A Freelance Writer

Nothing comes with only advantages. There are disadvantages as well…let’s have a look at those as well.

• You might feel very lonely sometimes (if you live alone or don’t have a family).

• There is flexibility in terms of work but you will still have to meet the deadlines.

• A lot of psychological pressure if you work on a freelance platform like Upwork, Fiverr, or any other.

In Conclusion

Well, everything that I talked about above points out that becoming a freelance writer is still worth it and is a very good career option.

It might seem very attractive but does involve a lot of work, dedication, persistence, ups and downs, and consistent efforts before you get the rewards. Basically, it’s not for anyone and everyone out there.

I hope you found this post helpful. In case there is anything you would like to ask or share, please use the comments section below.

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