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Freelance Writing JobsTaking freelance writing jobs is a way to make a living while you’re working on your children’s novel. If you love to write and be your own boss or would just rather not sit in an office 9-5, then working as a freelance writer could be for you.Nerves of steelIt’s important to keep your nerve in the early days as it can take some time to make contacts, build a portfolio and reputation but hang in there. It’s quite possible to make a full-time living from freelance writing jobs (until your novel is a best seller in any case.)Choosing a nicheIf you have a specialist area that you can write about so much the better. There are magazines and websites covering a multitude of professions from building to teaching which all need articles.If you’ve worked, for example, as a teacher you could start off by writing articles for some small newspapers and magazines in this sector. You’re probably familiar with them. Maybe your school had them in the staff room? This is a good way to build your portfolio when you’re starting out. If you’ve just graduated your first response maybe ‘but I don’t have a specialism.’ In this case brainstorm all your hobbies and interests, where you’ve been and what you’ve done. You’re bound to come up with at least one subject you could write about. Coming up with ideasKeep your eyes open. Read your local paper, visit websites and forums, read what celebrities are up to. Any of these could trigger an idea for a feature article.Another useful thing to do is to get yourself on lots of mailing lists. If you want to write for education, for example, contact universities and colleges and ask them to add you to their mailing and press release distribution lists. You’ll get a lot of information this way and sometimes a gem that you’ll be able to turn into an article. Know your marketIt’s so important that you research the publication that you’d like to write for. Read lots of magazines and newspapers and really study them. Look at back issues if you can get your hands on them. To save money you can often check out articles on line. By doing this you’ll get a sense of the publication and what kind of articles they print and also what they’ve already published so you don’t pitch the same or a similar idea.Finding out who to contactDon’t ever send off a pitch to a journalist addressed ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’ as this won’t go down well as it looks lazy (we know from experience!) It’s worth your while to spend time finding out the name of the person you need to contact.Publications usually contain information panels detailing staff journalists and their job titles. You could make a note of these when you’re doing your research to get freelance writing jobs. An alternative is to look up the main number for the publication and ask for the contact details of for example the features editor at a magazine. There are also online directories you can sign up for which keep up to date contact information on journalists. Approaching a publicationIt's best to pitch an idea rather than sending a journalist a completed article without any idea if it's something they'd be interested in.It can feel quite daunting to pick up the phone and call a journalist to pitch an idea. It's up to you whether you call or email. When you're after freelance writing jobs a good way to break the ice is to call and introduce yourself and ask if they accept ideas from freelance writers. This will also save you unnecessary work if the answer is no or if they’re not commissioning for a few months. Pitching ideasStart off by pitching ideas to daily and weekly publications rather than the monthlies because you’ve got a better chance of getting a commission. It makes sense when you think about it. There are lots of people out there pitching ideas and the odds of getting your article accepted are higher if the publication is produced more frequently.And you don’t just have to pitch one idea at a time. If you’ve got lots of ideas for a publication you can pitch 10 at once!
Starting your own freelance writing businessIf you're keen to get your freelance writing career underway visit the website of Freelance Copywriter and Author, Maria Pease, Freelance Writing Success which is for writers and those who dream of a career as a writer. Find your success as a writer, whatever that means to you!Return from Freelance Writing Jobs to Get on in Writing for Children
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