How to Start a Writing Career on the Side

How to Start a Writing Career on the Side

 

If you are looking for a side gig during college or you just want to supplement your income during your free time, then freelance writing is a great option. As a writer, you will be able to talk about a variety of subjects and learn something new every day while making decent money. But before you can get started, you’ll need to get your affairs in order first so you can attract clients and make your writing business a success. Today, Seth Batiste has some great tips for how you can get started with your own small business.

 

Learning to Write

 

If you are interested in a career then you likely already do some writing on the side, which is great, but you will want to take some time to hone your skills and learn how to craft a narrative. The good news is that you don’t really need to get a four-year degree in journalism to become a freelance writer.

 

You can learn how to tell a story by reading a lot of books and following along with how those authors set up characters and plots. Then, you can learn more about writing by taking classes or workshops in person or online where you can learn many of the basics. Often, local libraries or universities will host classes for those on a budget. From there, you just need to dive in. The more you write for real clients, the more you will learn. You can find writing jobs by contacting content mills or writing for free for local businesses. Then, once you have your footing, you can find your own clients.

 

Finding Clients

 

There is no right or wrong way to find clients. Once you realize that basically every business in existence needs writers for their blogs or product pages, you’ll see that it is just a matter of finding your piece of the pie. You can start by reaching out to family and friends and asking if they need writing work. If they do, put your best foot forward, and if they like your work, ask them for referrals. You can also physically go to businesses in town and offer your services.

 

You may not make a lot of money at first, but once you have a few clients and you gain some experience, then you can raise your rates. At that point, you may also consider starting an official business. Before you start your business, you’ll need to develop a comprehensive business plan. This should detail your business structure, market you’re targeting, funding needs, financial projections, and more.

 

Also, it’s a great idea to incorporate an online invoice maker when billing your clients. This helps to facilitate payment, as well as aid in your own recordkeeping. And the good news is that it’s free! There are also plenty of customizable templates that you can use to professionally represent your business.

 

Create a Website

 

Once you have been working for a while and you have collected a fair share of professional writing samples, consider going online and creating a website where you can showcase your work and attract more clients. In addition to your writing work, your website should also have up-to-date contact information and reviews from satisfied customers.

 

Your website should also include the rate that you will charge for your writing, which is typically per word or per article. An easy way to set a rate is to think about how much money you want to make per month. If your goal is to make $2,000 per month, consider how much time you have and how many articles you can write during the month and charge accordingly so you can meet your goals.

 

As you can see, becoming a freelance writer is just like creating any other business. By being strategic about how you get clients and charge for your work, you can make some nice money on the side and enjoy what you do.

 

Batiste Consulting, LLC (BC) provide is a subject matter expert (SME) writing in various areas that include microbiology, biology, college writing, mental health/wellness and more; BC recently signed a contract with Aptara, Inc and WiseWire. Other BC services include consulting educational institutions and community organizations across the United States in areas of organizational change, management, and classroom discipline techniques.

To learn more, schedule and appointment, https://calendly.com/seth-97/30min?month=2022-08