When I first began freelancing last year, I asked the question all beginning freelance writers asked: “Where do I start?”
The Internet is a great place to start for those just beginning their “journey with words.” Although my own personal journey did not begin on the web, I am starting to find that there are quite a number of websites on the world wide web that are willing to help writers get stuff published immediately. Writing sites like Helium.com, Suite101.com and AssociatedContent.com require that you complete an application process and, upon acceptance, you can immediately start publishing your work.
Once you’ve gained a bunch of published clips to provide as writing samples to potential clients (if you don’t already have any), you can also check out freelance bidding sites like Guru.com and Elance.com. These sites allow you to bid on various writing assignments that are being offered by numerous employers seeking talented writers. Another very helpful and popular site to check out is Deborah Ng’s FWJ (Freelance Writing Jobs) at freelancewritinggigs.com. She updates her site daily with a list of freelance writing jobs, which also include blogging jobs. She also offers advice from a seasoned professional.
Aside from the web, there’s also the Writer’s Market – every freelancer’s bible to a wealth of great information. It offers a huge directory of publishers, their guidelines for writers, contact information and pay. Also included in the book are samples of query letters and a recommended guide on pay rates for freelancers, among other very helpful tools. This book is published annually and is a must-have if you don’t already have one on your desk. (The information I have listed here is from the 2007 Writer’s Market. Not sure if this kind of info is included in previous and/or current year’s editions.)
One of the most important things to keep in mind as we writers travel on our journey of words and writing, is that we never underestimate our ability to write. Sadly, there are writers out there who will accept very little payment for a writing gig. This is something that should all be aware of. We should know our worth as a writer and never settle for anything less.
