Freelance writing

Journalists, editors, bloggers, article writers, travelers, encyclopedia authors, translators or e-book writers could all fit into the broader definition of 'freelance writing' as long as they are self-employed. With the Internet boom and the huge need for information and published materials, writing has become the main job of many people. Just as you are reading these lines, you should probably guess that I'm a professional writer who speaks from an insider's perspective in this field of activity.

In order to convert into a business, freelance writing ought to meet several conditions. First of all, the professional should have some form of academic training, a degree in Humanities or Journalism to have fluency and a nice flow of the phrase.

Grammar and spelling correctness are also essential, and they usually derive from some form of superior training. Despite the numerous software tools that now assist writers with their desk tasks, phrasing a paragraph correctly still requires an ounce of skill.

Experience in freelance writing further matters for an independent career. Articles published in various magazines for instance, blogs and websites, travel journals become valuable work foundation for this profession.

A legal background is also required for freelance writing. You should comply with the tax regulation in your state of residence. This means quite a bit of paperwork to be completed regularly. Falling behind on your paperwork could make it a more cumbersome task when you have to fill in the tax forms.

Freelance writing has many rewards for a professional. One has the chance to write about what he/she knows best, and make a revenue from personal writing skills. I have personally often had  the impression that my work does indeed matters to others in a very good sense. Which gives a sense of fulfillment to one's life indeed.

The downside of a freelance writing career comes from the very specificity of self-employment. You don't get paid for vacations or for any other leave. A day away from your computer is a day without payment. You have to make savings to cover for the time you'll need to take a break.

Last but not least, there is tough competition in freelance writing, precisely because of the enticing perspective of an independent career. When you are in the early stages of making the business work, obstacles and hardships come along the way. Skills, patience and good marketing will get you safely to the other shore, helping kick start your career.

Freelance web developer

Getting started probably represents the biggest problem when you have the skills and the knowledge to build websites, yet you don't have a portfolio of clients. Lots of people build work experience and a reputation as a freelance web developer by volunteering to build websites for others. Eventually, you will find someone who will pay you to make their site. Volunteering web development gets your name out there. You can't ignore neither the exposure this brings you, not the fact that it gives you confidence to refer potential clients to previous projects.

Don't cover all the tasks yourself!

A freelance web developer does not necessarily have to know everything about what the client wants. Many thriving independent workers subcontract when they need more advanced help, particularly for very technical parts. There are freelancers who don't even have a computer science degree and still make loads of money from web development projects. It certainly doesn't hurt to have a degree and a diploma, because academic education speaks of higher reliability, yet it's not the sole prerequisite for a freelance web developer's success.

Choose your niche!

A freelance web developer has more chances of earning a serious revenue if he/she targets a certain niche. There are web developers who work for small and large businesses, others target non-profit organizations, personal pages or local clients who need a neighborhood touch in their web presentation. You can't waste your energy for something that you are not good at. Follow your preferences as a freelance web developer when it comes to selecting the right niche!

Promote your services!

Make sure you include your business information in your email signature. Your website is also the mirror for your activity, therefore it has to clearly show that you do web development. If you haven't enough work just yet, continue volunteering because word of mouth spreads, and functions as one of the most powerful promotion methods. A freelance web developer can gain a solid reputation by taking over pro bono cases even when he/she has paid projects to work on in parallel.

A freelance web developer usually works out of a home office, enjoying a flexible schedule. When a web developer finds the right mix for his/her career, it's highly unlikely to ever consider a change of job. Don't be afraid to get started as a freelance web developer. No matter how difficult it seems at the beginning, things get better!

Freelance web design

Work experience is vital for anybody who'd like to make a living out of freelance web design. You can try it part time at first or just plunge into self-employment directly. There are unexpected issues and adjustments that freelancers may struggle with, but there are ways for new self-employees to meet the challenges. The main rule in this business is that you have to be good at what you do even if you don't have a particular education for freelance web design. There is no licensing required and no governing body that sets regulations. The quality of the work is what recommends you or puts you down!

How much experience?

There is no set rule for that either. It just matters that you have the skills and that you can refer clients to previous work. If you've worked for several years now in a design studio, you already have the experience to be successful in freelance web design. Working on personal projects increases your experience level, not to mention that you can improve exposure by taking work for a non-profit organization that may be seeking a lower-priced solution.

Know the pros and cons of freelancing!

Freelance web design may seem more profitable than other freelancing activities, but there is seldom a steady paycheck. When working for a company, many people take comfort in knowing that they will get their paycheck every two weeks, and they know exactly how much that will be. Things are not that certain when you work from home on freelance web design. There may be better and worse months, because there isn't consistency in terms of income. Some web developers don't even jump into full-time freelancing because they fear they won't be able to make a living.

How much will you work?

Sometimes it becomes difficult to find a life – work balance particularly when you work from home. This happens because you may have difficulties separating personal time and space from work time and space. Lots of pros who take up freelance web design work more hours than they would have if they were employed somewhere else. People seldom think about such an aspect when they take up freelancing enthusiastically.

Lack of benefits

A freelancer does not have paid time off and 401K plans. For someone who's become committed to freelance web design and things work well, alternative investment solutions should be considered in order to be prepared for retirement, and have health insurance coverage.

Freelance video

There are many professionals who advertise freelance video services. Videography could be quite profitable for a skilled professional with loads of experience and some courage to start up an independent business. Then, success comes through the portfolio of existent clients as well as from intensive advertising via all the media available. It's common for couples to hire freelance video pros for weddings, christening ceremonies and all sorts of other social events that they want immortalized on tape.

Clients who need freelance video services often go through friends' recommendations or do a bit of background search before hiring someone. The Internet abounds in information on various freelance video pros, you just need to choose someone to work with. In addition to checking credentials, you may also want to see samples of previous work and get quotes from several videographers until you find what you need. Money is sometimes an issue: too expensive may be out of your league, too cheap may be low quality and you don't want to take any risk with your wedding.


There are many companies that sub-contract freelance video editors and videographers for the events they have going. In case you do not agree with this policy, you should talk to the event planner and see how they work for the video and photo services they provide.

If you are the person holding the camera, and you need to advertise, the Internet gives you the best shots at promoting yourself. Numerous freelance video projects are posted on websites that intermediate freelance jobs. Most such projects are about video editing and they are better or worse paid depending on the employer. Now, a freelance video specialist who has already made a name in the field, will not take up poorly paid work, because he/she already makes a living from what he/she earns.

The poorly paid projects are usually taken over by people who still have something to prove in their freelance video profession, or by those who need work experience in order to set higher career goals. Beginners usually fall into this category. Building a freelance video career takes a lot of time and hard work. Sometimes, you will have to volunteer for non-profit projects just to ensure business exposure and let people know who you are. The better the skills and the person's commitment to the profession, the higher the chances to put in the necessary effort to achieve success.

Freelance travel

Freelance travel writing usually begins with small jobs, and things tend to grow from there. Needless to say that such a profession takes time, flexibility and no family life that keeps you attached to one place. That part about personal life also depends on the size of the freelance travel projects that you take over. It's difficult to raise a family and be part of children's life when you spend most of your days on the road. Knowing these helps you figure out if freelance travel is a good option for you or not.

There are several ways you can make money from freelance travel. You can write great stories and sell them. You can take saleable pictures. You can review hotels, Bed and Breakfast establishments or provide touristic tips on various locations. The kind of freelance travel arrangement that you make depends on your education, skills and previous work experience. For some people, such a career fits like a glove, particularly if it makes the travel dream come true.

For freelance travel writing, good writing skills especially strong descriptive modes matter a lot. This is one of the reasons why not exactly anybody is suitable for the job. If you haven't worked with a professional photo camera before, it's highly unlikely that you will wake up one morning and decide to become a freelance travel photographer. There must be an element in your professional or personal background that qualifies you for such a career.


There are numerous websites that promote freelance travel projects, depicting happy people in this business. They make it sound like there couldn't be anything more rewarding than freelance travel writing or photography, that a freelance travel career would be the answer to your professional problems. Well, this pinkish image of success, sounds too good to be true, and the websites that promote it have an interest in doing so. Everybody who takes up freelance travel jobs has the temperament and the work experience that qualifies him/her for travel projects.

Some institutions now offer an education in travel writing for example. You can take one such course to kick start your freelance travel writing career, yet, you have to make really good stories that you could sell. Travel and non-travel publications may be interested in your stories if they provide something unique, a touching perspective and they send a message to the reader. Some people become drawn into such a profession after being inspired by their personal travels to put their impressions into words. Only you can tell if you are that kind of person...

Freelance publishing

Freelance publishing may seem difficult for someone who is just at the beginning of their writing career. Let's say you've written some articles and you want to find the right way to get them published in a magazine. The problem lies precisely in the fact that many freelance writers first write their materials and then want to sell them. You should start by sending off some queries to find out what editors are interested in seeing and buying, and then get your skills to work.

In case you have written the articles, you can send it to a specific editor with a cover letter explaining who you are and what you are enclosing.

How to write the query!

Also known as the query letter, the query represents the primary tool for successful freelance publishing.

-This is a one-page proposal.
-The query follows a business letter format.
-The purpose is for the freelancer to offer to write a specific piece for a specific magazine.
-Address it to a specific editor at the magazine, always by name.

Begin with a lead paragraph, then continue with description of the focus, angle, format and the sources, if any. You should also include information on yourself and what qualifies you as the right person to write the material. Inform the editor about photos and timing.

Not successful with freelance publishing?

Freelance writers often take courses to improve their writing skills. It could also be a matter of knowing how to sell yourself. The above mentioned tips could be a good start for improved freelance publishing. You should also be realistic about your chances to get published, given the fact that competition is very tough and that the market is very competitive. Some people are lucky enough to get published without even pursuing this goal. It just happens to them one day.

As not everybody gets such a chance, the majority of writers who strive for freelance publishing have to work hard to improve their skills and prove their worth to editors. If you don't get to write for a magazine or a local newspaper, there are always blogs and websites where you can publish your work.

The Internet now gives everybody a chance to express themselves and even make money with freelance publishing. Article marketing has become a powerful tool for business promotion, and nearly every business that has an online website needs content. That could be a freelancer's chance for publishing.

Freelance proofreading

A freelance proofreading business sounds like a great opportunity to be in charge of your career and make a living by working at home. Although proofreading may not be your dream job, it could nevertheless pay for your daily expenses, helping you make a living. No matter how simple it seems, proofreading is not a profession for anybody. Work experience, education, your initial profession, the type of literature that you read are some examples of factors that matter when it comes to getting a proofreading job.

When you take a look at a written page or an article in a magazine, do you pay attention to wording and phrases. Do awkward formulations strike you? If you spot that kind of bad phrases, and you wonder why it is poorly written, you might have what it needs for freelance proofreading. Printed text is everywhere around us, and with the growth of the Internet, there are lots of freelance proofreading opportunities on the world wide web as well. Experience and exposure also matter when it comes to actually making a living out of an independent proofreading business.

There are lots of proofreading materials to consult at the library or online, in order to further build your skills and provide high quality of service. In order to gain experience, you may consider taking on some volunteer proofreading jobs so that you try your hand, increase self-confidence and learn as you work your way in the freelance proofreading activity. Building up the clientele takes a while and requires a lot of hard work.

Freelance proofreading is indeed tough and difficult for someone who is not meant for such a job. You need to have the skills, the discipline and the patience for this kind of occupation. Moreover, when you are trying hard to make it an independent business, a bit of self-advertising also matters greatly. You should take things one step at a time, make some business cards, spread leaflets, post some web materials and build a website. The web page could be as simple as you want it, and you don't even have to get a dot com page if you can't afford it. There are many free domain names too!

Clients post lots of job offers in the category of freelance proofreading with websites that intermediate online work. You could bid for freelance proofreading projects on www.vworker.com for a start, as well as on other freelancing websites.