Working from Home as a Freelance Writer
One of the most popular types of work at home jobs is writing for income. Freelance writers have traditionally worked from home and , with the large numbers of people now working from home full- or part-time, the number of freelance writers has grown rapidly. If you enjoy writing and have a good grasp of the English language, then you should be able to find work from home writing jobs easily.
Work from home writing jobs can be broken down into 3 categories - writing for print, writing online, and blogging. While writing for print is still the most intimidating for many people, it is possible to break into any type of writing with no previous experience. There are websites listing all sorts of writing jobs and a several magazines and newsletters listing opportunities for writers to get published in print.
While most people think of freelance writers and people who write for a living as publishing books, stories, and magazine articles, most writers who get paid on a consistent basis write a lot of non-fiction, trade journal, and other less creative pieces. While there are occasional fiction, poetry, and short story contests, many of these are scams and you must be an excellent writer with a history of publications to expect to make a living in fiction or creative writing.
To make money writing from home, you must be self-motivated and have excellent writing and communication skills. A reliable internet connection is also invaluable, both for research and for finding and submitting writing jobs. You will likely be writing about varied topics, including some you may not be familiar with, and will have to learn how to use the internet for research without becoming overwhelmed by information and wasting time. You will have to find writing jobs and meet deadlines on time and figure out how to balance your writing with the rest of your life. If you can do all this well, freelancee writing can be a very satisfying work from home career.
Even though the internet is at the forefront of the work at home world right now, it is still very possible for a new freelance writer to get published in print and there are still many writers who work exclusively in printed media. The best way to start is with small local publications and specialized trade or topical journals, and then move on from there. Look in the front of magazines you read, or in periodicals like Writer's Market to find out which publications are accepting queries and what their requirements are. Start with topics you know a lot about, or have already published short articles on, and submit a few queries to see if you get an offer. The advantage of writing for print is that it usually gets more recognition and often pays better. The disadvantage is that it can take months to get paid after writing.
For many work at home moms, the prospect of sending out query letters and waiting months to get paid is not feasible or attractive. However, many moms have found that writing for the web is an ideal way to make money through freelance writing and get paid quickly for it. The most common way to get started writing for the web is through a content site, ghostwriting content for websites, sales letters, etc. Most of these require a writing sample and an applications, while other allow you to get started right away. Some online writers specialize in writing e-books or blogs posts for others, or writing for internet newsletters. Others write for article directories, making money based on pageviews and ad revenue from their writing.
Blogging is another popular way to make money from home by writing. Blogs are a popular form of internet media and many stay at home moms already blog to take part in the conversation and community, and to share and record their days and their thoughts on various things. You can make money with an existing blog by adding ads, either selling your own or an ad network, or by posting sponsored posts or paid reviews. If you have varied interests and lots of time to write, you can make more money by starting several blogs at once. After you have gained some experience blogging, you may be able to find a job blogging for a company or another website as a paid blogger.
