It can be very daunting when you first start off as a freelance copywriter, and you may be struggling to think where you should start. You may be wondering whether you have the necessary skills to complete certain work, and this can make you hesitant to apply for jobs that you think you may not be capable of doing. However, you should never be afraid to do jobs that feel outside of your comfort zone.
In fact, if you do want to be a freelance writer then you need to expect there to be occasions where you have to do work that falls outside of the typical range of jobs that you normally apply for. Ultimately, not only does this help to broaden your horizon, but you may well find that you’re very skilled at doing certain jobs that you would not have even considered applying for in the first place.
There are numerous websites offering opportunities for freelance writers on the web. Many of these websites will be referred to as content mills, and will often have a bad reputation for the low rates of pay that are offered to writers by the clients that use them. Whilst it is true that many clients on these websites are looking for the lowest paid writers they can find - which will often mean that they get low quality work in return - it is still possible to find good clients who want high-quality work and are willing to pay for it.
With a bit of research prior to applying for any jobs, you can ascertain whether or not the client is likely to pay the kind of rates that you would be willing to work for. If you see that the client is regularly hiring low-paid writers then you may wish to avoid them.
If you do find a good vacancies - whether it is a one-off job or a regular full-time position - you want to make sure that you do what you can to land the work. To help you do this you should have a portfolio of your very best samples to demonstrate your capabilities of doing the job. You should also have a CV or a detailed profile page where clients can see your qualifications. Finally, when writing a job proposal you should be sure to address the needs of that particular project. You don’t just want to sell yourself, but demonstrate your understanding of the work that is required.