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The Superpath Community asked: How can a self-taught writer without industry references start a freelance writing career?
Getting freelance writing jobs when you have no experience can be challenging. You start out spending most of your time pitching to dozens of prospects per week, networking in your chosen industry and writing unpaid pieces to demonstrate your skills.
That was my experience when I first committed myself to building a freelance business. The early months were filled with hours at the computer as I scoured industry directories, sent emails and established a presence on LinkedIn. I had to get comfortable with income being sporadic until I had enough knowledge and connections to bring in regular work.
But all those hours paid off with jobs that helped me build a portfolio and add client testimonials to my website. As I’ve worked on more projects, I’ve been able to build relationships that have advanced my business through connections and referrals.
It hasn’t been an easy road, but it is possible to get freelance writing jobs without experience or industry references if you’re willing to put in the effort. Here’s what Superpath members recommend for turning freelancing aspirations into ongoing work.
Writing is the best way to get writing jobs. Create a portfolio of your own high-quality writing to showcase your skills to potential clients.
When you’re just getting started as a freelancer, you don’t have references to speak for you. Your writing is your reference. Everything you write becomes a sample that showcases your skills and expertise to potential clients.
Working on your own content without compensation can pay off by bringing in freelance writing jobs.
If you’re a copywriter, pick some of your favorite brands in your industry, and create content for them as if they were your clients. Use this work to demonstrate what you can do for similar brands.
If you’re a content writer, start a professional blog. Write about topics relevant to the niche you want to work in, and cross-post the articles to other platforms like LinkedIn or Medium to get more eyes on your work. Send links to this portfolio with your pitches to show prospects the quality they can expect when working with you.
Paul Woodland, a Freelance Content Writer, says, “I wrote my first few articles on a personal blog and use those samples to pitch potential clients on hiring me.”
Shreelekha Singh, a Freelance Content Writer, says, “Bylines build your case for outreach. The better bylines you have, the higher your chances of securing clients.”
Writing for the publications your prospective clients read puts industry credibility behind your portfolio. Having a byline in a well-known magazine or on a trusted website:
To get those bylines, research top publications and news websites in your chosen industry. Find the editor’s contact information, and start pitching. Be prepared to get more rejections than jobs; these publications receive a lot of article pitches and can’t use them all.
The publications that say yes will pair you with professional staff editors who will help polish your articles. This is great additional experience for freelance writing work. You’ll learn how to improve clarity, tone and structure in your writing and develop a stronger understanding of the English language.
As you improve at your craft, you’ll be able to land better freelance jobs.
“Work with good writers and editors. This is very important to hone your writing expertise and take the quality of your work to the next level,” Shreelekha adds.
When you’re not writing, work on building your freelance network.
Where to start? LinkedIn.
Search for marketing managers at companies in your industry, and send connection requests. If they accept, write a quick note thanking them and letting them know what you do. They may not be interested in your services right away; if they aren’t, don’t push it.
Focus on getting to know them by reading their posts and interacting with them in comments and DMs. Building these relationships over time can open doors to freelance writing jobs in the future.
When connections do express interest and ask for samples, you’ll have your portfolio ready to share.
“In my experience, it's best to leave it up to them to reach back out to avoid the risk of turning them off,” Paul adds.
Being your own marketer and salesperson is a big part of getting freelance writing jobs with no experience. Networking on LinkedIn gets you started, but to land a consistent stream of clients, you also need to learn how to market yourself beyond the platform.
Invest in online courses that teach you how to prospect for clients and write effective outreach emails. As soon as you’re comfortable with the basics, start sending personalized messages directly to companies in your industry with a short note about what you do and how your services can help.
This can be a long process, but you don’t have to go it alone! Join communities to connect with other freelance writers who have more marketing experience. Find out what has and hasn’t worked for them. Get feedback on your portfolio and marketing materials to fine-tune your messaging for better results.
Working on these steps one day at a time builds the exposure you need to get experience as a freelance writer. As you continue creating your own content and making new connections, you’ll attract clients who can give you industry references that can lead to a stable freelance writing career.
If you want to see daily freelance gigs, you can join the Superpath Slack.
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Theresa is the Chief Nerd at the Modern Health Nerd. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
