You’ve heard of people who ditched their corporate posts to do freelance work. And now you’ve decided to join them and become a freelance writer. You read advice on how to start but you find yourself getting confused. You search for jobs on online job boards. But competition is stiff. What’s more, most clients ask for a portfolio, which you don’t have. [Read more…]
Remote Writing Jobs: 18 Websites to Find Work
You’ve scoured FWJ for the best tips on getting hired as a freelance writer, now what? It’s time to find and apply to the best writing opportunities you can – but everyone using FWJ is probably applying to the jobs listed on their excellent freelance writing board. So where can you find other opportunities that aren’t already applied to by other savvy FWJ readers? [Read more…]
When Do Freelance Writers Need to Think About Setting Up Their Own Website?
If you’re a freelance writer, you probably, like some of your peers, don’t have a website. You may have considered getting one but always found a reason for not doing it.
Some writers mistakenly think there’s no need for a website. They can always find clients on job search sites. Maintaining one will consume their time, which should be devoted to income-generating writing instead. It will be an expense without an assured ROI. They’re on LinkedIn and Facebook anyway. They have their bylines on their articles posted on other sites.
Some of the above excuses may be true for the short-term, but if your goal is to establish yourself as a serious writer and build your credibility, nothing beats having your own website. The world turns to the internet for information, and while social media platforms are undeniably key sources, you don’t own them. You’re just one of the thousands of freelance writers on Twitter and Facebook.
When Do Freelance Writers Need to Think About Setting Up Their Own Website? Click To TweetHow to Effectively Attract Clients: Create a Genuine Connection
Landing new gigs – whether by actively pursuing clients or letting your website do the work – can be a tricky thing. A myriad of factors come into play, and sometimes, we can’t even identify all of those factors. It’s not like acquiring clients is a one-size-fits-all deal.
While there are strategies that increase your chances of getting new jobs, I believe that the bottom line is being able to establish a connection from the get-go. A genuine, solid connection.
That’s what I’m going to talk about in this post – how to effectively attract clients by creating a genuine connection. [Read more…]
3 Cheap Options to Create a Freelance Writing Website
Editor’s note: This post was written by Jennifer Parris, career writer at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level work-from-home jobs and other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing, and flexible schedules. Brie provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog and social media. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.
Back in the day, writers would dutifully cut out their clips from magazines or newspapers, paste them into a book, and shop their portfolio from one interview with an editor to another. In today’s writing world, where many writers are getting their pieces published online, it’s important to find a way to display your published work so that any editor, anywhere, can read your articles. As a writer, though, you might find that you’re on a limited budget. Here are three cheap options to creating a freelance writing website.
Clippings.me
For those who want a fast site without a lot of HTML fuss, Clippings.me is a great option. The site was created specifically for writers, bloggers, and journalists in mind. You can add your own bio, easily add PDFs and online pieces, and completely customize the look of your site. Clippings.me provides stats to show which of your stories is a hit with viewers, and you can even create your own URL so that your site has a customized domain name.
Price: Free for a basic plan.
Why You Need an Online Portfolio
WordPress
By far, a WordPress blog is one of the most popular platforms for writers who need a place to display their articles. WordPress is free and fairly simple to use. There are numerous designs and themes to choose from, so you can create a polished-looking website in no time. And with so many online tutorials, navigating through WordPress should be a breeze.
Price: WordPress software is free to use, but you will have to pay for hosting (some plans are as little as $5 monthly).
About.me
If you want to keep it straight-forward, writers can always write their way to the next writing job by using About.me. It’s one-stop shopping for users, consisting of a single customizable page, and can be ideal for writers with clips that are far-flung throughout the web. If you have articles on various websites, you can provide a list of links to your work, so that potential employers can read your clips on their original sites. Another bonus: you can not only link to your work, but you can stay social by linking your LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook profiles, too.
Price: Free
Since many writers are making their bread and butter online, it makes sense that their portfolios should be online, too. By having an online presence in the form of a freelance writing website, writers may find it easier to land writing work that will help them write their way to a great future in no time.
5 WordPress Themes for Freelance Writer Websites
Every freelance writer should have a website, and building a website using WordPress.org is perfect for making your life easy, boosting search engine optimization efforts, and looking great.
What’s the first thing people do when they receive your query letter, resume, or email? They Google you. You need to make sure your website, blog, Facebook profile, Twitter profile, and every other online touchpoint accurately reflects who you are and what you can do for potential employers and clients. Ultimately, all roads should lead back to your core branded online destination — your website.
How do you find a great WordPress theme to use to build your site? There are so many to choose from! Whether you hire a blog designer to help you or you dive into WordPress yourself, you need a great premium theme to start with. Check out the five themes below, which are affordable, well-coded, and look great for freelance writer websites!
1. MyResume from ElegantThemes
MyResume is the simplest option on this list in terms of visual appeal, but it works well in its simplicity.
2. BusinessCard by ElegantThemes
BusinessCard is another theme that’s fairly simple in its visual appeal. As with all theme from ElegantThemes, it’s very easy to customize.
3. SophisticatedFolio by WooThemes
Want to get a bit more sophisticated? Then the SophisticatedFolio theme from WooThemes might be right for you.
4. Feature Pitch by WooThemes
I like the Feature Pitch theme because you can get really creative with how you use the home page to draw visitors into your site to learn more about you.
5. Fresh Folio by WooThemes
Fresh Folio is another portfolio theme from WooThemes, but it has a simpler look to it than the SophisticatedFolio theme does.
What application did you use to build your freelance writing website? Leave a comment and share what works for you!
