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How to Start Freelance Writing in the UK

Last updated on June 20th, 2024 at 05:38 am

So you want to start freelance writing in the UK? You are in the right place. In today’s guide, I will walk you through the exact steps you can take now to start freelance writing in the UK with no experience and make money online through your writing hobby.

What is Freelance Writing?

Freelance writing is a term that refers to a person who is self-employed and works independently from an employer. Freelance writers write for different purposes, such as magazines, newspapers, books, or websites.

In fact, freelance writing has become one of the most popular ways for people to earn income in the past few years because it provides flexibility and independence. It also allows people to work from home or anywhere else they want.

At the same time, Freelancing is becoming more popular because it provides a flexible way for people to make money while still having time to spend with family and friends.

Why start freelance writing?

Freelance writers enjoys a lot of advantages. They can work from anywhere and be their own boss. You can also decide when you want to work, how much you want to charge, and what kind of projects you want to take on.

Freelance writing offers the following benefits:

  • Flexibility: You can choose your own hours, days, and weeks while still being able to earn a living
  • Independence: There is no boss looking over your shoulder
  • Flexibility: You are able to choose your project type and the time that works best for you
  • More money: Freelancers tend to charge more than employees because they are in control of their income.

But it doesn’t come without challenges.

Possible drawbacks of freelance writing include:

  • You may not be able to do the same type of work as an employee
  • You are not entitled to benefits from an employer such as health insurance, paid vacations and sick days, etc.
  • The risk for nonpayment is greater due to contractual terms.

Either way, the upside outways the downsides, and that is why everyone who adores writing is turning freelance in the UK.

How to Start Freelance Writing in the UK

Here are the exact steps you can take to start freelance writing in the UK:

1). Take a freelance writing training

There are many ways to start freelance writing. If you are a student, you can find a mentor who is willing to teach you the basics of freelance writing. If you already have some experience, you can take up a freelance writing course or just start freelancing on your own.

Freelance writing courses take place online and offline, but they all aim to teach you how to become a freelance writer. Some students may need to work on their academic schedule while they are taking this course, so we recommend that you speak with the instructor before registering for a class.

Some freelancers might find it difficult primarily because of the lack of teaching tools that are available to them. However, there are many ways to grow one’s skills as a freelancer and successfully complete projects.

Online courses typically provide students with access to a community of fellow students and educators, as well as course materials tailored specifically for the course. These courses can also offer material in more than one language should the student prefer it.

2). Publish your work for free on Medium

Once you’ve had some basic training, your next step to start freelance writing in UK is putting the training to practice.

Where would you practice your craft for free?

Yes! Medium.com.

Medium is a publishing platform that provides writers with the opportunity to publish their work for free, and it has gained traction among many people.

The platform allows users to create a blog, share stories and photos, or write articles. It’s also possible to make money on the site by selling your writing via advertisements or by asking readers to pay per article read.

With these work you are publishing here, they come in handy later on when applying for freelance writing jobs in the UK.

3). Create a writers website and display your samples

As a freelance writer, you will need to create your own website and showcase your samples. This will help you attract clients and start getting paid for your work.

Here’s how to create a website for yourself and how to upload samples to attract potential clients.

Start by creating a website for yourself at www.yourname.com or similar address and then put the following information on your website:

  • What you are interested in writing about
  • Examples of your work
  • Any freelance experience you have
  • How you can help clients.

Step One: Create Your Website

Use your address, for example, www.yourname.com to create your website and then change the name on this address to reflect your name. The website will be up and ready to go within a few minutes and you start by signing in with your email address and password, adding a photo , and adding a blog that you want to use.

Step Two: Upload Your Samples

In order to help potential clients find your website, upload samples of your work on it. Think about what kind of writing samples would be appropriate for this type of service and make sure to add them to the appropriate section. You can also include any links where people can see what else you ‘ve done.

Step Three: Add Your Rates

List your rates for freelance work and include a price range at the top of the page. You can also list what kind of services you have to offer, such as editing or proofreading, writing for blogs, or any other relevant skills set that might come up in your work.

Step Four: Provide Contact Information

Your freelance website is not complete without a way for clients to contact you.

Freelancers often struggle with how to get clients to contact them. The good news is that there are a number of tools available online that can help you with this.

Some freelance websites allow clients to reach out to the freelancer directly. Other websites have a form where clients can submit their contact information and the freelancer will reach out once they are ready.

There are also other tools that provide an automated way for freelancers to reach out to potential clients. These tools include things like email marketing software, social media automation software, and lead generation software.

4). Create writing samples on Google Docs

To help you in your freelance writing business, consider creating writing samples on Google Docs.

Yes, freelance writing in UK is a lucrative career that can make you a lot of money. However, it is hard to get noticed if you don’t have samples to show your skills.

To help you in your freelance writing business, consider creating writing samples on Google Docs. You can also use them as part of your portfolio.

The reason for this is you can easily pull the link to the sample and sent it to the client.

5). Publish your work for free on Linkedin

More than one million people read your articles on LinkedIn every day. It is a great way to gain exposure for your work and build a network of professional connections.

LinkedIn is the largest professional social network with more than 400 million members in over 200 countries. It provides you with an opportunity to engage with people from different industries, share stories, and learn new skills.

Publishing your work on LinkedIn is free and easy to do! Just create an account, sign up for a profile, and publish the article or blog post you’ve written on LinkedIn. You can also add photos to help make your content more visually appealing.

6). Guest Post

What is guest posting?

Guest posting is a great way to get your content out to the world, it is also a good way to promote your freelance writing services in the UK.

Essentially, guest posting is where you are given the opportunity to post on someone else’s blog. This can be done in exchange for a link back or in some cases for money. And it has become an important marketing strategy for many bloggers and companies alike.

At the same time, if you own a freelance writing website and are looking to get more traffic from Google, guest posting is an excellent way to do so. And if you are looking for a new freelance writing job, guest posting can be a valuable tool in the process.

There are many purposes that guest posts can serve on blogs and websites.

The first step of guest blogging is contacting the blogger who publishes content that interests you. You can find contact information for bloggers by searching for their websites on Google. 

Once you have found the blog, send an email explaining your idea and why the blog should publish it. Keep your email short and simple and you will increase the chances of getting a response from them.

In the end, as a freelancer in the UK, this is an excellent way to get more clients for yourself. In addition, it can also be used to promote your online business or hobby on blogs that have large audiences.

7). Apply and write for content mills

Content mills are becoming more and more popular because they offer a lot of benefits for writers. They provide opportunities for writers to write for a variety of niches, get paid by the word, and have a flexible schedule.

The first step in applying for content mills is to find out what kind of content mill you want to apply with. Some content mills are focused on specific topics like social media marketing or online shopping while others focus on general topics like marketing and business.

Once you know what type of content mill you want to apply with, check out their website and see if it’s easy to find information about the application process. If it’s not clear where to find this information, contact them directly through email or social media.

Where to find freelance writing jobs in the uk?

If you want to become a freelance writer, it is important that you know where to find freelance writing jobs in the UK. With many different companies and organizations looking for freelance writers, there are many different opportunities. It might be possible to write articles on a website or blog if you don’t have any experience in that field. Or, it could involve writing case studies and white papers if you have experience in that field. You may also be able to provide a marketing plan for an organization or write content for them.

A freelance writing job can be found on websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour.

  • Upwork: Upwork is the leading global freelancing platform and marketplace for talent. On Upwork, you can find freelance writing opportunities from employers around the world who are looking to hire people like you.
  • Freelancer: Freelancer is a site where clients post jobs for people to apply. There are many freelance writing opportunities on Freelancer and many new ones are added daily.
  • PeoplePerHour: PeoplePerHour is an online hiring platform for those looking to hire people like you. On PeoplePerHour, you can find freelance writing jobs from employers around the world who are looking to hire people like you.

In addition, there are many opportunities on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook Groups.

Read also: How to Get Freelance Writing Gigs in the UK (Guide for Beginners)

Writing Techniques for Your First Job or Client Project

Whether you are just starting out as a freelancer or have been doing it for a while, writing your first job or client project is always daunting. Writing is often seen as a skill that can’t be learned overnight.

This article provides tips on how to write better in order to land your first job or client project. It also gives advice on what not to do when starting out as a freelancer so that you don’t end up wasting time and money on projects that don’t pan out well for you in the long run.

What not to do

Don’t try to sell yourself too hard or use only one platform when pitching clients. Use a variety of relevant platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and your blog to establish your credibility and expertise on the subject matter you’re selling them.

Be honest in your pitches by knowing what you’re going into so that you’re not caught off guard by what the client may be asking for.

Don’t pitch yourself on a topic you don’t have experience in. If you don’t have any relevant experience, do research and find out what to expect from the project and how long it will take so that you’re not let down by unrealistic expectations.

What to do

Do your homework before pitching yourself to a client. Find out who the company is that you’re pitching, what their needs are, and what their problem is so that you can frame your pitch in the most appropriate way.

Know how long it will take to deliver on the project so that when they ask how long it will take you can provide a realistic estimate. Sell yourself by showing your past work, your qualifications and education, and any other information that will help them visualize you as the solution.

At the same time, be honest about what you are good at and what you are not good at. Use the skills that you have to communicate to potential clients how they can get the most out of working with you. Be clear about what additional services or products that may be beneficial to them.

Pricing and Making Money Online with Freelancing

Freelancers are getting more popular than ever before. With the rise of the freelance economy and an increased need for content, there is a lot of money to be made in this industry.

What is the average hourly rate of someone who writes?

The average hourly rate for someone who writes is around $30-35. per hour.

What is the average hourly rate of someone who edits?

The average hourly rate for someone who edits is around $25-30 per hour.

How can you price your services as a freelance writer?

When you’re a freelance writer in UK, your pricing model is one of the most important aspects of your business. It’s crucial, for example, that you know how much to charge per word, or how much to charge for a blog post.

It’s also important to establish what kind of services you’ll offer and what kind of rates those services are going to be.

Establishing your pricing model is not easy, as there are many volatile areas that you’ll need to research and get comfortable with. The following are some tips on how to set up your pricing strategy:

Know your market

Decide what you’re going for—are you going for a high-end luxury, middle-of-the-range or low-end price point?

What kind of services will you offer?

Are you going to be a full-service writer, or do you just need copy and line editing? Every decision will have an impact on the pricing plan.

Consider your audience and building your business strategy around that.

Know what your competition is

You’ll want to know what other freelance writers are charging in your industry so you know where to set your prices. You will also want to make sure you aren’t charging too much, so that you’re not surrounded by a bunch of writers who are willing to work for cheaper than what you’re charging.