Part of our "Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career" Video series
( Read the transcript )
What can you expect? If all the mention of menial writing work in the beginning of your career has you confused as to what you may actually be writing when you become a professional, you're not alone. Many new writers think that with the right talent they will automatically be blessed with a fantastic writing career, complete with offers to write books and have monthly columns in national publications. The truth, however, is that even the best writers need to start somewhere, and for many of these writers the beginning falls within some of
these common writing jobs for beginners:
• Web Content: The Internet is a fantastic place to get started writing, and there is certainly no shortage of work for new writers who are willing to produce quick articles rich in keywords. What are keywords? Keywords are the words embedded within an article that direct people searching the web to the site. For example, if a person inputs the term MLA Format into a search engine online, the website will return several suitable (and some not-so-suitable) results from websites which feature the term MLA Format consistently throughout the page. Some webmasters cheat this system and hire writers to fill up articles with certain terms to the point to where they are virtually unreadable. For the most part, however, finding legitimate website writing jobs is fairly easy as long as you have some writing talent and you are willing to adjust your writing style to suit the Internet.
• Local Coverage: Depending on where you live, there may be a local newspaper that is always in need of new writers. This may or may not be true based on where you live; a small local newspaper may be desperate for new writers whereas a metropolitan newspaper will have a long list of potential applicants when a writing position becomes available.
• Copywriting: Companies need writers to make their ads sound great, but not every company has the type of finances needed to keep writers on staff. Finding small companies and doing some small projects for them is one of the more popular ways for writers to get started in their writing careers.
• Paying Writing Contests: There are plenty of writing contests out there for writers which feature prizes that are nothing more than bragging rights and prestige. Although these things are important, when you are starting out as a writer you may be much more interested in putting some money into your pocket. If you are looking to get started in the realm of fiction writing because every other form of writing bores you, then you might want to enter a good amount of writing contests in order to bring in some cash and get recognized. You will have to spend a good portion of your time seeking out contests and composing the pieces for the contests. This is one viable way to get started as a writer if the other forms of writing simply do not appeal to you. It's not an easy way to make money, however, so you will have to be quite dedicated.
• Web Content: The Internet is a fantastic place to get started writing, and there is certainly no shortage of work for new writers who are willing to produce quick articles rich in keywords. What are keywords? Keywords are the words embedded within an article that direct people searching the web to the site. For example, if a person inputs the term MLA Format into a search engine online, the website will return several suitable (and some not-so-suitable) results from websites which feature the term MLA Format consistently throughout the page. Some webmasters cheat this system and hire writers to fill up articles with certain terms to the point to where they are virtually unreadable. For the most part, however, finding legitimate website writing jobs is fairly easy as long as you have some writing talent and you are willing to adjust your writing style to suit the Internet.
• Local Coverage: Depending on where you live, there may be a local newspaper that is always in need of new writers. This may or may not be true based on where you live; a small local newspaper may be desperate for new writers whereas a metropolitan newspaper will have a long list of potential applicants when a writing position becomes available.
• Copywriting: Companies need writers to make their ads sound great, but not every company has the type of finances needed to keep writers on staff. Finding small companies and doing some small projects for them is one of the more popular ways for writers to get started in their writing careers.
• Paying Writing Contests: There are plenty of writing contests out there for writers which feature prizes that are nothing more than bragging rights and prestige. Although these things are important, when you are starting out as a writer you may be much more interested in putting some money into your pocket. If you are looking to get started in the realm of fiction writing because every other form of writing bores you, then you might want to enter a good amount of writing contests in order to bring in some cash and get recognized. You will have to spend a good portion of your time seeking out contests and composing the pieces for the contests. This is one viable way to get started as a writer if the other forms of writing simply do not appeal to you. It's not an easy way to make money, however, so you will have to be quite dedicated.
