Last updated on August 3rd, 2023
Gone are the days when people found joy in 9-5 jobs and spent their lives working at only one organization. They were satisfied with doing the same thing every day. The generation of today wants more from life. Fortunately, technology has enabled careers that allow you to be in charge. From your work timings to projects to pay, you get to decide everything. Many youngsters are going for freelance content writer jobs as it is flexible and has a great future.
The freelancing economy is growing in India and how. As per a report by Payoneer, India is the world’s second-fastest-growing freelance market, with an estimated 15 million freelancers in this workforce.
While freelancing opens up different avenues for skilled individuals who want to explore this style of work, a few freelance jobs have a particularly high demand in the market. For instance, as a freelance writer in India specifically, you will see good traction with more and more businesses opting to work with freelancers. Not just that, international clients also prefer collaborating with Indian writers for their high-quality work.
Have you been thinking of giving freelancing writing a shot? How do you know if it is the right step for you?
We have charted out all the details you may need to identify if freelancing as a content writer is the right step for you.
How To Know If Freelance Writing Is A Perfect Fit For You?
Working as a freelancer in India is tougher than it comes across. On the one hand, freelance writers are always on the hunt for potential clients. On the other, you will have to ensure that you submit your current tasks on time after conducting proper research and writing as per the client’s guidelines.
Deadlines are sacrosanct, and rework may disturb your planned timelines. However, if you enjoy writing and are looking for a creative outlet, freelance content writing is one of the best career options that can get you a decent living.
Content writing requires several skills, and understanding them can help you determine if you should pursue it and earn money by writing.
Let us see what these skills are.
1) Curious
As a writer, you can expect to work on multiple topics. Best content writers are the ones who can borrow examples from several aspects of life and correlate them to weave a story worth telling.
When you are curious, you are intrinsically motivated to learn as you carry about your day. Moreover, it drives you to research well to write quality pieces.
2) Meticulous
In your content writing skills, there is no space for mistakes. Even the smallest errors, like misspelled words or missing punctuation marks, can make you appear inexperienced.
Moreover, you will have to follow the guidelines of your client. Writing as per the prescribed guidelines and reflecting the brand’s voice requires great attention to detail.
3) Hard-working
Freelancing as a writer is hard work. Online freelance writing jobs require you to follow strict guidelines.
As the work is time-consuming, you may have to work round the clock to submit your piece within the deadlines. One cannot succeed in this profession without a strong work ethic.
4) Committed
Working as a freelance writer is a job of high commitment. You will have to ensure that you deliver on time and do not back off after accepting a project. Besides, there will be times when you will not get work as per your expectations.
However, being committed is the only way to sail through such times.
The more experience you get, the better you become. Besides, developing long-term relationships take time, and with your commitment, you will definitely reach there.
The Step-By-Step Approach To Pick A Domain
Most people figure out they want to pursue content writing after starting blogging on the side. More often than not, it is in the fields of travel, entertainment, food, or home decor. However, these are generally not the genres that can help you grab freelance writing jobs because of high competition.
Here are the steps you can follow to pick an appropriate domain that will help you build credibility and get work that pays well.
1) Make a list of niches that match your educational qualification, interests, or work experience. Try to explore niches such as technology, finance, HR, or marketing to make a place for yourself in this competitive market. These are the genres that also pay well.
2) Start reading up on the latest news in these niches to enhance your knowledge.
3) Make a portfolio by writing 4-5 high-quality blog posts, guest posts, or articles on trending topics. You can show this portfolio to clients who wish to see your previous work.
4) Once you get a headstart, try to gain experience in other categories gradually to expand your work area.
How to become a freelance writer in India?
Once you know that your true calling lies in working as a freelance content writer, the most obvious step is to find work. Well, the good news is that in today’s times, there are multiple avenues through which you can explore opportunities.
Here are a few ways in which you can find work.
1) Approach clients on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a forum that can help in finding writing gigs. As it is a social platform, you can write content and share it to build your audience network. With your portfolio already there, it will be easier for the clients to see your quality of writing and offer you work.
Remember to write on the most current topics and add a personal opinion or examples to differentiate your content.
Also, try to connect with content marketers and share links to your work. Add content writing services as one of your services on Linkedin. You can do so by visiting your profile > Add profile section > providing services to clients
2) Make an account on freelance platforms
A freelance marketplace works as a bridge between writers and clients. For instance, at WittyPen we help you get content writing projects across domains. This helps you find regular freelance work in multiple niches and earn well in the process.
Some of the writers have been earning upwards of INR 50k every month by creating quality content for some of the largest brands.
3) Join groups on social media
Facebook has several content writing groups where you can find work. You can share a post that you are looking for work or even share some of your work.
4) Cold emailing
If you have a database of content marketing professionals or content managers, you can always write cold emails and send snippets of your work to pique their interest in your work.
How Much Should You Charge For Content Writing Services?
One of the most tricky parts of a freelance writer’s profession is to decide your charges. You will find several clients and sites that pay for writing, which pay as low as Rs 20-40 per word. However, if you think the quality of your work deserves better, don’t be afraid to demand the right price.
Have a reasonable discussion with your clients about money and give them an idea of the approximate time it would take to finish a task. Researching and fulfilling SEO content writing as per the given guidelines are time-consuming activities.
Also, fix your charges per hour to inform your clients of the cost of each task; you can always take suggestions from a fellow writer. If it is a long-term relationship with a client, you can offer discounts for continued work. Charge more for thought leadership tasks and lesser for SEO articles.
Another way to earn money through a freelance writing job in your early days is by taking on bulk projects. Such projects come at a discounted rate. However, they assure continued work.
You can look at it through the lens of time vs money. If you spend 20% of your time connecting with new customers and finding new work, bulk projects can save you that time and pay for it too. Thus, it makes sense to take a project that comes at a 20% discount rate.
3 Ideas To Improve Your Income As a Freelance Content Writer
1) Add to your skills
Reskilling will enhance your income by helping you pitch as a retainer to a client. The easiest thing you can do is learn content marketing, digital marketing, and SEO to offer a package deal to the clients. After you do this, you can charge a fixed cost for SEO research for each article and optimize on-page content.
2) Expand your horizon
Read up about other niches to expand your work area. Take up work even if it pays low if you are inexperienced in those areas. Apart from writing blog posts, there are other avenues like technical writing, medical writing, sop writing, web content writing, etc.
3) Learn social media marketing
You can charge extra to drive more traffic for your customers as you share social media copies. Another option is to design images on Canva to enhance the value of the content. This will help you think more as a brand and also improve your writing style.
How To Avoid Fraud?
One of the most common challenges in the Indian freelance industry is when writers do not get paid. Several freelance writers have faced this and learned to be more cautious the hard way.
To protect your interests, you can take partial payments before you start work on freelance writing jobs. You can also submit half your work and request payment before sharing the complete write-up.
When working on bulk projects, you can sign contracts with funded or large corporates. Carrying out a background check of a new client on LinkedIn, Google, or their professional website can also save you from any unpleasant situations. Freelance marketplaces usually save you a lot of hassle in closing payments as they work with the finance teams to close payments timely. They take more time to pay out, but you get the benefit of payment assurance.
Remember Some Finance Basics
When working with companies, you will need to raise invoices to get your payments. That requires discipline as companies may object to seeing invoices for work that you did months earlier. Keep track of the invoices from online platforms and maintain a spreadsheet to quickly tally your payments.
Taxation is another aspect that you will need to consider as a freelancer. You will have to file your yearly IT returns. Understanding your income and keeping your finances in check is essential for your financial well-being.
Read More: 5 Reasons Why Content Marketing Is Important With Its Strategy
To Wrap Up
Working as a freelance writer can be a good career choice if you are a creative and committed individual. If you have decided to be one, we hope you like the suggestions above. And to know more about how you can join Wittypen as a freelance content writer, apply here.
