Creative writing is a lucrative career. It is one freelance option that offers many jobs in the market today. The culture of freelance work and the scope of its reach have increased it is a more viable and comfortable option to a run-of-the-mill desk job. Creative writing is nothing new, however, the number of websites that have sprung up surely is. Thus, the scope of work is rife. Know how to become a freelance creative writer.
Your reasons for taking up creative writing may vary, but essentially all of us look for a comfortable life and good remuneration. Extra income, work from home, be able to take on multiple tasks, independence; the list of reasons to freelance, continues.
Whatever your preferences, you can be assured that as a freelance creative writer you can earn good money from the comfort of your couch.
Freelance Creative Writing Jobs
Creative writers write creative content. Your duties as a creative writer will mostly revolve around content, either online or in the print media.
You will write content for editorials, advertising and trade publications, newspapers and, increasingly, online forums such as blogs and online magazines. Let us have an in-depth look at jobs for creative writer:
- Create content based on principles regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology
- Maintain the quality of content and a record of files and work revisions
- Edit, standardize or rephrase material prepared by others or fellow writers
- Confer with other teams like the design and style teams to understand the best way to approach an article
- A review published content and revise scope, format, and content if needed
- Be able to translate business needs and objectives in quality-driven and attractive copy
Creative Writing Skills
As a creative writer, your skillset will be similar to skills that writers boast off, but you will have to develop some skills that are not exclusive to writers, who write for fashion, sport, food, and even finance. You will, at a rudimentary level creatively portray content.
Creative writers thus require certain additional skills over the ones who develop copy or pen novels. There are many skills that you will be needed to master if you wish to become a creative writer. Consider tips for creative writers, Some include:
- Writing skills
- Research skills
- Content development
- Content Management
- Acceptance
- Balance
- Clarity
- Consistency
- Interpersonal skills
- Unbiased presentation
Many websites, forums, and instructional videos offer resources so that you can hone and perfect the inner creative writer in you.
Some of the websites where you can pick up skills associated with creative writers, include: Lynda, Skillshare, and Edx offer free and paid instructional videos and classes on writing, and in some cases certifications, where you can learn without having to move from your seat.
Being Successful As A Freelance Creative Writer
Creative writing can pay you handsome money with recognition. It is a lucrative profession, where people like you who love writing, get to combine hobby into a profession, come up with quality copies, and earn some money from the comfort of your couch. With experience, the ‘some’ money in question, rapidly evolves into handsome money.
More often than not, talent is not a determinant of success in any sphere. It is possibly truer for writers, with the freelance market insisting that talent combined with the relevant experience attracts generous prospective employers.
Hence, to be successful initially, you could:
- Offer to do projects for minimum fees, sometimes for free
- Bid the lowest for a project on freelancer portals
- Get good testimonials for guest blogs, recommendations for work
- Start a blog, backlink it to more visible blogs
- Create a website, or at the very least, a web page
- Advertise your services on social media platforms
- Understand the product or service intimately
- Be able to simplify overly complex language
Creative Writer Salary
So how much do freelance creative writers earn?
Most of the revenue generated by you depends solely on your ability to market your services and your credibility with previous employees.
Usually, freelance portals offer various kinds of payment models. In the fixed-price model, the price is usually pre-determined. The hourly model is the most popular and employers usually pay a predetermined sum per hour.
Finally, in the project-budget based model, you often need to auction for such projects. Usually, a fixed price model may range from $20- $200 and upwards, while you have to pitch for hourly projects, and budget payments, which usually range from $5- $35 an hour, with average payments at $19 per hour.
[Also Read: 7 Times When Freelance Content Writing Sucks]
Finding Work
Finding work as a creative writer is quite easy. However, it may require efforts on your part, a lot of effort in fact. You will network with other writers and editors to build a responsive network.
In the past decade, many portals exist where you can apply for jobs all over the world and offer proposals for international projects.
The most advisable course of action is to take the extra pain, go the extra mile, at the start of your career, at the least. It is important to remember that you are entering a market, as a freshman and thus, you must be willing to put extra effort.
Websites like Odesk, Elance, Guru, and Peopleperhour offer many jobs to freelance creative writers globally.
Freelancing has opened up the way we view work: and the trend only continues to rise. All you writing enthusiasts, you wordsmiths who wish to carve a niche in this booming field, do not just think about pressing those keys to do it.
Resources
Some of the websites where you can pick up skills associated with creative writers, include: Lynda, Skillshare, and Edx offer free and paid instructional videos and classes on writing, and in some cases certifications, where you can learn without having to move from your seat.
