So you want to be a freelance writer? Congratulations! This is going to be awesome. Freelancing is an amazing way to make money from anywhere in the world, with anyone in need of your services (if they can pay).
I’ve been freelancing full-time since 2013, and there are few things I love more than waking up each morning knowing that my day will be spent writing and getting paid for it.
While that sounds like a dream come true, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. If you want to become a freelance writer, you must have some basic skills first:
You need to know how to write well; it also helps if you have some experience as either an employee or student working within whatever industry or field you hope one day might hire you as a freelancer (graphic designers need this too!).
I’ll admit that when people ask me how they can become freelance writers, my response often includes two words: “The Daily Beast” because nothing quite says “you should totally hire me but only after reading these clips first!”
Like listing off all the publications where someone else paid them money before paying any yourself… right? Well, at least until now – which brings us back around again: So what exactly does one do when starting as a freelance writer?
Here are 11 steps on how best to approach that process while getting paid a long way so please enjoy this listicle about life is better than ever since starting at home and earning more than ever before!!
| Takeaway |
|---|
| 1. Niche Down: Specialize in accounting writing to stand out in the competitive freelance market. |
| 2. Industry Knowledge: Acquire a strong understanding of accounting principles and practices to produce high-quality content. |
| 3. Networking is Key: Connect with accounting professionals and businesses to secure consistent writing opportunities. |
| 4. Build a Portfolio: Create a portfolio showcasing accounting-related writing samples to impress potential clients. |
| 5. Stay Updated: Keep up with industry trends and changes in accounting regulations to offer relevant and timely content. |
1. Learn Your Craft
The first step to becoming a freelance writer is to learn the basics of writing. This can be done by reading and applying books on grammar, style, and structure. After learning the basics, it is important to read about the industry you are writing for.
You should also read about your specific client or company, as well as its competitors.
You must know all about the industry you writing for before starting a job because this will allow you to write with more confidence and ensure that what you are writing is relevant to your audience.
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2. Find A Niche
Now that you have a handle on who your target market is and the skills and experience required to write for them, it’s time to find out what type of writing they want.
If you haven’t already done so, review the types of writing jobs in this industry by checking out our accounting jobs database. These are just some examples of what writers do in this industry:
- Bookkeeping and finance writer – Create bookkeeping plans, templates, guides, and other materials related to financial record keeping
- Technical writer – Write manuals related to audit software or tax software programs
- Content marketing writer – Create articles or blog posts about accounting topics for clients or online publication sites
3. Connect With Editors And Other Writers
The third step to becoming a successful freelance writer in the accounting industry is to connect with editors and other writers.
Connect with other writers on social media. You can join Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and email lists for writers in your area of interest.
These will help you learn about opportunities in the field as well as give you access to like-minded colleagues who can help guide your career advancement
Connect with other writers in person. If there are local organizations that host writing workshops or conferences, attend them! They’re usually free or cheap and often offer valuable information about how to land gigs or get better at freelancing.
You’ll meet new people who share similar interests and possibly even make some friends along the way!
Connect with other writers through online communities like Reddit (r/freelancewriting) where everyone posts their questions about the pricing structure for jobs so it’s easier for everyone else who has been working on that topic before.
But didn’t know how much they could charge yet because nobody had answered their question yet so thank goodness someone did now we know so thanks again whoever posted this.
Because it saved hours worth thinking time which would’ve been spent trying out different strategies without any real direction from others who were also trying out strategies without any real direction either so thanks again, friend—-
Are you a freelance writer with diverse expertise looking to secure the best jobs in the market? Uncover valuable tips and strategies in our article on How Freelance Writers with Diverse Expertise Can Get the Best Jobs to maximize your potential and stand out in the industry.
4. Define Your Branded Writing Style
As you’re defining your brand, it’s important to consider the style of writing that will be most helpful to your clients.
After all, if you build a reputation for providing accurate, concise, and engaging content in clear language that conveys complex ideas without jargon a skill set that is in high demand today your client base will grow.
You may find an emerging trend in the industry where more business owners are looking for writers who can expertly translate technical information into easy-to-understand terms.
If this is true within your industry or niche, then it might make sense for you to focus on writing in a conversational tone with everyday language so that readers understand what they need to know quickly.
But there may also be cases where clients want their employees to write more complex materials like white papers or reports with highly specific terminology or both!
These documents often require more technical knowledge than other kinds of copywriting assignments do; therefore it’s best if you have experience editing these types of projects (or at least have some familiarity with them.)
5. Get Paid For The Work You Do (And Make Sure You’re Paid Fairly)
When you have clients and jobs, it’s important to know what you are being paid for. Some clients may offer a flat fee for writing an article. Other clients will pay by the word or by the hour.
It is key that you understand the difference between these payment methods because they dictate how much money will be coming in during different parts of your career as a freelance writer.
For example, if you write an article that requires 5 hours of research and writing time but only receives $100 for it because it was written as part of a flat-fee project (as opposed to getting paid per word or per hour).
Then your hourly rate would be $20/hour instead of $50/hour (which would be more likely from doing an hourly project).
The freelance landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s essential to keep up with the changing trends. Discover how the new generation of freelancers is reshaping the industry and adapting to modern work challenges.
6. Finish Assignments On Time … Or Early
You’ve got to finish your assignments on time. Remember, editors are busy people with tight deadlines of their own, so keeping up a professional relationship with them is key.
If you don’t meet a deadline or miss one altogether, be proactive and seek out an extension instead of waiting for the editor to contact you.
When approaching an editor about an extension, first acknowledge that you know they’re busy and that asking for time is not easy (it’s true: they are busy!).
Then explain why it’s important that they extend the deadline tell them what went wrong and what steps have been taken to fix it (if there were any).
They may decide that extending a few days will be enough for them; other times, however, they will want more time or even see no need at all in granting anything beyond what was originally agreed upon in advance by both parties.
In these cases where there is no flexibility from either party involved, ask if there are other ways in which this relationship could work better for both parties involved perhaps offering free work or discounting fees paid by clients outside of working hours?
7. Know Your Rights As A Freelancer (Do You Have Any?)
As a freelancer, you don’t have any of the rights that are afforded to employees. This means that your employer isn’t responsible for paying you sick leave, overtime pay, or annual leave. It also means that they don’t have to provide any kind of insurance cover.
If you’re working as a freelancer and aren’t receiving benefits such as these, then you must take steps to protect yourself.
For example, if something goes wrong on-site with one of your employers’ clients or customers and they try to claim against your health insurance policy (or anything else).
Then this could affect your ability to get future jobs in accounting because employers will see how much risk there is in hiring someone who doesn’t have decent coverage themselves!
You should also consider getting private health insurance yourself so that if something serious happens while out on assignment for an employer like this then there won’t be financial repercussions from the insurance company either (and hopefully neither will happen anyway!).
8. Create An Efficient Process For Doing Your Work
To make sure you have enough time to do the work, it’s important to create an efficient process. This means setting aside time each day to focus on your freelance writing projects and not letting other things interfere with your workflow.
If you’re not used to this practice of blocking out time for specific tasks, it may take some getting used to at first (just like any new routine).
But once you get into the habit of blocking off chunks of time for writing throughout the week, it will become clear how beneficial this can be in terms of productivity.
There are many ways writers organize their schedules: some prefer just writing whenever inspiration strikes; others prefer a daily schedule where they set aside certain hours every day for writing;
And still, others use something like Trello or Asana (which both provide tools for organizing projects) as a way to keep track of their workloads while maintaining flexibility in order not to overwhelm themselves with too many commitments at once.
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9. Keep Track Of All The Work You Do In An Organized Way
Next, you need to keep track of all the work you do in an organized way, so it’s ready to show editors when they reach out to hire you (or ask for a list of clips). “It can be anything from Excel spreadsheets and Word documents to Dropbox folders and Google Drive folders,” says Kulp.
“As long as it’s easy for editors to access your clips when they’re considering hiring you, go ahead and use whatever system works best for you but make sure that system’s readily available!”
To avoid chaos, Kulp suggests creating some kind of folder structure on your computer or e-device so everything is easy-to-find.
She also recommends keeping track of who published each piece and whether or not they paid upfront before publication took place so that if an editor asks which publications have already paid their freelancers, it should be easy enough for them to find out quickly.
A simple spreadsheet could work here; just make sure the information is accurate by double-checking with each editor during telephone calls or email correspondence.
10. Don’t Be Afraid To Interview Others Because Hiring Managers Often Want To See How You Approach Other People
Don’t be afraid to interview others because hiring managers often want to see how you approach other people before they let you interview them or their clients and employees which can be scary.
Here are a few things you should know about interviewing people:
It’s always good practice to get permission before recording someone; otherwise, it can look like you’re secretly taping them and that could come back to bite you in the butt.
Ask if it’s okay for the person being interviewed (a client) or someone else (an employee) that is present during the interview if there is any objection before starting your recording device.
Be sure to clear this up before proceeding with your questioning so as not to have any surprises later on down the road when it comes time for review meetings, etc. when everyone might feel betrayed by having been recorded without their knowledge!
11. Invest In The Best Equipment
Invest in the best equipment you can afford. You don’t want to buy cheap, but you also don’t want to buy the most expensive.
Truthfully, there are plenty of products that are affordable and also high quality it doesn’t have to be one or the other.
For example, a $100 mouse will do just as well as a $200 mouse if all you need is something that feels comfortable in your hand and lets you move around your office without any difficulty.
But if writing is what drives you and having a great keyboard allows for better typing speed and comfort? That might be worth spending an extra couple hundred dollars on!
Crafting a compelling freelance proposal is key to winning clients and projects. Learn the essential elements to include in our guide on How to Write an Effective Freelance Proposal, enhancing your chances of success and building long-lasting client relationships.
Conclusion
Writing about finances and accounting does not have to be dull. You can bring your voice, passion, and energy to the table, which is why we’re seeing so many new freelancers getting into this field. I want to hear from you!
Did these tips for how to become a freelance writer in the accounting industry help you? How would you advise someone else that wants to get started? Let me know by leaving a comment below
Further Reading
How to Become a Freelance Writer: A comprehensive guide on the steps and strategies to embark on a successful freelance writing career.
Financial Writer: Job Description & Career Information: Learn about the job description and career information for financial writers in the financial industry.
How to Become a Freelance Writer: A Beginner’s Guide: A beginner-friendly guide that offers insights and tips on becoming a freelance writer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Freelance Writer?
A freelance writer is someone who writes articles and other content on a contract basis, rather than as part of an ongoing staff. Freelance writers can work for a variety of clients, including magazines, newspapers, websites, and businesses.
Why Become A Freelance Writer?
There are many reasons to choose freelance writing as your career path. First, it’s flexible you can pick up projects that interest you and then move on when they’re done. Second, it’s lucrative many writers earn six-figure incomes from their work.
Third, it helps you build your brand and gain valuable experience in your field as well as the confidence that comes from knowing how much value you bring to any given project!
How Do I Get Started?
The first step is to take some time to reflect on what kind of writing you want to do and what kinds of assignments suit your interests best. Then make sure that your CV reflects those interests (and don’t forget to emphasize any relevant skills or experience).
Finally, start reaching out to potential clients by cold-calling them or sending out emails with samples of your work attached
What Is The Best Way To Become A Freelance Writer In Accounting?
It’s really up to you! You can go for online courses, attend workshops and conferences, or just start writing articles and blogs on your own. You must choose the path that suits you best and gives you peace of mind.
How Do I Know If My Content Is Good Enough For A Client?
The best way to evaluate whether or not it’s good enough is by getting feedback from people who have experience in the field.
The second part of this question is how do I find people who have experience in the field? The answer: connect with other writers through social media groups or forums!
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.