Want to make money writing? Well, becoming a freelance writer is a far more accessible career path than it was 10 or 15 years ago.

The internet allows people to get in touch with you from anywhere in the world, and for you to send back great work with the click of a button. It’s a truly liberating advancement in the way we work, so how can you make the most of it?

Let’s take a look at the 11 tips that will increase your freelance income overnight. That way you’ll be able to quit the day job, and focus on writing.

How to Make Money Writing

1. Create a standard contract that you use for every single job.

One of the main ways that you can lose money as a freelancer is by not outlining what you can and can’t do. Not having a contract is one of the cardinal sins in business, and it’s one that no freelancer can afford to make.

Draw up a contract that ensures people have to pay you for your time, and think carefully about your terms and conditions.

You never know. It could save you hundreds of dollars, and half a week of effort if you get it right now.

2. Ask for half up front, or use an escrow account to give yourself protection.

Escrow accounts and down payments are great ways to give yourself peace of mind.

Whilst taking on a huge 3-week project will be a real morale boost, you don’t want to feel the strain when your cashflow is contingent on one massive invoice.

By spreading out your income throughout the month, you give yourself maximum flexibility for when you might need it.

Investing in escrow services will also ensure that you’re guaranteed payment for all your hard work and effort and can actually make money writing.

Read also: How I Made $375 with 1 Article as a Freelancer Writer

3. Never be afraid to turn away work.

Turning away work may sound like the stuff of madness, but it can actually save you a lot of time, money, and effort if you do it right.

When you’re first learning how to make money writing, it can be hard to tell the difference between a good project, and one that’s more hassle than it’s worth.

With experience, you’ll be able to spot lucrative opportunities a lot easier, and you won’t be shy about putting yourself forward.

You can say the same about projects that pay a lot but ask for far more in return. Sometimes turning down a project so you can take on 3 others is the best way to freelance.

Read also: How I Made $5,178 Blogging in 1 Month

4. Treat freelancing like a job, and it will become one.

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If you really want to enjoy being a freelancer, then you need to treat it like a full-time job from the get-go.

The great thing about this approach is that if you do it, you’ll soon become a full-time freelancer. If you treat it as a hobby, your earnings will flat line and nothing will change.

Taking freelancing seriously is one of the most effective, and not to mention simplest, ways of earning money writing. Many people overlook this in search of a quick fix, so don’t make the same mistake.

5. Put relevant work in your portfolio, and link people to it.

Your portfolio is your business card as a freelancer, so make sure it showcases the kinds of work that you actually want to do.

If you fill it with everything you’ve ever done, then it doesn’t send out a great message to prospective customers.

Break it up into common categories: landing page copy, product descriptions, blogs, etc. That way you’ll be able to showcase those freelancing skills of yours the right way.

6. Be open and honest when dealing with clients.

Telling your customers what you can’t do is just as important as telling them what you can do.

If you can’t do keyword research, then don’t agree to it. If you’re not familiar with uploading pages to WordPress, don’t offer it as a service.

Clients will love your honesty, and it’ll serve as the foundation for a longterm working relationship.

7. Remember how far you’ve already come.

One thing that freelancers so often forget when they’re trying to earn more is how little they earned in their first few weeks.

Take a step back, learn the positive lessons, and remember what you’ve already done that works.

You’ll probably be able to remember a few ways you used clinch new sales that you’ve since forgotten to employ.

8. Set your prices, and stick to them.

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When you become a copywriter you probably aren’t too sure what to charge people. That’s understandable when you’re new, but if you want to start earning serious money and increase your freelance income, you need to create a pricing structure.

Set your prices, and then don’t let customers talk you down.

By all means, have a ratchet system for large bulk orders, but don’t do everything off the cuff anymore. You can easily offer a big discount to clinch a sale, and then miss out on hundreds of dollars of more lucrative work.

9. Do what you know, not what you see other people doing.

There are trends in every area of life, and freelancing is no different.

Just because you’ve read about someone’s latest gig doing something completely different to what you’re doing doesn’t mean you should change your whole business.

Stick to what you know, and believe in what you’re offering your clients in order to make money writing.

If you’re chopping and changing what you’re offering every week, no one will think you have enough experience. It’s far better to master a particular craft, and gradually increase your prices.

10. Visualize yourself making enough money to quit your day job.

The final thing you should be doing is visualizing yourself making a lot more money.

As the image plays over and over in your mind, you’ll naturally start thinking about ways to make it happen. This is called the law of attraction by visualization, and it’s used by everyone from elite athletes to business leaders.

Read also: 5 Ways to Grow Your Freelance Business

11. Always Be Open to New Opportunities

It’s essential to learn how to manage money as a freelancer and welcome new opportunities that come. As a freelance writer, you have plenty of opportunities to write for different clients all around the world. While it’s okay to have a specialty topic or niche to write on, such as healthcare or fashion, being versatile is essential to gain more clients.

Here are some of the examples of job opportunities for freelance writers:

  • Copywriter

A copywriter is an individual who writes ads or publicity material, such as websites, emails, advertisements, brochures, catalogs, billboards, and more. Hence, copywriting is writing advertising promotional materials. You don’t need to have a special degree to become a copywriter.

  • Web Content Writer

A web content writer specializes in writing relevant content, like articles or blogs for websites, wherein every website owner has a specific target audience. A website would require the most relevant web content to attract consumers. 

  • SEO Specialist

Web content contains keywords that improve a website’s search engine optimization (SEO). The role of an SEO specialist is to see to it that the article is SEO optimized with great focus on keywords and links to rank high in search engine page results (SERPs).

  • Blogger or Video Blogger

Blogging is one way you can share your passion, knowledge, and experiences while earning extra money, even if you’re at home. You can also create your own blog or work as a blogger for another website owner.

  • Social Media Writer

You can also write a relevant post or ad content for social media marketing, like on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. These posts are shorter than regular posts, which provide a sneak peek to social media users of the type of content they can expect on a website.

Final Thoughts

Being a freelance writer sounds like the stuff dreams are made of, but you still need to put in the work if you’re going to see the rewards you want.

There’s no shame in having to work hard. In fact, it’s something you should be proud of. So stay the course, give it your best shot, and you’ll be amazed at how far you can go.

Before you know it, you’ll be one of those rare people who gets to work on their own terms, whilst their friends and family are all sat at home on Sunday night, dreading the Monday blues.

About The Author

Diana Nadim Adjadj is a writer and editor who has a Master degree in Psychology. She combines her passion for writing with her interest in research and creates thought-provoking content in various fields. Also, she is working as a contributor writer for TrustMyPaper.

Stock Photo from g-stockstudio @ Shutterstock

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