by JQ Adams

Created on: April 15, 2009

Would you love to make a living working from the privacy of your own home as a freelance writer? The rapid growth of the Internet and the increasing demand for high quality web content has greatly increased the demand for professional freelance writers.

There are several different ways to approach establishing yourself as a freelancer. Regardless of how you plan to get started, you'll need to create a few sample pieces to share with prospective clients before you start soliciting business. Some prospective clients will ask you to send Word or .txt sample files, and others will want to see work that you have published.

Build an Online Portfolio

The good news is that there are a number of options to build your own online portfolio before you ever get your first paid freelance writing gig. There are a number of multiple user blogging platforms that allow anyone to sign up and publish articles on the topics of their choice. One of the best sites for anyone just getting started in writing is HubPages.

When you register with HubPages, you can instantly create your own username and start publishing columns on a variety of subjects. You can even earn money for the columns you publish, via the site's generous 60/40 revenue sharing program for Google, Amazon, and eBay advertising. Once you have a few good HubPages articles up and running, you can direct prospective clients to view your published work.

Applying for Paid Freelance Writing Jobs

It's important for budding freelancers to realize that there are plenty of scammers posing as freelance writing clients all over the Internet. Be very cautious when bidding on freelance work, especially if something just doesn't seem right about the situation. Don't spend your time writing for people who post announcements on job boards, but won't give you verifiable contact information.

Bidding

It's actually a good idea to utilize one or more of the online job bidding sites when you are getting started as a freelance writer. One of the best sites is RentACoder. You don't pay a fee unless you complete a project, and you'll have an opportunity to bid on writing jobs for clients from all over the worlds.

When you work through a site like RentACoder, the commission you pay on completed projects is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with knowing you will be compensated for your work if you hold up your end of the agreement. There are a number of other bidding sites. Be sure you find out details about all of the fees and policies for ensuring that bidders are paid for work completed before bidding on projects.

Content Marketplace

One of the most lucrative options for high quality freelance writers is Constant Content. Authors create articles to market on spec, or in response to public or private requests. Each writer sets his or her own prices, which tend to be significantly more than what many clients who contract directly with writers are willing to pay. However, clients are willing to pay a premium for work purchased through Constant Content because it is professionally edited, checked for plagiarism, and guaranteed.

The best way to get started with Constant Content is to write a few articles about topics that interest you and submit them for approval. If your work is good, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised to find that it sells very quickly. Once you get a feel for how the site works, you can monitor client requests, submitting content for approval and potential purchase. Read the forum to get a sense of how many of the site's writers are earning outstanding freelance writing incomes from their work with the site.

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