by Anna Belinda Brillon

Created on: July 10, 2009

Need a job? Can you write? These are two of the minimum requirements that can get you started on a productive and rewarding online freelance career. If your brain is all fired up with ideas, and your hands are ready to type away, then check out these excellent places to find online freelance writing jobs.

1. Freelance Portals. There are hundreds of sites like Odesk, Elance, and GetAFreelancer that serve as a haven for both freelance writers and clients who need their output. What you can do is sign up as a freelancer or provider, build your profile, and start browsing through open jobs. However, getting hired and paid is on a bidding basis, so be sure you can put your best foot forward!

2. Web forums. Forums, like TalkFreelance, DigitalPoint, and others, are no longer for discussing issues, but they are now classified ads for dozens of online writing opportunities. Most employers and content-seekers post threads in forums, inviting interested and competent freelancers to make their best offers. It can take a lot of browsing and scrolling, but if you lock in a job opening that fits your qualifications and expertise, then you can present yourself as the best one to hire!

3. Article directories. Like Helium, there are also numerous venues on the web where writers of all kinds can showcase their skills and readability. Because freedom of speech is really free, online writers can submit as much content as they want; and therefore contribute massively to the knowledge pool we call the Web. In this way, you achieve better exposure for future tasks. You can check out Ezinearticles, Associated Content, Constant-Content, and others for job requests that you can fill in.

4. Online magazines. Gone were the days where writers need to be on paper to get noticed. With hundreds to thousands of online magazines (like the Examiner and Suite101), the possibilities of getting hired and getting digitally published are now endless! Though the job criteria for online publications are rather stricter and more specific, the pay is generally good. So send in your resume and give them a shot.

So you searched through freelance openings, placed your bids, sent your samples, and filed your job application - What to do next?

If you want to create a more effective internet presence, then don't just stop at searching for freelance writing jobs. Why not make the jobs find you? Here are some ways of building client rapport and getting your skills noticed:

- Start a blog. Think of it as a portfolio of your best work, which you can update and improve as often as you wish. At times, it's better to present possible clients with your URL, so they can have a better view of what you've got to offer as a freelance writer.

- Do some social networking. Having a MySpace or Facebook account can help you join freelance writing groups where you can share experiences and even seek advice for job openings. If you also regularly provide relevant comments on fellow freelancers, chances are you can get noticed, too.

- Keep writing articles. As said before, Helium and similar sites are excellent ways to get exposed. The more you research and write, then the more positive your presence as a freelance writer becomes, because more people will come back to check out your freshest and most interesting content. Keep in mind that quality of work, and not quantity, is the foremost attribute that sets apart the best freelance writers from the rest.

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