by Doreen Martel

Created on: October 05, 2010   Last Updated: October 17, 2010

If you are unemployed or under-employed you may be considering starting your own business. One of the challenges that often presents itself when considering self-employment is start-up costs. For those who are facing this dilemma, starting an article writing business on a shoestring budget is a distinct possibility.  Naturally, you would want to be the type of person who enjoys writing and can write well. Here are some tips for starting an article writing business on a shoestring budget.

Assemble your tools

Many of the tools you will need to start an online article writing business are available at no cost. These include style guides, a word processing program, a grammar and spelling checker and a plagiarism checker.  Search using Google to find the tools that are most useful for your needs.

Set up a blog

One of the first things you can consider doing is setting up a free blog using Blogger.  Blogger will allow you to set up a blog free for the purposes of highlighting your work, creating a portfolio and for promotion purposes. Setting up a blog will allow you to create some material that might be of interest to potential clients.

In addition to using your blog for a resume and promotional tool, search out revenue streams including AdSense and Kontera; both can be used to create small amounts of revenue. Just be careful that your blog does not turn into a billboard that will turn potential clients off.

Social networking accounts

Set up your social networking accounts to put your best foot forward.  Use LinkedIn to include your references (ask for them from prior employers and co-workers), set up a Facebook fan page for your business work and set up a Twitter account for marketing.

Explore freelance marketplace websites

There are freelance marketplace websites which do not charge you to set up a profile and bid on jobs. oDesk is one example of this type of marketplace. You can set up your professional profile, add your resume, add writing samples and take skills tests. Once you have done this you may post for open assignments that are listed in the marketplace. Do not expect to get high paying work immediately, it will take some time to build your reputation.

Article writing sites

Another great way to earn income while starting an article writing business on a shoestring budget is to investigate some of the article writing sites that are available to you.  Sites like Helium that do not charge you to participate and allow you to earn money are the most helpful and productive.  These sites also allow you to add to your portfolio of writing providing you with more samples to show potential clients.

Summary

For those who are considering freelance writing as a profession, it may come as a pleasant surprise that you can start an article writing business on a shoestring budget. Those who have an interest in writing about numerous subjects and feel that they could commit themselves to doing so on a regular basis can think about starting an article writing business on a shoestring.

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