Freelance
Writers' Series
Career & Business Development Help
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by Lori Tate Deciding to be a freelance writer can be a momentous and scary decision. Many questions may crop up, including can I make enough money doing this to quit my other job? What if people laugh at me? What if everyone rejects my writing? What if my stuff stinks? What if I can't find any work? Be reassured that although you may not have a steady flow of jobs, you can keep the money coming in by working at several freelance jobs at once. Where do you find these jobs? One place is the World Wide Web.
Starting out So you're sitting at your computer, wondering where to start. Try http://www.about.com first, and click on "W" for "writing," then click on "Freelance Writing." Understandable and easily accessible information about job boards and the business of freelance writing should appear. Also try http://www.askjeeves.com, and type in "freelance writing jobs" or "writing jobs" or "telecommuting jobs." (With telecommuting jobs, you'll have to sift through the results for writing positions.) Several job boards will appear. You can also search for writing jobs through other search engines like AltaVista, Yahoo, or Google. It may also be easier to seek out web sites that cater to freelance or writing work specifically, instead of the broader job sites, like http://www.hotjobs.com or http://www.monster.com, because you'll probably find the job you want more quickly. With a web site that doesn't cater to freelance or writing jobs, writers have to look for jobs through keywords, which may bring more results than desired. You can also seek additional jobs through work at home or telecommuting sites, which may or may not have specific writing jobs. Some easily accessible web sites are http://www.wahm.com (caters to work at home mothers), http://www.momsworkathome.com, and http://www.momswithaspine.com (caters to moms, and doesn't have many job listings available yet). Don't be put off because these sites are geared towards mothers. The information is available to anyone with Internet access. Registering Several web sites, including http://www.guru.com, require people to register for free before being able to access jobs. Initial registration is free with the opportunity to upgrade to a paid membership with additional perks. The registration process usually includes posting a resume and/or cover letter, and noting years of experience in certain fields. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes, depending how much information you want employers to see. With http://www.guru.com, registered job seekers can also apply for jobs through the web site, and have their registered information be made available to employers. Then job seekers can check back with the web site to see the status of their applications. Other web sites that require registration are http://www.freelanceworkexchange.com and http://allfreelancework.com. Websites with fees
While
searching for freelancing work, stay away from the following websites,
Additional good freelance websites http://www.sunoasis.com http://www.allfreelancework.com http://www.thewritejobs.com http://www.tjobs.com/jobopps.shtml
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