7 Beginner Tips for African Freelance Writers

Building a freelance career demands time, dedication, persistence and effort. With the right skills and clients, your freelance career in any field can really kick off. However, it can be extremely confusing and difficult to embark on your journey as a freelancer when you do not have the experience or network. Imagine you do not know where or how to land your first client(s), how much to charge them, or how to sell your skills to them so that they are impressed enough to work with you, etc.

Generally, there are certain steps across the board that all freelancers in spite of their area of expertise and/or service area, must take in quest to kick-off and build sustainable freelance careers. However, in this piece, we have narrowed it down and focused on tips that will help specifically writers. If you fit in this category, we hope this piece helps you!

A freelance writer can earn money by writing blogs, articles, white papers, short copies, and a wide range of other text-based content — depending on their choice, for one or more clients.

Here are seven (7) steps you can take to kick off your career as a freelance writer with little to no experience:

1. Write Samples + Build a Portfolio

Putting together a portfolio of writing samples is a great way to get started as a freelance writer. You can build your portfolio using written pieces you already have, or you can write a handful of samples that fit the specific type/format of pieces you intend to pitch to potential clients.

Having a portfolio is a great way to cease the attention of, and impress a potential client. More so, having a selection of samples in your portfolio that reflects the different kind of writing projects you are skilled to undertake demonstrates that you are equipped to follow through on any work you pitch.

2. Write for People in your Network, Family and Friends

One of the most difficult parts of a freelance writing career is finding work. A great way to start is by writing/creating content for the people in your existing network — this can include any business owners and professionals you know. Starting by working with a familiar audience may help you feel comfortable in drafting your pieces. This is also a great way to explore different niche/areas and get feedback on your work.

Every writing experience is worth something. Approach these people with offers to work at a discounted rate.

3. Launch a Blog

Launching a blog is a smart way to get your writing out there and build an audience that trusts your skills. A blog gives you the chance to build and write your opinions and knowlegde of (a) particular subject(s) that you’d like to write about professionally. To launch your blog, you can build a website or simply use a online publishing platform. There a lots of free, affordable, and easy-to-use web hosting/website building software you can use to build your writer's website. If you would like to publish without having to build a website for now, that’s already a great way to go.

Check out Medium, Substack, and other alternatives for blogging and online publishing.

Check out Wix, Squarespace, and other alternatives for website and publishing purposes.

4. Set your Rates

When you are starting as a freelancer, you may be unsure how to set your rates. There can be lots of confusion around determining what your service is valued, what people are willing to pay, and what prices in the industry currently looks like. In order to set your rates, it’s important to do your research. Sites like Glassdoor encourages employees to post their salaries/rates for different companies/projects. Sites like Upwork and Freelancers.com help freelancers set rates by letting clients post an estimated budget with their project. Another great way to go about setting your rate is to check out what other freelancers working on similar projects as you are charging by checking out their web pages, social media, or directly reaching out. Pay transparency can help you figure out how much you should make as a freelance writer.

5. Network with other Freelance Writers

Like in any other industry, using your connections is just as important in the freelance writing industry. Whether online or virtually, connecting with other writers who work as freelancers is a great way to access new opportunities and resources that could be essential to your growth. The more experienced freelance writers in your network could point you in the right direction where building an effective portfolio and pitch is concerned. They may even pass clients to you in times when their plates are full or when they believe you are more suitable for a project. New to the industry, it can be hard to determine what your rates should be. Other writers in your network can help you figure this out by pointing you to the right resources and/or giving you first-hand industry pricing pointers.

6. Utilise Freelance Websites

These days there are platforms where employers/companies post job offers so that workers can bid for them. African freelancers like freelancers all over the globe can utilize these platforms and the opportunities on them to earn income and grow their portfolio.

Check out Freelancer, Guru, Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Fiverr, Flexjobs and many more. Look through how each of these platforms work, watch reviews online, and decide on which one you would try out.

7. Focus on Delivering Excellence

Many freelancers grow their client base through referrals. Considering a person or business would only recommend you/your service based on the quality of work, it’s important to your growth and success that you aim for excellent service and delivery at all times.

There you have it! You’re now equipped with the basics you need to begin your journey as a profitable freelance writer. We look forward to seeing you fluorish in your craft!