One of the best opportunities for students to find a job is to become a freelance writer. This article will tell you how to start and achieve success in this area of employment!

How Can a Student Become a Professional Freelance Writer?

It is a common practice to be a student and to work at the same time. Students have always struggled with their free time because combining college and work wasn’t easy. Luckily, modern technology changes how things work.

Freelance Writing:

One of the best job opportunities for students nowadays is freelance. You can be a freelancer in basically any field, but writing is the most common one.

Advantages:

We will not describe everything in detail, but there are some general advantages of freelance writing. To begin with, you get to plan your working schedule, which means you can attend classes and work during your free time.

Another advantage is that you can write about the subjects you study, and thus improve your knowledge of them. Besides, freelance is a promising area of employment.

Can a Student Become a Professional Freelance Writer?

There is no such thing as a professional freelance writer in terms of education. Usually, freelance writers are considered professionals when they have experience in writing or have a diploma in Linguistics and/or any other scientific field.

It means that any student can become a professional freelance writer. In this article, you can find some important tips you should know on your way.

Skills You Need:

The list of skills you need to be a freelance writer is huge, but we have combined everything into 5 major skills.

Be Able to Write:

Writing in itself is essential since it’s the core of the job. You should remember everything you have learned about academic papers structures at school and college. Researching the current requirements for texts would be a great idea – there is a lot of information on the web now.

Expertise in the Field of Writing:

You cannot write medical texts if you are a student with a technical major. It is important to remember that your texts have to show a deep understanding of the topic. Even if you decide to take a topic of writing you are not familiar with enough, make sure to educate yourself. You can check PaperCheap.co.uk – their writers are the true experts in the areas they write about.

Language Skills:

Even though there are proofreading services available online, having profound knowledge of language rules, wording, and grammar is something you need in order to be a professional freelance writer. We suggest that you take a language course before starting your job.

You can also start a habit of watching language videos on YouTube every day. It is free, it doesn’t require a lot of time, and you can simply watch the video anywhere you are.

Time Management and Organization:

When you have a shift job, you don’t have to plan anything. It is more complicated with freelance. You will have to plan enough time for tasks, which is not easy. Time management will be crucial for planning your daily routine.

When you work from home, you get distracted easily, so self-organization is also required. At the same time, it is important not to over plan. Remember to plan time for rest, eating, and classes. Furthermore, get ready to stay alert 24/7 because the review requests or specifications from customers may come anytime.

Technical Aspect:

It is not a skill, but having a good computer is a must. Make sure you have all programs for writing installed (usually it’s just MS Word, but it may depend on the employer), a stable internet connection, and a comfortable work zone.

Steps to Become a Freelance Writer:

Let’s now look at the steps you can do on your path to becoming a freelance writer.

Take a Course:

There are many online writing courses now. Taking a course would be a great start on your path. You will learn the basics and get the practice you need.

You may also meet people who work in this field and can share their experiences with you. Besides, a lot of courses have contracts with employers, and after completing the course you will get their contacts. In addition, you should be aware of the main paper format/citation styles requirements.

Create a Portfolio:

It would be a good idea to have approximately 5 texts as your portfolio. You should make these texts in different styles. For example, a blog post, a newspaper article, an analytical essay, a scientific, and an advertisement article. This way, you will be able to present your writing skills to your employer in advance.

Have an Account in Social Networks:

You can also use your social media profile as your portfolio. Instagram pages have become the best places to publish your ideas lately. It is easy to share your account with an employer.

However, using a social network profile as a portfolio requires constant effort. Firstly, your account has to look professional: minimum selfies, no photos in bikini, etc. Secondly, you will have to update it regularly, which can be difficult having a job and studying at a college.

Scan the Market:

Before you start looking for a job, you should know the insights from the market. The best way is to communicate with a freelance writer who can describe the job’s difficulties.

If there is no one you can ask, you need to analyze the job offerings. Pay attention to the requirements and responsibilities.

Create a CV:

Make a list of all your achievements and experience connected to writing and the field you want to write about. You can use the Europass website to create a CV of this list: you just enter your data, and the website puts your data on the template. This type of CV is recognized internationally.

Cover Letter:

You don’t need a cover letter for a freelance. There is often a space to type your reasons to get a job in the application form, but usually, your profile serves as a cover letter.

Search for a Job:

When you are ready to present yourself as a professional freelance writer, you can start searching for a job. Here is the list of websites you can start with:

• UpWork;
• Freelancer;
• The Balance Careers;
• Guru;
• Pitch me;

With all that information in your hands, you can start your job hunting with complete confidence in yourself. Keep your life balanced with work, studying, and rest in order to be happy and healthy!