Content Writer FAQs

All you need to become a freelance content writer is to have the passion to read and write and the neverending lust for conducting research and learning new things. There are different categories of becoming a content writer, so it all depends on which path you wish to follow. Article writers can be categorized into several groups. For instance, you can be a niche writer, a technical writer, reviewer, etc. 

To become a technical writer, say in a particular industry such as the medical field, it would be prudent to have some medical background and so forth. To become a general copywriter, you just have to have a knack for conducting quality research and jotting down content in a way that can attract and keep readers.

To become a freelance content writer you need to invest in the following:

1. Equipment (e.g. Laptop)
2. A Reliable Internet Connection
3. Plagiarism Checking Tool
4. Grammar Checking Tool
5. Hemmingway to test the readability of the content

To become a good content writer, the biggest investment you need is your brain. It is the creativity and how you put your thoughts in writing that will set you apart from the rest. If you feel like this is the path for you to take, you should invest in furthering your knowledge through free and paid materials. 

On the other hand, you will need to purchase a few pieces of equipment and software to make your journey of becoming a professional freelance content writer much easier. 

Equipment

For starters, having your own computer (laptop) will save you lots of time, and you can efficiently work on your projects from anywhere.

Internet

You will also require reliable internet connectivity to ensure that you’re online most of the time. As a freelancer, you work remotely for different clients, and whenever one needs to communicate with you, you can easily be found. 

Plagiarism Checker Tools

A serious content writer will also invest in some software such as getting the best plagiarism checker tools. One of the best checkers in the market is Copyscape, an in-depth plagiarism checking tool used by professionals from all fields.

Grammar checkers 

We might be excellent writers but none of us is perfect. This is why need to have grammar checkers such as Grammarly in our arsenal. Grammarly is a grammar checking tool that helps writers to point out any spelling issues, punctuation errors, correct use of words, and even adds up as a plagiarism checker. 

Hemmingway Editor

The Hemmingway Editor is a tool that enables writers to curate content that’s bold and clear. Apart from pointing out common errors in your writing, the tool will give a readability score of the content before you publish. This enables you to ensure that your message will be well-understood by the target audience.

In addition to all that, it is recommended to invest in getting a conducive working environment or creating one from your home. Ensure that it is free of unnecessary interruptions and noise. Moreover, you should also strive to make yourself comfortable and healthy by getting an ergonomic office chair to protect your back from the long hours you will be working.

Just like in any other business setup, it is crucial to have a legally binding contract signed by both parties to protect both parties in case of a dispute. For instance, as a client, you will get the assurance that the content won’t be published elsewhere after you have paid for it, and you can also put it in writing about all your requirements that if the writer fails to adhere to might lead to a termination of the contract. 

On the other hand, the writer is secured that the client will pay them for their work in a timely manner, among other considerations. However, a contract would only be useful if you’re to work on a long-term arrangement as one-off projects don’t have any concerns. 

Depending on the sensitivity of the work, the contractor may also be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This protects the company or the individual they are working for, as their trade secrets won’t be shared with anyone outside. 

As an employer, the first thing to consider is what your ultimate goals are. What do you want to achieve with a content writer? What type of work are they able to do? How much of your work can they handle, and what is their average submission time? With the answers to these questions, you are in a better position to hire the ideal candidate. 

When hiring a freelance content writer, asking them for their CV might not be a major requirement. However, you should consider asking them to send in their portfolio of previously written and published samples. If you want someone with expertise from a specific niche, you can ask them if they have any samples previously written for that industry. 

Another fool-proof method to use is to have them write up a sample test that you can prepare for them. Doing this will enable you to see how exactly they can follow your instructions and how flexible they are to adapting to your preferred writing methods. 

There is no standard formula that you can use to grade the quality of the work done by a content writer. However, there are some important factors that you need to consider before approving or rejecting the work. 

Factors such as the originality of the content, the flow of ideas, readability, grammatical errors in the write-up, and the ability to follow pre-set conditions come into play. You can have a checklist of these conditions and what is required and develop your personal grading system, as it all varies from one individual to another.

In some cases (mostly in the corporate world), an ideal candidate for a content writing position would have a degree in journalism, media, or a related field. However, in the current world, employers look at more than just the education aspect. As long as you have had some basic education and proven to be creative, have a strong command of language (English), a good flow of ideas, and good research skills, you might be in a better position to land the job.

However, it would be prudent to have a mastery of important aspects of content writing such as Search Engine Optimization and how to write SEO-friendly content. This is a continually changing work environment, so you must also know how to keep up with the current content writing trends if you wish to succeed as a freelance content writer. 

 Here are the best places to find freelance content writing jobs:

• Ask old clients for referrals
• Job boards, e.g. Indeed
• Freelancer Platforms e.g. Fiverr, Upwork, Bawabba
• Social Media e.g. Facebook & LinkedIn
• Google Search 
• Local Events 
• Business Communities

There are many places to find freelance content writing jobs. The most obvious one is through referrals. You start by advertising your services to your friends and family, and you never know, as one of them might know of someone that might be interested in your services. 

Another traditional method of finding freelance content writing work is by checking out popular job boards for adverts. There are different types of job boards (some are take accounts while others are bid accounts). 

Take accounts mean that when a client posts a job, the first freelancer to get interested in it can take it up and start working on it. The bid accounts work as per the name, a client will post a job, and the interested freelancers will send out a bid. The client will therefore pick one that they are interested in. 

Other places to find freelance content writing work is on social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Some websites might also be advertising their need for content writers, so it would be ideal to conduct a quick Google search with the keyword ‘niche (industry) + write for us.’ You will find a couple of websites accepting applications, and you can pitch directly to them. 

In some cases, you may have tons of content writing work that you decide it is high time to outsource to freelancers. However, a time comes that you are unable to keep track of what who is working on and how their progress is. If this is your case, don’t worry, as there are many ways to manage your freelance content writers. 

For starters, it would be prudent to invest in project management software such as Trello. With this, you can have all your employees under one platform, and you can easily assign projects to individuals, track their progress, and have records of all that they have done. These project management software can have far more beneficial features, but if you’re on a tight budget or just getting started, you can consider using Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. 

How much a freelance content writer can earn depends on a number of factors, for example:

• Time invested
• Writing Speed
• Full-time/part-time career
• Your hourly or per word rate
• Quality of content
• Language skills
• Extent of research 
• The expertise of the writer
• Maximum number of words per day

While there isn’t a specific figure on how much you would earn as a freelance content writer, research has shown that some people can make up to six figures working as a content writer. It all depends on the industry you take on, where you get the writing gigs, and if you have invested in other revenue-generating streams such as creating a blog. 

There are many variables that would determine how much you walk away with at the end of the day or month. For instance, is this your full-time career? How much work can you handle in a day? How do you get paid? Is it on a per hour or per word basis? If so, what are the rates you decided upon with the client? 

It is evident that the faster you can write quality content, the more projects you can complete in a day, meaning more money. It is good to consider all these factors before setting your financial goals as a freelance content writer.