5 Wicked Simple Things You Must Know To Make It As a Freelance Writer

As I write this, I just landed a new client.

It's not a brag, but rather my way of simply saying that I only share "advice" type stuff because I've done it myself. At least, that's what I believe. That I prefer to listen to and follow folks who have actually done the thing that I'm striving to do.

Feel me?

So yeah...I just landed a new client on retainer, and they're worth thousands per year to me.

Becoming a freelance writer can be a liberating and rewarding career opportunity.

Heck, it can be a life-changing event if the truth be told.

However, it is essential to remember that you will need to adopt the mindset of a business owner instead of someone who is just "fiddling around." This means you will have to work smarter rather than harder, find your niche and perfect your craft.

If you want to make a living off of freelancing as a writer, then these are the things you need to know.

There's riches in the niches

This likely won't be evident at first.

Your niche, I mean.

For me, it wasn't.

I found myself writing about a slew of topics from fitness, to business, to freelancing and even foodie-type articles. I was all over the map. Frankly, the reason was that I wanted to write; I just didn't know what to write.

So I wrote it all.

For now, write and don't stop. But when you look to find a niche and your pocket of people, here are some things to keep in mind.

• What sets you apart from all of the other writers out there?
• What do people think about when they hear your name?
• What do folks come and ask you about the most?

Once you find this, then focus on perfecting it so that everything else can fall into place around it.

Get hip on the trends

The best thing about being a freelance writer is that you get to pick your niche of interest.

I kinda already shared that above.

So now that you have your niche, the next logical step is to see what's hot. What's trending. What are people talking about in that space?

Even more important, what people are most interested in hearing about?

Nail the trends, and make yourself known as an expert on the subject matter. Don't just talk about it, but find a way to prove why you're an expert using your pen and wicked sharp wisdom.

Keep your pen sharp

Now you're cooking with gas.

And the learning is just beginning.

Just because you can write, it doesn't end with just pumping out books or blog posts. If you want to be successful at being a freelance writer, then perfecting your craft will help set up everything else for success down the line.

In a word, keep your pen sharp.

This might mean courses and conferences. It might mean studying the greats and learning all you can about writing, publishing, and more.

But the key is to never stop learning and honing that craft. Because the freelance world is constantly evolving, and so should you.

The one thing I can promise is that it won't be a waste of time.

Don't get caught up in competition

Forget the other guys.

Aside from the freelancers that you directly compete against, there will always be more writers looking to have their names out there.

While it may seem like everyone is flocking to the internet as an opportunity, remember that most of them will fall by the wayside, leaving only a few who are consistently working and hustling.

Consistency with your work ethic is vital.

In the same vein as "perfecting your craft," always remember that to make a living as a freelance writer, you must produce quality content.

This doesn't mean that you have to be perfect with every article or post, but it does mean that if you're putting your name on it, it had better be worth reading.

This is a must if you want to be taken seriously as a writer.

Keep writing

This one is the most evident, is self-explanatory, yet it's also where budding writers stop and quit.

Don't stop.

Just because you've been writing for a while and have now decided to freelance doesn't mean you can ease up on the gas pedal. If anything, it's time to shift into high gear and work even harder.

The reason is that you're no longer just writing for yourself or your blog followers. You're now writing for potential clients, and you want to make a good impression. So write, write and then write some more.

The final word

Freelancing can be a rewarding opportunity, but it takes dedication and hard work to make a living off of it. However, with the right mindset and strategy, you will find that being your own boss is not only liberating but profitable too.

So remember these tips for getting started:

• Find your niche
• Find out what is trending
• Perfect your craft
• Don't get caught up in competition
• Keep on writing!

Now to get 'em, tiger.