27 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
Struggling to find work? Here’s a brain dump of places to find freelance writing clients.
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Whether you’ve never had a freelance writing job or you’re in the thick of a dry spell, listen up!
First of all, take a breath. I know you might feel totally lost right now, but we’ve got strategies to help you find freelance writing work and fire up your career.
In this post, you’ll get a long list of places to find freelance writing jobs. Some will be easier or faster than others to pursue, but all are viable ways to find work.
27 Places to Find Freelance Writing Clients
Even though the best places to find freelance writing jobs will vary (somewhat) based on your specialty or niche, these places suit a wide variety of writers.
#1 Personal Contacts
When you don’t have a big professional network, look at what you do have: a personal network. This could be family, friends, family friends, friends of friends…
You may not want to work with someone from your personal life, but it’s a great place to start. This is perfect for a brand new writer who wants to gain experience.
#2 Existing Jobs
Find freelance writing jobs at your current job!
Even if you don’t have writing responsibilities at your current job, create them. Work at a medical office? Offer to write a new brochure or patient education handout. Work at a restaurant? Offer to create the next newspaper ad.
If you’re able to create writing tasks at work, it becomes a writing job!
Need writing samples? Look at what you’ve done in your current job. There might be something you can use. One note: Make sure you get permission from your boss to post something on your portfolio.
#3 Previous Jobs
Maybe your current job has zero writing-related opportunities, but what about previous jobs? Get in touch with previous employers and coworkers to see if they need writing work. When you’re on the hunt to find freelance writing jobs, sometimes old jobs are one of the easiest places to look.
If you’re looking for samples, rack your brain for possible material. Did you write policies for your last job? Did you send sales emails to the company’s prospects? Did you proofread the intern’s work?
#4 Your Website
Your website can be a powerful tool in getting freelance writing jobs! In fact, use it to attract clients 24/7. How? By creating high-performing SEO content!
SEO or “search engine optimization” is what you do to rank higher on search engine results pages and attract the right people to your website.Having SEO content on your site improves the quantity and quality of website traffic.
We have an entire (free) SEO writing training video dedicated to teaching you the basics of SEO. It’s really straightforward and packed with key information that is relevant to you as a writer.
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If you want to become an SEO writer and/or leverage your site to find freelance writing jobs for you, our SEO Writer Roadmap course is perfect for you!
#5 Social Media Ads
Find freelance writing jobs as you scroll your socials! Every time you see an ad on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, take note of the company. You’ll usually see the word “sponsored” when it’s a paid ad.
These companies are actively trying to gain leads and revenue on social media, so they definitely could use a writer.
To help them with their ads, you’d need some copywriting skills. However, if you’re not a copywriter, these brands could still need help with content marketing, technical writing and more. So, pitch them!
#6 Job-Bidding Sites
In the writing community, job-bidding sites like Upwork and Fiverr get a bad rap. There are definitely cons to using the service, such as fees, high-competition and lower-paying gigs.
However, some of my favorite clients came from Upwork, many of them well-paid.
If you’re just starting out, consider looking into job-bidding sites - just to gain a little experience. If you are more experienced, be selective on those sites. For example, I only use Upwork when a client is specifically asking for me and they’re willing to pay high rates.
#7 Social Media Accounts Followed
When you’re scrolling through social media, take a look at what accounts you follow. Some of those brands may need professional writing help.
Like and comment on their stuff so that your name pops up in their notifications. You could even DM them for information about contacting their head of content.
#8 Physical Mail
You don’t always have to look online to find freelance writing jobs! Next time you check your paper mail, see what companies you come across. Whether they are sending you a bill or advertising to the community, these brands could benefit from a writer.
If they’re a local brand, mention that you’re a local writer in your pitch.
#9 The Street
Take a walk or drive through your town. Note which businesses are in your area. As a new writer, you may have more luck with smaller companies, but you don’t have to limit yourself.
Just like with #8, tell them you’re a local writer in your pitch. But whatever you do, don’t make common cold pitching mistakes!
We have a plethora of content about how to write a great cold pitch. Click here to read our cold pitching blog posts.
#10 Your Recent Purchases
What brands have you recently purchased from? Scan last month’s credit card statement to see if those companies need writers. Since you know the products, you can provide keen insight (because you’re one of their customers).
Besides, wouldn’t it be great to find freelance writing jobs that cover the cost of your favorite products?!
#11 Social Media Followers
Check out who follows big business or creator accounts. Business influencers are targeting business owners who hope to grow their business - and they can become your clients.
Keep tabs on who likes the account’s posts and who leaves comments. That way you know who is active in the audience.
#12 Small Business Directory
Many townships and counties have a small business directory, usually through the chamber of commerce or board of trade. Even some tourism-focused websites may list popular businesses in an area.
While you may want to start in your locale, you could expand out as far as you’d like to find freelance writing jobs.
#13 Google Search
Leverage the power of Google by searching for key terms that match your specialty or niche. Search for something like the “top 100 home decor brands in the US” and start going down the line, pitching each one by one.
This is perfect if you want to gain a lot of ground, fast, in your search to find freelance writing jobs.
#14 Banner Ads
You know all those ads you see when reading an article or looking up a recipe? Each comes from a brand trying to grow their business. Yes, some are really spammy, but you don’t have to consider those in your search to find freelance writing jobs.
Look for brands that offer authentic and professional advertising, and you may generate a whole list of potential clients to pitch! I see a lot of university ads, which definitely would benefit from various types of professional writing services.
#15 LinkedIn Pages
Start following a bunch of LinkedIn business and brand pages. The platform will continuously suggest new ones too. For starters, look at the pages you already follow.
Check out who your connections follow too. Soon, you’ll have a whole list of big and small companies alike.
#16 LinkedIn Likes
Since LinkedIn is business-focused, people may be more accepting when you approach them in pursuit to find freelance writing jobs.
Next time you see a popular post on LinkedIn, check out who liked and commented on the post. You’ll most likely be able to see their name and job position.
#17 Promotions Email Folder
Peruse your email promotions folder. Every email comes from a brand that wants to make money, and your skills as a writer can help them.
If you’re a copywriter, you can help them with sales conversions. If you’re more of a content writer, these brands may benefit from lead nurturing newsletters, rather than solely sales-focused emails.
#18 Small Business Social Media Groups
It seems that small business groups are most active on Facebook, but you may find some on other platforms too.
Since you’re trying to run a freelance writing business, you definitely meet the requirements for most of these groups. Plus, you’ll be swimming in a sea of small business owners.
#19 Your Professional Connections
You may be surprised by how big of a professional network you already have. Maybe you met a graphic designer through a friend. Maybe you worked on a team with digital marketers. Leverage those connections to find freelance writing jobs!
Put feelers out if any of your coworkers have writing work or know someone who does. If you work with 20 people, just imagine how big of a combined network they have! Make it known that you’re trying to pursue a career in freelance writing.
#20 Job Sites
Job boards like Indeed are obviously a great place to look for work. They do have their pros and cons, but it’s a place to look when you want to find freelance writing jobs.
Search using generic terms like “content writer” or “copywriter,” but also consider revising your search terms for something more specific like, “travel content writer” or “direct response copywriter.”
You could also look for related positions. Even if a brand really wants a digital marketing expert, you could offer to help them write better copy while they’re on the hunt for their marketing expert. So, even if you don’t see an exact job match on job boards, these companies may still have a need for you.
#21 Guest Posts
Some sites require a submission fee, whereas others are free. If you are just starting out, there are plenty of places to guest post for free, including Medium and Zapier. Your topics should include a unique perspective on things that your clients are searching for.
If you like more of a question-and-answer style posting, consider Quora and Reddit. Answer questions, but hint that you can dive into more detail if they contact you for a discovery call.
Aside from helping you find freelance writing jobs, these guest posts can also be great portfolio samples.
#22 Bartering
Your next freelance writing gig may not be in the form of money payment, but rather, in the form of bartering for services. This is a great way to gain experience, add to your portfolio and get something in return.
If you barter for services with a graphic designer, you can write their website while they design your portfolio site. If you barter with a developer, they can make sure your website has exceptionally great functionality, load time and more.
#23 Your Social Profiles
Use your social profiles to promote that you’re looking for freelance writing clients. You can definitely put up a badge, like LinkedIns “open for work” badge, or you can be more subtle.
On your profile pages, make it clear what you do. Include a CTA for potential clients to contact you for services. Even your LinkedIn name and position could include a CTA.
Think about how you can use your bio, handle or other areas on your profile to find freelance writing jobs.
#24 Referrals
If you’ve already landed freelance writing work in the past, check if previous clients can refer you to other potential clients. You can ask that they refer you, or you can ask for the contact’s information to pitch them yourself.
With the latter, you can ensure that the referral actually happens. In your pitch mention your mutual connection.
#25 The Press
Get your name out there by getting quoted by the press. Nowadays, professionals in all industries can gain exposure through sites like HARO (Help a Reporter Out).
How it works: HARO is a platform where reporters can ask a question for an upcoming story. They specify what kind of professional they’re looking to quote. If you fit the bill, you can submit an answer and possibly be cited in an article.
The beauty is that you can get your name out there. If you answer writing, marketing or B2B-based questions, people in your target audience will be the ones reading the article. They’ll see your name (and most likely can click a link to your portfolio).
#26 Previous Contacts
If you already worked with clients in the past, contact them again to see if they need more work. These are warm or hot leads, which makes them way more likely to hire you again (as long as you did great work).
Out of this entire list, this may be the easiest way to find freelance writing jobs!
#27 Following Up
Dabbled in cold pitching, but never heard back from people? Follow up, even if you got no response from the original pitch. When I was cold pitching at the start of my copywriting career, I often got work specifically from my follow-ups!
If you’re not getting positive responses from your pitches - or any responses for that matter - make sure read this post: How to Write Great Cold Pitches for Writing Services. You’ll learn what these common mistakes are, and what needs to be fixed.
How to Land a Freelance Writing Client
Now that you have a long list of places and ways to find freelance writing jobs, you’ll have to muster up the courage to actually pitch them.
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We discuss some client-finding aspects, how to ask for higher rates and more — so it’s definitely not just for SEO writers!
