Part of being a successful freelance writer is keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the freelance writing jobs world—who’s hiring, where to find your next gig, and what kind of opportunities are out there.
But where, exactly, do you look for those opportunities—and what steps can you take to make sure you’re the writer that gets hired?
Let’s take a look at some of the best places to find freelance writing jobs the internet has to offer (and a few tips to help you stand out and snag those coveted writing gigs!)
First things first—before we jump into where to find the best freelance writing jobs, let’s quickly cover the ins and outs of being a freelance writer.
A freelance writer is exactly what it sounds like—it’s a writer who gets hired on a freelance or project basis.
There is a huge variety of freelance writing jobs and opportunities. A freelance writer could be hired by a brand, an individual, or an editorial outlet (like a magazine or newspaper). While the variety of freelance writing jobs is seemingly endless, some of the main categories of freelance writing opportunities include:
Unlike some other freelance careers, the barrier to entry for freelance writing is pretty low. You don’t need a specific degree or educational background. You don’t need any special equipment. All you need is yourself, your laptop, and a desire (and ability) to write.
That being said, there are certain skills and qualities that can help you succeed as a freelance writer, including being:
Here’s the million-dollar question: How much does freelance writing pay?
And the answer? It all depends. For example, some freelance writers:
How much money you make as a freelance writer is going to depend on a variety of factors, including:
The good news? As a freelancer, your income is, in many ways, in your own hands. If you work hard—and you work smart—a career in freelance writing can be extremely lucrative.
Does this all sound like the right move for you? If you’re ready to become a freelance writer, here are some of the best places to find freelance jobs.
There are a ton of different places you can search for freelance writing jobs. But the best place to start looking? Job boards catered specifically to writing talent.
Industry-specific job boards are one of the best places to look for freelance writing jobs. Why? Because they’re a win-win for both you and your would-be client.
As a writer, industry-specific job boards are great because you know every opportunity is going to be writing-related.
As a client, these job boards are a go-to because they know they’re only going to get writers responding to their jobs (which means less time sorting through irrelevant or unqualified resumes or pitches).
We’ve profiled 3 writing-specific sites you’ll want to check out when looking for your next opportunity:
Freelance Writing Jobs has a lot to offer; it’s part job board, part resource for writers and editors. This site scours the internet to find relevant freelance writing and editing gigs—and then posts those gigs twice a week. Freelance Writing Jobs also features tips and articles on everything from improving your writing skills to building a viable writing or editing career—so if you’re looking to up your game as a freelance writer, this is a great site to check out.
Fees: None! All gigs are entirely free to browse.
Pros: Finding relevant gigs can be time-consuming—but the team at Freelance Writing Jobs searches all corners of the internet to find the best job opportunities, so you don’t have to. The extra learning resources on the site are also super helpful as you build your writing career.
Cons: Freelance Writing Jobs doesn’t have the highest volume of job postings—so if you’re looking for a ton of variety, this isn’t your best bet.
As the name suggests, JournalismJobs.com is a job board for journalists on the search for their next gig. The site hosts a wide variety of journalism opportunities, including both editing and writing/reporting jobs.
Fees: JournalismJobs.com is completely free for job seekers.
Pros: This site doesn’t just feature jobs for journalists; it only features jobs for journalists. So, if you want to build your writing career around journalism projects, this is a must-have resource.
Cons: All of the opportunities on JournalismJobs.com are journalism-focused—and that includes both freelance gigs and full-time jobs. So, be prepared to sort through a solid number of full-time opportunities to find the freelance opportunities you’re looking for.
Contently is a content marketing platform that connects brands with writers for a variety of content projects (think blog posts, case studies, and white papers). To get started, you’ll need to create an online portfolio that showcases your best content marketing work. From there, brands can then peruse your samples and reach out directly with any projects they think would be a good fit.
Fees: It’s free to set up your portfolio on Contently. And while the platform charges clients a premium to hire freelancers (15%), that percentage is added to your freelancer rate—so you won’t have to pay any fees when accepting work through the platform.
Pros: Contently is known for hosting some of the best-paying writing gigs on the internet, with many clients paying as much as $1 to $2 per word for their projects.
Cons: It can take a long time to get your profile approved on the Contently platform. If you’re new to the platform, expect a lengthy waiting period (often months!) before your profile is reviewed and approved.
Want access to even more freelance writing jobs? Here are a few more industry-specific job boards and platforms to check out while searching for your next writing opportunity:
Freelance writing job boards are a great place to start looking for opportunities. But if you don’t find the opportunity you’re looking for, what’s the next step? Broaden your job search.
Freelance job boards are a great place to find a wide variety of freelance job opportunities—including freelance writing jobs.
In fact, general freelance job boards could have opportunities you might not find on more niche, targeted job sites. Because these freelance marketplaces are more well known, they tend to attract a wider variety of employers that are looking for all sorts of freelance support.
Here are 3 freelance job boards you’ll definitely want to check out as you search for new freelance writing jobs:
If you’re looking for plenty of freelance opportunities on a single platform, you’ll definitely want to check out Upwork. With over 12 million registered freelancers and 5 million registered clients, Upwork is the world’s largest freelance marketplace.
Fees: Upwork is free to join, but once you start getting work through the platform, you’ll be on the hook for a variety of service fees (fees are based on the amount you bill for each client). These service fees include:
Pros: As mentioned, Upwork is the largest freelance marketplace in the world. And as the biggest and most comprehensive website of its type, you’d be hard-pressed to find a platform with more opportunities—and that includes plenty of writing gigs.
Cons: Upwork doesn’t just have the highest volume of job opportunities; it also has the highest volume of freelancers—and with so many freelancers on the platform, competition for top-notch writing jobs can be fierce. Upwork also has freelancers from around the world—and because many of those freelancers live in areas with a more affordable cost of living, you can often find yourself competing against writers with a similar skill set at a much lower rate, which can put you at a disadvantage.
Many people make the leap into freelance writing in search of more flexibility—and if you’re looking for flexibility, you’ll want to check out FlexJobs. This popular job board specializes in “flexible” jobs, including remote work (both full- and part-time), on-site jobs with flexible schedules, and freelance opportunities—including opportunities for freelance writers.
Fees: If you want to access the freelance jobs posted to FlexJobs, you’ll need to pay a monthly membership fee. The typical rate is $24.95/month, but you can cut down the monthly rate by signing up for multiple months at a time (a 3-month package is $39.95—and you’ll pay $59.95 for an annual membership).
Pros: Every job that gets posted on FlexJobs goes through a thorough vetting process—so if you see a freelance writing job posting on the site, you know it’s legitimate.
Cons: FlexJobs caters to a wide variety of job seekers, not just freelancers (and certainly not just freelance writers)—so if you’re committed to freelance writing, not every opportunity will be the right fit.
Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects freelancers and businesses for project-based work. And with professional service offerings in an impressive 200+ categories (including plenty of writing-related categories!), you’re likely to find something that matches your background and skill set.
Fees: It’s free to list your services on Fiverr—but if you get paid work from the platform, you’ll have to pay a 20% fee on every transaction.
Pros: Because Fiverr has such a diverse talent pool, it attracts a wide variety of clients and project types—and may include writing-related gigs that aren’t even on your radar. If you’re having trouble finding work or aren’t sure what types of clients or freelance writing jobs would be the best fit, this is a great place to start.
Cons: Fiverr got its name for a reason. Services on the platform start at just $5. And while there are certainly higher-paying gigs on the site, the platform’s name and reputation have made it a go-to resource for employers looking for freelance support at rock-bottom prices—which can sometimes make it challenging to negotiate higher rates.
Depending on what kind of work you’re looking for, there are plenty of other freelance job boards to explore.
To get exposure to a wide variety of opportunities, check out:
For short-term contracts, gigs, or hourly work, try:
If you’re a student freelancer, check out:
General job boards have a huge variety of job types, from full-time to freelance, contract to creative—and just about everything in between.
Now, it’s probably not the best use of your time to search through these ads every day, but they do occasionally have jobs you won’t find elsewhere. Searching for freelance writing jobs on general job boards every so often (for example, once a week) can help you find those diamond-in-the-rough opportunities.
Just make sure to use the filters so you only search for freelance jobs. That way, you won’t waste your time scrolling through a bunch of full-time job opportunities that aren’t going to be the right fit.
Let’s take a look at 3 of the most popular job boards on the market that may help you find your next freelance writing opportunity:
If you’re looking for a job board with a top-notch reputation and a huge selection of job opportunities, you’ll definitely want to check out ZipRecruiter. At any given time, this job board has an average of 9 million active jobs—including jobs in the freelance writing space.
Fees: ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers.
Pros: ZipRecruiter allows you to filter listings based on job type—so, if you filter by “freelance,” you won’t have to sort through full-time or part-time jobs that don’t match what you’re looking for. ZipRecruiter will also send curated opportunities straight to your inbox—so, instead of manually searching the site daily, you can just sign up for email updates and get opportunities sent directly to you, which can save a serious amount of time.
Cons: Because ZipRecruiter isn’t a freelance-specific platform, you may not find the same volume of freelance opportunities that you would on other sites—and because there are fewer freelance opportunities overall, that means even fewer freelance writing opportunities.
With over 250 million unique visitors per month, Indeed is a go-to platform for just about every type of job seeker—including freelance writers.
Fees: Indeed is free for job seekers.
Pros: From a global perspective, Indeed is one of the largest (if not the largest!) job boards on the web. (The platform is currently available in 60 countries and 28 languages). So, if you want to expand your portfolio and connect with potential clients all over the world, this could be a great resource.
Cons: Indeed doesn’t allow you to filter opportunities by “freelance,” which means you can’t use filters to narrow down your results to strictly freelance opportunities. Instead, you have to use “freelance” as a search term—which doesn’t always produce the most reliable results.
Monster is a popular job board that has been connecting job seekers and opportunities for over 25 years—and today, those opportunities include a variety of freelance writing jobs.
Fees: Monster is free for job seekers.
Pros: Monster has been vocal about its strategy to target Gen Z and younger millennial job seekers. These generations tend to be more freelance-friendly, and the approach could lead to more freelance opportunities being featured on the site—including freelance writing opportunities.
Cons: Similar to Indeed, Monster also lacks a “freelance” filter. And while you can use “freelance” as a search term, again, it doesn’t always produce the most accurate results—and you may find yourself sorting through listings that aren’t actually freelance.
While the 3 job boards listed can be a great place to look for freelance writing jobs, there are also plenty of other job boards you can explore to find your next gig.
For more general job boards, try:
For micro-jobs (extremely short-term opportunities), try:
For remote-only opportunities, try:
If you’re more of an editorial writer, Twitter is the place to be when it comes to social media platforms.
Editors are always on Twitter putting out calls for pitches. This is your chance to see what editors are really looking for—and pitch relevant story ideas that are sure to get their attention.
If you know what publications you want to write for, do a quick search to find relevant editors on Twitter—and then follow them to make sure that when they put the call out for writers, you’re in the loop. You can also use hashtags like #callforpitches or #pitchparty to see what editors are looking for and use that to guide your pitch strategy.
Twitter is also an ideal place to network with other writers. Not only is connecting with other freelancers a great way to build out your network, but it’s also a great way to learn about writing opportunities from your fellow writers!
Not all brands hire freelancers directly. Instead, they hire agencies to handle their content and marketing needs—and then agencies bring freelancers on board to help get the work done.
There are a number of different types of agencies that hire freelance writing talent, including:
SEO agencies help businesses rank better in search engines. And one of the ways they do that? Writing keyword-dense content—and they need writers to create that content.
If you want to go the SEO agency route, try searching for an SEO agency that has clients in your industry or the areas you’re interested in writing about, then reach out and pitch your services.
For example, if you want to be a food writer, look for an SEO agency that partners with food and beverage brands. If you want to break into your local writing scene, look for a local SEO agency that partners with the best small businesses in town.
Here’s an opportunity at NRM Marketing to get you started.
Content marketing is a must for brands. But not every brand does their content marketing in-house—and that’s where content marketing agencies come in.
Content marketing agencies create content that helps brands engage, educate, and connect with their audiences (think blog posts, e-books, and white papers). And, again—they need freelance writers to help bring that content to life.
If brand writing is your forte, content marketing agencies will have freelance writing jobs that are right up your alley—so it’s definitely worth reaching out and making the connection.
Web design agencies design websites. But designing a website is just the first step. Once the website is designed, it needs to be filled in with content—and that’s where you come in.
If you enjoy writing web content, landing pages, or more conversion-driven content, web design agencies are a great place to find freelance opportunities.
Digital marketing agencies help businesses increase their reach in the digital space and typically offer services like social media management, digital advertising, and email marketing—all of which require writers.
If you want to give marketing writing a shot, a freelance writing gig with a digital marketing agency could be a great opportunity.
Ad agencies come up with creative advertising campaigns for brands across a number of verticals, including print, digital, and TV/video. They’re always looking for sharp, creative freelance writers to help come up with copy for their campaigns.
If you want to try writing for a variety of mediums—and you’ve got a creative voice—ad agencies could be a good fit.
Content mills don’t have the best reputation. Basically, content mills offer content to their clients at a low price and then outsource the writing of that content to freelance writers. Because they’re charging a low rate to the client, they’re also paying a low rate to freelancers.
But that doesn’t mean they’re not a viable lead. Heather L. Seggel pretty accurately sums up content mills with the following:
“A lot of naysayers are going to tell you to walk on by, but this maligned corner of the freelance world has a lot to offer if you know how to approach it correctly. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the content mill, the P90X of freelancing.”
If you’re just starting out and are looking for a steady stream of work to build your portfolio, content mills can be a great solution. And if you’re a fast writer who can churn out a lot of words, you can actually earn a pretty decent living.
Are content mills the best place to find freelance writing jobs? No. But if you’re just starting out, they can be a solid resource to find steady gigs and help get your career off the ground.
Want to go the agency route? Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Is there a brand or publication you’re dying to write for? Don’t wait for them to put out a call for pitches or a job ad for a freelance writer. Stay a step ahead of the game and pitch them yourself!
Cold pitching is one of the best ways to find new clients and build out your freelance writing business. Not only does cold pitching show your would-be clients that you’re the kind of writer who takes initiative, but it also puts you at an advantage.
When you take a more reactive approach and respond to a job ad, you’re up against all the other freelance writers who saw the ad and applied. When you take a proactive approach and cold pitch, you won’t have to fight with other freelance writers for attention, making the entire process less competitive.
So, is there a brand you’d love to blog for? Do a little LinkedIn research, find their director of content marketing, and introduce yourself.
Is there a magazine you want to pitch? Find the editor on Twitter and send them a pitch.
Do you want to develop content to help a local business or nonprofit get off the ground?
Make a great first impression by pitching your writing services in person.
Cold pitching is a great way to make an introduction and get your foot in the door with your dream clients—and, ultimately, it can be a great way to land freelance writing jobs.
Want to make your cold pitching strategy even more successful? With FreshBooks’ proposal feature, you can craft tailored proposals that will grab your ideal client’s attention—and show them you mean business.
Need a little extra confidence to go after your dream gig? Here are a few more tips for finding (and getting hired for!) freelance writing jobs:
It’s incredibly important that your first communication with a potential client is well written. When you reach out to a company or editor about freelance writing jobs (whether that’s through a letter of introduction, a cover letter with a job application, or a LinkedIn message), it’s that client’s first introduction to your skills and abilities as a writer.
Before you send any correspondence to a potential client, make sure it’s an accurate representation of who you are as a writer. If you’re known for injecting humor into your writing, make sure that comes across in your first message. If you’re applying for a copywriting job, make sure you’re using persuasive writing in your letter of intent (LOI)—and selling yourself!
And no matter what kind of opportunity you’re applying for, make sure to proofread and edit your correspondence at least twice before sending it to a potential client.
The point is, you’re applying for a job as a writer—so make sure your LOIs, cover letters, and messages reflect your writing skills.
The more you write, the more samples and clips you’re going to have. And if you want to appear credible and professional to potential clients, you should organize those clips and samples in an online portfolio.
Having an online portfolio is a professional way to showcase your work. When clients Google you (and trust us—most of them will!), they will be able to browse through all of your work in a single, streamlined space. That web presence will lend you a level of credibility that can put clients at ease—and increase the chance they’ll want to work with you.
While having an online portfolio is important, some freelance job opportunities might ask you to send a few samples for review (instead of a link to your portfolio). And while you might be tempted to take a one-size-fits-all approach and just send examples of what you consider your best work, there’s a better strategy: Send relevant samples.
Sending samples that speak to a particular client is going to be much more effective than just sending samples that showcase your writing skills.
So, for example, if you’re applying for a freelance writing opportunity with a fitness company, you’re going to want to send writing samples that showcase your work in the health, wellness, and fitness space—not an article you wrote for a tech company (even if that article is particularly well-written).
You want to not only show a potential client that you can write but that you can write exactly what it is they’re looking for. So when choosing samples to send to a client, remember—relevance is key.
Social proof is extremely powerful. If you can show that your current and past clients have been happy with your work, it will be much easier to convince potential clients that they’ll be happy with your work as well.
Whenever you write for a client, ask them for a testimonial (either written or video) to showcase within your online portfolio. Ask them to speak to your skills, your writing, and your work ethic, such as:
The more positive testimonials you have, the stronger your social proof—and the easier it will be to convince new clients to hire you for freelance writing jobs.
When you’re getting started in the world of freelance writing, you will, of course, want to cast a wide net when looking for new clients. But sometimes, your next client or freelance writing gig may be closer than you realize.
Your existing network can be a great resource for finding new freelance writing job opportunities. You never know who might be looking for a freelance writer—and if someone in your network is in need of freelance writing support, the fact that they already know and trust you can help you get your foot in the door.
Draft an email to your current contacts to let them know you’re transitioning into freelance writing—and are available to assist them with any of their writing-related needs. Then send it to any of your professional and/or personal contacts that you think would be open to hearing about this next step in your professional journey—and who might be able to connect you with freelance writing gigs.
For example, let’s say you’re leaving a full-time marketing career to launch a freelance writing business. If you’re leaving on good terms, your current company might be willing to hire you on a freelance basis to write some of their marketing materials—so you’d want to loop your current colleagues and managers in on your freelance plans.
Or maybe you have a large group of friends that work in a variety of roles and industries. When you let your friends know you’re officially making the leap into freelance writing, they can keep their eyes and ears open for any potential freelance writing jobs at their companies—and, if and when those opportunities arise, connect you with the hiring manager to discuss the job.
The point is, your current network can be a great resource for finding freelance writing jobs—but only if they know you’re on the market for those gigs. So, when you launch your freelance writing business, make sure to tap into your existing network and let them know you’re looking for freelance writing jobs.
If there is any group of people that knows how to find and get hired for freelance jobs, it’s successful freelancers. So, if you’re looking to score more freelance writing jobs, a great way to do so? Networking with other freelancers.
Connecting with other freelancers could help you find and land freelance writing jobs and build your freelance business in a few different ways:
So, if you’re looking to secure more freelance writing jobs, try upping your network game. Go to local meet-ups for freelancers. Connect with freelancers on social media. Join online communities for freelancers.
If you want to succeed as a freelance writer, you can’t just send in a pitch or LOI and hope for the best. Editors and brands are overwhelmed with pitches, applications, and other correspondence from writers (especially if they posted a freelance writing job).
If you don’t hear back, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not interested. It could mean that your information fell through the cracks, or they haven’t gotten a second to read your pitch or email—which is why following up is so important.
Following up a week or so after sending a pitch or applying for a freelance writing job is a great way to stay on their radar and remind an editor or hiring manager to review your pitch, portfolio, or samples.
Finding freelance writing jobs can be tough. But you’re the one that gets to write the story of your freelance writing career—and now that you have everything you need to find (and get hired for!) your next opportunity, we have a feeling that story will have a happy ending.
This post was updated in December 2022.
