Freelance writing and Blogging

Freelance writing can include a variety of writing requirements within its purview. When I began my journey into the web writing world, it was all about ghost writing. Sites have their content written by content writers and later for the purpose of marketing or site promotion there is something known as submitting articles in "article directories". Internet marketing like the real world is all about making your presence and creating links.For this article directories serve as a good platform for increasing you exposure. For me the beginning was all about writing articles for submissions to these directories. Slowly with me understanding the way things worked here, I began exploring greener pastures.

From articles for directory submissions to actual website content to my having my own blogs - the journey began. I have begun to enjoy blogging as a form of writing although still continue to do informational articles. From my own blogs, as I tried to make my presence in the online world, on my own name(earlier it was all about ghost writing), came in a few good blogging opportunities. Grab every opportunity that comes your way, analyse its worth both in terms of payment and also widening your exposure. Good sites would make a good addition to your portfolio. Thus,began my blogging venture and am glad to say that I am enjoying every bit of it. Blogging to me has been
- an expression to the creative side of my personality.
- an opportunity to be there with my family and at the same time provide wings to my flight of thoughts and aspirations.
- not to forget the earning potential (it feels great to be at home, do what you like and earn a decent income).

From here on I would take you along on how to blog and what you need to know to get started on blogging.

Freelance writing and blogging jobs

Have been getting queries from a reader Sudha Gopal on how to go about starting a career in freelance writing. Sudha I have definitely been wanting to post more often however, with the present commitments unable to do so. Anyway promise to be more regular from now on.

This blog was basically started to share my experiences so that those desirous of starting to work from home could benefit from my experience. To begin with in the online world you do not see your potential client and so you need to be a little wary. Although this does not mean not working. Be sure to start work with a reputed company or individual. Make the terms of work and payment clear right from the beginning. It would be better to agree for a daily or weekly payment till you know your client and his/her intentions for sure.

Here are a list of sources where you would find ads for freelance writing, proof reading and blogging posted and updated on a regular basis.You could send out your resume for what you deem fit as per your interest and qualifications. Do not expect results overnight. Although there is a common perception that it is easy to find a job online, it is really not so. To begin with :
- www.naukri.com
- www.monster.com
- www.timesjobs.com
- www.craigslist.com
- www.problogger.net - Darren Rowse also known as the king of blogging offers a job board wherein new blogging and writing jobs are posted regularly.
- www.freelancewriting.com
- www.indeed.com
- http://bloggerjobs.biz/ here you would find a compiled list of blogging opportunities.
- http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/

I am sure for a beginning these sources would be of use to you. Would from time to time post new sources as and when I do come upon good ones. Please do verify each opportunity and potential employer thoroughly before going further ahead.

Freelance writing -qualifications and income

With the outsourcing trend gaining momentum by the day and India turning into an attractive market the demand for freelance writers is only growing. However, in a market where there are so many writers you must definitely have something in you that makes you different.

Freelance writing has a whole lot of possibilities and you can choose the field most comfortable for you depending on your personal interest and qualifications. From resume writing, medical writing, technical writing to general writing which can include writing related to travel, health, internet marketing, movies (be it Hollywood or bollywood), food, lifestyle and any other topic of general interest. Identify your skills sets and choose the field you are most comfortable in. You could enter any branch of writing depending on your specific skill sets and qualifications.

Like any other job, freelance writing too requires you to have certain qualifications and skills or talents. The qualifications that most companies advertise for is a English literature graduate or post-graduate or someone with a mass communication background. If you do not belong here, there is nothing to be disappointed. Even if you do not have a English or mass communication background, if you do have a flair for writing, companies are ready to give it a try. Some pre-requisites:
• Good knowledge and command over the language you wish to write in.
• Good and thorough knowledge of your chosen field or subject.
• Internet knowledge that would enable you to gather information and carry out your research quick and easy.
• A sincerity and devotion to work that translates into timely completion of work. Deadlines here are of prime importance and you build a reputation by providing quality work that meets the deadline.

The general pattern followed once you submit your resume is that they short list candidates on the basis of their qualifications or any sample articles submitted. Most companies then interview you online or conduct a tele interview and you are asked to submit a sample article on their desired subject. If you qualify this then you are on your way to a career in writing. The success mantra is to keep applying to positions that you think you fit and writing as much as possible. It is important to build up a portfolio of sample articles that you can forward to the prospective employer. Starting a blog with your writings is also a good idea. You get better with every piece you write. Read up a lot side by side this is what would help you evolve.

Once you get on to a writing job you may really find that time is a very limited resource. However, it is important to keep brushing up on your skills to move ahead. Just writing one article after the other can get monotonous. It is important that you read a lot, this would help improve your writing skills and also keep you abreast with the industry trends. Learn the keys to search engine marketing (SEM), this will stand you in good stead in the days to come. Will deal with SEM, SEO and writing tips in the coming posts.


Yes, I remember am still to talk about the income aspect of it. Have not forgotten that. To me the money aspect is the motivating factor. Just for the reason that I feel no one in today's world would give you anything just like that and if someone is ready to pay you for your work, it is only because you are good at it. So keep your head high and work your way to a great writing career. On an average if you are ready to spend 4-5 hours a day for 5 days a week you can easily make anywhere from 10 to 15k a month(taking a conservative estimate). This is without the troubles of commuting long distances to work everyday and also being able to be there for your family. You are the boss and can fix your schedule for the day. You do not have to take leave to attend a PTA meeting or go out somewhere. This is not the end all. The earnings increase as you gain experience and are able to command better rates for your work and also if you are ready to take it up full time.

For students, retired personnel,housewives and anyone else willing to spend a few hours and has a flair for the pen this sure is a great field and you can work at your own time. It is important however, that you work with a good and reliable company as I mentioned in my earlier posts. So here’s to a great start. You can contact me at the email id in my profile for any doubts or clarifications.

Freelance writing opportunities

Freelance writing opportunities are definitely in plenty today. If you wish to work from home, have the requisite skills and qualifications; then you no longer have to leave the convenience and comfort of your home. With Google and other search engine giving “good content” immense importance, there are a huge number of opportunities. If you have a flair for the pen or rather the keyboard, grabbing a big slice of the huge cake is not difficult.

You can start today and make the most of your time and skills. One thing to remember here is this is definitely not a quick rich formula. If that is what you are looking for, it is sure going to disappoint you. Writing online is a work from home opportunity that allows you to definitely earn some good money and use your education and talents well. The requisites for beginning a writing career online are fairly simple:
•A good understanding of the English language and the ability to express your thoughts well.
•A flair for writing and a good knowledge of the internet (how to use search engines and do research on various topics online).
•A computer and a good and reliable internet connection. You need to be available on Skype, Google talk, Yahoo messenger or any other communication lines.
•Many employers would require you to have a degree in English literature or Mass communication (however, most today are ready to give you a chance if you are good at your work).

How does it work?
The general pattern of beginning online writing would be to:
•Apply for a job with your resume and a sample of your writings. Some employers do ask you to quote your rates also. We will discuss the remuneration in the coming days.
•Most employers require you to write a test on a sample topic decided by them.
The resume is the first step that gets you the attention of the prospective employer. If your resume is well-written and is backed by good related experience or a sample, you sure stand a chance to be short-listed. Once short-listed, the test article is what finally gets you the job. Do not compromise on quality and originality at any stage whether an amateur or an experienced writer – this is the key to building a good reputation here.

I have previously mentioned two resources namely, Naukri.com and Monster.com. There are several job boards online that provide you ads regularly(will add them to the blog posts from time to time). Here are two more that would help you in your search online – timesjobs.com and craigslist.com. These sites carry several ads that would interest you. At the Naukri. Monster and Times jobs sites you can register for free, upload your resume and directly apply to the employers placing the ads. Verifying the reliability of the advertiser is however, very important. Make enquiries before you begin.

Writing or blogging online is a great telecommuting opportunity that I have enjoyed for over two years now. It provides me the satisfaction of working from the comfort of my home, a good earning and the time and opportunity to be with my family.

The online work place –content writing/blogging

The online work place is a replica or a reflection of the real world and so you can expect all kinds of people here. And why not, it is the people from the real world, their attitudes, behavioral traits and habits who make up the virtual world.

Working online can eliminate problems like commuting everyday and having to deal with a problem boss. You can choose your work and continue to work as long as it is going good. Some companies may however, require you to sign an agreement. A basic agreement for work and a non-disclosure agreement are the generally required documents. Do so after consulting your lawyer and also doing a through survey and understanding the credentials of the company under question.

At the work place, you would come across all kinds of people.
• You should be able to smartly sift the good from the not so good.
• Be aware of the trends in your field. Make the most of the available opportunities.
• Reading and gathering pertinent information is very important.
• Keeping abreast of changes and the trends in your line of work is essential. This would add to your working knowledge. Like for instance, when I started writing I used to get topics and keywords and used to write and submit the articles. I didn’t really get into finding out why these articles were written and why is it that so many employers exist and are ready to pay so much for creating content. However, sometime into writing backed by my curiosity I explored further. An interest to move further into the line of SEO based writing I ventured further to understand the purpose of the articles(which I will acquaint you with in the days to come).
• Be smart to understand the requirements and deliver accordingly. This is like a business empire that you are building from scratch. Pay attention to maintain good quality of work and ensure meeting deadlines.
• Original, quality work is very important here. After going through several articles here some people are tempted to do a bit of copy-paste. Do not make the mistake. There are powerful versatile softwares that can within seconds find any sentence that is lifted from anywhere. Copyscape is a software that your employers would be running your article through before approving it. You break the trust once and it sure is going to be difficult for anyone to trust you next time on.

Work at improving your writing skills. Reading articles of various kinds and understanding the different styles of writing is important. The tone of the writing also changes whether you are writing website content, blogging, writing promotional material or informative articles. An open mind, an eagerness to learn and experimenting are key to making it a success here. In the coming days, more on SEO writing and writing tips.

Moving on in the writing field

The entry to the world of web content writing thus, began with the client from “Naukri.com”. Here I would like to mention another good and regularly updated job site- Monster.com.

I admit that it was no cake walk from here too. Had found one good client, however, if for me the decision was to work from home then I definitely needed to find more good people and regular work. Spending hours on end on some days and not having work for some days can be a frightening and rather demoralizing part of freelancing. One day you could be loaded with work, however, the next few days may mean not getting a single assignment. The key to overcoming this problem is not putting all your eggs into one basket.

You need to have a list of reliable clients, so this way you are assured of regular work. However, one thing you need to be careful about is not taking up more than you can handle. In a 9-5 job you may end up spending a maximum of 3-4 hours extra at work to complete a pending assignment. However, when you do work from home you can end up burning the midnight oil and thus, eating into your valuable family time.

A systematic approach and yes, good discipline is important. With no boss to sit on your head, (have experienced that at times) you tend to push or postpone your work. The end result you are left with a pile and don’t know how to finish it as per the deadline. Thus, some of the important rules to working from home would be:
•A disciplined and systematic approach.
•Understand your commitments at home and work and bite off only what you can chew.
•Working regularly and meeting deadlines is very important. In the online world, you are what your work reflects. The quality of the work and the sincerity with which you handle it (meeting deadlines) is what speaks in our favor. This would further help you build a good clientele over a period of time.

There have been several learning experiences in my journey to being an experienced and established writer. This is what I intend to share with you in the coming days. Don’t claim to be a great gun, but yes, can say proudly that today have created a niche for myself. Have built a clientele that works on trust and the quality of my work. Today I feel nice when people do come up with many offers and ask if an assignment can be done as against days when I did look around for work.

I am sure there are several others like me who would like to make a beginning. In fact, when I began I really wished that there would be one single source where I could find all the information I wanted. A guide to starting work from home is what I was looking for. This is exactly what I plan here. Sharing my experiences about where to look for work and once you begin your writing or blogging career what are the important things that you need to keep in mind.

Working from home can indeed be a satisfying experience (especially for a work at home like me). It means work, money and being at home all at the same time – you just need to know how to.

Writing opportunities - the quest begins here

The search for job options began…went on and on and on….I guess many website owners running adsense and other programs did make lot of money t of my search. I did click on every interesting looking ad that stated “writing opportunity/jobs”.

From one site to the other my exploration then led me to some of the more famous or popular job sites. At the time in India, the internet was not a very popular concept and “working from home” was not an option that many employers even considered.
The job sites did have writing opportunities however, the openings of “work from home” were hardly visible. However, I decided to just try my luck and send my resume and a mail to the employers who had advertised for writers. Thought there would surely be someone with a vision who would realize the potential of employing a writer who could work from home. This way he would not have to provide me a part of his office space nor would have to bear the other overheads of having a person work from his office. Yes, I did realize that having a good home office and a reliable internet connection was the key to telecommuting. So had all the necessary infrastructure to function from home.

Here I would like to make specific mention of the job site with which I did start my writing career. Naukri.com is where I began. Yes, one of the ads on the site to which I applied did reply positively. That's how I made a beginning and after over two years in the writing field still continue to write for the client. The Naukri site has a whole section dedicated to writers, “Content/Journalism” is the heading where you would find current and regularly updated openings related to writing. You can enter your individual specifications depending on your area of interest.Whether fresher or an experienced writer, business writing or features or even proof reading, you would find a number of job oppotunities here. Today, the number of writing opportunities for "work from home writers" have definitely increased. It is a trend that has picked up pace. There are also several other reputed job sites which I would name subsequently in the coming days.

One thing you must keep in mind here and that I have learnt with experience is that not all the jobs listed in any of the job sites are 100% reliable. In the online world you cannot really ascertain the credibility of an employer till you get the first pay packet. It thus, helps to keep in touch with other writers, make enquiries and exchange notes. The writing forums would be of help here. You may be able to benefit greatly from someone else’s experience.

Beware of frauds there are many out there who are waiting to cash in on your writing skills and not pay you your dues. When I began I had problems as I didn't know where to begin my search and which were the reputed sites. My endeavor here is to help you with your search and make suggestions that I are backed by my experience. However, checking out the reliability or the authenticity and choosing the offer is left to you. Naukri.com is a source where you would find job openings in your desired field and these are updated regularly thus, widening your horizon.Start today!!