There are more and more graduates who find themselves in the impossibility of finding a job, so they have to be more creative and find new ways to gain experience in the field they have chosen but also to earn money. Freelancing is the perfect way to do this, but this is not all milk and honey as many would believe. Freelancing is a competitive market too, unless you have a service to offer that nobody else does.

Starting your career as a freelance writer can be challenging, especially at the beginning when you don't know what to do and what to look for. The key to getting started is to know what jobs to look for, where to find them and how to get them.

1. writersdepartment.com

WritersDepartment is one of the most trustworthy online writing company, which aims at connecting business and professional academic editors and writers with customers from all over the world. They are continuously looking for talented and professional writers who want to make a living off their writing knowledge and skills. So if you are from the US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Australia or Easter Europe, you might get one of their freelance writing jobs.

2. Online free marketplace

There are many websites, such as Upwork, Freelancing or oDesk, which advertise thousands of freelance writing jobs every day. The good thing is that many of those are for beginners, so do not worry if you do not have enough experience. You have to start somewhere. You can create your account for free, add some information about yourself and some writing samples, and you can start applying for freelance writing jobs for beginners. It will take some time until you will land your first job, so apply to as many as you can.

3. Writing sample

The writing sample that you present to your potential customers should be irresistible and flawless. Many freelance writers do not get a chance to land the project they want because they don't have a portfolio of their previous work to show to their potential clients. Clients need to see proof that you have written before, what is your style and if you are a good choice for what they need.

Another thing you can do is to write a customized writing sample that is similar to the work they need. Let's say that someone is looking to hire a freelancer for an article about the benefits of coffee. What you can do is write a short article about the benefits of green tea for example and send it to the client. This will make you stand out among the hundreds of freelancers who want this job. Yes, you so put in a little extra work, but this increases your chances of getting the job. Even if you do not get it, you can add the article to your portfolio and show it to other potential customers. So it's a winning situation no matter if you get the job or not.

4. Simple proposal

When you apply for freelance writing jobs, better known as submitting a proposal, do not tell the customer your entire life. They are just interested in your writing experience, not where you finished high school. Also, as mentioned before, you should send an article that is similar to the client's request. This is more important than telling them you are the best writer and that you can write anything they want (this is what all freelancers say).

So keep your proposal short (a few short sentences), be friendly and personable, send the writing sample and make sure you draw their attention to it explaining how it relates to the job description. Nobody has the time or patience to read your autobiography so make sure you stick only to the relevant details.

These will be the most important steps if you want to get freelance writing jobs online. Freelancing is not about having the right experience, the right degree or the right connections. There are so many people who are successful freelancers and who started just because they loved to write. If you are determined to be a freelance writer, be confident and do not be afraid of failure.  

It will take a while to be able to break into, but once you do you will see how amazing it is. You can write from your home, from a beach, a café or wherever you want and whenever you want. You are your own boss and you so not have to spend hours in a cubicle at your desk doing a boring job that you hate. Pitch all your ideas clearly, write consistently and don't give up when you hit a closed door. You just have to figure out if a writing career is what you want and just go for it.