Do you know what it takes to be a freelance writer?

Over the past several weeks, I’ve put out a plethora of posts on freelance writing—everything from platforms to essential tools to landing gigs. But now that we’ve covered the basics and I’ve seen how many people are interested in this topic, I want to open up the floor to answer your personal questions. So for the next few weeks (or however often I get questions), I’ll have entire posts dedicated to directly answering your questions about freelance writing!

This week’s question doesn’t come from one particular person, but it’s one of the most common questions I get asked about freelancing, both by people who want to do it themselves and those who are simply interested in what I do. My guess is that many of you have this question, too:

How do I get started?

It’s a more complex answer than you might think. The freelancing journey isn’t the same for everyone, so the process will vary depending on the person. But there is one thing I can say with absolute certainty…

Do your research.

This is the one thing you must do when you begin freelance writing, no matter which route you take. Know the standard rates. Understand industry trends (like the recent blowup of AI). Be prepared for what you’ll face as you start your business.

And speaking of that, learn a bit about how to run a business, because that’s what freelance writing is: your business. Know about taxes. Learn how to track your earnings.

Being a freelance writer is not intuitive. You can be the best writer in the world, but this business is about much more than just writing—think negotiation, communication, marketing, accounting, etc. The only way to get this knowledge is to do your research. Read books, articles websites, or hey, blog posts! Spend time putting all of this together before diving in. Trying to “learn as you go” will only cause undue stress (take it from someone who learned the hard way!).

But there’s a bravery piece to this, too. You can do all the research in the world and still not feel ready. At some point, you just have to dive in and do it! Maybe it’ll work for you, maybe it won’t—that’s why it’s best to start with some small jobs first to supplement your current income. But you’ll never know until you try.

One question down, many more to go! What’s your burning question about freelance writing? Let me know in the comments or contact me and you might see your question answered as soon as next week!

Happy writing!
—E.J.

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