Finding a Remote Freelance Writer Position Online

By: Dannie Phan | April 8, 2020

Have you always had a knack for writing? Do you stay on top of developments in health, technology, or another exciting field? If so, you may have just the skill set you need to succeed as a remote freelance content creator. 


What do freelance writing jobs entail, though? Can your English skills, writing skills, and eye for high quality help you earn a high paying, full-time, or part-time freelancing career? 


Let’s dive in and see what kind of online writing jobs you can find:


How Can You Earn Money Writing Online?

The Internet today is continuously producing content – and it always needs more. If you’re able to write comprehensive, informative, and entertaining articles at a reasonable pace, then you’ll likely be ready to start a career as a remote freelance writer or content creator. Job opportunities for content mills may be limited, but if you can build an appropriate name for yourself - through writing samples and testimonials - writing opportunities should flood your way.

There are several ways you can do this. You can try to work with an established content creator like Buzzfeed, or you can go entirely freelance with your writing services. When you work with a stable, you’ll have consistent work but limited creative control over the assignments you get as a content writer. When you work on your own, you’ll have to put in the legwork to find clients and writing work, but you’ll be able to choose who you work with and who you don’t.


Are Online Writing Jobs Legitimate?

There are some circumstances in which the writing job you consider applying to may not be legitimate. One-on-one clients can ghost you. Organizations or clients looking for someone to write academic articles for them may be supplying paper mills, too – a practice that isn’t technically illegal, but that is frowned upon.

How can you know, then, when a writing job is legitimate? Look into the company that’s doing the advertising. Do they have an established website? Have writers worked with them before? Talk to them about some of the work they’ve posted and seen where it’s been shared. If it looks like they have an established network, you’ll probably be safe submitting your work to them.


How Can You Get Online Jobs Writing?

Getting a job as a remote freelance writer requires a little more paperwork than your average remote career. Employers who want to hire remote writers will not only need to see a resume and cover letter but your writing portfolio, as well.

What’s a writing portfolio? Ideally, it’s a website or online storage space in which you keep your best works of published writing. Creating a portfolio can be difficult if you’ve only ever ghostwritten work or if you’re new to the field, but it’s not impossible. 


Whether you specialize in web content, content marketing, or content writing in general, bring together the work you’ve written. It can even be for school or documents you’ve written in a traditional workplace. When you share these works with a potential employer, they’ll have a better idea of what your writing style is like, what quirks you’ll need to iron out, and whether or not your tone fits in with the one they want to project.


What are the different types of writing jobs?

  • Blogging
  • Article writing
  • Technical writing
  • White papers
  • Copywriting
  • Proofreading
  • Social media
  • Search engine optimization SEO
  • Short stories

How Do You Get Paid Writing Online?

While there are some organizations that will pay you by the word to work as a freelance writer, you’ll more often than not be paid for your work with a by-the-word rate. These rates will vary based on your years of experience. Newcomers to the field should try to earn between 2 and 4 cents per word. As you gain more experience, you’ll want to aim for rates between 3 and 7 cents per word, especially as a technical writer through freelance jobs.

If you work with a stable, your supervisor will likely set your rate, allowing for variations based on the amount of research you have to do, the timeline you have to work on, and so on. If you work on your own, you’ll be able to quote individual prices for individual jobs. On the one hand, this allows you to have more control over your income, but it also means that said income will never be entirely consistent.

Then there’s the question of how your clients or supervisors will pay you. Some organizations will use programs like JustWorks to establish a payroll. Others may choose to pay you through PayPal. If you do end up taking your paychecks through PayPal, it’s best to ask your supervisor or clients to take PayPal’s usage fee into account. If you don’t, you risk losing a fair chunk of your income to the platform.


Where Can You Find Online Writing Jobs?

So you think you’ve got the skillset and tools to work as a freelance content creator or writer? Then it’s time for you to start looking for work. While you can query some websites and businesses directly, there are plenty of people looking for writers through more traditional job boards. Some of the best places to start looking for a job as a remote writer include: 


  • Craigslist
  • Google Jobs
  • Upwork
  • Fiverr
  • Guru
  • Indeed
  • Glassdoor

There are also several newsletters, like WriteInfo, that release daily job listings from different organizations. If you spot a job that interests you – writing jobs go quick!

Ready to put your keyboard to the rest? Try your hand at a career as a remote freelance writer today!



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