What is Freelance Writing?

I talk about freelance writing a lot on this blog. That’s because I’m a freelance writer and this blog is devoted to people who want to freelance write, too.

With all this talk, though, you may wonder– exactly what is freelance writing? 

It’s a good question because the enigmatic freelance writer is hard to pin down with one quick phrase. Freelance writers wear many hats and come in every shape and size. 

A freelance writer may or may not have a day job. Some treat freelance writing as a business and can pursue the profession full time. Others see freelance writing as a way to make income on the side outside of their 9-5.

Freelance writers might write for a single individual or company. Or they might have a list of clients to whom they regularly pitch their work. Some freelance writers might be lucky enough to do a bit of both.

Magazines, either online or in print, purchase high quality articles from freelance writers. So do newspapers and online newsletters. Freelance writers who enjoy publishing for online platforms may write for large blogs.

While some freelance writers are lucky enough to write about things they love, others write on topics that aren’t so interesting so they can pay the bills for the month. 

A lot of freelance writers have never been to college and are self-taught. Others have degrees in English or journalism. Still others have degrees in totally unrelated fields and find work as technical writers or creating content for trade journals.

As you can see, there is more than one way to define a freelance writer. Yet these professionals do share a few things in common.

1. Freelance writers, well, write
2. Freelance writers trade their writing for money

It’s encouraging for some freelance writers to know the job definition is so flexible. I’ve mentioned how freelance writing is a great career for introverts and millennials. It’s also a great career for people with multiple interests. 

Freelance writers are jacks-of-all-trades but we are masters of one very important skill– we’re fantastic writers.

“But wait!” You cry. “You’ve only told me what freelance writers are! You still haven’t answered my question: what is freelance writing?”

Fine, pull my teeth why don’t ya! Here’s a definition for your resume.

Freelance writing: (noun) a form of making income by which original written works are sold or comissioned to be published in print or online. 

So there you have it! An all-over-the-place attempt at an answer to the question, what is freelance writing? Leave a comment and let me know your definition of freelance writing. 

Happy writing!

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