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Want to Get a Freelance Writing Job for Students? Here's How

28th June 2016 Posted by: Holly Smith

FREELANCE writing as a student is a great way to earn money at university, whilst not losing sight of your studies. You can work when you want, get a bit of extra cash to help with the rent, improve your CV and best of all, you can do everything in your pyjamas!

In today’s digital world, it’s no wonder that 21% of British graduates with a first class degree have already started freelancing. Businesses are always looking for student copywriters, bloggers and essay writers to help with their online content. It’s valuable experience that not only boosts the bank account, but improves your written ability - an important skill needed in many job fields.

Freelance writing is also a great way of getting your work published, especially if you’re looking to go into a career in journalism, publishing or PR. Many employers will want to see some experience and evidence of your written work; if you’ve landed a regular freelance writing job for a magazine or website, then you’ll have plenty of practice and articles to choose from – you also might get a much wider audience than the student newspaper!

What do I need to be a student freelance writer?

  • A computer with a word processor
  • A good internet connection
  • A bit of spare time

Of course, being able to write with good grammar is also an advantage - you want people to be able to understand what you’re writing after all! You don’t necessarily have to be an English student or even very good at creative writing; freelance jobs are available in all fields, including academic, legal and medical.

Some jobs may require you to have some knowledge on SEO and Wordpress, but these are relatively simple to get to grips with after a bit of playing. Having your own blog which you update regularly may also be a benefit, not only to prove that you’re a reliable writer, but also so that companies can see your style and tone before they hire you.

How do I find a freelancing job?

Finding jobs is the trickiest part. Almost every website and publication will have a team of content writers, whose job it is to write regular articles, both online and in magazines or journals, and they sometimes will advertise for freelance roles. Here you’d be expected to write engaging articles on a weekly or monthly basis and adhere to deadlines – but apart from that, you can work anywhere and everywhere! If there are no freelance roles at a company, don’t be scared to email the editor directly. If you pitch yourself and an article idea well, they may consider you to be a regular freelance writer.

Newspapers also employ student writers – pitch an article to the editor and they will get back to you. If they like your idea, then you might find yourself regular (paid) work with them. Do, however, do some research before and check that they actually accept freelance work.

The best way, however, to find many freelancing opportunities is by scouring the internet. Check out your university’s career website, local listings, jobsites and freelance websites such as UpWork and Guru.com

What to expect from a freelance writing job

Every job will be different, and depending on your free time, you can even juggle two or three freelance gigs at the same time. Sometimes, jobs may be just a one off, but generally, as a regular freelance writer you will be expected to write articles to a high standard weekly or monthly. You’ll liaise with the editor or content manager via email or an online organisation board such as Trello, swapping ideas and titles for articles. You will be set deadlines, and remember to adhere to them – there’s nothing worse than a freelance writer who constantly turns articles in late! You’ll receive payment either by word count, or by number of completed articles per month. The more you write, the more you’ll earn, and get yourself noticed.

Top Tips

  • Make contacts wherever you go. Family, friends, small business and larger ones may have opportunities for you to work freelance.
  • Network. Twitter can be a useful tool in finding freelance jobs.
  • Keep up a blog or write for the student newspaper – sometimes editors and publishers may want to see some examples of your work before they choose to hire you. A blog gives you the opportunity to show off your style of writing and prove your dedication and reliability.
  • Create your own website (Wordpress is a great way to do this) so that companies can contact you.
  • Organise yourself. Don’t let freelance writing get in the way of your studies, but also remember that you probably won’t be able to write a 1000 word article in half an hour. Take time to organise yourself and you’ll be on the road to success!

If you want a freelance writing job, you might get an extra boost from doing an internship - here are some of the best from top journalism and media companies

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