Hey everyone! This week, I was fortunate enough to get a piece written by copywriting prodigy, Elliot Rose Barker. They currently run a very successful freelancing service, as well as work within a larger agency to produce high-quality and professional material.

Get this – they are among some of the youngest freelancers to attain this type of success, boasting dozens of five star reviews and hundreds of completed projects.

Freelancing allows true talent to shine – without the limiting visual factors of age, employment, or prior judgement.

Elliot took the time to write a 500-word introductory survival guide to freelancing. Take a moment, read through, and share it with an aspiring freelancer in YOUR life.

But before you do that, take 5 seconds and visit Elliot’s site, Pickwick Literature. Whether you’re an aspiring writer (or avid reader,) or just seeking copywriting services, do it. You won’t regret it!

Here we go – your 500 word guide to freelancing.

“The wonderful world of freelancing is one of the most liberating things you can do. Freelancing is working entirely by yourself.

As a new freelancer just pushing yourself into the market, how will you even get those clients rolling in?

Will anyone even want to work with a newbie?

Yes, they will! New freelancers will still find tons of success. People will come rushing to you as long as you have the experience. Even if you don’t have loads of experience piled up, people normally crave the low rates that newbie freelancers offer; just be positive that you’ll get a client!

Prepare

Let’s start with something you should do before starting really anything. Preparation! Prepare for your life as a freelancer. Save some money up from your current 9-5 and set a schedule for when you’ll be working. Maybe even prepare some business cards or a website. Preparation really is the key to success!

Be Patient

Now that you’re fully prepared to dive head first into freelancing, you have to wait. You might have to wait a month, or maybe a day. Either way, you’ve got to wait. The clients will roll in eventually, but for now, you need to have everything set up so that the clients feel as though you’re ready for them and their project. Don’t leave things unfinished; when we said prepare, we meant it!

Build a Portfolio

Having trouble finding those clients? Build your portfolio! Now, this one is super easy. Everyone says this, don’t they? But it’s true. Building a portfolio will definitely increase your chances of getting your first client sooner. When people see the work you’ve done in the past, they can see if your writing style is the right fit for their brand and if it is of the quality necessary for them to move forward with working with you. Write for some magazines or just write some articles in your spare time to get that portfolio started up!

Take on Outsourced Jobs

A lot of freelancers have their hands full to the brim. This is why they do something called outsourcing. Outsourcing is when they can’t complete the project, so they hand it off to another freelancer to finish off. This is a great way to get your first client. For example, be active on Facebook groups and see who needs someone to handle some extra projects for them. It really is as simple as that!

Be Yourself – Be Professional

Don’t forget when freelancing, you have to be yourself! Yet, at the same time, people are always telling you to be professional. Both are very true. That’s why you should add a touch of uniqueness to your work to show who you are yet still remaining professional. You’re not a robot!

Congrats on getting through this article! As a freelance writer myself, I have learned a ton. These are some of the things I wish I knew when I first got started. Take my advice; just go for it!”

– Elliot Rose Barker