2 years ago I worked part-time as a highly paid freelance writer, writing for top publications such as The Knot, Home and Gardens, Martha Stewart, Wired and Good Housekeeping.
With names like that behind me, you’d expect a giant portfolio and oodles of experience behind me, right?! That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Here’s the thing you need to know: good writers have experience and know where to find jobs, great writers know experience isn’t the be-all and end-all and instead devote the majority of their time to finding the right jobs.
I also took on many side jobs too, including from freelance job boards and content creation platforms, to earn roughly $7,560 a month, part-time.
In this guide, I’ll spill all, from where to find these high paying freelance writing jobs to how to secure them.
First Things First, Content Mills are a No-Go
I know you’re tempted to take on these jobs so you can ‘build your portfolio’ but content mills like Textborker, Writer Access, and ContentFly are total rip-offs, especially if you’re a seasoned writer.
Pay rates sit around the $0.10/word mark, which for 1000 words only equals a measly $100.
You’ll also never get any good feedback and more often than not, you aren’t allowed to put these pieces of work in your public portfolio because of client privacy issues. Avoid!
Best Places to Find High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
1) Specialized Job Boards
- Average Monthly Income: $4000
- Top Writers Make: $200+ for top-tier writers per hour
Instead of casting a wide net on general freelance job boards, focus on specialized platforms that cater to high-paying writing gigs.
Websites like JournalismJobs, Problogger, and MediaBistro feature job listings specifically tailored to experienced writers and journalists.
Sometimes they require 1 year experience, others just want the job done well so don’t care about formal education/experience.
I found 3-4 jobs a month I could take, and ended up securing 75% of what I applied for. This alone netted me roughly $4,570/month pre tax.
These platforms often showcase opportunities with reputable publications, agencies, and organizations that offer super competitive compensation for quality content.
Related: Free Courses To Help You Make More Money Online And In Your Career
2) Content Platforms with Premium Offerings
- Average Monthly Income: $2000-$4000+
- Top Writers Make: $200+ per hour
Explore content platforms that cater to premium clients willing to pay top dollar for quality writing services.
When I had 2 years experience behind me, I used platforms like Contently, Skyword, and ClearVoice.
They typically don’t work with writers with no experience but that’s because these jobs are often high-budget content projects for well-known brands.
I made $1,200+ a project on these platforms.
Make sure you create a compelling profile that really showcases your expertise.
With just 1-2 years experience, you can attract clients seeking top-tier writing talent and command premium rates for your services; think in the $500+ per 1000 word mark.
Related: Become Your Own Boss
3) Job Aggregators
- Average Monthly Income: $500-$2000+
- Top Writers Make: $5000+
Job aggregator websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn pull freelance writing job listings from various sources and display them in one centralized location.
Honestly, I never had much luck on Indeed or Glassdoor, BUT I did have some good success on Linkedin.
By networking with editors in a casual, but friendly way I snagged a handful of secret, relatively well paying jobs. Secret because these jobs weren’t advertised publicly.
I ended up publishing 3 articles around 1000 words each, and at a cushy rate of $1 a word, made a nice $3,000 across 2 months.
By using advanced search filters and keywords such as “freelance writer” or “remote writer’ or even ‘editor’, you can begin to expand your network.
It will take time to nurture a relationship with these editors, but it definitely pays to play the long game here.
Make sure you’re also subscribing to job alert notifications on these platforms too!
They can keep you informed about new public freelance writing opportunities as they become available.
4) Rewrite Small Local Business Websites
- Average Monthly Income: $2000+
- Top Writers Make: $8000+
Think about small businesses in your town that you patronize. Then, go look at their websites. I know, they can be a mess!
Offer to rewrite theirs or to add some new content to their blog to highlight their products.
Most of these small business pages completely forget about adding a press page or even an about us page to highlight their team, ethos and mission.
Look at what the big players in the industry are doing on these pages and craft a page like it for the small business.
If you have SEO or copywriting skills and can make their business seem more professional, this is an easy sell.
I did this a handful of times, with an 80% success rate, and made $1,200 for 4 jobs.
Related: How To Make Money As A Virtual Assistant
5) Find Abandoned Business Blogs
- Average Monthly Income: $1000+
- Top Writers Make: $10,000+
Many small businesses start a blog!
Execs know it can be a great way to improve their website’s search rankings, deepen customer bonds, and build their authority as a go-to expert in their space.
But many then can’t keep it going because well, they’re too busy running the business to create content.
The beauty of this idea is that the owners already see it as a good investment, they just don’t have the time to do it.
When there’s been no post for about 6-12 months, you can assume, it’s been abandoned.
Pick a niche or industry you’re aware of, look for companies in your region or state and start pitching.
A simple ‘would you like to have leads coming to you?’ kind of pitch does wonders here.
I made $3,200 in one month with this very simple idea – the only downside was they didn’t pay as much as the publications did.
BUT if you’re just starting out with little to no experience, this is a great place to start.
I pitched $150 for 750 word posts in the beginning and then increased it to $450 for 750 with 6 months of experience.
6) Content Marketing Agencies
- Average Monthly Income: $2000+
- Top Writers Make: $6000+
Content marketing agencies specialize in creating engaging content for businesses and organizations across industries.
Many of these agencies hire freelance writers to contribute to their content creation efforts.
By researching and reaching out to content marketing agencies that align with your niche or expertise, you can pitch your writing services and establish long-term relationships with clients who value quality content.
Related: 11 Best High-Paying, Low Stress Side Jobs to Make $3,000+ a Month
7) Industry-Specific Websites
- Average Monthly Income: $3500+
- Top Writers Make: $6000+
Depending on your areas of interest and expertise, industry-specific websites and publications may offer freelance writing opportunities.
Whether you’re passionate about travel, technology, health, or finance, there are niche websites and magazines that accept freelance submissions and pay competitive rates for well-written articles.
By researching publications within your niche and familiarizing yourself with their submission guidelines, you can pitch article ideas and land freelance writing assignments.
Related: Build Your Six-Figure Business
8) Twitter Networking and Referrals
- Average Monthly Income: $1000+
- Top Writers Make: $5000+
Like I said in my Linkedin section above, networking with fellow writers, editors, and industry professionals can open doors to some seriously lucrative freelance writing opportunities that may not be advertised publicly.
Twitter (sorry…X) is a bit of a hotspot for it! I networked with a few writers which then meant I had mutual connections with editors and I followed them.
They followed me back and I sent a private message basically thanking them for connecting with me and to introduce my line of expertise.
DON’T pitch here though, it’s not the time nor the place. No-one wants to feel heckled.
Build a real relationship here. It should be win-win.
With this method, in 3 months I made $2,300 with 2 projects that weren’t advertised anywhere else.
Related: Ways To Find High Paying Clients
9) Create a Personal Blog or Website and Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader
- Average Monthly Income: $2000+
- Top Writers Make: $100,000+
No portfolio? No problem!
Establishing a personal blog or website serves as a powerful marketing tool for showcasing your writing portfolio and attracting potential clients.
By regularly publishing high-quality content on topics relevant to your niche or target audience, you can demonstrate your writing expertise and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.
You’ll definitely want to include a hire me page or contact form on your website to capture any rogue inquiries from clients interested in hiring freelance writers.
You’d be surprised just how many opportunities kind of fall into your lap with this one – you never know who is reading your stuff.
It’s hard to tell exactly how much I made with my website as some editors pitched to me via my website from Twitter.
But I know for sure $15,820 came straight from the website across the first 12 months. That’s not a ton of money, but it all adds up.
Related: Ideas For Starting A Business With Little OR No Money
10) Pitching to Publications
- Average Monthly Income: $2500+
- Top Writers Make: $5000+
The obvious route. Many online and print publications accept freelance submissions from writers on a wide range of topics.
Many don’t even require good experience, just a solid pitch.
At the time of writing, Allure, Boston Globe, Catholic Digest, Delta Sky, Glamour and Good Housekeeping still don’t need experience, just a good, well-thought out pitch.
My best advice here to avoid numerous rejections? Research publications that publish content similar to your writing style and interests.
Carefully read their submission guidelines (like go through it with a fine tooth comb, you’d be surprised just how many details people miss).
Craft personalized pitches that highlight your unique perspective and expertise, and submit them to the editors or content managers for consideration.
While pitching to publications requires persistence and patience, landing a byline in a reputable publication can definitely enhance your credibility as a freelance writer.
I made a whopping $3,500 with a feature in Allure for just 1700 words.
