Start A Freelance Writing Business - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Freelance Writing Business

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Freelance writing can be a good career choice if you are looking for a flexible online job.

Working as a freelancer gives you the flexibility to define your work schedule. You can work from home at any time. Freelance writers work across various niches, writing about various topics assigned by the client,

To earn good money as a freelance writer, you need the following personal qualities:

  • Strong writing skills
  • Ability to meet deadlines
  • Stay on the cutting edge
  • Be a self-starter
  • Be up-to-date with the current writing tools & writing trends
  • Proper communication skills

Becoming a freelance writing business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell freelance writing, or selling freelance writing online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$1.5T
revenue (monthly)
$67.2K
starting costs
$19.6K
gross margin
25%
time to build
90 days
growth
Word of mouth
business model
Consulting
time investment
Full time

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

Employee & Freelancer Expenses

$151

$352

Website Costs

$223

$7,215

Business Formation Fees

$5,600

$20,400

Training & Education Expenses

$0

$1,000

Software Expenses

$162

$3,094

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$0

$50

Total Startup Costs

$6,136

$39,111

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Freelancer

freelancer.com

1,887

Guru

guru.com

6,844

Valnet Inc.

valnetinc.applytojob.com

8,080

Articles FACTORY

articlesfactory.com

14,614

Freelancer

freelancer.com.au

53,312

UvoCorp

uvocorp.com

62,809

FreelanceWriting

freelancewriting.com

68,420

The Hockey Writers

thehockeywriters.com

94,385

WriterBay.com

writerbay.com

110,668

Freelancers Union

freelancersunion.org

115,925

The Freelance Writers Den

freelancewritersden.com

131,789

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

Ability to start your business from home

It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning!

Rewarding work

Starting a freelance writing business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Scalable

With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers.

No overhead costs

To get your freelance writing business started, there are no costs associated with overhead, storage, packaging, etc. This will save you a lot of time and money!

Meaningful business connections

You never know who you will meet as a freelance writing business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your freelance writing business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Work can be inconsistent

As a freelance writing business, the amount of work assigned to you and schedule tends to be more inconsistent, which may make your income less stable. It's important to set boundaries and budget accordingly based on the amount of work you plan to have.

Lack of benefits

With a freelance writing business, you are typically self-employed and responsible for finding your own insurance, which can be quite costly and time-consuming.

Isolation

Often times, as a freelance writing business, you typically work alone and do not have much face-to-face interaction with other team members.

Taxes

As a freelance writing business, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.

Marketing Ideas

  • 1

    Affiliate Program

    Affiliate marketing is a great way to bring in a new revenue stream, especially when you don't sell products or services.

    Simply put, an affiliate program is an agreement where a business pays another business or influencer ("the affiliate") a commission for sending traffic and/or sales their way.

    The affiliate typically gets a unique link where clicks and conversions can be tracked.

    Learn more about affiliate program ➜

  • 2

    Direct Sales

    Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.

    For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.

    Learn more about direct sales ➜

  • 3

    Word of mouth

    Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.

    Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.

    According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.

    Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.

    Learn more about word of mouth ➜