10 Best freelance writing jobs online & how to get hired fast

Have you been looking for the best freelance writing jobs online?

Then look no further. You’ve found the right post.

Freelance writing is one of the most popular online jobs in 2021, and there’s never been a better time to make money as a freelance writer. 

Why?

More businesses and individuals are seeking new content than ever before for their websites, advertisements, and e-books. This has led to rising demand for writers that are capable of writing about subjects and niches that they are looking for.

Now, finding the right opportunities and knowing how to get hired can be a challenge.

This is why this post covers the optimal way to kickstart your freelance writing career and discover the best opportunities.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read the terms of use for more info.

What is freelance writing?

A freelance writer is a self-employed writer that takes on various writing projects in a particular subject matter on a short-term or long-term contractual basis.

Freelance writers provide valuable expertise and writing skills to clients. Yearly income for freelance writers can go as high as six figures. 

Also.

If you’re a passionate writer like myself, consider this.

Freelance writing is a great complement to starting your own blog and e-book writing. Having a diverse and versatile writing background is great for your portfolio!

How to get hired fast as a freelance writer

Getting into the world of freelance writing can be tough and a little intimidating, even for those with experience. 

Many writers, (including myself years ago), make the mistake of jumping headfirst into the writing industry. This can lead to wasting a lot of time sending job applications that lead to nowhere and getting paid less than what you’re worth.

I say this a lot and I’ll say it here. The best way in the short and long term to get hired fast and make more money as a self-employed writer is to invest in yourself by learning directly from an expert in the industry. 

It just so happens that I know just the expert!

Her name is Holly Johnson and she makes $225,000+ per year as a freelance writer.  Holly now writes for major publications and has been featured on Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and many more.

On her website, she offers a free workshop that will give you tips for becoming a successful freelance writer and explain how she became so successful in her own right.

She also offers a paid course for a few hundred bucks that’s worth its weight in gold.

Why?

if you apply what you learn from her course, you’ll make back the price of the course and be on your way to making a full-time income so fast you won’t believe it.

After you’ve invested in your education, the next thing you need to do is to create a portfolio with any of your written work to be shown to prospective clients. If you don’t have any written work, that’s all the more reason to take a course from a wealthy freelance writer. This way you know what kind of content to write for a great portfolio that attracts high-paying clients.

One other thing

I also want to recommend a little hack you can do to enhance the quality of your writing content.

Start using Grammarly.

Grammarly is a free grammar checker that uses artificial intelligence to automatically look for spelling and grammatical mistakes. Adding it to your favorite web browser or word processor only takes seconds and is super simple. 

Click here to download Grammarly for free.

The best job board to find legit freelance writing jobs online

If you’ve ever dabbled into the world of work from home jobs, you’ve likely encountered scams and misleading offers.

This is no different in the freelance writing space.

I’m here to tell you that you can save a lot of time, headache, trial and error by using a job board called Flexjobs.

If you’re willing to pay the price of a large pizza, Flexjobs is an excellent place to find legit freelance jobs from home fast. Flexjobs screen to make sure they are legitimate, so you don’t have to worry about scams.

And!

They verify that the pay rate for these jobs is accurate.

How is that for peace of mind?

There are jobs for all experience levels as well. So if you’re a beginner fresh out of the training I mentioned in the previous section, or a seasoned proofreader or editor, you will find plenty of online job opportunities on Flexjobs.

As of this writing, there are hundreds of legitimate home-based freelance writing jobs on Flexjobs.

And, get this.

Unlike other websites that hire from time-to-time, FlexJobs has legit, up-to-date job listings that are hiring right now. In other words, FlexJobs makes your job hunt so much easier. 

Click here to sign up for FlexJobs and find good-paying freelance writing jobs.

Best Entry-level freelance writing jobs for beginners

Do you have little or no experience as a freelance writer?

No problem.

There are legit companies hiring beginners right now.  Many of these companies offer what is known as content mill jobs.

A content mill job involves an individual client or company posting a content idea to be written for pay. The only downside to these jobs is that the pay is kind of abysmal. 

But, don’t overlook them just because of that, especially if you have zero experience. After all, even the best freelance writers had to get their start somewhere! Keep in mind that these jobs are great for boosting your resume while getting some extra money in your pocket. 

One final note.

All of these jobs are flexible and can be done on your own schedule:

Scripted. This company pairs freelance writers of all skill levels with paying clients. Writers earn an average of $0.10 cents per word, get paid every 15 days, and can set their own schedule. Click here to learn more and apply.

Domainite. Domainite is a marketing company that regularly hires editors and freelance writers. If hired, you can work as a freelance writer or editor at a rate of roughly $1 per 100 words written. Apply here.

iWriter. On iWriter, you have the chance to take jobs on your own schedule and build your own client base from scratch. The highest earners can make up to $80 per 500 words! Apply here.

Best high-paying freelance jobs online

Now if you already have a solid resume, you want job opportunities that will pay you what your skills are worth.

This is what this section will cover.

In addition to a college degree, these jobs usually require years of experience and expertise in a certain field or area:

CactusGlobal. If you are well-versed in the medical or scientific field, CactusGlobal is hiring editors for manuscripts and freelance writers for their content. You can make between $1200 to $4000 per month depending on your availability. For freelance writing jobs, go here and enter “freelance writing” in the keyword search bar. To apply as an editor go here. 

The Writer Finder. Through their expansive network, the Writer Finder connects experienced freelance writers with bigger name brands. They offer a steady stream of writing projects across many niches and high pay. Apply here.

Textbroker. This company connects freelance writers with different paid projects such as press releases, blogs, descriptions, articles, and more. Creating an account is free but requires you to submit verification of U.S. citizenship along with a writing sample. The better rating you receive from your writing sample the better-paying projects you’ll have access to. Apply here.

Best online marketplaces for freelance writers

If you already have some experience as a freelance writer, offering your services on an online marketplace is a great way to get matched with clients and contractual work.

The following platforms are the best and most reputable in my experience:

Fiverr. This is another popular platform to offer your freelance writing services. Freelance gigs or services on Fiverr start at $5. Once you get good reviews and a nice portfolio, you can easily start charging more. Apply here.

Upwork As a freelance writer, Upwork is one of the best and most popular platforms to offer your services. To get an idea of what kind of freelance writing work people are looking for, go here. Post your freelance writing services by signing up for on Upwork here.

Guru. Guru is an excellent platform for freelance writers (and others). You can set your own rates, and they make it easy to connect with quality employers or clients. Find a job here.

Content Writing Jobs. This is a newish marketplace for finding all kinds of freelance writing jobs. They have a paid newsletter for $10 a month that gives you access to some of the latest, hand-picked freelance writing job postings. Find a job through Content Writing Jobs here.