A recent conversation with a friend of mine led to the topic on starting a freelance writing career. She wants to break in the writing market but does not have a clear idea on how to jumpstart. I did not begin my pursuits with a well laid out plan either. I learned things by experience. I wish I was able to minimize the damages I have incurred had I known the steps on getting to where I am now (later I found out there are lots of support online). But just like my friend, I was once a newbie. And I would like to share here some of the “golden nuggets” I have discovered as I began my journey to what is known as freelance writing.

Create your portfolio and yes, online. I thought sending my writing clips as an attachment would just be the fix I need as I sent my applications out. Unfortunately, none of these potential clients responded. The document attachments did not do the trick (unless the clients specify that arrangement). Only when I started my own web log did I see some progress and responses to my job applications. Having an online portfolio does not literally mean posting an online resume, rather it is more of creating your presence online by posting your articles and clips where clients can easily view it. By providing them with a link to view your writing credits, you are giving them the convenience of viewing your writing credits—all in one area. I created mine at WordPress and that seemed to work well. I get to see view page stats, too.

Create a writer’s resume. When clients ask for a resume, do not give out one that is generally-formatted. Place experiences and accomplishments that are related to writing. After all, that is the job you are applying for, right? Lay out your accomplishments starting with the most recent and then go from there. A maximum of two pages would do for a resume. But if you can come up with a page and all your writing experience are already laid out, that would be great as well.

Always write and modify your cover letter. This was one lesson I learned in the long haul. I hated writing my cover letter and I felt it unnecessary to make changes for each job application. I only changed it if my default format was entirely different from what the job description entailed. In the end I realized that my default cover letter was not working. Only after reading Anne Wayman’s tip on writing queries that encouraged me to always start writing cover letters for each job application from scratch. You want to convey to your potential client that you can provide the solution to their problem (from Anne Wayman). By writing from scratch every time you apply, you are not only communicating that solution but improving your cover letter writing skills, too. And boy, did I see positive results! Also, the cover letter needs to be concise. You do not have to lay down every specific writing experience you had. Try to bear in mind that the reason that clients are looking for writers is because they need an extra hand for a huge load of work. Most of the time, they cannot afford to read a lengthy application letter. Try to be brief, but not at the expense of substance.

Set up your payment mode. Online freelance writing is mostly done by telecommute. At most, you will not see the person you are working with face-to-face. Payments are usually done via wire transfer. By initially setting up an account where you can receive your fees, you are saving yourself and your client from additional worries in the future. Make sure that the account you are registering for is available in your area and in your client’s as well. One example (which I use) is Paypal. I have set up my account in Paypal for two reasons: first, it guarantees secure transactions; and second, it is widely used all over the world. Having foreign clients require me to set up an account that is available to them, so I use Paypal.

Look in the right places. There are a lot of writing job markets online. For more details, you can check out my blog about Seven Great Sites for Freelance Writing Jobs. I have updated it from five to seven sites.

Join an online writing community. This was a lesson I learned very late. I wish I had found out earlier but joining an online community of writers provides you great support. Through the forums, you can ask questions from veteran writers about the nitty-gritty of the profession, from getting a writing contract to setting your rates. These online forums also provide great leads for better-paying writing jobs. Most of the writers here are giving in their knowledge and you can benefit from their experience too. But when you learn the ropes, try to pay it forward.

These are the initial insights I have learned in starting my freelance writing career. I hope it will save you from a lot of trouble and become more productive in landing great jobs.