writing and research

If you can write at eighth grade level and beyond, and you are looking to get away from the nine to five rat race, then you might want to consider freelance writing and research. An increasing number of people find that the pace of life in the big wide world is no longer fun, and they’re looking for something that sparks their imagination and makes it worth getting out of bed each day. If you are really fed up with the way things are then you need to get started on changing your lifestyle.

What Do You Enjoy Doing?

Most people have something in life that they really enjoy doing. Thinking about the things in life that give you pleasure is a good way of working out what you enjoy doing, once you have that settled then you have to find a way to do more of what you enjoy doing. People who enjoy writing when they get the chance and reading what others have written, might want to consider how they can get started as a freelance writer. If you are one of those people then don’t give up your day job straight away, it will take you a couple of months to get things going and you can do that in your spare time. As this is the first in a series of posts I’m going to start with the basics of setting up a workspace and a free blog.

Finding Your Own Writing Space

If you live alone then you probably won’t have trouble finding a quiet space that you can use as your writing area, if, like me, you have a large family, then things might be a bit more difficult. Try to set aside some space, whether it is the corner of your dining room table, or an office in the spare room, where you can work in peace. A laptop is a great investment because you can work wherever you feel comfortable at the time. While I have some office space at home now, I often write sat in an armchair with my laptop on my knee, or on warm sunny days like today, in the garden. All you really need to get started is some sort of computer, an internet connection and a good diary or notebook that you can use as a diary. You may not have thought about setting up a blog for yourself but it’s essential for a freelance writer.

Setting Up a Free Blog

Probably the best place to get started on blogging is with Google’s Blogger. Once you are settled in your workspace then head on over to Blogger and sign up for a blog. Once you have done this you can either stick with the theme presented or choose from one of the other themes on offer. Once you have got your blog you need to think of a name for it, take your time over this as your blog title is how people will find you on Google.

Once you’ve set up your blog and got yourself a blog title that suits you and the way you envision your freelance writing business, you can write your first post. When your business starts to take off you will need your own website, but in the meantime a blog is great and it’s certainly how I and people like Sharon over at Get Paid to Write Online and Dana over at The Writer’s Blog got started. Having a blog is a good way of giving clients some idea of your writing style until you get some writing clips and a portfolio together, for now a blog is great.

If you have now got as far as finding a writing space, setting up a blog and giving it a name, and written your first post, then you’ve done well to begin with. Take a look tomorrow for the next steps you can take to getting your own freelance writing business.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Just a Five Minute Writing Whinge
• When the Freelance Writing Gets Tough
• Write it Right, Right?
• Freelance Writing: Keyword Research and Other Writerly Things
• A Dog’s View of Freelancing

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