Experience: Get some

[Bettedra]

Greetings freelancers! Ultra newb alert!

I am new to AW and looking for some help getting started. Specifically, getting some writing experience behind me. I'm pretty sure I can't put the ameteur poetry contests and essay competitions I won in high school on my resume (right?).

So where do I look for novice-friendly freelance work? I'll even do volunteer writing, and the market doesn't really matter at this point. I just want to get my feet wet and get a feel for pro writing.

Any book or web site reccomendations (other than this fabulous site, of course) would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

[WildScribe]

Go to the freelance section of the board. Click on the search button in the blue strip near the top of the screen. Search for "get started" or you can just read through the topic posts for a page or two. You will find a lot of threads detailing exactly what you just asked, including book recommendations. I suggest you start with reading and come back with specific questions on clarifications later.

[writernow]

I'd strongly suggest staying away from doing free work--sets a bad precedent if this is something you want to do for a living. The exceptions would be if you wrote one or two pieces for a friend's business or for a non-profit whose work you strongly support just to get a portfolio of recent work started. Plus you might be able to work out a deal with them where you do one or two jobs for free and if they like your work they pay you for subsequent jobs.

There are the content sites like Demand Studios, etc which are pretty much always hiring. Low pay but at least it's steady work and Demand cuts paychecks twice a week, direct to your Paypal account. Better than most non-writing part time jobs.

Also, check out one of the many online bulletin boards that cull ads from craigslists across the country as well as other sources of companies seeking writers. Beware of scammers--lots of internet scams directed specifically at people trying to make money as freelancers. I think AW has a section on that.

Good luck!

[spamwarrior]

Jenna Glatzer's book is extremely helpful, if you don't already have that one. Best of luck!

[Bettedra]

Thanks for the tips! And apologies for doing the newbie thing and asking the tired old question. I'll get searching right away.

[Fatal Serenity]

I second Spam's advice: Jenna Glatzer's book "Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer" is a must-have for any aspiring freelance writer. The book will answer more questions than you even care to ask right now, and it will help you as you grow in your career.

[Fatal Serenity]

Oh, and you definitely do not want to mention anything about winning HS essay contests or poetry contests (unless you are writing for poetry markets). If your essays are of good quality, you may be able to use them as samples for the smaller magazines or other small markets especially if they are in the same genre. Don't mention what they were written for or that they were unpublished.

[Ulee_Lhea]

Welcome, Bettedra! I am in the same boat as you, trying to get those all important first clips. Some books I've found helpful so far (in addition to Jenna's, mentioned above):

Six-Figure Freelancing - Kelly James-Enger

102 Ways to Earn Money Writing 1500 Words or Less - I.J. Schecter

Good luck!

[Bettedra]

Thanks for all the helpful tips!! I'm on vacation now but can't wait to get home and get started.

[nighttimer]

Greetings freelancers! Ultra newb alert!

I am new to AW and looking for some help getting started. Specifically, getting some writing experience behind me. I'm pretty sure I can't put the ameteur poetry contests and essay competitions I won in high school on my resume (right?).

So where do I look for novice-friendly freelance work? I'll even do volunteer writing, and the market doesn't really matter at this point. I just want to get my feet wet and get a feel for pro writing.

Any book or web site reccomendations (other than this fabulous site, of course) would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

One area I always see overlooked for freelancers is writing for alternative weekly papers.

A lot of us can write, but not everyone is going to write for The New York Times. Alternative newpapers are great places to get yourself wired into a lot of different beats without having all kinds of credentials, clips and experience. If you live in a city where there is an alternative paper it's usually a lot easier to get them to take a look at you than the local newspaper. If you don't have one in your city there are plenty of alternatives that have websites in need of content.

I'd suggest checking the job directory (http://www.altweeklies.com/aan/directories/Jobs) every so often at the Association of Alternative Weeklies site. What do you have to lose?

[Bettedra]

Good call, nighttimer. I'm a big fan of alternative newspapers and would turn cartwheels at the chance to write for one.

In the meantime, I'm getting my feet wet (and brushing up on my writing/researching abilities) by writing for Demand Studios. I got my approval email this afternoon, and while I know that the gig is far from glamorous, I'm pretty excited.

Jenna's book is on order and I'm keeping myself busy browsing this forum and other helpful sites. Thanks everyone for your tips and suggestions. See ya 'round :-)