Website Review:
Finding Freelance Writing Jobs
By E. Edward Roberts
Copyright © 2007 by E. Edward Roberts, All Rights Reserved
Do you use the web to find freelance
writing jobs? It seems like it should be a simple thing, considering a
Google search on "Freelance Writing Jobs" brings 130,000 clicks! But
before you shout 'Alright! We've struck a goldmine!' you might want to
examine a nugget or two.
A quick review of some of these links
will show you the downside of search engines' habits of selling the top
locations to the highest bidder. Using Google as an example, the
majority of the links on the first page are sponsored links, meaning
Google was likely paid for 'top placement' locations.
Most of these links offer very little to
the freelancer in search of paying gigs. That isn't to say these
websites aren't helpful for freelance writers. Many of them
offer excellent resources, including tutorials, information sheets and
articles on becoming a freelance writer – but very little on finding
potential paying freelance jobs.
That doesn't mean there aren't some good
ones out there, though. Here are a few sites I've found that post paying
freelance gigs, and directions on how you can find those listings since
it isn't always obvious.
I will also review a few other sites
that claim to be great places to find freelance writing work, and tell
you what I've found.
First Stop – journalismjobs.com
OK, freelancing is not the primary focus
of
www.journalismjobs.com so there are usually not many potential
freelance or telecommuting jobs listed each week. Generally, there are
only between five and ten actual jobs to check out. But like anything
else, you don't need hundreds of freelance jobs - all you need is one
willing to give you a try! (Equally important, these are usually real
writing jobs, so they will pay!)
Finding the freelance listing
Journalismjobs.com has four search
fields across the top when you enter the job search area. The last one
is keyword search. Click into the white box and type the word freelance.
The hundreds of jobs originally displayed are now likely to be closer to
ten. Some of those might be a false positive, meaning it found the word
freelance but it was in the phrase "Not a Freelance position." But it
only takes a moment to determine if this is the case.
Now, open another Internet window, or a
new tab, and return to www.journalismjobs.com. This time, type the word
"telecommute" into the keyword search. This may bring up more jobs, or
it might find only the ones in the original search, which is why we
needed to open two windows to cross check these listings.
But even if all the jobs are duplicates,
www.journalismjobs.com offers you jobs at a much better pay rate
than the "Freelance" websites seem to offer!
Downside: These sites are paying, so
they anticipate drawing a seasoned writer. If you aren't one, make that
clear in your cover letter – but also make it clear that you can write.
That starts by writing a good query letter, and using clips where
requested.
Another good website
Another good website for finding
potential freelance jobs is Writers Resource Center at
www.poewar.com/freelance-jobs. This site has a good listing of jobs
that might actually work for you! Better yet, there are many more links
on this site which are very helpful to first-time freelance submitters.
Sites that don't work for me
I don't get paid for my writing if I am
spending my time on the web looking for jobs. I only get paid if I get
the gig, write the article, and submit it. So many of the sites listed
as specializing in finding writing jobs leave me cold, as they have tons
of pages, and lots of listings – but they pay nothing. The many writing
gigs turn out to be looking only for snippets, PR, web copy – and they
want to pay nothing.
One gets the feeling these sites are
actually designed to lure you in so they can sell you something.
Sites not all that good for freelance
jobs (IMHO)
-
Sologig.com
-
Guru.com
-
Freelance.com
-
Ifreelance
Why I say these things
Sologig.com sounds like a great idea for
freelance writers looking for jobs – but I certainly have never seen
anything important start there! Guru.com is the same way. The jobs are
small or pay nothing. Freelance.com hasn't connected to anything for
paying jobs, either. However, all of these sites do offer other
features beyond their job component that writers find helpful – so don't
write them off your writer's list!
While this next link is similar to the
ones above in their job listings, there is a redeeming point to
www.freelancewriting.com. It is the one site that every search
engine will find when looking for freelance writing jobs. While I have
no use for the freelance job listings posted there,
there are many other great items on this site – especially tips on
writing and market related news.
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