Many of us have dreamed of the freelance life. Writing while you’re travelling on the Orient Express (perhaps solving a murder mystery, too), editing a book in a coffee shop in the middle of Paris or Venice, composing a 50-page eBook on operas based on Norse mythology… But is this a pipe dream? Or can these fantasies be turned into reality with your first blog, a client overseas or a job board?
With the meteoric rise of freelancers, there’s been an equal number of freelance platforms coming online with the sole purpose of connecting writers and editors with clients.
For someone who is aspiring to become a freelance writer, or even for a seasoned veteran with years of experience, it can be a headache-inducing challenge trying to locate websites that offer legitimate freelance writing jobs. From fraudulent employers to low-pay positions, it can often be daunting to search for a gig that can pay the rent.
And that’s where we come in. In fact, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best websites to find freelance opportunities that offer both competitive compensation and challenging work.
Let’s get started.
1. Morning Coffee eNewsletter
Do you love the smell of coffee and a list of high-quality leads of freelance writing jobs in the morning?
FreelanceWriting.com’s Morning Coffee eNewsletter is a weekly list of a dozen or so writing positions that you can peruse as you sip on a cup of joe (or tea) and look for fresh opportunities to explore.
From freelance to full-time, this newsletter contains both positions you could find if you performed an extensive search on the internet and exclusive jobs that you will not find anywhere else. Each post provides a summary, too: company name, payment, skills and the source.
2. Freelance Writing Jobs
Freelance Writing Jobs publishes a comprehensive and diverse list of jobs. Whether you’re looking for a copywriting gig or you’re interested in pursuing article writing for a blog that specialises in micro-niches, this website categorises its job postings: content writing, journalism, technical and miscellaneous.
This is a valuable resource that should be your go-to source every morning as you check up on the latest sports scores and your Facebook friends complaining about their Starbucks latte being two degrees below what they requested.
3. Upwork
Upwork may not be a great resource for a beginner because of how competitive the marketplace can be and how complex the platform is. However, if you’re someone who’s been earning a living from online work for years, then Upwork is also a system to consider. You can find pretty much anything on the website, from news writing about professional wrestling to composing eBooks on the existential crisis of the human condition in the Middle Ages.
You don’t need to worry about getting defrauded from your work, because payments are held in escrow. The employer will place the funds in an account managed by Upwork, and once the work has been submitted and approved, the employee is given the money (minus Upwork’s fees).
4. BloggingPro
You will find high-quality leads on BloggingPro, but you will also discover helpful tips, tricks, services and books to give you the knowledge you’ll need to successfully find, apply and receive remote work.
While the jobs you find are stupendous for entry-level writers and professionals who work from home, the only issue is that it doesn’t update its list frequently. Indeed, you may notice that the newest posting is three days old – when the freelance writing market is ultra-competitive, you may be the 75th person who applied for the job, which makes it difficult to get noticed.
5. Indeed
Indeed is a traditional employment search website used by jobseekers in every industry. That said, if you’re searching for a full-time and salaried position, or even just recurring freelance work, then you will quickly learn how this is an underrated resource for freelancers.
If you’re lucky enough, you may even locate jobs that can be done at home. The point is that you should never rule out outlets like Indeed.
6. Freelancer
Freelancer has really improved in recent years. The website used to be a mess, filled with low-paid gigs that would make it impossible to earn even a supplemental income. For instance, there was a post that required you to complete thousands of CAPTCHA codes that would take hours, and you were paid a measly $20 at the end. This benefited the individual who posted the ad because most people thought it would be a cakewalk at the beginning but just quit a quarter-way through the tedious process.
Since then, however, Freelancer has become a premier outlet that rivals Upwork; it uses a similar escrow system.
7. Mediabistro
Mediabistro has something for everybody. Public relations content, book editing, news ticker writing and policy analysis – you can discover a treasure trove of high-paid writing and editing careers.
Although there are work-from-home postings on the website, most of the postings are for specific locations. That is bad news for people who may want to just work in their underwear all day long.
Overall, if you have a niche, then you can repeatedly come across it on Mediabistro. Moreover, if you’re just starting out, Mediabistro also provides online courses, freelance services and résumé writing – all helpful tools for any beginner in a vast area of the economy.
8. Freelance Writing
Like other online job board portals, Freelance Writing maintains an extensive and updated list of freelance writing jobs that are directly posted by the hiring party.
What makes this source better than other comparable websites is that it contains a mix of basic remote writing gigs and professional opportunities. You won’t only find jobs that require you to rewrite news articles from three other sources for a few bucks per piece.
9. JournalismJobs.com
Are you a journalism major? Are you a news junkie? Do you have plenty of experience writing about the news, editing columns or coming up with catchy headlines? JournalismJobs.com is the place to regularly visit, as you can come across startups that are looking for creative individuals and corporate juggernauts searching for seasoned veterans.
If you’re looking to branch out from just writing, then good news: JournalismJobs.com also posts ads for photographers, producers and copyeditors.
10. Contena
You may not feel like paying for membership to find freelance writing jobs, but if you want well-paid and high-quality jobs, plus a goodie bag of tools and courses, then perhaps Contena is right for you.
Contena features a huge selection of some of the best writing jobs out there, from full-time to freelance.
A professional who has been doing this for years may not need a service like Contena. But for an abecedarian who is dipping their toe in the water, then a course for starting a freelance writing business and a comprehensive suite of tools can ensure you get started on the right foot.
A freelance career can be one of the most rewarding things you could ever do with your life. The main attraction is the amount of freedom you possess since you are your own boss, but freelancing is so much more than just being able to lounge in your pyjamas and listen to your favourite music all day long. You can make a serious business out of this journey, which then leads to an impeccable annual income.
Success may not happen overnight, but by working hard, being a reliable freelance writer and sticking to it, you can eventually become a self-sufficient businessperson who maintains a portfolio of clients.
What other websites do you use to find freelance writing jobs? Let us know in the comments section below!