{"id":813,"date":"2017-02-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-02-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/articles\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T10:43:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T10:43:34","slug":"how-to-become-a-freelance-writer","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","title":{"rendered":"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Becoming a freelance writer is one of the most rewarding career decisions you can make \u2013 but you need to think carefully in advance if you want to make the best of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/funding\/universal-credit-for-the-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1555\"><strong>Guide to Working Tax Credit for the self-employed<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/freelance\/what-is-freelance-work\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1412\"><strong>What&#8217;s the difference between a freelancer and a contractor?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-assessment-deadline\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1509\"><strong>When is the Self Assessment deadline?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/#how-much-does-it-cost\"><strong>How much does professional indemnity insurance cost?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Freelance writers get the joy of working with words, but there are some important steps that you need to take in order to make the transition as stress-free as possible. Read on to find out how to become a freelance writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"decidewhatyouwanttowriteabout\">Decide what you want to write about<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first step is to identify the areas in which you want to write. For example, do you want to be a freelance journalist? Do you want to write corporate blogs? Do you want to be a ghostwriter? Do you want to be an advertising copywriter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a huge range of options within freelance writing. Make sure that you choose not only what you\u2019re interested in, but also what you\u2019re good at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"thinkabouttraining\">Think about training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve worked out what you want to write about, your next step is to identify whether or not you need training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While plenty of writers get into the industry without a qualification, you may find having one useful in certain circumstances. For example, journalists might choose to take an NCTJ, while copywriters might take a course at the College of Media and Publishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should remember, however, that these courses cost money, and they may not necessarily pay themselves off in terms of commissions or gigs. You may wish to have a look at the sorts of jobs you might be applying for in advance, in order to see whether a qualification is worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"learnhowtopitch\">Learn how to pitch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pitching is a crucial skill in virtually every area of freelance writing. If you\u2019re a journalist, it\u2019s absolutely vital: you\u2019ll need to know exactly how to make a story interesting to an editor, and how to prove that you are the right person to write it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are copywriting, jobs might be fielded out to you more often, but you\u2019ll still need to learn how to deliver on a brief. For example, how can you interestingly interpret the story of the company for which you\u2019ve just been commissioned to write a blurb? How can you pitch that CEO\u2019s ideas exactly correctly so that they\u2019ll achieve the maximum media impact?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a whole host of information online helping new freelance writers learn how to pitch. You should read as much of this as you can, and don\u2019t worry if some of it doesn\u2019t immediately seem relevant: there is a lot of bleed between disciplines within freelance writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"buildupaportfolio\">Build up a portfolio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes down to it, it\u2019s simple: nobody will hire you unless you have a portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means that you need to build up writing samples, or \u2018clips\u2019, as quickly as you can. You might do this in local publications or student magazines, or, for example, by providing copywriting work for friends or family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it\u2019s far from ideal, the sad truth is that you may have to work for below market rates to begin with, while you build up your body of work. However, you might also think about using websites like Upwork and Fiverr to find quick wins with clients who may not require such a significant portfolio, in order to build up some evidence of past work \u2013 and get paid for it in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"identifyclients\">Identify clients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, you need to find some clients! You might like to start with the platforms like Upwork that we mentioned earlier, as these are simple ways to bid for and secure work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, it\u2019s important that you cast your net as wide as possible. Try looking on job search sites like <a href=\"https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/landingpage\/2867349\/jobs-writer-html\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Guardian Careers<\/a>, and make sure that you are signed up with a few freelance recruitment agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s also crucial that you build a professional website including examples of your recent work, information about you, and contact details. You can find more help in our <a href=\"\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-create-a-business-website\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1424\">step-by-step guide to building a business website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"trackyourtime\">Track your time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve found a few clients, you need to keep track of how much time you are spending on each project. This is important whether you are billing by the hour or by the project, as it will help to ensure that you know exactly how much time is being taken up with each client, and how profitable each working relationship is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a range of free time-tracking apps available online, but Toggl is one of the simplest, and will allow you to keep track of multiple projects and clients easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"registerasselfemployed\">Register as self-employed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tax is boring, but registering as self-employed is an important necessity. You need to register with HMRC as soon as possible, and you\u2019ll need to complete an annual Self Assessment tax return to record and pay tax on your self-employed earnings. Read more about the <a href=\"\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-assessment-deadline\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1509\">self-employed tax deadlines<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"getinsured\">Get insured<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, you should make sure that you are properly protected. Freelance writers might not think that they need insurance, but there are a range of risks that you need to think about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you regularly come into contact with clients or members of the public, you should take out <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a>. Here&#8217;s more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/faq\/what-is-public-liability-insurance\/\">what public liability insurance covers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you give advice to clients, you should consider <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">professional indemnity insurance<\/a>. It may depend on things such as the type of advice you offer, or whether you have sign-off, however. Read our FAQ page titled <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/faq\/do-i-need-professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">do I need professional indemnity insurance<\/a> if you&#8217;re unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, if the time comes that you employ other people, you are legally obliged to take out <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/employers-liability-insurance\/\">employers\u2019 liability insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Still unsure if freelancing is for you? Tell us your concerns below and we&#8217;ll do our best to help!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94e519ba wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"lookingforfreelancerinsurance\">Looking for freelancer insurance?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">As the UK&#8217;s biggest <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"5152\">business insurance<\/a> provider, we protect the self-employed workers who&#8217;re building Britain. Why not take a look now and build a quick, tailored <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/freelancers-insurance\/\">freelancers insurance quote<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quote.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business\">Start your quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":26267,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[336,335,111,110],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[93],"class_list":["post-813","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-structure","category-freelance","category-marketing","category-business-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to become a freelance writer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Business UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-21T10:43:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Josh Hall\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Josh Hall\",\"description\":\"\\n\"},\"headline\":\"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-02-20T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T10:43:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\"},\"wordCount\":1062,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business structure\",\"Guides for freelancers\",\"Marketing your business\",\"Small business news\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\",\"name\":\"How to become a freelance writer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-02-20T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T10:43:34+00:00\",\"description\":\"Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png\",\"width\":1401,\"height\":901,\"caption\":\"Image credit: BullRun\/stock.adobe.com\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Knowledge\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049\",\"name\":\"elliottstocks\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"caption\":\"elliottstocks\"}},{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#local-main-place-address\",\"streetAddress\":\"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row\",\"addressLocality\":\"London\",\"postalCode\":\"EC1Y 8LZ\",\"addressCountry\":\"GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#local-main-organization-logo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"width\":533,\"height\":187,\"caption\":\"Simply Business UK\"}]}<\/script>\n<meta name=\"geo.placename\" content=\"London\" \/>\n<meta name=\"geo.region\" content=\"United Kingdom (UK)\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to become a freelance writer","description":"Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer","og_description":"Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","og_site_name":"Simply Business UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness","article_modified_time":"2025-07-21T10:43:34+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@simplybusiness","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes","Written by":"Josh Hall"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Josh Hall","description":"\n"},"headline":"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer","datePublished":"2017-02-20T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-21T10:43:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/"},"wordCount":1062,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png","articleSection":["Business structure","Guides for freelancers","Marketing your business","Small business news"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","name":"How to become a freelance writer","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png","datePublished":"2017-02-20T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-21T10:43:34+00:00","description":"Becoming a freelance writer can be hugely rewarding, but first you need to take steps such as building up a portfolio and finding clients.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png","width":1401,"height":901,"caption":"Image credit: BullRun\/stock.adobe.com"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Knowledge","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/","name":"Simply Business UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049","name":"elliottstocks","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","caption":"elliottstocks"}},{"@type":"PostalAddress","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#local-main-place-address","streetAddress":"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row","addressLocality":"London","postalCode":"EC1Y 8LZ","addressCountry":"GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/#local-main-organization-logo","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","width":533,"height":187,"caption":"Simply Business UK"}]},"geo.placename":"London","geo.region":"United Kingdom (UK)"},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer","url":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/freelance.png"},"articleSection":"Business structure","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Josh Hall"}],"creator":["Josh Hall"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Simply Business UK","logo":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/icon-512x512-1.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2017-02-20T00:00:00Z","datePublished":"2017-02-20T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-07-21T10:43:34Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"A simple guide to becoming a freelance writer\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/freelance\\\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/freelance\\\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2017\\\/06\\\/freelance.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2017\\\/06\\\/freelance.png\"},\"articleSection\":\"Business structure\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Josh Hall\"}],\"creator\":[\"Josh Hall\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/icon-512x512-1.png\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2017-02-20T00:00:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-02-20T00:00:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T10:43:34Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/p.js"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/knowledge"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=813"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39789,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/813\/revisions\/39789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=813"},{"taxonomy":"hidden-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hidden-category?post=813"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}