When I read articles from freelance “gurus” who discourages people from using websites to find freelance writing opportunities and suggest instead to focus on outreach, I always roll my eyes.
Why? Because I know for a fact that doing so is more complicated than it sounds.
Networking on your own could take weeks before you land a contract. But focusing on an audience that’s actively seeking help? Well, you could already be earning your first $1,000 by the end of this week.
That’s why I believe that freelance writer websites are a good way to find opportunities especially if you really need one. That was how I was able to earn quickly when I switched from being a virtual assistant to a freelance writer.
But there are a lot of websites out there that you could use.
Obviously, some aren’t even worth mentioning at all (unless you’re willing to get paid $5 for a 1,000-word article). That’s why I’ve compiled this list starting with the ones I regularly use.
Let’s get started!
1. Upwork
Upwork is so popular that I think I don’t need to introduce you to it. I want to ensure you that it’s really possible to find an opportunity on that platform really quickly without settling for low rates.
Further reading: On the other hand, if you need an introduction, I have written an awesome review about Upwork and whether or not it’s still worth it.
Upwork is a great platform to search for any freelance opportunities.
Writing is one of the main categories in the platform so you could expect lots of opportunities here. That’s why you may have to use filters to weed out bad job posts and only see those that are worth it.
For example, you may use the keywords “email” or “blog” or “web content” to only show those opportunities you want to take. Furthermore, you should also filter out job posts that are “entry-level” since those are usually low-budget opportunities.
(I have already earned thousands of dollars with opportunities in Upwork. Sure, there are scammers there, just like with any freelance website. But if you take the time to learn how to use the platform, you’ll be able to find awesome opportunities within 10 minutes.)
Further reading: If you’re new to Upwork, I compiled tips I learned over the years. It’s especially useful for beginners in the platform. Check out my Upwork tips for beginners article.
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2. ProBlogger Jobs
ProBlogger Jobs is a serious landmine for freelance writers. If you haven’t bookmarked it, now is the perfect time to do so. Right after clicking on that link, you would see this on your screen:
The list updates (almost) every day. What I like most about the opportunities in ProBlogger Jobs is that you can usually see the company that needs help. Plus, you can see what type of writing the client needs.
Before, there seemed to be an abundance of opportunities on this website. Now, there are around 1-5 new postings every day. But still, you can check out past postings either manually or by using the filter.
Once you click on a listing, you will see more information about the job required including the description and some notes the client wants you to know.
Then, you can either use apply within ProBlogger or use the instruction the client provided in the description.
How do I know that clients posting on ProBlogger are serious about needing help?
Well, as it turns out, posting a job there isn’t free (though you can freely find job opportunities). Although there are membership plans available, it costs at least $70 to post a job.
3. Freelance Writing Jobs
Have you experienced jumping from job board to job board seeking freelance writing opportunities? Tiring, right? But what if there’s a place that compiles this kind of opportunity and that you can access it for free?
That’s what Freelance Writing Jobs is all about.
At first, I thought it was similar to ProBlogger. But nope, you’ll find here different job posts from different job boards. Once you visit the site, you’ll find a compilation of such opportunities written ala-blog posts arranged per date.
Once you click on a post, you will see all the jobs they compiled.
In a single post, you might only find around 30 to 50 opportunities. It’s few since Freelance Writing Jobs vets each opportunity and only includes those that are legit. I have yet to find an opportunity on this website that seems scammy.
Many of the posts come from Indeed…
Some of the posts there might have application instructions where you will have to send them an email or something. If not, you will have to apply within Indeed itself. Creating an account on Indeed is free.
4. WriterAccess
I’ve been freelance writing for a few years now yet I only learned about WriterAccess a few days before I published this article.
From what I learned about them, they’re pretty awesome! Lots of opportunities here especially for new writers.
In a nutshell, WriterAccess is like a content marketing agency. Clients avail of their services and you’re the service provider. But unlike some agencies, clients would be able to choose their preferred writers and even contact them within the platform.
The pay here could be as low as $60 to as high as $400 per 1,000-word article. Sounds amazing, right? However, as with any agency, you should know that the higher the rate, the fewer your opportunities get.
It’s only recently that WriterAccess opened its gates to those that aren’t US-based. When creating an account, you will have to submit your resume. This is a bit uncomfortable, especially for those who only started writing as a freelancer, like me.
The good news is, if you’ve been updating your LinkedIn, you could actually use it as your resume. LinkedIn has a “resume builder feature” you can use. Here’s a guide on how to do that.
5. LinkedIn Jobs
Speaking of LinkedIn, did you know that the platform has a job listing feature now? LinkedIn Jobs works really great especially if you’re active on LinkedIn. Why? Because clients can easily see your profile and the articles you wrote.
It works just like Indeed. There are also lots of filters available not just for keywords and location, but even for job type and experience as well.
One look at it and you would know that it has now grown into a really good resource for finding freelance writing opportunities.
Although you can check all the details about the job on LinkedIn, the application page is usually on the company’s website.
One of the advantages of being active on LinkedIn in relation to their jobs feature is that you can see if you have any connections with someone who’s with the company. That connection might be able to point you to a decision-maker and even recommend you.
6. Freelance Writing
I’ve mentioned ProBlogger and Freelance Writing Jobs earlier. Freelance Writing lists each job posting from those platforms, including Indeed. Also, the listing updates in real-time.
In addition, Freelance Writing doesn’t just list all those opportunities like how ProBlogger Jobs does…
They index it and make each job posting searchable within the Freelance Writing website. On each posting, they make it known which source the posting was taken from.
Clicking on a posting doesn’t really contain much. Basically, it only has a basic description of the job posting and a link to its origin where you could send your application.
As of this date, there’s no way to apply for a job in Freelance Writing.
Amazingly, it’s free to use Freelance Writing! So better bookmark it and check it at least twice a day if you’re in need of a freelance writing opportunity fast.
7. FlexJobs
Out of every website I listed here, only FlexJobs isn’t free. In fact, there’s not even a free trial.
So why did I include it? Because it’s simply the largest listing you can find with vetted clients and companies searching for freelance writers.
You can think of it as the elder brother of Indeed…
It’s a giant job board where clients put in their needed services and FlexJobs-ers could apply. There are also lots of filters that will allow you to quickly find the opportunities you’re looking for.
Though it’s not free, I can certainly say that it’s worth it. There’s a reason why FlexJobs still has lots of members even though it isn’t free.
So if you badly need a job and you’re willing to spend money on it, try FlexJobs for a week for just $6.95.
Start with the bigger websites first
As you can see, there are lots of websites where you could find freelance writing jobs. Personally, I like using Upwork, ProBlogger, and Freelance Writing Jobs, though I may have to switch the two for Freelance Writing.
FlexJobs is also great if you’re in it for the long haul. The membership cost, when paid annually, is only $49.95. It’s more than half of what I pay Upwork every year for the Plus membership. Certainly, FlexJobs has better opportunities and more listing.
In addition, try to be more active on LinkedIn. Aside from their jobs feature, you might be able to land a contract by simply being active on the platform and connecting with prospects. It worked for lots of people so it should work on you, too.
Now it’s your turn:
- Try checking out each website listed here and create an account.
- Spend at least 10 minutes, twice a day, on the larger websites.
- Come back here and tell us how and on which platform you were able to land an opportunity.
Share it down below so others would get to learn from you as well.
