How to become a writer with no experience? It really is possible. In fact, there’s never been a better time to be a writer. I have an inbox full of prospects desperate for freelance writing. That’s not bragging, it’s to encourage you. If you start today with just one of these tips you could be making money as a writer, even without experience, in very little time!
Volunteer for a cause you care about
One of the best ways to get writing experience is to volunteer for a cause you care about. So many nonprofits need marketing help.
They don’t have deep pockets and major marketing budgets. That means they can’t afford to hire writers for their email campaigns, website copy, or social media.
This is where you can come in. Send their head of marketing an email. Find them on LinkedIn and connect.
Keep it simple and offer your generous and genuine help.
Reach out to a person you follow online and admire
This is an example from my personal vault. For a long time I sat in the shadows securely admiring an online influencer.
I wanted to be the type of writer that wrote for this influencer “someday”.
Then I realized I needed to follow my own advice.
Be bold. Be real. Be fearless.
I sent her an email and offered my writing help and she loved my pitch. A few successful projects later I am now friends with this online influencer, and she sends me awesome work.
It pays to take a risk.
Recreate an email you were sent that sucks
Instead of hating on your inbox, swiping “archive” every time you see a scammy or spammy email, use it as an assignment.
In my early email marketing days I would rewrite one bad email a week. I found I looked forward to receiving the really terrible emails because it was fun to see how I could transform them.
In fact, taking a bad email to a fantastically written marketing message is a wonderful portfolio piece.
Recreate an email that is awesome
Everyday you receive messages in your inbox. Too many probably.
Let me offer you some life-changing advice. Your own inbox is the best copywriting curriculum.
Every email you receive will teach you something.
Notice those messages that make you want to click open. What were those subject lines. Save them. Write them down for later as ideas.
Notice the messages that kept you hooked. Why were they so good?
What were the tools the writer used?
And rewrite one of the best ones. When you read an email that is so excellent it makes you feel jealous and inadequate.
Use it as motivation. Try to write something almost as great. It will be an excellent portfolio piece.
Start a blog but write about something so fun that you effortlessly write daily
Many people take the “start a blog” advice. Sure.
But then they fail miserably and there are ghosts of WordPress blogs strewn about the internet for years to come. This is because people start the wrong blog.
Your blog needs to be FUN.
Fun is the only way you’ll be consistent. Prospective clients will be able to see your writing style through your blog posts, even if they’re about your favorite vegan lasagna dish at the local restaurant down the street.
You just need to have zest. And consistency. And more than two posts per year.
Start a blog that is fun to write. I dare you.
Review your favorite product
Find yourself recommending a product so much you think you should work for the company? Why not write a product review?
This could be an excellent portfolio piece. A case study. A product page. It will take you 5 minutes, because you’re obsessed with the product.
Start or join a 30 day Instagram challenge
Join an instagram caption challenge.
There are lots of them around. A great way to get group motivation and see what other’s are chatting about online.
Plus it doesn’t hurt to start cultivating an Instagram presence because soon you’ll be a busy freelance writing entrepreneur!
Find a critique partner
Facebook groups for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and aspiring virtual assistants are full of women that would love to collaborate with you.
Find someone that would be your partner in writing. Each of you offers to critique the other’s work for the week. Make it a fun happy-hour kind of thing, where you chat about how you’ll be six figure writer someday.
Use Copyhackers templates and do every one
Copyhackers.com has SO MUCH content.
Check out their copywriting templates and try a few per week. PASOP, AIDA…you’ll learn all about them. And become an excellent writer.
Start writing for Medium
Medium is an online site that was actually created by the founders of Twitter. Writers can actually get PAID to write for Medium.
You simply start a blog on Medium and submit your posts (called “stories”) to Medium publications.
Of course, it takes practice to understand the ropes and how to get accepted. But I’m really intrigued by the Medium business model.
Starting a Medium blog is so easy and their typography and look and feel is so pretty for writers especially! Check it out.