Category: Content Writing

“What a comfortable work life” – is a compliment received by many well- established freelancers. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, because we always, somewhere, compare our work lives with others. Freelancers, on the other hand, tend to face this more often because of their ‘work as per convenience’ policy, which often creates a lot of myths about their work or success. Freelance is a lucrative career, you work for yourself, build your own brand, decide your own terms and consequently , it’s you, who is accountable for your success or failure. The struggles of freelancers are real, unlike any memes you see on this subject. But what is the key that helps a freelancer to grow?

Let’s talk about that one differentiating factor that either kills or cures is – Productivity, which is not defined by the number of hours you put in for a task, but the experience or efficiency you bring to the table. Content marketing is the best alternative to traditional marketing methods, tech companies have gone ahead to develop useful freelance writing tools. An efficient freelancer must have great tools which help in channelising productivity, which does not come easily and requires great tools to reach there.

Writing is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, it is hard. Especially when you are building yourself  as a freelancer, no matter how skilled, no matter how long you’ve been writing, it never gets easy, because efficiency and perfection is expected out of you. You work and learn simultaneously. However,  being good at writing doesn’t just matter for freelance writers. Do you sell your product or service or post on social media or need to communicate with others?

You need to write. Ever wondered if an application or tool could actually help improve your writing life? We are super blessed to have smart devices and softwares at your doorstep. The struggles of succeeding as a writer has been reduced by the methods of technology by blessing us with the right tools to deal with plenty of such challenges and ofcourse, to improve efficiency. You can keep a track of your  budget, organise your workload, moreover, improve your vocabulary, correct the errors and most importantly  find space to get everything done.

Let this article save some of your time, we have enlisted the applications and tools into three broad spectrums – Writing, Productivity & Brainstorming.

Writing Tools

Readability

The Readability Test Tool provides a quick and easy way to test the readability of your work. It is the most flexible readability software for assessing readability formulas.Paragraphs and sentences that are complex and too wordy may spoil your content. You should convey your message effectively. Simplicity cuts through everything.

Google Docs

This one is obvious. A lot of people don’t think about using Google Docs for writing practice, but it makes sense. Google Docs is a free writing tool. It’s also easy to use and can be accessed from pretty much everywhere. Start by creating a folder to organize your writing. Start it so it will always be at the top of your GDocs, so every time you open it, your folder is staring you in the face.

Scrivener

It is an advanced writing software created by  keeping writers in mind. And that is why a lot of writers love working on this distraction-free platform. It is not only a tool to write but is also an all-in-one formatting and project management software.

Ulysses

It wouldn’t be wrong to call it one of the simplest text editors. If you are the one for whom content is more important than the layout, then this one is surely the most customizable app for you with the minimalistic, straightforward yet compelling interface.

Blank Page

Are you a storyteller? If yes, then this one’s for you. It helps in crafting stories and  working on books, Blank Page is a perfect tool to  get you started. You can set up outlines and chapters for every story. Plus you can export everything to Word.

Brainstorming Tools

Writer

Writer is a tool that offers a free plagiarism checker to catch spelling, punctuation, grammatical errors and ensure your copy is original. The unique thing about Writer is that it’s an AI-driven tool that can help you simplify your language for more precise writing, suggests ways to improve readability, and check for repetitive language. It also allows you to create a personalized style guide to make your own rules to make corrections based on your own messaging and terminology.

Hemingway Application

Hemingway editor is an application that highlights statements that are lengthy, complex or have standard errors. This app helps freelance  writers save time spotting hard sentences, and this gives them time to edit them fast and continue writing.

Correctica

Correctica is a new tool targeted at correcting grammar, spelling, and sentence structure that could otherwise slip through the cracks.

Copyspace

Copyscape is the leading solution on the web for detecting online plagiarism. This app lets you easily identify sites that have copied your content without permission, as well as those who are quoting your site

Pro-writing Aid

For an all in one writing tool, you are hard pressed to go wrong with something like ProWritingAid. It combines some of the best features from some of the most popular. It also gives you up to 20 reports to check your writing. So it’s flexible enough to be used for anything from blogging to business writing to manuscripts.

Reverso

Reverso is one of the best language learners and Google’s translation tool which provides accurate and diverse contextual translations to help users to extend their vocabulary.

Bubble.us

One of the most important things while brainstorming is avoiding distractions. makes it easy to organize your ideas visually in a way that makes sense to you and others. The  editor is designed to help you stay on task and capture your thoughts quickly.

One look dictionary

This fantastic tool would help creative writers brainstorm and come up with matching words, names or synonyms.

If you want to use alliteration, it is also a great tool. It also has a thesaurus/reverse dictionary for words, you can’t seem to remember, but you know their meaning. Also, it is totally free, just bookmark the webpage and enjoy.

Hubspot Blog topic generator

For many who blog, coming up with topics to write about is often the hardest when you’re first starting out. s easily one of the most fun tools out there for all writers. And each and every user will surely be filled with childlike glee once they use it. All you need are 3 words. Simply type three words you want to blog about preferably nouns into the form, select “give me blog topics,” and there you get the ideas.

Productivity tools

Time doctor

It is not only a remote time tracking tool but a digital timesheet that is created to improve your productivity, payroll and accounting management as well. A well rehearsed tracking software that provides detailed analytics of where time is spent in the work day. With metrics for all workday activity, organizations can make data-driven decisions and have the accountability necessary for flexible work.

Toggl

Toggl app is quite essential. You can create projects, and add a list of tasks underneath, precisely according to a time frame within the project. It also records the time you spend on each job and gives you reports to help you evaluate the levels of your productivity.  You can also send these reports to your clients, so they can appreciate the effort put into their projects.

Coschedule

Coschedule is simply an editorial calendar that allows you to organize your workload, upcoming projects and connect to social media. With this tool, you can view your entire schedule in a  simple interface. Also, you can integrate with favourite apps and tools such as Google Analytics, WordPress, Chrome, and all social media platforms.

Invoice genius

Every good freelancer needs to know how to send invoices to get paid for their hard work. Invoice Genius will keep you on top of your game by allowing you to create and send professional invoices and estimates in seconds. You can also track their status, require signature approval, and accept online payments – all within its intuitive, streamlined interface.

Free agent

This accounting software seems to check all the boxes as well: time tracking, estimates, and a dashboard. With the dashboard included, this becomes a pretty involved app that allows you to track your completion progress and your work time, which are often overlooked by other money management tools.

Wave

This tool is just what you need to keep track of your cash flow — freelance writing revenue. Truly understand and manage your income and expenses. Track everything and connect to other Wave products such as payroll, payments, and invoicing. Everything is automated and in one perfect package that creates your invoices for free.

Unsplash

Of course, you need graphics, images & visuals for your blogs and websites to make it presentable. Unsplash is a hub of royalty-free images which essentially lets you use the images for free, in any way you like, except for using them to create a competing website.  It provides a convenient way to find free, high quality images that you can share and reuse to use an image in your blog post, presentation, or website as long as you know what to look out for.

Skype

Skype has been around longer than most of the communication software on the market. Although it is not free, it is still one of the widely used forms of communication out there. Skype is a great way to communicate with your clients with messages or video chat without all the frills and add ons.

Freelancer / upwork

They are one of the best platforms where freelancers can get work, being an online job marketplace that provides a means for clients and freelancers around the globe to collaborate for mutual benefit. Individuals or businesses in need of skilled help for short or long-term projects can post those projects and allow freelancers to submit bids for the completion of the work.

Similarly, Upwork is a workforce that connects businesses with freelancers, independent talent, and agencies around the globe. Where companies and freelancers work together in new ways that unlock their potential.

People per hour

Just as the name implies, this company connects employers to people who get paid by the hour on a freelance basis. As an employer, you have the ability to post a job. As a freelancer, you have the ability to post a profile of yourself or check the extensive job board.

We hope this information brings light to all the spheres of freelancing. We have covered most of the basic tools and applications that will help you to grow your niche as a freelancer. However, it’s obviously not essential to use all of them. Take a look at your projects, the kind of  clients you have, what they expect,  what kind of billing system you use and what ways can you improve. Remember, the less clutter we have in our lives, the better we can think and create which is vital for a good freelance writer. While there are powerful, paid tools online, there is equal value in the free resources around.  You should love technology created especially for writers because many regular life situations require an in-depth knowledge of composition. We recommend downloading at least a couple of apps discussed in our post to ease your academic or professional pain.

Updated/Edited on 27th June, 2024: 
This is one of the most-read blogs on my website. Thank you so much for showing so much love to this post. I feel grateful (Joining Hands Indian Style). I am an independent verified SEO writer, best-selling author, reliable ghostwriter and personal branding expert who helps entrepreneurs and startups nurture their online/digital presence. Guaranteed results in SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Lead Generator via LinkedIn. See my portfolio here and follow me on socials: www.linktr.ee/sarkhedibhavik Thank you. Keep reading informational blogs. Keep sharing. Reach out to me for any feedbacks and suggestions on content writing, personal branding and digital marketing 🙂 🙂

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Freelancers Secret Income Guide

Writing may seem like an easy job for anyone who knows how to speak and write. But content writing is an entirely different ball game where one has to make sure that their content is curated for the audience and it must be targeted towards selling.

But it does need a lot of determination and patience to make it in this business. Many people daydream that one can make it big and be their boss, but it requires a lot of time and patience to reach that position. But you shouldn’t be discouraged with that as with just a little bit of experience and knowledge about the basic things; you can find people looking for your talent as many startups are always looking for writers that suit their needs.

During this pandemic period, a lot of people have lost their jobs or have had a pay cut. Freelancing has been advertised by a lot of people to be a quick way to make money. But it is the opposite of that. One has to be always hustling and, in contrast, working 24/7 to make it.

How much do freelance writers make on average?

It is challenging to understand how much a freelancer earns on average as it depends on the writer’s experience in writing. It also depends on the workload the writer is willing to accept. According to various studies, it has been stated that a freelance content writer usually makes somewhere between 16,000 rupees which would amount to almost two lacs per year. It was released in a study done by Indeed where freelance writers were asked about their income per month from content writing. In this particular study, some freelancers had stated that they earned per month on an average of 25,000 to 40,000 rupees. If a writer is altogether fresher or starting, then they can make somewhere between ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 , while on the other hand, experienced content writers can earn somewhere around 20,000 rupees.

In another study done by pay scale, the average payoff of pro freelance writers is approximately ₹494 per hour in India. An experienced writer can earn up to 594 rupees per hour. It also varies in which niche or content writer is working in. For example, any academic writer can own somewhere between ₹250 to ₹300, but medical academic writers can earn somewhere between rupees three ₹300-₹370 per hour.

On the other hand, someone who is a full-time content writer, depending on the niche and their expertise, can earn anything. It just depends on how much they want to work and whom they are working for.

What every Freelancer needs to know?

Many people who start writing ask how much they can earn from it , as everybody has bills to pay. But to understand on which scale your freelance writing may be, you need to know whether you have the necessary skills or time to do it. You need to ask yourself a few questions, and if you can answer them correctly, you will understand that in which category you fall and how much you may earn per month from this job.

The questions can be:

How much time are you willing to devote?

Most people desire to be their own boss and run their own business easily. They do not desire to be answerable to anyone and work on a desired time schedule. But a lot of times, these dreams do not turn into reality because the same people do not want to invest the time required to materialize it. Being a freelancer means that you need to market yourself and also continue up-skilling yourself.

Every day is a constant struggle to try and find work or clients and also ways to add to their skill list. These are just some of the factors that influence how much you earn since it depends on how much you want to achieve. Another thing to consider is that it needs a lot of self-discipline to carry on working hard every day. Many people start losing their motivation as they don’t have someone to report to, or they get engaged in other activities that they like doing. Lesser time put into the work means lesser pay.

That brings us to our next question.

How much do you want to earn?

If you are the wrong student and do content writing jobs on a part-time basis, you can easily earn between 10,000 to 12,000 rupees a month, which can surely suffice you. On the other hand, if you have a family and are working full-fledged for their survival, you need to work more and pay more attention to your entire working structure. That way, you can easily earn anywhere between 25,000 to 60,000 thousand rupees a month.

But a person must keep in mind that freelance writing doesn’t have a limit. Many people start with freelancing or full-time content writer intending to replace their daytime or full-time job, but it has the potential to become something more prominent as you get better and gain potential clients. Only the sky is the limit in freelancing or just writing in general.

How serious and big your aims are?

Content writing is such a job where the more prominent your clients, the better they will pay you. What that means is you need to constantly find clients who are established businesses or even startups who are willing to pay for talents. You can also start with the freelancing sites to build a portfolio. As your portfolio becomes more diverse and more enriched, you can begin cold emailing or cold contacting businesses and startups. This way, you can be sure that you can land at least a job for every 100 emails you send out. It might not sound like a lot, but it can surely replace a few of the small jobs that you were doing. For example, one contract with a business directly can earn you around 60,000 to 80,000 if it’s a full-year contract .Whereas firms that have bulk work like 2000-3000 words a day pay somewhere between 10 to 30 (ppw)paisa per word. So it is a straightforward calculation that if you’re doing two of these ten ppw jobs, you can replace them with one direct client you land.

The more you work, the more contacts you get, and the better you writer you become. The more you own a name for yourself the more companies will start approaching you directly. That is when you will realize that sky is the only limit to own in content writing.

Conclusion

If you have been thinking about venturing into content writing, whether freelance or part-time, and have been guessing whether you can earn enough or not, start small. Try out a few small writing gigs first; get a taste of writing. Once you start enjoying it, you will indulge yourself in it more naturally. So, stop worrying and just get on with it- who knows what the future may hold for you.

Reach out to me at bhavikwriteright at the rate gmail.com for paid consultation

A content writer is never off-duty! A freelance content writer enjoys many benefits which a normal office-going employee can only imagine of. There are people who left their full-time jobs to pursue freelancing. Why do you think they make such bold moves? Because freelancing is powerful! One who establishes oneself here is never out of work and money. A freelance content writer can earn from multiple sources and choose from a wide range of roles available. Let’ see what makes a freelance content writing career so attractive:

Top 5 websites for freelancers to earn money:

1. Upwork

The website boasts of its 12 million registered users. Work can be done remotely and there is a ‘time-tracking software to record your work and progress.

2. Chegg

This website provides various services to students like it provides digital textbooks, online tutoring, scholarships and content creation.

3. WorkNhire

It is another website similar to Upwork where clients and Freelancers collaborate. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or experienced, you can always work as a freelancer here.

4. Truelancer.

With the aim to create a global ecosystem, Truelancer offers the right space for freelancers to work and grow. It ensures 100 per cent customer satisfaction and a fair share of payment.

5. People Per Hour

If you are a freelancer and want to earn a place for yourself in this field then this is the place for you. Freelancers can avail projects as per their expertise and receive payment as per their number of working hours.

The Power Of Guest Posting

Guest posts are like an investment that you do to reap benefits throughout your life. You can submit your posts, related to your niche, to various websites that accept guest posts. You can continue this for a long time until you are invited by companies like INC, Entrepreneur and Business Insider to write for them. SEO and Digital marketing expert Neil Patel says that he writes over 100 guest posts in a year and this brings him high-ticket clients and contracts. So keep writing and publishing your article. But your article should have a uniqueness. It should be well researched and optimized to attract viewers.

Become an author

Writing for years? That’s a good sign. If you have the tint of storytelling and love writing poems or novels, you can become an author too. Many freelancers have self-published their own books and enjoying a passive income. You can too do this because nowadays publishing is easier than you might think. So even if you don’t have an excellent writing skill but you want to voice your story then too you are good to go with self-publishing.

Try your hands in blogging

Blogging can become your next regime if you can scale it up in the right way. People earn thousands of dollars every month, just by blogging. It is a lucrative career. Why? Because you can generate passive income through it. You can generate income through affiliate links in your blog articles. It gives you the freedom to write what you love. But you have to stay consistent, write a high-quality article, well researched and optimized so that it can rank well on Google SERP.

Work as an SEO writer

Many businesses and websites want to rank better on SERP and thus they hire professionals who could write SEO optimized articles. The work of an SEO writer includes rigorous research, keyword analysis, technical knowledge and similar skills. SEO writers are in great demand because everyone wants to rank better and that raises the demand for SEO writers. You can take a short SEO course. This will make you more equipped and confident. Every penny is worth spending on SEO. It has a good ROI.

Join a publishing house

A publishing house consists of various verticals like designing, PR, editors etc. You can join them as an editor. There are many editors who later turned into authors like Toni Morrison and Margaret Atwood. They started their career as editors in publishing houses and later turned into authors. You need years of experience and sound knowledge to reach this position. The job of an editor is to go through the scripts or drafts before getting published. What you learn in a publishing house can help you become a successful author in future. From acquisition editor to assistant editor, one can choose his desired role in this field.

Work as an E-commerce writer

Various companies that sell their products need writers to promote their sell their products. This is called affiliate marketing. For example, When you Google ‘which is the best gaming laptop’ you will find a list of laptops, their features, pros and cons etc. This information is provided by these writers. A company can hire you if you have a good persuasive writing skills. You can also negotiate a share for the number of sales made through your affiliate links. This is a great way of earning tonnes of money as a freelance content writer.

Work as a Freelance Content Writer

If you don’t want to join any firm or being an author or blogger is not your goal, then you can simply work as a freelance content writer. You can register on Upwork, Fiverr or Peopleerhour and work with clients. You can also build your strong portfolio and pitch to companies to hire you as a freelance content writer. You can target companies according to your desired niche and Connect with people from these organisations on Twitter and LinkedIn. This will increase your chances to land in a big firm.

Serve as a copywriter

You can also become a freelance copywriter. A copywriter’s job is to curate content for CTA (call to action). This can be a persuasion to subscribe, buy, visit a page or try a free version. He can control the customer’s finger through his words. Thus the role played by a copywriter is immense in a company. They are the pillars of inbound marketing.

Work as a Scriptwriter

If you love weaving short stories and have a craze for movies and shows then you can choose this field. A freelance Scriptwriter is responsible for writing the script or the storyline for movies, dramas or shows. You get to work with producers, directors and actors. Generally, they have tight schedules and tough deadlines. They may be asked by the directors to draft and redraft the content multiple times. Most of the screenwriters/scriptwriters are freelancers. You need to have strong creative writing skills, excellent communication and knowledge of media and communications to excel in this field.

Become a social media writer

A social media writer or manager handles a company’s social media pages and updates about various achievements of the company and tracks user engagement. They create posts on social media channels to aware people of their achievements and happening. Through this, they generate user engagement and a follower base. Their sole aim is to give a voice to a brand through social media alongside covering their marketing goals.

The Final Takeaway

Working as a freelance content writer gives you a lot of flexibility and an unmatched career growth option. Initially, it may take time to build a credible profile but with time and expertise, it yields the best. The best part is that you get to choose your working hours and even how much you want to earn, provided you have several clients to work for. Just believe in yourself and keep writing!