Dear O'Abby: How do I get freelance work as a writer?

 Dear O'Abby,

A friend of mine suggested that I could make a bit of extra cash from by writing articles for different publications.  I kind of like that idea and have a bunch of ideas for stories I'd be interested in writing, but have no idea how to get into something like that.

Do you know any good ways to get this kind of freelance work?

Best wishes,

Workless

Dear Workless,

Firstly, don't Google how to get freelance writing gigs.  The first thing that comes up are a bunch of sites that suggest you sign up and work will come your way.  These sites tend to be competitive, pay badly and don't give you a lot of control over the content you produce.  As a freelance writer, you are basically setting yourself up as a business and as a business owner, you want to have control over all aspects of the business.  

So my first piece of advice is to know what kind of writing you want to do, find outlets that publish that kind of content and approach them directly with a pitch.  Make sure you thoroughly research the outlet you're pitching so you can ensure the story you pitch will be in line with their audience and editorial style.

Once you've identified the outlets, you need to pitch the story to an editor.  Editors are busy people and they get pitched at all day so make sure your pitch is punchy, to the point and that your credentials show that you are the perfect person - or better, the only person - to write this particular story.  This does not mean sending a lengthy cover letter with all your previous writing experience spelled out, or your full resume. A couple of sentences is enough if the article pitched is strong.

Because editors are busy people, it may take time for them to get back to you. It is okay to nudge if you have not seen a response after a couple of weeks (less if your story is time-sensitive), but don't badger them.  

Alternatively, a lot of businesses have blogs or newsletters that require content on a fairly regular basis and if that kind of writing appeals to you, that can be a good source of regular freelance work.  Maybe even start with one of your own previous employers, if they have such a thing.

There are a lot of opportunities for writers of all styles out there from writing reports to reviews to business letters to advice columns (like this one - although I don't get paid for this), so keep your eyes open for anything that looks like it could use help with its content and don't be shy about pitching your ideas.

Hope that's helpful!

X O'Abby