Top 10 Freelance Writing Websites to Grab Gigs in 2023
As a freelance writer, you must be always on the hunt for new writing possibilities. There are two ways to find freelance writing jobs in general: 1) invest in marketing efforts such as networking, cold emailing, and guest blogging, or 2) apply for freelance writing gigs. It’s critical to perform both sorts of job hunting if you want to find long-term success as a freelance writer. The second choice, on the other hand, is a little more straightforward.
Applying for freelance writing work is a terrific opportunity to expand your portfolio, break into new niches, and land projects that could convert into long-term contracts. Fortunately, there are plenty of freelance writing services where you may look for and apply for writing projects immediately.
As new freelance writing websites keep popping up every time you search for freelance writing websites, it becomes harder to find the best freelance writing websites. So, the question is, whether you are a professional content writer or a novice who just started your writing career, what are the best freelance writing websites?
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To help you answer this question, here’s a list of the best freelance writing websites below:
Best Freelance Writing Websites
1. LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is a fantastic resource for freelance writers of all levels of experience. It’s a job search engine as well as a professional social networking site. You may search for jobs by title, specialty, company, and area with a free LinkedIn account.
However, because it is such a large platform, hundreds of people often apply for a single job. To stay ahead of the competition, set up job notifications and sort jobs by the most recent posts.
You may also use LinkedIn’s networking features by sending connection requests with notes introducing yourself to recruiting managers and HR directors. You can also examine whether you and the person who posted the job ad have any mutual connections or shared experience.
As one of the best freelance writing websites, LinkedIn also offers premium accounts with additional features. If you subscribe to a premium account, you’ll be able to apply to jobs where you’d be a “top applicant,” see how you compare to other prospects and send direct messages to recruiters. The most basic package is $29.99 per month.
Pros:
- You’ll have quick access to hundreds of high-paying jobs.
- You can speak with the individual who listed the position directly.
- Job alerts can be set up.
Cons:
- There’s a lot of competition for jobs on LinkedIn.
- There may be fewer freelance possibilities available.
You may be interested to know about the Skills Required to Become a Freelance Content Writer
2. FlexJobs:
FlexJobs, as the name implies, provides chances for flexible work. Since 2007, the website claims to be “the number one source to find remote work from home, and flexible career possibilities.” Full-time writing employment, part-time tasks, flexible on-site contract positions, and freelance work in a range of industries are all available through FlexJobs.
The best thing about FlexJobs, besides being one of the best freelance writing websites for beginners, is that it screens all of its job posts for legality and quality, so you won’t run across any frauds. Quality, on the other hand, comes at a price. Access to FlexJobs’ job posts and job search tool costs $14.95 per month.
If you’re not sure if it’s worth the money, FlexJobs offers a week-long trial at a discounted fee of $6.95. You may search for writing jobs by job type, ideal work schedule, experience level, industry, and more when you sign up.
Pros:
- You’ll get access to high-quality freelance writing tasks that are simple to sort through.
- As a paying member, you may access webinars, career training courses, and one-on-one resume assistance.
- Because it’s an exclusive job search site, there may be less competition for employment.
Cons:
- You must pay a monthly fee to view the opportunities.
- As a newbie freelance writer, the jobs may be more difficult to qualify for.
- For the majority of jobs, you must submit a résumé.
3. Glassdoor:
Glassdoor is a prominent job search engine and comes under the best freelance writing websites on this list, but it’s also a company comparison site, which sets it apart from other job sites. When you sign up, you’ll be able to publish reviews about the companies where you’ve worked as well as read hundreds of reviews and ratings from other employees.
Glassdoor jobs are free to apply for, but you must first make an account, either using your Facebook profile or your email address. You can search for freelance writing jobs by title, keyword, or area from there. You can also get customized job recommendations and notifications if you build a profile and fill it out with your background experience and skills.
Glassdoor’s attraction is that each job posting is assessed based on corporate parameters such as compensation, culture and values, career options, and benefits. Glassdoor also highlights job postings that are simple to apply for, popular, new or part of a recruiting boom, so you can pick which ones are worth your time.
Instead of looking for freelance writing employment, you might adopt a roundabout approach by looking for the top-rated companies in your niche and then seeing whether they want writers. Unfortunately, most of Glassdoor’s writing jobs are full-time, making it difficult to find excellent freelance writing opportunities.
Pros:
- You can simply filter positions and gain information into a company’s culture and work environment.
Cons:
- Freelance writing employment isn’t as prevalent as it used to be.
- To see other people’s corporate reviews, you must first make a credible review for a past or current job.
4. Indeed.com:
Indeed.com is another online job search service that lists job openings across a wide range of industries. To get started as a freelance writer, all you have to do is post your résumé. Employers will be able to contact you about job openings once you’ve done so. However, you can use the search function to look for and apply for freelance writing jobs.
Whether it’s “freelance writer,” “remote copywriter,” or “digital content writer,” you simply key in the name of the job you want. You may then sort the jobs by posting date, job type, pay, location, company, and experience level. You can even run a more advanced job search that filters job posts based on keywords, phrases, and income expectations.
The biggest advantage of Indeed.com, which makes it one of the best freelance writing websites, is that many freelance job posts include a salary range, allowing you to decide. If it’s worth your time to apply, you’ll know immediately.
Indeed.com also marks jobs with phrases like “easy apply” or “responsive employer,” so you know where to focus your efforts for the best results. However, because the site is not expressly aimed toward remote or freelance work, you’ll probably encounter more full-time job postings than not.
Pros:
- You can search for writing jobs for free and easily, and employers can contact you.
- The advanced job search feature allows you to see more relevant job openings.
Cons:
- Job postings may not be as relevant to freelancers as they are to employees.
5. MediaBistro:
For anyone looking for a job in the media industry, MediaBistro is the place to go. MediaBistro features jobs from content agencies, news sites, digital media firms, and TV and film broadcast companies, in addition to advertising companies and old-school national news newspapers.
You can look for writing jobs based on whether they are remote or not, the date they were listed, the job kind, duration, experience level, area, and keyword. You may also set up job alerts and sign up for a membership that grants you access to inexpensive online career classes and media-related tools, such as how to better pitch editors.
The majority of the positions are full-time, but you might come across freelance writing work or a contract gig. You won’t be able to find writing positions in fields like computing or healthcare because all of the work is specialized in the media business.
Pros:
- It’s free and simple to look for writing employment, and you may take advantage of useful writing tools and services.
Cons:
- The majority of the positions are full-time.
6. Behance:
Behance is a job search service for creatives who curate jobs in a range of professions, including writing. Free job searches are available by job type, industry, and region. If you want to write for organizations in the creative industries, Behance can help you uncover new and exciting employers, but if you’re looking for technical writing work or niche-specific jobs, there may not be as many options.
In addition, the site tends to list more jobs for designers than for writers. Behance isn’t the be-all and end-all of job-hunting sites, but it might be a useful addition to other sites you use.
Pros:
- You have access to innovative employment.
- The site is simple to explore and utilize.
Cons:
- There are fewer writing positions available than there are design opportunities.
- You may find that a full-time job is more appealing than freelancing labor.
7. We Work Remotely:
We Work Remotely is the world’s largest online remote work community, linking you to employment that doesn’t require you to be in an office. The site has some fantastic prospects for freelance writers in particular because all of the projects are pre-screened for remote capability.
You can look for writing jobs by area, company, and whether you want to work full-time or on a contract basis. The only category linked to writing in the search box is copywriting, but don’t let that stop you. Content writing, marketing writing, SEO writing, content strategy, and other forms of writing employment are still available.
Pros:
- You receive 100% remote job access.
- Searching is free and simple.
- You may use the site’s resources, which include information about remote working and firms that recruit remote workers.
Cons:
- You may not be able to find as much freelancing employment as you would full-time positions.
8. Upwork:
In the early days of internet freelancing (around 2015), oDesk and Elance, two of the most popular freelance work sites at the time, merged. Upwork, which today has over 12 million freelancers, 5 million clients, and 3 million freelance job listings every year, is the outcome that is one of the best freelance writing websites, especially for beginners.
While the marketplace offers a diverse spectrum of freelance work, there are several freelance writing opportunities ranging from blogging to resume writing, website copywriting, and technical documentation. Short-term contracts, long-term contracts, hourly employees, and project-based remuneration are all available.
If you’re just starting as a freelance writer, you’ll have a steeper learning curve in terms of building a portfolio and establishing a reputation on the site. However, the site’s job availability means that if you’re prepared to put in the effort to make proposals, you’ll always be able to get work.
Upwork levies a 20% fee for the first $500 you make with any client, which is the largest disadvantage. Furthermore, for any proposal for which you were not specifically encouraged to apply, you must pay up to $0.90. So, if you’re just starting, you might have to pay to play in order to build your portfolio.
Pros:
- Seemingly limitless leads.
- Payment management.
Cons:
- Highest fees for freelance writing sites.
- Takes time to establish a reputation on the platform.
9. Contena
Contena is a premium freelance writing marketplace that wants to be more than just “another job board.” It’s one of my top freelance writing sites recommendations. First, they provide a “writing job finder” that gathers the best freelance writing possibilities from all around the internet. When opposed to searching for jobs on a variety of different websites, this saves you a lot of time.
The following are some of the other features that make Contena one of the best freelance writing websites for beginners and professionals alike:
- Coaching – Access to expert assistance in growing your freelance writing company.
- Pro Rates – Provides you with the average rates authors earn so you can correctly price your work.
- Publish – This allows you to build your portfolio using their gorgeous and user-friendly tools.
Despite the fact that you must apply and pay through their website, the work they generate is of such high quality that it pays for itself quickly.
Pros:
- Includes additional useful tools and courses to help you get started and build your freelancing.
- Includes a writing job search that combines the best accessible from around the web.
Cons:
- Requires an application.
- Is a paid service.
10. Freelance Writing Jobs:
Freelance Writing Jobs (FWJ) will save you time and frustration by screening through tons of possibilities (some of which will be bogus) on other freelance writing sites, which are updated Monday through Friday with gigs from around the web.
However, when it comes to getting employed, you’ll still need to perform your own research. Because it isn’t a platform like FlexJobs or Upwork, the actual steps for applying, landing, and getting paid for a job will differ depending on the job.
However, they have an excellent archive of blogs with advice for both novice and experienced freelance writers, and they are well worth adding to your “places to locate writing employment” list and that makes FWJ one of the best freelance writing websites.
Pros:
- Freelance writing job board.
- Includes jobs from all around the web as well as their own board.
Cons:
- There isn’t a platform – there isn’t a centralized mechanism to submit applications/get hired.
- There aren’t as many opportunities as there are on other freelance writing websites
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How do I find my writing niche?
Finding a specialty can be done in a variety of ways. Some freelancers, bloggers, and professional writers advise to simply pick a topic you’re interested in and learn everything you can about it. Others advise experimenting with a few different niches to figure out what you’re strong at. Choosing a specialty and sticking to it can help you save time and become an expert faster. The disadvantage is that if you don’t give it enough thought and planning, you can end up pigeonholing yourself into a niche you don’t love writing in. Use these pointers to determine which niche is right for you.
2. Are freelance writers in demand?
The demand for experienced freelance writers is immense, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Consider this: almost every business needs written content, whether it’s for a website, an email, a social media post, or an advertisement. The list may go on forever!
3. What are the skills that you need to master to be a freelance writer?
To excel as a freelance writer, you must have organization and time management skills, editing skills, networking skills, and marketing skills.
4. Which freelance websites are best for beginners?
Some of the best freelance writing websites for beginners include Contena, Upwork, and Flexjobs.
Conclusion
So, these are the top 10 freelance writing websites that you can explore if you are keen to give your career a kickstart in this professional industry.
