Picture yourself working from home as a writer. Maybe you’re sitting in your favorite spot with a cup of tea, enjoying a relaxing morning because you don’t have to commute. Or maybe you have a little one in the background. They’re napping or playing while you earn some money on your latest project.
Work from home writing jobs support all kinds of lifestyles, and there’s no limit to the income you can earn. The question is, how to get started?
That’s where many new freelancers and remote workers get stuck. They have the skills and know they want to work from home, but they don’t know how to find the right opportunities. They might even believe that you have to be “in the know” to get started.
Not so. There are countless work from home writing jobs out there, from full-time remote positions in tech writing to one-time blog writing gigs. Whatever your interests are, there are opportunities available.
This article will show you where they are, and how to apply for them successfully. Whether you’re a new writer or looking to explore other types of work, you’ll find new avenues to try.
1. Content Writing
Content writing is any kind of written marketing material that isn’t explicitly sales focused. Companies produce content to connect with audiences, provide value to consumers, and build a following.
There are many different kinds of content writing jobs, including:
- Blog posts: Popular ways for organizations to infuse their website with fresh content
- Articles: Longer and more in-depth than blog posts, these tend to involve more research.
- Social media posts: Stand-alone posts and introductions for articles shared on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more
- Email newsletters: Announcements and updates about an organization’s latest activities
As a writer, you can specialize in a particular content type or take on whatever a company needs. Companies always need fresh content to stay relevant, so there’s no shortage of gigs.
Freelance Job Boards
Job boards post one-time and ongoing opportunities for remote writers. Most let you filter your search based on what kind of writing you want to do — blogging, social media writing, email marketing, and so on.
Some of the most useful and well-populated job boards today are:
Many of these job boards let you sign up to receive opportunities directly in your email. If that model works for you, there are also writing job newsletters that will send you jobs on a weekly or biweekly basis. SolidGigs and The Morning Coffee eNewsletter are two of the best examples.
Content Services and Agencies
As content has become a marketing must-have, companies have sprung up to meet the need. These companies take a more active role in matching clients with freelancers. You’ll set up a profile and the company will send you projects that match your qualifications.
Some of the best services to sign up with are:
Each service works a little bit differently. Compose.ly offers available jobs for its writer team to claim, but the pay is fixed. ClearVoice and Contently let you set up a profile and negotiate with clients.
2. Copywriting
Copywriting is a lot like content writing. The main difference is that content primarily exists to provide value to the reader. Copy persuades readers to take a particular action, usually but not always related to a purchase. Examples include:
- Landing pages on the web
- Direct response emails
- Product descriptions
- Buying guides
Copywriting can be extremely lucrative because clients can track the payoff. A single direct response email or landing page might generate five to six figures of income for the client, so it tends to command higher rates.
GetCopywritingJobs
If you’re specifically looking to write copy, GetCopywritingJobs is the place to start. It’s a job board with copywriting positions of all kinds, from ad writing to proposal writing.
Just remember to enter “remote copywriter” or “freelance copywriter” in the search box. This site isn’t just for work-from-home writers.
Direct Response Jobs
Direct Response Jobs is the job board for members of the American Writers & Artists Institute. AWAI is produces highly respected copywriting courses, so it’s a great resource for beginning copywriters. Plus, buying a course automatically earns you membership and access to the job board.
Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com has an entire job board dedicated solely to copywriting. One caveat is that it’s a bid site, so you’ll find some low-paying jobs and writers trying to undercut each other.
Also, some of the jobs on this board are clearly more on the content end of things. If you’re specifically looking to build up your copywriting portfolio, you might want to start with one of the other two resources above.
3. Resume Writing
Resume writers are in high demand. With the unemployment rate dropping and companies starting to hire again, more and more people are needing to polish up their resumes.
Enter the resume writer. This is a great work from home writing job for people with great written and verbal communication skills, since there’s a lot of direct communication with clients. You can do the work on a freelance basis or sign on with an agency, depending on what works for you.
Freelance Gig Sites
You can get resume writing work on many of the same sites where you’d land content and copywriting work. Freelancer.com and Upwork both have steady streams of requests for resume writers.
To find work on these sites, it’s best to take a two-pronged approach:
- Browse the listings and bid on jobs
- Create a profile so you’re visible when people look for resume writers
And while you’re creating profiles, set one up on Fiverr. People often go there for resume writers, and you can build up a decent presence if you get good ratings and reviews.
Resume Writing Services
There are countless agencies and resume writing companies out there, and they need good writers. To find the ones that are actively hiring, Google “resume writing ‘join our team’” (be sure to put the “join our team” in quotes).
As of this writing, services with active opportunities include:
You can also browse lists of resume writing services and reach out to ask if they’re accepting new writers. Even if a service isn’t hiring for its internal team, it might use freelancers. You could even get a foot in the door as an article writer for the company’s blog!
You’ll probably need to provide “before” and “after” examples of resumes you’ve worked on. If you’re completely new to the business, consider offering your services to a friend or colleague to build up your portfolio.
4. Grant Writing
Grant writing is a lucrative and rewarding way to earn money writing from home. It involves writing grant proposals for nonprofit organizations that depend on outside funding.
According to the Economic Research Institute, a grant writer earns an average salary of $69,449 per year, or $33 per hour. You don’t need a degree to get started, but you’ll start earning faster if you invest in a training course or certification first.
There are courses available at various price points across the web. The American Grant Writers Association has a certificate program, and so do some colleges and universities.
Once you have some background, you can start applying to jobs.
Upwork and Freelancer
Bid sites like Upwork and Freelancer almost always have calls for grant writers. The listings on Upwork tend to be more varied, in terms of both grant type and experience level.
Grant Writer Team
Grant Writer Team is a marketplace site that connects grant writers with organizations in need of funds. You can browse available listings without an account, but you need to set up your profile to submit a bid.
Your profile will include titles and amounts of grants you’ve won, plus writing samples from those grants. If you don’t have that kind of experience yet, consider writing a grant for a non-profit in your area as a starter project.
5. Technical Writing
If you’re looking for work from home writing jobs and have a background in tech, you’ll find plenty of opportunities in tech writing.
Tech companies need writers to produce all kinds of material, including:
- UX writing: The copy that users see when they interact with the product
- End user documentation: Instruction manuals and guides
- Technical content writing and copywriting: Writing that sells or promotes a tech product
Again, freelance job sites like Upwork and Freelancer are good places to start if you’re just building experience. Both list positions for more experienced tech writers as well as beginners.
If you’re open to non-freelance remote opportunities, you’ll find many of those on general job search sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter. But for more focused results, you’re best off with sites like these.
We Work Remotely
We Work Remotely calls itself “the largest remote work community in the world.” It features remote job listings in multiple industries, including various aspects of tech. To find the tech writer jobs, go to the Advanced Search page and enter “technical writer” in the search field.
And while you’re there, check out the site’s other resources for remote workers. There’s a blog, lists of co-working communities, productivity apps, and much more.
FlexJobs
FlexJobs is probably the best-known remote job search site out there. It’s known for having pages and pages of quality job options.
A recent search for remote technical writer jobs turned up more than 1,800 listings. To be fair, though, some of these listings are older and some aren’t the best match for the search. Users have also reported that some listings aren’t truly remote, so check before you apply.
JustTechJobs
As you might guess, JustTechJobs is a career search site exclusive to the technology sector. It lists many different levels and types of tech writer jobs, so writers at all career stages have a good chance of finding something suitable.
Employers have to pay significant fees to list on JustTechJobs, so the positions you’ll find are legitimate and high-quality.
Dice
Dice is another tech job search site that includes writer positions. The interface is easy to use and allows you to select for remote-only positions. You can also choose whether to see contract jobs, full-time positions, or both.
6. Writing Jobs for Beginners
When you’re new to the professional writing world, it’s hard to feel like a competitive candidate. Don’t worry — there are plenty of opportunities out there for writers who are just getting started.
Content Mills
Content mills are sites where companies and editors post requests for articles, blog posts, and more. As a freelancer, you can set up profiles on these sites and claim writing jobs as they become available.
There’s usually plenty of work available, and most sites accept writers based on merit rather than experience. A typical application process involves some kind of quiz and writing sample, but every site’s process is different.
Content mills have a bit of a reputation with writers because the pay tends to be low. It’s not unheard-of to get less than 2 cents a word when you’re starting out.
Still, content mills can help you to build experience and start qualifying for higher-paying jobs. And there are some mills that treat their writers well. Some places to start include:
Upwork
Upwork is one of the most popular platforms where freelancers can find work. We’ve already covered it as a source for grant writing and tech writing opportunities, but it’s a great resource for all kinds of work from home writing jobs.
Upwork isn’t exclusively for beginners. There are plenty of intermediate and expert level jobs available. But when you get to that level, you have plenty of other options.
As a beginner, Upwork can be your foot in the door. Your primary hurdle will be setting up a profile that the site will accept, but there are plenty of resources online to help you do that.
Most new writers will start with entry-level jobs, but if you have related experience, you can aim a bit higher. See what kind of rates you can command and start working your way up. Soon, you’ll be ready for higher-level positions.
Get Out There and Apply!
By this point, you have dozens of resources you can use to find work from home writing jobs. There’s something for everyone, from the newest blog writer to the experienced freelancer looking to break into a new genre. All you have to do is start applying, and the work from home writing lifestyle will be within your reach.
Musings and updates from the content management team at Clippings.me.