First off there is a difference between a freelance writer and a freelance content writer.
As a freelance writer, you are writing for both, offline and online publications – think of magazine, newspapers, books and website. As a freelance content writer, you get paid to create content for the Web. This includes writing articles, sales copy, e-books, podcasts, and text for graphics.
While it’s easy to merge the two, you do need specific writing skillsets for both the roles.
How Much Money Do Freelance Content Writers Earn In India?
The average monthly salary of a freelance content writer in India is Rs. 16,000. The number comes from a survey conducted by Indeed where they asked users to submit details about their salary.
The freelance writers we spoke to, during the course of writing this guide, marked their monthly earnings between Rs. 25,000-Rs. 40,000.
Beginners earn Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 per month while experienced content writers can earn Rs 20,000-Rs 60,000, on an average.
In my personal experience, you can make close to a lakh on a monthly basis, as long as you are willing to put in the hard work.
Here are some tips that will help you earn a consistent income from freelance content writing jobs.
1. Stop Treating Freelancing As A Second Job
If you are serious about having a career in freelancing, you need to stop treating it as a second job, or an alternate option. Figure out how much money you need to make to support your lifestyle and leave room for savings, and go out there and ask for that money.
If you are not making enough right now, hustle. Keep some time aside purely for networking and finding work on a daily basis. I remember a piece of advice a fellow freelancer friend of mine gave me: when I started freelancing fulltime ‘I started freelancing while I was staying in a posh area in Mumbai. Keeping my low income in mind I moved to an area that had cheaper houses. I think it was the biggest mistake I made. Don’t ever downgrade your lifestyle to supplement your low income; rather hustle, find work and make sure you make enough money as you did in a full-time job, or even more.’
2. Know Your Value
No one is going to come up to you and offer you Rs. 10,000 for a project; you need to ask for it. Stop undervaluing your work, and ask for what your work is worth. You are spending a considerable amount of time and money on this project, and it’s your right to get reasonably paid for it.
3. Said NO To Bad Jobs
Not just underpaying jobs, but jobs that don’t excite you don’t need to be done. Sure, you may think that any work is better than no work, but trust me, it’s not worth it. The amount of time you spend working on a crappy project could have been spent looking for an awesome project that pays 10 times what you are currently making.
4. Make A Rate Card
Rs. 6 per word for a 1500-word article. Rs. 15,000 for a 2000-word well-researched piece. Rs 8 per word for a two-day deadline. Rs. 80,000 per month for a retainer.
I was late to the party and only made my rate card this year, but it is important to do this from the start and stick to it. It’s also easy to respond to clients and potential projects if you already have a rate card.
Of course, each project differs and you need to leave room for negotiations, but it’s good to have a general rate so you at least know where to start. If you are just starting out, talk to a senior freelancer and ask them if the rates you are asking for are good enough, or if you need to make some changes.
5. Have Money To Fall Back On
One of the biggest mistakes we all make is not having enough money to ride over the no-projects months. It happens all the time. One day you have so much work you are turning away clients and the next month you have zero work and no one returns your calls. It’s best to keep aside a part of your income on a monthly basis so you can deal with the no-work no-money days without falling prey to taking up bad projects/jobs.
6. Ask For A Contract
It’s best to ask the client to send across a contract so that you don’t have to struggle with the issue of non-payment in the future. However, if a client refuses to issue a contract for freelancing work, put all the agreed-upon terms on an email. Apart from the basics like the names of the client and you, and details of the work, talk about the payment you agreed upon, the schedule of your payment (and the issue of late payment fees), the deadlines, cause of termination, and confidentiality.
Mark a senior person – business or HR head in the email so that if the person you are coordinating with leaves you still can communicate with someone else – and wait for them to send a reply to the email before you start working.
7. Treat Yourself Like A Business
No matter how many clients you have, as a freelancer, you are working solely for yourself. So, make sure you include all expenses like transportation, buying of software for your work, like, for example. Grammarly, money spent on research – meetings, interviews, etc. – in your quotation.
What Skills Do You Need To Become A Freelance Content Writer
Start with finding your own niche. What is it that you enjoy writing the best? From beauty articles to SEO-friendly pieces for an e-commerce website to writing copies for social media, you have a wide range to choose from.
Unlike a full-time job, you get a lot of opportunities to test your writing skills as a freelancer.
When you are just starting out, it is important to take up a variety of projects. From lifestyle writing to social media writing, and basically whatever you can get your hands on. Use this experience to figure out what works best for you and find your niche.
Also, play to your strengths. I’ve realised that writing about beauty, fashion and relationships comes naturally to me. But articles on finance, legal issues or even sales and social media copies take longer. Hence, I’ve divided my projects in an 80-20 ratio. 80 per cent of lifestyle writing that I can finish easily and take up more projects. And the rest 20 per cent of writing stuff that takes longer to finish and requires more effort.
