Hi there, and thanks for visiting the Freelance Writer’s Guide! My name is Delany, and I can most commonly be found writing under the name “ThatWordChick” on various freelancing sites around the web. I started this site as a how-to for friends and family interested in doing what I do, and it grew (and grew) from there! I have been freelancing for a little over ten years now, and I started with little more than an unformed idea of what I wanted to “be when I grew up” and a Mark Twain quote:
“Write without pay until someone offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this as a sign that sawing wood is what he was intended for.”
My aim with the Freelance Writer’s Guide is to give those interested or just starting in the world of freelance writing for money a little direction for reputable sites to try and potential scams or less-than-honest sites to avoid. It’s a big, wide web out there, and trying to find one’s way without guidance is intimidating at best.
If you have questions about a particular site or freelance issue, I welcome you to get in touch with me in the comments below. I’m always happy to add blog entries for my readers!
Yours in ink;
Delany Martinez
The Freelance Writer Guide 
Hi Delaney, I did reply to you in linkedin, but as I said you are very busy, It is nice to know that you are interested in helping newbies. You obviously have a good heart, because usually people that have made it are not interested in people who haven’t yet made it me being one of them. But now that I have found your blog I will be reading it daily so I may be able to finally start my own blog, and to stop getting scammed by unscrupulous people. Once again thank you. Veronica.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Veronica – I apologize for the late response, but occasionally I have trouble keeping up with my own comments. I hope the blogs I’ve posted since your comment have helped you in your freelance journey, and I’m glad to have you aboard!
This looks like a great blog. Maybe one of the best I’ve seen. Can I opt in to receive all updates regularly?
Hi,
I have been reading your blog for more than couple of months now and have learned a lot. It is really good and you are maintaining it very well. I would like to submit my post on your blog (as guest post) with my website link. Please let me know if you are accepting guest posts for free of cost and I’m ready to discuss my contents with you, I promise you with unique, quality and 100% plagiarism free content. I am looking forward to get your reply.
Thank You,
Tanya Schenck
Hi Tanya! I’m so pleased you visited the FWG here, and that the content has helped you on your freelancing journey. I’m honored by your offer to write for us!
Typically, however, I try to keep this blog centered on my own writing and advice. I’ve brought in one guest poster previously, but only did so because he had particular insight on a freelancing site and a book written on the same subject.
This blog is geared towards freelancers like you and I, not clients, so any exposure you might gain would only be amongst “co-workers” and isn’t likely to gain you a job. You might consider writing a piece and placing it on your own blog, or trying to get into Constant-Content.com and putting it in there. 🙂
Delany,
I discovered The Freelance Writer Guide through LinkedIn, where several people mentioned you with respect, appreciation and admiration. From what I have seen so far, I am inclined to agree with them. I will be visiting your blog on a regular basis and I am sure I will acquire much needed skills and knowledge that may not be possible elsewhere.
Regards,
Karin Hadiaris
Hi Karin!
The folks over at LinkedIn are very kind to me, and have sent a lot of traffic my way. I aim for this blog to be like the “friend in the biz” that some people need to build their confidence and succeed. It’s tough trying to make a go of it with no guidance and I’m trying to make sure no one has to 🙂
Delany, I am very impressed with what you have put together here. Lots of good reading for me this weekend.
Glad to have you here, Sallie! 🙂 If there’s ever anything specific in the freelance realm that’s tripping you up, drop me a line and I’ll see if I can’t get a post in about it.
I do not know if I am asking this question in the correct place, but it never hurts to ask. I am a published writer and have done some content writing. I have been following freelance writing on face book and reading all the new information as it comes available. I still have yet to receive any information on where I apply to write or how I find those who wish my services. Am I missing something?
Hi Lyn! The freelance world is a bit of a weird animal – most of us (people in general) are used to the “Go to X place, do Y job, get Z pay” routine – even in book writing, that’s still essentially the process.
When you jump into freelancing/content writing, it becomes pretty clear that you’re not in Kansas anymore. A successful freelancer is always marketing themselves – not to the point of twitchy annoyance, mind you – but they keep their heads on the proverbial swivel. As a friend puts it, you trade out your grocery cart for a spear and learn how to track down prey again. You’ll need to apply to several sites (check my “Site Links” tab above), get approved, and get in the habit of checking them several times a day.
Thankfully, it’s a steep learning curve, but it does plateau out. The more jobs you do for a site, the better your standing, and the more favorable you’ll look to browsing clients on that site. Your work on content mills becomes your portfolio of sorts, and it’ll help you get your footing if you decide to branch out to a less structured freelance space like Odesk, where you’ll need to put in bids and actively vie, as opposed to passively wait, for jobs.
Hi : I took your words of Wisdom and starting scoping things out.Wow! I am “not” in Kansas anymore. I am starting a blog and trying to get my work seen. I think it is a lot like fishing lol. You bait the hook and hope the fish like it. Thanks so much for your reply.
Delany, I stumbled on your blog while applying for my very first freelance writing job (with Domainite-super nice folk, low pay-perfect entry-level gig, especially for a first job as they work with you!). I wanted to say thank you for this resource. Freelancing can be a lonely gig and your blog has helped me to more accurately assess future writing jobs as well as my own skill. Your section about the time it takes an experienced freelancer to write xx amount of copy was incredibly helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences.
-Erin
Many thanks to the generous author of this blog. I am interested in freelance writing and I must say I was very lucky to stumble upon this blog. I find advices very useful especially site reviews and scam warnings.
I would like to ask a question. Can you recommend me freelance writing sites that hire non-US writers, since well I am one :). Textbroker was for exapmle one of the sites you gave positive review but it still does not accept non US writers.
Try CrowdSource – you can access them through the Amazon Mechanical Turk or http://www.crowdsource.com – great place to work
Thanks for the info, Sallie! I actually covered Crowdsource about a year ago. 🙂 https://thefreelancewriterguide.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/freelance-writing-site-info-crowdsource-com-review/