How to start freelance writing as a PhD or grad student
Freelance writing is a great option for grad students and early career PhDs, whether you’re looking to make a little extra money on the side or wanting to make freelance writing your career. Writing is a skill that we often take for granted in academic spaces - it’s just a given that someone in academia or higher ed knows how to write. But writing is a skill that’s SO valuable!
PhDs know how to write, and know how to write well. PhDs can take in information from multiple sources, evaluate it for its accuracy, and integrate it into a cohesive and informative narrative. Those are skills that many organizations that hire freelance writers are looking for!
Interested in how to get started freelance writing as a grad student or someone with a PhD? Here are some tips:
Pick a niche - You might think you’ll have more success as a freelancer if you’re open to writing about a variety of topics. It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the best ways you can be successful is to niche down and pick one or two specific things to write about. This could be related to your area of specialization, like a psychology PhD writing about mental health or a food science PhD writing about nutrition, or it could just be something that you’re interested in! Pick a topic you’d feel excited to spend time writing about, whether it’s in your specialty or not!
Pick a type of writing - There are a lot of different types of freelance writing! One of the most common is content writing, which involves writing things like blogs and articles around a specific topic to drive users to a website - like an attorney who has a blog answering common legal questions that people might be searching for in Google. Other common types of freelance writing would include technical writing (e.g., for textbooks, manuals, and whitepapers), copywriting (website text and email marketing), and resume/cover letter writing.
Get some practice - Getting writing experience is especially important if you choose a type of writing that’s stylistically very different from what you’re used to - writing a dissertation and writing sales copy for a website are two very different styles of writing! If you’re interested in content writing, consider starting a blog to get some practice with this style of writing. It’s also helpful for you to have examples to share with potential clients so they can see if your writing is a good match for what they’re looking for. For those interested in technical writing, take a look at some of the things you’ve written in your past PhD training or other work to see if you might re-work it into an appropriate writing sample.
Set your rate - Set your rate and set it confidently! Even if you’re starting freelance writing for the first time, you are not a beginner! You have skills and knowledge and deserve to be compensated for it. Exact rates for freelance writing vary a lot depending on the niche and the type of writing you’re doing and the audience, but a typical starting rate would be $.10-$.20/word (that would mean charging $100-200 for a 1,000-word article). It’s usually better to charge a flat rate for an article rather than an hourly rate. Check out this article from Academia to Affluence for more on setting your rate.
Find writing gigs - You’ve honed in on a niche and writing style, you have samples, and know your rate, now it’s time to find some writing gigs! There are a lot of different sources where you can find freelance writing jobs, including specific job boards and freelancing sites like Upwork and Fiverr. These freelancing sites can be great places to start and dip your toe into the freelance-writing waters, but keep in mind that these sites will keep a portion of the income you make. You can also search online for organizations that have blogs (especially ones that haven’t been updated for a while!). These are great places to consider cold pitching your writing to.
Pitch yourself - If you’re not used to it, pitching yourself can feel scary! Try thinking of it as offering to help someone out - they have a need for a writer, and you have the skills to help them! Pitching yourself might involve applying to an open posting or sending a cold pitch to someone you don’t know. Regardless of the context, make sure to sell your expertise in your pitch! This is especially important for folks who pick a niche that aligns with their field of study. You’re more likely to get hired as a health & fitness writer if you mention having a PhD in Kinesiology! Also, leverage your writing samples here and point potential clients to your blog or portfolio so they can see examples of your writing.
