Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I receive compensation if you purchase through this link, and I fully appreciate your support.
I know the blog heading seems like a tricky way to lure you into buying a course. Rest assured, it is not. I have no course to sell. Instead, I wanted to give you some encouragement to save your money and get you started on your freelance writing career.
Do You Need Freelance Writing Courses?
Lately, I feel like there are many freelance writing courses on the market created by these writing experts. A lot of the courses I have previewed are written by people I “know” in the industry. Yes, they are really making a living with freelance writing. However, they don’t have any proprietary secrets of earning money freelance writing. I’ve reviewed many freelance writing courses. They aren’t special.
This is why I haven’t made a freelance writing course. I cannot justify charging anyone $300 to tell them info that they already know deep inside of them.
I have taken and previewed freelance writing courses for affiliate purposes where the following advice was offered:
- Don’t plagiarize (like for real, didn’t we learn that in high school?)
- If you want to make more money, start charging more (DUH!)
I don’t expect other people to create these “expert” courses and sell them for free, but my word, don’t have a whole lesson about plagiarism in a novice writer’s course that sells for $300. Another course I looked into was marketed towards freelancers wanting to make $100K and more, and one of the lessons was about invoicing as you go. Really?! That’s your amazing, secret advice?! I asked for my money back on that course because I said it wasn’t anything special, which was granted but also got me blocked from a freelance Facebook group.
How to Really Make Money as a Freelance Writer
The truth is that to launch your freelance writing career and grow it is to JUST START. There is no fancy formula or secret.
Becoming a successful freelance writer involves the following steps:
- Establish yourself as an expert in a field
- Begin to build your portfolio in this field through your own site, guest posts, and lower-paid freelance gigs
- Keep networking and growing your reach
- Then start charging more
That really is it. I don’t mean for it to sound too simple because I do remember being a beginner writer. I desperately wanted someone to tell me the secret sauce. Thankfully, there were no freelance writing courses at the time, or I would have spent hundreds and never jumped in.
I became a successful freelance writer because I JUST STARTED. I sent out cold pitches and guest posts. I applied to job boards and took writing jobs that paid $15 per article. I continually tried to find new websites and businesses to write for, make new freelance writer friends, and polish my pitch and writing. And I got better and noticed by bigger sites and paid more.
I make $300-1,000 per article not because I am the best or because I am using some special formula. I do have a lot of tips, which I am trying to fill this blog with.
My point is that you don’t need a $200-500 freelance writing course to start making money. You just need to start. Everything in my free email course is the basics you need to know to get started and land your first paid gig.
Rant over. I just couldn’t bear for one more freelancer to throw money at this pipe dream when they most likely have all of the knowledge they need to score their first or second gig. Or at least they could find a lot of the info they needed online for free until they got into the groove of things.
Are There Any Freelance Writer Courses That Are Worth the Money?
I have personally reviewed about seven different freelance writing courses, so if you are on the fence about one, just message me, and I can tell you the cons. I don’t want to blast everyone’s hard work, but also, it just doesn’t feel right to charge beginner freelance writers an arm and a leg for basic info they can get anywhere.
There is one course that I love and would say is worth the money. Yes, I am an affiliate with this course, but I could have been an affiliate to the other courses I thought were a waste of money too.
If you really feel like you need a course to help you start your freelance writing career, I strongly recommend Elna Cain’s.
Not only are there tons of updated videos and printables, but she has also included several interviews with successful freelance writers of other niches – including two clips from me (which I feel like I give great tips in the most frazzled way possible – this is why I stick with a keyboard – ha!).
Sign up for Elna’s Write to 1K Course here
A few reasons I love Elna’s course:
- She is constantly updating her course and adding new content
- She has a very active Facebook group for freelance writers
- Everything Elna writes is so well-researched and she goes way beyond general advice
- I have had several of her students email me to thank me for my video tips, and they were already making more than they paid for the course
- It is actually affordable compared to the other freelance writing courses. It is $195, and I know if you follow her advice, you will make that back easily.
In conclusion, if you must buy a freelance writing course, I highly recommend Elna’s course. If you are unsure if you should spend your money on a writing course or not, save your money. My own free 7-day email course has led many to score their first writing job.
