Freelance writing jobs in UK: researching the market

When starting to go solo in the freelance writing field, a number of things that need to be looked at. From what is your field, and will it sell? To how much do you need to make? This is where you need to focus before jumping in, focus on your research.

1. Will your market sell?
2. How much do you need to make?
3. If it will sell, are people looking for freelancers in that field?
4. How much should you charge?

• Will your market sell?

When you step out, what is your area of expertise? IS this an open area, or is it closed to specific mills is writers. This is what you are going to have to find out. Often you may know someone who works the field, and can ask them if they would be willing to use your services if you went solo. Many times they can, but some publishers only want sources from specific places. This could be for a number of reasons, but whatever it would impact your chances of success.



• How much do you need to make?

The next thing is how much do you need to make? Here is the catcher. Often freelance pays more than a mill, but some companies pay well below market prices. Can you get by with what you can get? Or are you better off where you are. Being that there are many warehouses that have freelancers from lower cost countries, the market does reflects that.



• Are companies looking for freelancers in your field?

There are many topics that will and do sell. But like what was talked about earlier, will it sell from a freelancer? So will anyone be looking for your field? These are questions that have to be answered. By checking other warehouses where freelancers work out of, you can find out fairly quickly if it will sell or not. If companies are looking for the area you write in, then you know that it will. If you cannot find any jobs in that area, most likely it will not sell.



• How much should you charge?

How much should you charge? That has to be figured on a number of factors. One is to look up your freelancer’s price guides. As such you would know the hourly base price for web content is around 5.89 to 53.02 GBP. Now you have to figure out what your worth is. Do this by how much experience, how good your writing is, and how quick you can research and write. All this adds up to the client and what they should pay you for.