If you’re well-established in your freelance career, chances are that you don’t need to look for work too often. Referrals and repeat business are always the best ways for freelancers to find work, but to get to that point you need to build the foundation.

If you’re a relatively new freelance writer, then these five methods of finding work will really help you out:

1. Online Bidding Sites: This is how I started my freelance career and it’s a great option for you as well. The difference between online posting sites and online bidding sites are that instead of applying for jobs, you’re directly bidding against other freelancers. When bidding, you’ll want to mention to mention your education, expertise, and other factors that will convince the buyer to choose you. But remember, price is always a key factor. A few of the more popular sites include Elance, Online Writing Jobs, ScriptLance, iFreelance, and GetAFreelancer.
2. Online Posting Sites: Typically, posting sites will have lengthier job openings than those found on online bidding sites. One difficult that I’ve found with posting sites, however, is that they are either over flooded with bidders or cluttered with buyers that are poor communicators. If you can find a job on these sites however, you’ll likely have a stable reliable source of income. Some of the more popular sites include Freelance Writing Jobs, Craigslist, FreelanceWriting.com, and Ed2010.
3. Local Classifieds: Sometimes you’ll be able to find short term writing gigs through the local classifieds. If not, try putting up your own advertisement regarding your services. The great thing about local jobs is that they typically end up providing more repeat business.
4. Local Advertising Agencies: Advertising agencies are always looking for good copywriters to help out when they are tight for time. If you can get your foot in the door, this may be one of the most rewarding positions out there. Not only can you charge a great rate, since you know they’re making solid money from their clients, but you’ll also have the opportunity to build a reputation for your work locally.
5. Online Publishers: This is one source of freelance revenue that I haven’t tried yet, but I’ve heard numerous writers talk about how it helped them fill in the void of limited work. If you’re interested to see how one writer used it, check out ChrisBlogging.com’s articles on Associated Content. These websites typically pay you for each article you submit, whether by an estimated value or for how many page visits you receive. Some of the more popular choices here include Associated Content, Suite101, Constant Content, Helium, and Triond.

If you have any other sites or methods that you recommend for getting started in freelance writing, feel free to add them in the comments section.

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