How to Gain Experience as a Freelance Writer Without Working for Free feat. Claire Bonneau

November 15, 2023 Bridget Montes

I’ll be honest here — I actually did start my journey from nurse to copywriter by taking on writing projects for free.

While I believe gaining experience without working for free is possible, it was infinitely easier to explain to an editor or business owner that I was, in fact, new to freelance copywriting and was looking for projects that would showcase my writing ability.

I painstakingly found my ideal clients on the interwebs and offered them free blog content. Offering free blog content felt really low-pressure and an easy way to bring awareness to my brand and build a portfolio of pieces outside the content I’d written for my own blog.

But, while I do believe there are some benefits to volunteering to work for free, it’s not the only way to overcome the oh-so-common “experience” catch-22 — to gain experience, you need a job, but you need a job to gain experience.

As a nurse turned freelance writer, it’s common to feel the need to accept unpaid work to gain experience and build your portfolio. And while that’s how I chose to gain experience, it’s important to understand the potential risks and drawbacks of working for free. While it may seem like a good way to gain experience, it can set a precedent that can be difficult to overcome and actually set you back and make it harder to land paid gigs in the future.

There are alternative ways to build your writing career without sacrificing your worth because it’s crucial to value your skills and expertise as a writer, even if you haven’t formally written content before. You have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to write well-informed content by leveraging your experience as a nurse.

So, let’s explore four ways to gain writing experience without working for free so you can take your freelance writing from a side hustle to a full-time gig.

Let’s get into it!

Stop writing for free and try these alternatives instead:

1 | Start writing content for your personal website or socials

Looking back on my journey, I could have easily used my blog as a portfolio to land freelance jobs, but at the time, I didn’t even realize that was a possibility, honestly.

But, writing content for your own website, blog, or socials can be a great way to gain writing experience, write about topics that interest you, and showcase your work to potential clients.

You’ll improve your writing skills and develop your unique voice as a writer with zero pressure. It can provide a way to share your work with a larger audience, especially if you curate your pieces for a particular niche.

You can focus your writing on your personal brand overall and build authority in your industry. You can also use your platforms to create a newsletter for your audience to join, allowing you to develop your network and connect with your ideal clients.

Focus on quality over quantity and consistently produce content that aligns with your brand, interests, and writing goals. Just because it’s your personal website and brand doesn’t mean you should publish everything you’ve ever written.

By creating a strong online presence through your own website, blog, social media, or newsletter, you can attract potential clients who are interested in your writing style and expertise. It’s the perfect way to gain experience and build an audience, all while curating a stellar portfolio.

2 | Create a portfolio with different types of copy

Creating a portfolio is essential for any writer looking to gain experience and find paid opportunities because a portfolio showcases your writing skills and allows potential clients to see examples of your previous work.

When creating a portfolio, include a variety of writing styles and types of copy to demonstrate your versatility as a writer. Consider making spec pieces or mock projects to add to your portfolio to showcase your creativity and range, even if you’re using those pieces solely to strengthen your portfolio.

Start by adding content that’s easy for you to write, and then challenge yourself by adding pieces you’re a little uncomfortable writing. Writing more, especially writing pieces outside of your comfort zone, will push you to explore new topics and ideas and help you develop your writing skills quickly.

By having a strong portfolio, you can attract potential clients looking for writers with specific skills and experience, increasing your chances of being hired for paid writing work.

3 | Attend Writing Workshops or Take Online Writing Courses

Attending writing workshops or taking online writing courses can provide valuable learning opportunities and help you gain experience in different writing areas.

Online writing courses can be an especially convenient option, as most allow you to learn at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home. When choosing an online writing course, consider your interests and goals as a writer, as well as the course’s reputation and reviews from past students.

Some popular online writing courses include those offered by LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare. Personally, I found Alex Cattoni’s Copy Posse incredibly valuable for learning how to put together a professional portfolio.

While paid courses are incredibly valuable, they may be out of your budget. Luckily, you have the World Wide Web at your fingertips. I’ve found these YouTubers, Alex Cattoni, Sarah Turner Agency, and Writing Revolt, extremely helpful in learning the basics of copywriting, content writing, and portfolio-building basics.

Attending writing workshops or taking online writing courses can help you gain valuable skills and knowledge, which can help you further your writing career and find paid opportunities.

4 | Sign up for a freelancing site like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer

Freelancing platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer are great resources for writers to find paid work without having to resort to volunteering to work for free. These platforms allow you to showcase your portfolio, set your own rates, and find clients looking for writers with your specific skills and experience.

When signing up for a freelancing platform, create a strong profile highlighting your experience and skills as a writer. Set your rates based on your experience level and the type of work you’re willing to do. When applying for jobs on these platforms, tailor your pitch to the specific client and demonstrate your understanding of their needs and goals.

By using freelancing platforms, you can find paid writing work and build your experience and portfolio while avoiding the pitfalls of unpaid work. While many writers might tell you to avoid these platforms because of the low rates, think of it this way — at least you are getting paid (even if it is pennies) and gaining experience while you’re doing it.

I haven’t personally used these platforms, so I called in reinforcements and connected with my new internet friend, Claire Bonneau, an experienced freelance writer.

Connecting with Claire Bonneau on transitioning careers from Nurse to Writer

How did you become a nurse, and what made you decide to become a freelancer/business owner?

I pivoted to nursing after two years of a biological sciences degree. I started writing in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic, and my partner was using Upwork to run his freelance business. That’s when I tried it, and it took it off! I decided to pursue writing after doing two years of bedside nursing and realizing that it was not for me. I felt very trapped by my training (can a nurse really do anything besides bedside care?), so I was open and interested in finding any way I could use my training to do something else, which is how I stumbled into writing.

Is it easy for a nurse to become a freelance writer?

Yes and no. Anyone with any level of specialized training/knowledge (nursing is an example) can pivot those skills into being a successful writer. As the demand for SMEs (subject matter experts) increases, it is getting easier for people to become writers — but I will also say that committing full-time to write is a big move that isn’t for everyone. It’s hard to put yourself out there and try new things, but in my opinion, it is worth it!

How do you deal with difficult clients and scope creep?

Especially in the beginning, it’s tempting to constantly say ‘yes’ to everything and want to go above and beyond in your deliverables, but it’s best to be honest with yourself and your client about terms and expectations for the project.

Ask yourself:

Is this new request truly outside of the scope we agreed to originally?
Am I over-extending myself by saying ‘yes’ to this new request?
Will this new request take me more time to complete than I originally budgeted for this project?

Develop a process for your business that accurately and professionally communicates approval or denial of their new request. Communicate early and often with your client. And no matter how terrifying it might feel, always remember you can say ‘no’ at any time.

How do you feel about volunteering to do free work?

It is very easy to undervalue your time and energy early on, and working for free will only set a precedent that your time, energy, and effort are not valuable. This unpaid work could easily lead to burnout, as you may end up taking on too much work without receiving compensation. If you’re on a platform like Upwork, it changes your mentality. So, even if you’re charging $20 an hour for work, which is less than what you would make as a nurse, that $20 incentivizes you to put in your best effort so that later, you can increase your rates and charge what your work is actually worth.

How does a new writer get started on Upwork?

When I started, I had never been paid for writing, and I had never written a paper outside of nursing school. So, I googled blog topics and email examples for healthcare brands. At the time, I had no idea if I even liked writing emails or blogs, but I thought I might as well try.

I went about getting my first client on Upwork very strategically. I was still working full-time as a nurse, so I put together a very minimal portfolio and reached out to as many clients as I could before and after my shifts. I focused most of my efforts on pitching to clients on the platform. My goal was to just land ONE client because if I landed just one client, I knew this would be possible for me, and it worked. I landed my first client about 3 weeks into using the platform.

To build my portfolio, I thought I’d start with a blog about diabetes since I had experience working with these patients in a clinical setting. I wrote a snippet of a blog article (like a small segment, less than 500 words), then I wrote an email about a retinol skincare brand (just 150 words), and finally, I wrote a web copy piece for some medication and added all of those small writing examples to my portfolio.

After that, I wrote a little description for my profile, and then I focused on pitching from there. I’d hop on the platform in the morning before work, take a look, see if there are any jobs, and send out a few messages. I would do the same thing on my lunch breaks and after work. It did take some effort, but I feel like it was a pretty bare-bones setup because I didn’t have any real writing experience, only those few example pieces I wrote for my small portfolio. So, all that to say, don’t be discouraged if you’re new and don’t have experience; you can still be successful on freelancing platforms.

Benefits of using Upwork?

One of the biggest benefits is that you don’t have to worry about building your own platform. You already have access to a large pool of clients right on the platform who are actively seeking writers with specific skills and experience. You aren’t just cold-pitching to the black hole abyss that the internet can sometimes feel like — there are real, paying clients actively seeking writers.

Freelancing platforms provide an opportunity to build a portfolio of work that can help you attract more clients in the future. Obviously, it can be a bit of a rat race, but you still have the opportunity to get paid to write and gain experience so that later on, you can find higher-paying clients.

Along those lines, most reputable freelancing platforms offer payment protection to ensure that you receive payment for the work you complete. So you don’t have to worry about crafting your own contracts, billing invoices, and chasing clients for payment.

Drawbacks of using Upwork?

Freelancing platforms can be highly competitive, with many writers vying for the same projects, making securing work difficult. It can absolutely feel a little soul-crushing because they’re essentially pinning freelancers against freelancers. But again, there’s almost no barrier to entry. You can go on a site like Upwork with little to no client work and still get clients.

While most clients are professional and easy to work with, there is always a risk of working with difficult clients whether or not you’re on a freelancing platform. There can be scammy, low-paying jobs too. You just have to be mindful and aware of the client when pitching.

What advice do you have for nurses starting on their own entrepreneurial journey?

For me, I doubted myself early on business-wise because I “wasn’t a business person” (I went to school for starting IVs, not sending invoices, or knowing what SEO is). But honestly, so much of the business side of writing can be learned on the fly (lots of great articles and people on LI to chat with), and you don’t need to have every administrative system perfectly optimized to start.

My top tip is always just to get started. Make an Upwork profile. Send a LI pitch. Write a sample portfolio piece. Just give it a try and put yourself out there; worry about doing it “perfectly” later.

Whether you work for free or not, just get started already!

Remember, you have a college education that you worked your ass off for, and even if you have no formal experience writing, you are still skilled and valuable, and your time and expertise should be compensated.

By taking advantage of available resources and actively seeking paid opportunities, you can grow your skills and build a successful writing career without sacrificing your worth.

Keep writing, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to refuse unpaid work. With persistence and dedication, you can achieve your writing goals and take your career from sleep-deprived to thriving.

Claire is an operating room nurse turned medical content writer based in Alberta, Canada. She loves using her niche medical training and education to create engaging health content for start-ups, patient-facing brands, and individual healthcare creators. You can learn more about Claire and her work by checking out her website or LinkedIn page or by joining her weekly email newsletter ✨

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