People frequently ask questions about how to break into freelancing or get writing jobs. It’s a bit of a catch-22 situation because you need clips to get jobs as a writer, but you need writing jobs to get clips.
This dilemma is why many writers end up working for free (at least initially). They need to publish, so they take roles where people undervalue their work and take advantage of their skills. I’m not about that racket at all!
Blogging on your own website is a better way to display your work and begin to build your portfolio. Here’s why I think you should blog, regardless of whether you’re already an established writer or if you want to be.
Why Blog If You Want to Be a Writer
Ok, so you aren’t a paid, published writer yet, but you want to be. No problem! Gone are the days when you had to convince a publication that you were worthy of ink. Anyone can publish valuable information online and get noticed for it. You’ll get a ton of benefits from blogging if you want to be a paid writer.
Developing Skills
You’re not just developing your writing skills when you launch a blog (Although that’s a great reason to do so.). You’re working on editing, learning how to navigate a content management system, practicing SEO, and promoting your blog content, just to name some of the skills you’re forced to teach yourself as a blogger.
Developing these skills through hands-on trial and error will serve you greatly as you begin promoting your services.
Showcasing Your Work
Your blog gives you a place to show up regularly and showcase your work. It becomes your writing portfolio, where you can publish on various topics that make sense together. Then, when you’re applying for writing jobs, and they want to see clips, you can link them to one place.
Defining Your Brand
Let’s face it. Lots of people want to be writers. If you’re serious about making money in the craft, you’re going to have to stand out. Doing that means defining your niche and dedicating yourself to it.
Your blog helps you develop your professional brand and become known for specializing in writing about a certain thing. While that doesn’t mean you can’t write outside of this niche, making people aware of you and expanding your writing network is a huge step toward getting paid work.
Audience Targeting
I swear I start just about every marketing post I write with some version of “understand your audience and write to them.” You get to practice this when you have your own blog. It’s not an online journal anymore. Instead, it’s a place to write in-depth on a cluster of topics you know and care a lot about, targeting that information toward and audience who cares too.
Learning how to reach an audience and convert them to fans is no small thing. Future employers will greatly appreciate you having this knowledge.
Creating a Writing Habit
I started my professional career as a journalist. It helped me in many ways, but perhaps the most valuable lesson I learned from being a journalist was how to put my ass in the chair and write, even when I didn’t want to.
Being a productive blogger helps you create a writing habit. You have to show up for your audience regularly, even when you don’t feel like it or aren’t motivated to do so.
Seeing that you create regular content and know how to meet deadlines is huge for anyone looking to employ a writer.
Building Your Network
I’ve never gotten a job outside of my network. Every role I’ve ever had was because of someone I knew helping me get the opportunity.
Not only that, but I can’t tell you how much blogging and promoting my content helped me build my network. The blogging community is HUGE, and so many of us are willing to help each other out in any way we can.
It feels like 9/10 times that someone marvels over how I know someone cool like Ann Handley or Mark Schaefer, it’s because I met them in my early days as part of the blogging community (I probably met them in a Twitter chat. Remember when we used to do those?).
Why Keep Blogging If You’re Already Working as a Writer?
It makes a ton of sense to blog if you’re trying to get paid as a writer. Talk about being in control of your own destiny! You’re publishing without someone else’s permission. There was a time when writers only dreamed of being able to do that.
But what about if you’re already working as a paid writer? Why keep blogging then?
I’ll tell you from experience that this is when it gets super challenging to blog. When you sit down to blog (and by “you,” I mean “me”), you feel like you should be working on paid writing instead. And the last thing you want to do when you have a break from paid writing is write.
But aside from continuing to build on the reasons above, there’s one really strong reason to blog when you’re already working as a paid writer. You’re doing the damn thing, and a lot of people helped you along the way. Now, you’re in the position to help others the same way.
Call it “thought leadership.” Call it “life-long learning.” I don’t really care what you call it. The academic in me believe strongly that knowledge is meant to be shared.
So, to pay back all the people who helped you get to where you are and all the people who will still help you advance in the future, you help others. You use your blog to continue learning, building your brand, and growing your network, all while helping others who are following you.
Do it for the kids, y’all. Even at the end of the day. Even when you’re tired. Pass it along.
Why Blog?
Hopefully, this post clears up why you should blog, whether you’re already paid as a writer or not. Of course, there are a lot of reasons that people who aren’t writers should have blogs, but that’s another post completely. The bottom line is that a blog helps you publish your writing while reflecting your expertise.
Like what you see here on my blog? Want to work with me? I’d love to hear more about what you have going on! Message me!
