Looking to get into freelancing/copywriting - advice needed

You're already in a great place to work on building a name and a client list. Check out the Warriors For Hire, Classifieds, and WSO sections here on this forum. If you get even one writing job - and as long as you perform in a professional and timely manner - you'll get some public feedback upon which to build. Have writing samples ready to show prospective clients.

And this is putting the cart before the horse a bit, but the best tip I can give you is one a lot of people who hire writers would prefer I keep to myself ...

Don't be afraid to ask for a raise once you prove yourself to a client who has a need for your services on a repeat basis. Good, dependable writers are actually pretty rare. Buyers often become fiercely loyal to consistent producers. If you start off writing for, say, $5 per article, be bold and ask for $8 or even $10 per article after you've done the work for someone on a consistent basis.

Good luck!
John

Thank you I've just looked oDesk up and it sounds great, I've bookmarked it and will sign up for sure.

As John said, the WF is a great place to start, so there may be no need to branch off immediately. If you have an interest in using Elance to find freelance work, what you'll need to do is to assemble a portfolio of your work, put together a resume, and then create a profile. For starters, you can open up a free account, but it'll restrict you to only one job category (which is fine in this case, since most of your jobs will come from the writing/translation category).

Once your account is operational, you can start browsing projects and placing bids. Each time you do this, you will have to write a proposal and use "connects." Initially, you'll be given only a handful of connects, but you can purchase more as needed.

From my experience, there are four keys to getting good, consistent work through Elance: 1) write a non-generic proposal, which specifically addresses the information offered in the project description and which clearly explains why you are a good match; 2) offer a competitive bid (but not necessarily the lowest); 3) follow-up with the client after you are selected for the project and make sure to post frequent status updates thereafter; and 4) request that your clients leave feedback if they forget.

If you do each of those four things, you're likely to develop a good reputation over time; and it will be reflected in the feedback attached to your profile. This will make it considerably easier to bring in new clients.

Hi Crubalo,

You've come to the right place. The WF is a great place to find potential clients. If you've not done it already, you should also join the Digital Point Forum. That's another great place to offer your witting skills.

I hope this helps.

Kat