15 Best Freelance Writing Websites To Find High-Paying Gigs
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There has never been a better time to make money freelance writing, but it can be hard to find legitimate sites with high-paying work. In this article, I’ll give you my hand-vetted list of the 15 best freelance writing websites right now.
For many, becoming a freelance writer is a dream job, a flexible way to make money from the comfort of home doing something you love.
And yet, finding worthwhile writing gigs and actually making money can be challenging at the best of times.
Many of you have been there.
Looking through blogs that promise the best freelance writing job sites, but do little more than waste your time, providing sites that are riddled with scams, sites that have been dead for years, and sites that claim to be job boards but list almost nothing.
That’s why I’ve gone through just about every freelance writing site out there and created a hand-vetted list of only the best and most legitimate.
Below, you will find a wide variety of different ways to source writing work. It’s for everyone, from beginners to advanced writers, in all sorts of different styles and genres (from novel writing to creating writing to copywriting and everything in between).
Whether you’re looking for a new side hustle or more of a full-time small business, there will be something for you!
I’ve even included five bonus tips at the end to help you find more work you love and make extra money when you do!
So, let’s get started!
Also check: How to Become a Freelance Writer (and Actually Make Money!).
15 Best Writing Websites You Can Find Online
1. FlexJobs
Type: Job Board
Experience: Beginner to Expert
FlexJobs is probably the best online job board out there for remote work, including freelance writing!
There, you will find a plethora of writing gigs, from freelance to full-time jobs, entry-level to executive, available all over the world.
You can even narrow down your job search based on your preferred schedule, experience level, and niche to find the perfect opportunity for you.
The only catch?
FlexJobs comes with a $2.95 fee for the first 14 days, but you can cancel at any time, so there’s really no downside to trying it out!
2. ProBlogger
Type: Job Board
Experience: Beginner to Expert
Yes, the ProBlogger job board is filled with freelance writing opportunities across a variety of industries and writing niches.
But what truly makes ProBlogger one of the best writing websites out there is its incredible treasure trove of resources perfect for helping writers boost their skill level.
Seriously, they’ve got thousands of posts, podcasts, and ebooks with tips, tutorials, and advice on how to create content, find work, and make more money!
The best part is that everything from their job board to their resources is totally free to access!
3. Smart Blogger Jobs Board
Type: Job board; Writer resources
Experience: Beginner to Expert
Smart Blogger has long been one of the world’s largest freelance writing communities. And one of the best sites for writers to go to get the tools they need to succeed.
The platform is filled with free training articles, fun blog posts teaching writing tips and tricks, as well as paid online writing courses and templates, giving writers everything they need to build a business and make money.
In 2022, they launched the Smart Blogger job board, and, unsurprisingly, it is quickly becoming one of the best places to find freelance writing jobs anywhere around.
4. Textbroker
Type: Gig manager
Experience: Beginner to Intermediate
Textbroker isn’t a job board. It’s more like your manager.
Here’s how it works: Sign up and submit a writing sample, and you will receive an author rating. From there, simply select a project you want to work on from their OpenOrder list and start making money!
Yes, it’s that easy!
Note, the rate you will make per word is not particularly high – about $0.05/word for those with a 5-star author rating.
However, this may be worth it since you will not have to hunt through job boards, send pitches, or deal with customers.
5. Fiverr
Type: Freelance services marketplace
Experience: Beginner to Expert
On freelance service marketplaces like Fiverr, you post an ad detailing the writing services you want to provide and how much you charge, and customers come to you!
The main downside is that you will be competing against bottom-dollar freelancers from all over the world, meaning it can be difficult to earn worthwhile rates for your work.
The secret? Don’t compete against bottom-dollar freelancers.
Serious clients are not looking for bottom-dollar work. They are often willing to pay premium prices for people who know what they’re doing.
So don’t be afraid to charge what you’re actually worth!
And for more information, check out my guide on How to Make Money on Fiverr like a Pro.
6. Constant Content
Type: Writing project marketplace
Experience: Intermediate to Expert
Rather than a freelance services marketplace, Constant Content is a marketplace for your written work directly.
All you have to do is write about something that interests you and submit it to their editorial team.
Once they’ve reviewed it, they will put it up in their marketplace, where thousands of brands are buying content.
Yes, this means you will have to complete written work without any guarantee you’ll be paid for it.
However, Constant Content advertises that 85% of articles listed in their marketplace get sold every year!
7. Upwork
Type: Freelance services marketplace; Job board; Gig manager
Experience: Beginner to Expert
Often grouped together with Fiverr as a freelance services marketplace, Upwork actually has numerous ways to make money writing.
Yes, you can list an ad for your services in their Project Catalog and have customers come to you.
You can also find available job listings across a variety of writing fields in their marketplace and send a pitch directly through the platform to potential new clients.
Moreover, if you provide high-quality work, you can apply for Upwork’s Fastlane program, where they will connect you with premium clients directly.
8. LinkedIn Jobs
Type: Job board; Professional networking
Experience: Beginner to Expert
If you already have a LinkedIn profile, and even if you don’t, LinkedIn can be a great way to start looking for freelance writing jobs.
Yes, LinkedIn is a great place to network with other professionals in the publishing industry and writing community, but did you know that their job board has literally millions of jobs listed, including freelance writing?
As just one example, right now, there are more than 11,000 copywriter jobs listed and waiting to be filled in the US alone!
9. Mediabistro
Type: Media writing job board
Experience: Intermediate to Expert
If you’re looking for the best freelance writing websites with a more targeted feel, keep your eye on the next three job boards on the list.
First up, Mediabistro. As the name suggests, it is a job board focused on media and content professionals.
For writers, this could mean copywriting jobs for major media companies, editorial work for magazines or newspapers, creating marketing material or even managing or creating content for social media.
For those writers wanting to direct their focus toward digital media, Mediabistro might be the best way to get it done.
10. JournalismJobs.com
Type: Journalism job board
Experience: Intermediate to Expert
If your ideal writing career is as a freelance journalist, JournalismJobs.com is a great option to get started.
On the JournalismJobs.com job board, you will find a variety of journalism-based writing jobs with heavyweights like The Washington Post, ESPN, Forbes Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and more, as well as numerous more locally based jobs at media outlets across the United States.
Best of all, it’s totally free to use!
11. Working in Content
Type: Content design job board
Experience: Intermediate to Expert
Working in Content is a freelance writing job board. This website offers jobs tailored specifically to those writers looking to focus on content design.
This means that you will find job postings in areas like UX writing, web content writing and management, technical writing, content editing, and other content-focused roles.
If you’ve got the skills, capitalizing on the endless need for digital content creators which exists today is a good idea, and one of the most lucrative ways to earn money writing.
12. Freelance Writing Jobs
Type: Job opportunity aggregator
Experience: Beginner to Expert
Perhaps you are not so much looking for a targeted approach to finding freelance writing gigs but something which casts a wider net.
Check out Freelance Writing Jobs. It’s an aggregator of writing gigs hand-picked from job boards and other sources around the web, brought together in one place every day of the week.
You can also take a look at their job board, where numerous high-priority job opportunities are posted.
13. Opportunities of the Week
Type: Newsletter
Experience: Beginner to Expert
Speaking of aggregators of great writing opportunities, if you want to make it easier to find freelance writing work, you’ve got to sign up for the Opportunities of the Week newsletter.
When you do, you’ll get high-quality freelance writing gig opportunities and new jobs from around the web delivered directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday.
The suggested cost of the newsletter is $4/month, but if you can’t afford it and need to pay less or even nothing at all, nobody is turned away.
14. SolidGigs
Type: Job leads
Experience: Intermediate to Expert
As you start to grow your freelance writing business, you may find that you hit a plateau in your earnings and the quality of gigs you’re getting.
If this happens, you should consider investing in SolidGigs.
Simply tell SolidGigs what type of freelance jobs you’re looking for. Then they scour premium sources from all over the web and match you with only the highest quality opportunities.
From there, all you have to do is reach out and get hired!
The service costs $21/month for the whole year or $35 for an individual month.
15. Who Pays Writers?
Type: Lead database
Experience: Intermediate to Expert
As you become more comfortable with the freelance writing game, you can move beyond job boards and marketplaces and begin sourcing and pitching potential clients yourself.
When you’re ready to take this step, the first place you’re going to want to look is Who Pays Writers?.
It’s a crowd-sourced database about publications that pay freelance writers, including how much they pay and the type of writing they accept.
Simply, Who Pays Writers? will let you know who to pitch and what to expect when you do.
5 Bonus Tips For Finding Great Freelance Writing Jobs
Ready to take your freelance writing game to the next level?
Here are five tips that will help you get the most out of freelance writing websites, find more high-quality work, and make more money!
1. Have a great portfolio
No matter which freelance writing websites you’re using, having a great writing portfolio is a critical element to becoming a successful freelance writer.
Often, potential clients will ask for writing samples to get a feel for your work. And being able to provide them with something impressive on demand is a huge advantage.
One of the best ways to build your portfolio fast is by launching a blog that showcases your writing skills. You can even target your blog writing towards the niche you’re looking to work in.
This will show potential customers exactly what they can expect when they hire you.
Want to know more? Check out my complete breakdown of How to Start a Blog in 2023.
2. Expand your game
If you truly want to have success with freelance writing, you’ve got to think about expanding your skills, diversifying your income streams, and getting paid more for the things you do.
Here are three great ways to get this done:
- Become an SEO expert: In an era of digital content, potential clients are looking for writers who understand search engine optimization. If you know how to write SEO-friendly material, you’ll be able to get more work, and charge more when you do.
Check out this amazing free masterclass which will give you all the tips and tricks you need to take your SEO game to the next level.
- Proofreading: Developing the skills to meticulously check writing for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and readability will allow you to provide more polished work to clients and allow you to earn additional income proofreading for other writers.
Check out my breakdown of How to Become a Proofreader in 5 Simple Steps.
- Monetize your blog: If you’ve started a blog as part of your portfolio, or even if you’ve just started one for fun, you should be making money from it!
Take a look at my definitive guide on How to Make Money Blogging.
3. Invest in yourself
Speaking of expanding your game, you should always be open to investing in yourself and your freelance writing career in order to expand your skillset and increase your money-making potential.
There are so many great resources out there to help you get this done.
But my absolute favorite right now has to be The Complete Freelance Writing Course.
It’s affordable and shows you everything you need to know to succeed in freelance writing right now, including the secrets to content creation in a digital age, how to find work, and how to market your services to make the most money.
4. Use a variety of freelance writing websites
As you peruse the list of the best freelance writing job sites above, you should not feel obligated to pick just one and stick to it religiously.
In fact, do the opposite.
Look through multiple job boards, setting aside only the most lucrative opportunities while at the same time posting an ad on a freelance marketplace with a premium price and waiting for potential clients to contact you there.
While you wait, you could write something for the Constant Content marketplace, where 85% of everything posted sells. Then, once in a while, select a couple of favorites from Who Pays Writers? and pitch them directly.
With all of these opportunities coming your way, you will have the ability to sit back and choose only those which work perfectly for you.
5. Pitch your favorite businesses and influencers directly
Because everybody needs content these days, as you begin to gain experience as a freelance writer, you can start to reach out directly to sources you want to work with and pitch them.
Seriously. If there’s a brand you’re really into, or a blog you read, or an influencer you love, contact them directly and ask to create content for them!
This strategy works best if you have an impressive portfolio with solid writing examples and testimonials from other similar clients, as well as advanced and diverse skills.
But if you do, you really can start thinking about working with your dream clients!
Also check 17 Easy Remote Jobs You Can Start Today (With No Experience)
So there you have it …
… the 15 best freelance writing websites right now, along with the tips and tricks you need to succeed using them.
As you begin your journey, please do let me know how it’s going in the comments below.
I’d love to hear which of these freelance writing websites worked best for you!
And if you want to know more about the freelance writing game, make sure to check out my comprehensive breakdown of How to Become a Freelance Writer (and Actually Make Money!).