3 Self-Paced Online Courses For Freelance Writers

Posted by Karen on October 8, 2020

There are a ton of online courses for freelance writers out there. Feel free to research every single one. If you want to save yourself some research time, however, consider these. As someone who makes a full-time income as a freelance writer (albeit through about ten different income streams) I consider these to be 3 of the best.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Please make sure you’re happy with the features and return policies of any course you purchase through my links. Find out more here.

Write your way to 1K

This one is suitable whether you’re a complete beginner, or a working freelance writer struggling to grow your freelance business beyond the just-making-ends-meet stage. You’ll learn about the tools and strategies you need to attract and land new clients, where to find higher-paying clients, and how to find clients to pitch to in ways that don’t leave you competing with 100 other writers. Resources included in this one include:

12 sample pitches you can adapt
27 profitable job boards
95 ways to find clients

You get lifetime access, so this course is truly self-paced, AND it is regularly updated, with all updates available for free, to existing students. This is vital in a world where the freelance industry is rapidly changing. Check out the course details here to see if it’s right for you.

Write your way to 1K is best for:

New or inexperienced freelance writers, and those who are already running a freelance writing business but need to grow it, attract more (and higher-paying) clients, and increase current income.

*****

Freelance 101

As the name suggests, this is a basic course for new freelancers, offered by Freelance University. It’s different from the course above, in that it’s more about building your freelance business, rather than the nuts and bolts of actually getting work in and making money. It covers a range of important freelancer issues though, including:

Selecting a profitable niche
Building a personal brand
Creating a compelling online presence
Pricing and packaging your services
Building a network
Creating a personal productivity system

This course is part of Freelance University, so you can’t just buy it separately. What you can do, if you’re inclined to, is sign up for a monthly membership to Freelance U. This gives you access to over 80 courses aimed at freelancers at all levels. If you clear your schedule, as much as possible, and focus on working your way through as many courses as possible in a short time period, this can be highly cost effective. You can cancel membership at any time. Other courses I’ve studied with Freelance U that have helped with my freelance writing business include:

Online Copywriting Fundamentals
Create Engaging Blog Posts
Create Online Sales Pages
Create Effective Email Sequences
Book Marketing Mastery

Check out the details here, or download their free report on freelancing in 2020 to get a feel for the quality of information you’ll be getting at Freelance U. Be aware there are many different tracks within the membership area, from content creation and management to graphic design and social media marketing. This can be useful if you’re a freelance writer looking to add a few supplementary services to your packages.

Freelance University is best for:

Those who want to create freelance packages that include much sought after and lucrative skills such as writing sales page copy, social media ads, and email sequences, and those who may want to offer complimentary services alongside freelance writing (such as graphic design and social media management).

*****

Proofread Anywhere

This is a course aimed at people who want to build their own business as a freelance proofreader, but I happen to think it’s an excellent course for freelance writers, especially those who want to build a career (or extra income streams) through blogging, self-publishing, or publishing via open source platforms such as Medium. It’s also great for those who want to ensure their finished manuscripts or articles are professional enough for an editor or publisher to consider them.

Perfectly polished writing is important when you run your own blog, or self-publish your own books, and vital when you write for high-end clients. This course allows you to perfect your proofreading skills so you can use them on your own work, while also giving you an extra skill to build income around. Working as a freelance proofreader sits nicely alongside working as a freelance writer, allowing you to offer an extra, and complimentary, service to existing and potential clients.

Check out the Proofread Anywhere course here, or sign up for a FREE webinar that will give you a better idea of what’s involved and help you work out if this is the right course for you.

Proofread Anywhere is best for:

Those who want to ensure their own writing is polished and error free every time, while also developing an extra marketable skill that complements their freelance writing business, and can bring in an extra stream of income.

*****

I hope you find something here that’s potentially useful for you, whether you’re ready to start your freelance writing career, move it up a notch, or add a relevant and complimentary skill to your freelance writing skill set.

While you’re here, don’t forget to grab your FREE list of freelance markets that pay writers. You’ll also get a 50% discount on the Freelance Writer’s Success Kit.

Karen Banes