Freelance Writing Tips for 2025: 10 Ways to Improve Your Writing & Get More Clients

Becoming a freelance writer is one thing. Becoming a great freelance writer is another. Writing for business, whether it's blog content, website copy, or email marketing, means mastering clarity, engagement, and flow. It also means that you have to be a sponge, always willing to learn new ways to improve your skills. After 10+ years of copywriting, I’m still learning new things. 

Every client you work with will have their own preferences. They’ll have style guides and content briefs for you to follow, so you know how to write for their businesses. 

Of all the briefs we thumbed through in 2024, there are some writing tips worth sharing. Again, these aren’t hard rules. Instead, these are some of the biggest writing insights we’ve picked up in 2024. These are writing tidbits that will support you to write cleaner, stronger, and more compelling content in 2025. Keep these tips in your back pocket as you grow your freelance writing skills and start landing more paying clients for yourself.

1. Keep It Natural—You’re Not a Robot & Neither Are Your Readers

Trying too hard to sound sophisticated can backfire, making the writing feel robotic or outdated. Conversational writing is key for business blogs, email marketing, and web content, where companies want to connect with customers in a relatable, approachable way. If your writing sounds too rigid or “corporate,” it won’t hold the reader’s attention or drive action.

• Bad example: She proceeded to exit the vehicle in a cautious manner.

• Good example: She stepped out of the car carefully.

• Bad example: The gentleman was extremely delighted by the meal.

• Good example: He really enjoyed the meal.

Case in point: One of my long-term writing clients has an audience of C-level executives and HR professionals. Writing professionally to this audience can be tough. You don’t want to be too rigid, yet you don’t want to come off too conversational. But the bottom line is that these executives are people who want to be engaged. They have less time for boring reads than anyone else.

2. Similes Should Always Add Value—Not Just Occupy Space

Similes are great when they clarify an idea, but overusing them clutters writing and weakens impact. When writing for businesses, especially technical industries like finance, healthcare, or B2B marketing, similes can make content harder to follow. Instead of forcing comparisons, focus on clear, direct explanations that make the subject easy to understand.

• Bad example: The coffee was as bitter as an unripe grapefruit.

• Good example: The coffee was strong and dark, perfect for a morning jolt.

3. Avoid Weasel Words (They’re Never Necessary)

I’m not a fan of absolutes. But weasels are pretty unnecessary. (See what I did there?) Weasel words like "just," "only," "really," "actually," and "a bit" make business copywriting weaker and less persuasive. Strong, confident wording is key for website copy, email marketing, and sales content, where businesses need to inspire trust and authority. If the writing sounds hesitant, potential customers will hesitate, too.

• Bad example: She just needed a little more time.

• Good example: She needed more time.

• Bad example: The product is actually quite effective.

• Good example: The product is effective.

4. Make Smarter Word Choices 

Choosing the right words makes business writing stronger, more engaging, and easier to digest. Cut unnecessary adverbs, keep dialogue tags simple, and avoid abstract words. This helps businesses communicate their messages clearly, especially in sales pages, landing pages, and call-to-action-driven content. If a company’s message isn’t clear, customers won’t take action—so making every word count is mission-critical.

• Cut adverbs: Instead of "She slowly nodded," say "She nodded."

• Use simple dialogue tags: Skip "he bellowed" or "she murmured" and use "he said" or "she said."

• Avoid unnecessary descriptors: "The car was somewhat dirty" becomes "The car was dirty."

5. Whittle It Down—Shorter Sentences Make for Clearer Writing

Long, complex sentences slow down readers and bury the main message. For digital content like blogs, product descriptions, and SEO copy, short, snappy sentences perform better because they keep attention and improve readability. If your writing forces readers to stop and re-read a sentence, they might just leave the page instead.

• Keep sentences under 20 words when possible.

• Use one idea per sentence to improve clarity.

• Break long paragraphs into two or three shorter ones.

What I learned in 2024: I’m still a long-winded writer. Of all the constructive criticism I took from clients, “writing too much” is clearly my kryptonite. But the point is that it’s better to know your weakness so you can combat it with each piece you write. Not knowing which leads to continued mistakes, will only set you back. 

6. Cut Out Any Weak ‘Was’ or ‘-Ing” 

Passive verb structures like "was running" or "was thinking" create distance between the reader and the action. Stronger verbs make writing more immediate, engaging, and persuasive, which is essential when writing marketing copy, product descriptions, or social media content. Businesses want copy that grabs attention fast. So, eliminating weak verb constructions makes a big difference.

• Bad example: She was walking toward the store.

• Good example: She walked toward the store.

• Bad example: He was staring at his phone, wondering what to say.

• Good example: He stared at his phone, unsure what to say.

Case in point: I didn’t even realize how often I was using passive “ing” until I had one editor last year who called me out on it. It forces you to retrain your brain a little, especially if you’ve been writing in passive with “ings.” But this editor was right. And my copy got better because of it.

7. Set the Right Tone with Every Word 

The words you choose shape the tone and emotion of your writing, which is a must-have for brand voice and storytelling. An ad for a fitness brand should sound energetic, while an email for a financial planner should sound trustworthy and professional. Whether you’re writing for a fun, youthful brand or a serious corporate business, choosing the right words creates the right emotional impact.

• Energetic: The music blasted through the speakers, making the crowd jump.

• Calm: The music played softly in the background, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

• Urgent: The sirens screamed as the ambulance sped down the street.

8. Use Stronger Verbs & Stop Defaulting to Weak Verbs

Verbs are the heartbeat of every sentence, and stronger verbs make writing more vivid and engaging. In advertising, storytelling, and blog content, using weak verbs can make content feel lifeless, while stronger verbs create energy and movement. Businesses want content that excites, persuades, and informs. It’s those stronger verbs that can make that happen.

• Instead of "The car moved slowly," try "The car crawled forward."

• Instead of "She smiled happily," try "She beamed."

• Instead of "He looked at the clock nervously," try "He glanced at the clock, his fingers tapping the desk."

What I learned in 2024: In the creative writing world, where aspiring novelists do their storytelling, there’s a common theme – the show, don’t tell model. Now, in business writing, we’re not whisking the reader off to some far-off land of werewolves and unicorns. But the concept does still resonate with business writing. Don’t tell the reader something that you can show them with better copy. The added bonus is that you’ll find benefit in incorporating a little creativity that makes your writing more original and impactful.

9. Keep Your Copy Tight—Avoid Over-Explaining

Dense paragraphs and long-winded explanations lose readers fast. (Again, my biggest pain point as a writer.) For website copy, blog posts, and ad campaigns, clarity is king. So, use bullet points, shorter paragraphs, and easy-to-digest formatting to keep content engaging and skimmable. If the writing is overwhelming, the message gets lost.

• Stick to 2-3 sentences per paragraph.

• Avoid repeating the same idea in different ways.

• Use direct, concise language to keep your points sharp.

10. Ditch the Passive Voice—Keep It Active

Passive voice makes writing feel detached and impersonal, which is the last thing a business wants when trying to connect with customers. Whether it’s a company’s About page, a sales email, or a blog post, active voice makes the message clearer and more compelling. While some passive voice makes sense, writing in the “now” is also more relevant.

• Passive: The decision was made by the manager.

• Active: The manager made the decision.

• Passive: The report was submitted by the team.

• Active: The team submitted the report.

Here’s to Better Writing in 2025!

Listen, there’s no magic formula for great writing, but these tips will help you refine your freelance writing skills and produce clearer, more engaging content. Whether you’re writing blogs, business content, or social media posts, strong writing attracts more clients. And let this exercise serve as an inspiration for you to keep track of the feedback you get from peers and clients this year. You can look back and identify areas of improvement for yourself, always improving.

Of course, if you need help on your writing and earning journey, we’re here! Download your guides and tools.