How Do I Start Freelance Writing with No Experience?

Yes, you can start freelance writing without experience. Here’s how.

One of the first things people ask when you meet them is, “So, what do you do?”

Over the years, I’ve had several different answers. I’ve worked in customer service, managed a store, handled grants, worked in agency development—you name it.

But when I say, “I’m a freelance writer,” the response is always the same.

“That’s so cool! I could never do that. I’m not creative enough.”

And I always say, “I bet you could.”

Because yeah, creativity helps. But it’s not the only thing that matters. You don’t need a degree or a perfect resume to get started. You just need a little direction, a little fire, and a little time to figure it out.

Step 1 – Start where you are (use what you’ve got)

Not a trained writer? That’s fine.

Just because you haven’t written for clients doesn’t mean you don’t have anything useful to say. You’ve lived a life. You’ve learned things. That’s where your writing voice comes from.

You can pull ideas and experience from things like:

• Jobs you’ve had (yep, even the random ones)

• Parenting or caregiving

• Health stuff you’ve gone through

• Life lessons you’ve had to learn the hard way

And if you know how to research, explain things clearly, and stick with something even when it feels awkward at first you’re already ahead of the game.

Step 2 – Practice in public

When I was in middle school, I was in the band. (Shoutout to my fellow band kids.)

Every week we had to turn in a slip saying we’d practiced for two hours. Most kids just got theirs signed whether they practiced or not.

But not my mom.

Ohhhh no. If she didn’t hear me practicing for two full hours, she wasn’t signing it. No shortcuts.

Not surprisingly, I got better a lot faster than the kids who skipped practice.

Same thing applies here.

If you don’t have freelance clients yet, start writing anyway.Write long Instagram captions. Start a blog. Post on LinkedIn. Just get your thoughts out.The more you practice, the easier it gets and the better your writing becomes.

Step 3 – Pick a niche (but don’t overthink it)

You’ve pulled from your life. You’ve practiced.Now look at what you liked writing about the most.

That’s your niche.

Choosing a writing niche helps you stand out faster, especially when you’re new.But don’t stress. Your niche can shift over time. Writing is trial and error.

Lean into what you enjoy. Don’t force what you don’t.(That’s just a good life tip in general.)

Step 4 – Create 2–3 writing samples

Now that you know what you like writing about—write more of it.

Take those favorite topics and turn them into blog posts, sample articles, or even a pretend web page. Keep them short, solid, and scrollable.

Save them in Google Drive, on a blog, or even a simple website so they’re easy to share when someone asks to see your work.

Step 5 – When (and when not) to use AI

Say it with me: AI is a tool.That’s it. That’s all.

Here’s how AI can help:

• Brainstorming topic ideas

• Creating outlines

• Cleaning up grammar or sentence flow

• Repurposing your blog into a caption or email

But what it shouldn’t be doing is writing your entire post from start to finish.

Why? Because your voice matters. Clients want you. Not a robot.

Step 6 – Find your first freelance gig (it won’t be fancy)

It’s time to put yourself out there and start earning.

You can find freelance work on job boards like ProBlogger or Freelance Writing Jobs, in Facebook or LinkedIn groups, or by reaching out to small businesses you already know. Local community boards can be a goldmine too.

The goal of your first few gigs isn’t a big payday. It’s to get practice, build experience, and start growing your list of published pieces with your name on them.

And just like picking your niche, this part is all about learning. You’ll figure out which kinds of clients and projects light you up—and which ones don’t. Take each gig as a stepping stone and keep building as you go.

You’re doing great. Keep going.

You’re Not Behind. You’re Just Getting Started.

Remember that band story?

If you want to get better, you’ve gotta put in the reps.

Freelance writing is the same. You learn by doing.

You don’t need permission. You just need to start.

And if you’re still stuck? The Pajama Writer has tools to help.

Let’s get you writing.