Freelance Writing sounds like a fun way to begin a career in writing?

A portfolio is a good idea for sure, but you also need to have experience and references.

Some types of writing are easier to get into than others. The good news though is that once you get started it's easier to get more work, especially when it comes to getting into print magazines. It took me a long time to get that first national magazine piece, but now that I have that clip it has led to other writing assignments that pay better etc.

The key to any freelance writing career is dedication and patience. It isn't "fun" all the time - in fact a lot of it is drudgery, but a true writer has it in their blood and they feel compelled to write - so that makes the crappy parts easier to deal with - like rejection letters (and no matter how good you are you will get rejections), pitching ideas - I hate querying, also the constant having to dig through hundreds of we'll pay you $1.00 for a 500 word article kind of junk for online writing....

It can be rewarding - just don't go into it with the false expectation that freelancing is a "fun way to begin"... quite the contrary it's a very difficult career to begin that requires a stiff upper lip, a lot of time and a great deal of perseverance. If you've got all that I'm happy for you because you'll be successful :).

I have a website dedicated solely to all the types of freelance writing which you can find a link to via my profile as I am not sure if its against the rules to post it here or not...

I think to start out freelance you've got to have some very well developed writing skills or have good ties with media. You're not going to get very far unless you can get paid for your work quickly and have a steady profit.

Most freelance writers have spent years as a journalist, author, writer, and other writing jobs. Once you've earned your credibility, becoming freelance shouldn't be that hard.

If so, you should get the "2012 Writer's Market Deluxe Edition" or a similar guide to magazines and other outlets that accept submissions.

If you just have a great idea but don't want to bother writing without having a buyer in mind, you can send a pitch to a publisher.

If you offer SEO writing like I do, you can send emails to websites that would benefit from having a great blog or a re-do of their home page, etc.

I will follow this question too lol, i'm interested in the same thing, if I find any good leads I will pass them onto you :).

Thank you all for your advice. It has been very helpful.

I'm only 20 so my resume isn't extremely long but I feel that it is decent for my age and all that I have done on the side from writing.

I have two published poems, 2 years experience with my old high school paper as both an investigative reporter and an opinion based columnist as well as editing.

I wrote one article for my University paper when I was a Freshman there but did not write any more because my topic was too "controversial" for them.

My first novel is written and ready for publication. I also received a great review from a local, award winning author on my novel. My second novel is in the production stage on my desk and my third novel has already started unraveling in my mind.

My portfolio will categorize and organize all of these different styles of writing. I'm also going to be creating submissions for Greeting Cards if I can come up with that much small stuff.

Like I said, I'm only 20. Aside from my writing, I was an extremely talented and award winning flutist in high school. I was an active dance team member an dual enrolled to go to Cosmetology school 2 hours a day for my last two years of high school.

I also graduated with honors. After graduating, I went off to a University to study English. I have only recently quit school for a small period of time do to a tight money situation.

I know that I have a long way to go but I'm definitely hoping that some of this stuff helps. :).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.