The hottest gig on the freelance job market isn’t coding or graphic design, as you might expect — it’s writing.
That’s at least according to new research from Freelancer.com, which found creative writing to be the most in-demand skill employers are hiring for on its platform, based on an analysis of nearly 300,000 jobs advertised on the site between April and June.
Even as more companies turn to AI for content creation, the demand for human writers to edit manuscripts, write SEO-optimized blog posts and draft scripts for creative projects has increased since the beginning of the year, says Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer.com.
“AI can’t replace creativity yet,” he says. “We saw a similar trend occur in the first quarter of the year, as creative design jobs were flourishing despite interest for generative AI tripling.”
Other writing-related skills that have become more popular on Freelancer.com include copywriting and ghostwriting, Barrie adds.
An accessible career with six-figure prospects
While some writers find success with a bachelor’s degree, it’s not a requirement to build a successful freelance career. What’s far more important, per Indeed, is the skills you bring to the table: Most writing gigs require fact-checking, research, editing and a basic understanding of SEO.
You can create an online portfolio with samples of your writing, join a writing group and network with other writers in your area of interest to find paid opportunities.
Most freelance writing jobs are remote, too, requiring writers to submit and publish their work online. In some cases, writers are able to work from anywhere, and set their own hours, as long as they meet their deadline, according to FlexJobs.
The more experienced you are, the higher you can set your rate: Writers on Freelancer.com charge as much as $250 per hour. At this rate, working as a freelance writer full-time could earn you upwards of $400,000 per year.
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