Is There Freelance Work Available for Fiction Writers?

Many freelance writers tend to focus on nonfiction writing, and it’s not hard to see why. Many clients who work with freelancers are looking for content designed to drive traffic to a business website. Freelance writers also dominate magazines, newspapers, and blogs, covering current events or other nonfiction topics. However, just because so much freelance writing work revolves around nonfiction doesn’t mean that there isn’t work for fiction writers. Breaking into freelance fiction writing is a little different than breaking into content writing. That said, there are shared strategies that work for both fields. Here is what you need to know about becoming a freelance fiction writer.

Freelance fiction writers usually work on projects with longer turnarounds.

One way that fiction differs from nonfiction for freelancers is the scope of the project. Many freelancing assignments take a few days to complete, but freelance fiction writing jobs can last for months. Because freelance fiction writing works on such a different timeline, fiction writers tend to have fewer clients on the go than nonfiction writers. However, fiction projects can pay considerably more, which makes it profitable to work with a smaller client base.

Many people who hire freelance fiction writers want feedback, not fresh content.

Often, clients who hire freelance fiction writers have a finished or nearly finished project that they need assistance with. In some cases, they may simply be looking for feedback from an experienced writer. In other cases, however, they may want someone to complete or expand the work that they have. For fiction writers, this kind of work may not ultimately be what you want to do. However, it is a great way to get your foot in the door and build up experience as a freelance fiction creator. This kind of work will also help you get used to collaborating on fiction projects with strangers.

Ghostwriting is lucrative, but it means you are giving up your rights.

Ghostwriting is common for freelancers who do fiction work. When you ghostwrite, your name will not be on the finished project, and you will not have rights to it. It is important to understand that you are giving up your rights when you are a ghostwriter, no matter how successful the finished project becomes. The fee for ghostwriting can be high for this reason. However, there are people who hire ghostwriters for low fees. You should apply the same kinds of payment criteria to fiction jobs as you would to nonfiction jobs—including considering the time the project will take you and the payment per word—before deciding if you should accept a project.

To get access to freelance writing jobs for fiction writers, join Writers Work. Whatever your niche is, you will find opportunities and clients here on our site. We offer a wide array of features for aspiring freelancers! Join today and receive a 30-day, risk-free trial so you can experience the benefits of our writers’ community for yourself.