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16 Places to Look for Freelance Writing Jobs

Written on October 22, 2009 by Will Irvin

Filed Under: Job Hunting

I had planned to take a look at places to look for jobs in several different areas, but I quickly found that there are many places to look in each job field, so I am going to focus today on freelance writing jobs, and where to find them.  I had also planned to have this to you on Tuesday, but I discovered that I could not do justice to them all in such a short time.  Friday, I will look at IT-related jobs, and the best places to find jobs in that area.  I have separated this list into three categories: Free Job Leads, Subscription Services, and Bid Sites.  Naturally, the free job boards should be your first stop, but some of the subscription-based and bid sites can yield some good gigs.

Free Job Leads

1. Freelance Writing Gigs – I’ve long been a big fan of Deb Ng’s blog.  She posts current job leads (usually current within 24 hours of posting), and the blog also contains a lot of good information relevant to freelance writers.  It’s the first place I look every day for job leads.
2. About Freelance Writing – The second place I always look each day is Anne Wayman’s blog.  Anne, like Deb, is an experience writer who also offers some good insights into the world of freelance writing.  She also has written several ebooks on the subject of writing, which you can also sell as an affiliate.  (Find out more about the affiliate program here).
3. All Freelance Writing – I like Jenn Mattern’s blog more for her writing style and content than her job listings, although she does tend to post some of the better leads each day during the week.  It’s also one of the places I stop daily in my search for freelance writing jobs.
4. Indeed Jobs – Indeed can be a huge time saver by allowing you to search multiple job sites at once.  And, they don’t just have writing and blogging jobs, they also have job leads in all areas.
5. CraigsList – The problems with CraigsList are well-known and well-documented.  However, if you can separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, there are some very good writing and blogging gigs to be found on Craigslist.
6. Journalism Jobs – This site focuses a bit more on full-time jobs than freelance gigs, but you can still find some freelance gigs here.  And, who knows? Maybe a full-time job is what you’re really looking for.
7. MediaBistro – Another site that requires a bit of searching to find the good ones, MediaBistro is a site for which you have to register in order to see full job details, but it’s worth the 2 minute registration process to find some good gigs from time to time.
8. ProBlogger – Darren Rowse’s blog is also a good place to find a good selection of job leads, and he has some good insights on how to make a living as a freelance blogger.
9. Freelance Job Openings – I personally am not a huge fan of this site overall.  There are some good jobs to be found there, but in my personal opinion, the selection isn’t the greatest.  This is only my personal opinion, and your experience may be different.  It’s still worth checking out.
10. CareerBuilder.com – Major Job Search Board.  CB may not come to mind as your first place to look for freelance jobs, but they have a surprisingly good listing at times.  Definitely should be on your daily search list.
11. Monster.com – Just like CareerBuilder above, Monster.com should be on your daily search list.
12. Dice.com – Although primarily tech-related jobs are found here, the occasional technical writing job can be found on Dice.

Subscription-based services

These are really the only two subscription-based job listing services that I have found that are worth mentioning.

1. Freelance Switch – This site used to be free. Now it costs $7 a month to have access, but there are some really good opportunities listed here.
2. Flex Jobs - At $15 per month or $50 per year, it isn’t cheap, but I hear it’s worth the money.  You may as well sign up for a whole year…it’s like getting over 9 months free.

Bid Sites

I am really not a fan of bid sites for finding jobs.  While there are certainly some good jobs listed on this sites, two things became very clear to me very quickly: 1.  The same people or groups get all the good jobs, and 2.  That means that the cost of being a premium member isn’t worth it.  However, your luck may be different than mine, so check them out.

1. Elance – The first bid site I ever heard about, and the source of the bad taste in my mouth concerning bid sites.
2. Get a Freelancer – Another bid site…enough said.

Editor’s Note:  Thist list does share a lot of listings in common with Deb Ng’s list, 43 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs and Jenn Mattern’s list, 51 Places to find Freelance Writing Jobs and Blogging Jobs. Be sure and check both of them out.