Surprisingly, the most sought-after freelance role in the market isn’t coding or graphic design, as one might anticipate—it’s writing.
Recent findings from Freelancer.com reveal that creative writing stands as the most highly desired skill employers are actively recruiting for on their platform. This conclusion stems from an analysis of nearly 300,000 job listings published between April and June.
Despite the growing integration of AI into content generation, the demand for human writers remains robust. Tasks such as manuscript editing, crafting SEO-optimized blog posts, and conceptualizing scripts for creative endeavors have seen an upswing in demand throughout the year.
According to Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer.com, the inherent creativity of human writers remains beyond the capabilities of AI, contributing to this trend. He highlights a parallel pattern observed in the first quarter of the year, wherein creative design roles flourished even as interest in generative AI tripled.
Barrie further notes an increasing popularity in writing-related proficiencies such as copywriting and ghostwriting on the Freelancer.com platform.
An accessible career with six-figure prospects
Although a bachelor’s degree can pave the way for some writers’ success, it’s not a mandatory prerequisite for establishing a thriving freelance career. According to insights from Indeed, the crux lies in your skill set: Writing roles generally demand fact-checking, research, editing proficiency, and a fundamental grasp of SEO.
You can curate an online portfolio showcasing writing samples, participate in writing groups, and foster connections with fellow writers in your chosen field to uncover paid opportunities.
Many freelance writing positions are conducted remotely, necessitating writers to submit and publish their work online. In certain scenarios, writers enjoy the flexibility of working from any location and determining their own work hours, as long as deadlines are met, as highlighted by FlexJobs.
As your experience deepens, you gain the latitude to set higher rates. On platforms like Freelancer.com, writers command fees as substantial as $250 per hour. At this scale, a full-time commitment to freelance writing has the potential to yield over $400,000 annually.
How freelance writers are leveraging AI to make more money
Fiverr, another prominent freelancing platform, has observed a consistent demand for writers, despite the emergence of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, which entered the scene in November 2022.
Yoav Hornung, who heads verticals and innovation at Fiverr, notes that the platform maintains its appeal for general writing services, such as book editing. Moreover, there’s a growing interest in hiring freelancers for AI-related writing tasks, such as AI content editing. These roles experienced an impressive 80% surge in demand during the previous quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023.
Gabrielle Gerbus, a freelance copywriter and SEO specialist, felt initial apprehension about the impact of AI on her career prospects. However, she chose to harness AI to her advantage, mastering ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. This enabled her to include AI content editing in her skill set, for which she charges a fee starting at $100.
Gerbus reports that this facet of her business has seen substantial growth since its recent inception. The 28-year-old highlights that business owners recognize that a profusion of AI-generated content isn’t an all-encompassing solution; there’s a nuanced demand that necessitates a human touch. She is committed to offering support across the creative journey, asserting that her intervention to infuse a human touch into AI-produced content often yields a more profound impact.
Source: cnbc.com