Are you tired of the major freelance job boards that are oversaturated with low-paying gigs? Then, keep reading! We have 10 lesser-known places to find freelance writing jobs!
I love sharing how much I enjoy my work as a freelance writer. I get to earn money by sharing my thoughts on topics I enjoy, such as TV, travel, and working from home. And as long as I’m meeting my deadlines, I get to make my own hours, which means there’s plenty of time for midday shopping runs or workouts at the Y, and I’m always available for my three teenage kiddos when they need me.
But like most freelancers, I’m always on the lookout for new websites to find writing jobs, as diversity is beneficial for my writing portfolio and provides a little insurance in this high-hustle gig economy. Between my husband, who works as a freelance auto and technology writer, and me, we’ve compiled a fairly extensive list of writing job boards and newsletters to explore.
Because I know the struggle of creative professionals trying to weed out the low-pay content mills and get to the good stuff, and I’m a firm believer in holding the door open for others, here’s a list of every job board and newsletter we use to find freelance writing jobs.
1. Freelance Framework
Writing job boards are a crucial resource for finding high-quality job opportunities. However, I have found some of the best job listings through subscription newsletters that deliver information on the hottest freelance writing gigs directly to my inbox. It’s a great way to connect with new listings for higher-paying freelance writing opportunities.
Freelance Framework is the website and newsletter of content creator Chris Bibey. Bibey offers both a free and premium newsletter, but you can access the free version of old issues on his website and treat it just like a job board. All of his listings come with a link to where you can apply and submit your samples. For each listing, Bibey has annotated the country of origin, which can be helpful if you’d prefer United States-based companies.
2. Study Hall Sampler
Don’t let the name throw you off. Kind of like Chris Bibey’s site, Study Hall Sampler is the home website of a journalism newsletter with previous listings posted on the site. These lists tend to be a bit shorter than Freelance Framework, but the site offers a lot more detail about each job listing.
One thing I really appreciate about Study Hall Sampler is the details they provide on things like pay and the types of pitches or submissions the folks behind the job posting are looking for. Because you don’t have to click on a second page, it’s much easier just to scan the latest listings to see if there’s anything available in your niche (and, let’s be honest, pay range). This is another site that doesn’t cost anything to subscribe to, so I definitely recommend signing up for their newsletter.
3. Freelance Opportunities!
The confident exclamation point on Kaitlyn Arford’s writing job website, Freelance Opportunities!, is well-earned. This site offers both back issues of the weekly job newsletter and regular blog posts with info on spicy freelance writer topics like the latest and greatest job boards or communicating with recruiters and business owners looking to hire freelancers.
This site has tons of job listings, with opportunities sorted under categories like “journalism” and “copywriters.” Arford adds a little blurb for every entry, many of which include details about pay.
Some of the content on this site is only available for paying subscribers, but subscriptions are just $5 a month. The author is also committed to inclusivity (love that door opening), and she offers a scholarship program for folks who need a little help for the time being.
4. ilovecreatives
This one requires a little more elbow grease on the part of the reader, but ilovecreatives has a job board just for creative jobs in fields like marketing and social media. You will have to filter through posts for digital creators, project coordinators, and other roles that might not be relevant, as well as other types of community ads and announcements. But in a world where so many good job opportunities get snapped up before you can even apply, this could be a good place to access gigs that aren’t posted anywhere else.
5. Freelance Writers Online
The Freelance Writers Online website has a job page with a list of calls for pitches and links to many writing job newsletters with similar opportunities. The site also offers a little insight on every entry.
I noticed that many of these postings come from social media calls for writers, which I’ve heard is one of the best ways to stay on top of the latest hot freelance writing gigs. One thing that’s really cool about this site is the way it clearly states who a posting is for (e.g., “writers who are moms”). Here, you can also find a list of open calls for pitches and what those sites are looking for in submissions.
6. Submission Sunday
Submission Sunday is a Substack with three tiers of paid subscriptions. But the page also offers a free subscription that gives readers access to quite a few writing opportunities. Every two weeks, the site updates with eight new job opportunities across a range of writing roles from more journalistic features to creative writing gigs.
Besides calls for pitches, readers can also find information about some fairly high-paying writing competitions here. If you’re an SEO writer looking for opportunities outside of news and feature writing, you can find some hidden gems lurking on this site.
7. Harlow
Harlow is a platform with a fantastic job board with listings for freelancers in writing and editing, marketing, design, and more. They even have a search engine where you can input your preferences for things like skill or company. It’s a good alternative for folks who find job searches on LinkedIn a bit of a drag since the site is limited to freelance gigs, making it much easier to sort through the listings and get to the good stuff.
8. Freedom With Writing
Freedom With Writing is another newsletter site that actually posts their job listings directly online, so you can just get right to the good stuff if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed in the inbox. I really appreciate how the site groups postings in separate articles (e.g., “fiction opportunities,” “calls for pitches directly from editors”) so you can get right to what you’re looking for without the extraneous information.
9. TWJN (The Writer’s Job Newsletter)
The Writer’s Job Newsletter is another one of my sweet spouse’s fave job listing sites. The site has a newsletter you can subscribe to for job alerts, but they also post their content to the website. You can access a few listings from each post with a free subscription or go pro for full access to all listings. And we’re talking long lists of 50+ freelance writing gigs in some cases.
Each TWJN entry includes a summary that breaks down how many of each type of job listing is available, sorted by freelance job, call to pitch, or full-time work. I love when these newsletters take care of the heavy research, and most of TWJN’s job listings come with an entire paragraph getting deep into the nitty-gritty of things like pay, length, whether it’s a guest post, and anything else they feel you might benefit from knowing.
10. ATFW Freelance Job Writing Board
ATFW stands for “All Things Freelance Writing,” and this site is loaded with great resources for writers, aside from their job board, which I strongly recommend taking some time to check out. But we’re here for that tasty gig work, and in that capacity, ATFW’s job board does not disappoint.
Entries are short, sweet, and straight to the point, but they tend to include crucial information about which country a posting is based in and what type of gig you’re looking at (e.g., copywriter or online editor jobs).
Find Freelance Writing Jobs: The More Job Listings, The Better
It might sound paradoxical, but one of the things I appreciate most about being a freelancer is the job security it affords. Unlike my past life as a full-time on-site worker, I have the luxury of diversifying my job opportunities by working for a variety of publications. And the best way to do that is to set aside time every week or two to look at calls for pitches.
If there’s room in your life for more email notifications, go ahead and subscribe to as many good freelance job newsletters as possible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found perfect gigs for my travel and TV geek writing skills just browsing my inbox over coffee in the morning.
And don’t forget to subscribe to and check The Work at Home Woman regularly for long lists of quality freelance writing jobs!
If you’re new to the world of freelance writing, you can also explore popular sites like Upwork, Fiverr, FlexJobs, ProBlogger, and LinkedIn, but most people already know about these sites.
Freelance friends, do you have a favorite job board or newsletter to share? Let me know in the comments, and happy job hunting out there!