It’s great telling you to avoid content mills and watch out for bidding sites, but that only tells you so much about freelance writing opportunities. It doesn’t really help you know where to look.

Well, that’s what I want to help you with in this blog post.

Now, part of this will depend on the type of writing you want to do. Some people prefer magazines, while others want to write web copy for businesses. I’m going to try and keep these three places for freelance writing opportunities as wide as possible to cover as many of you as possible.

I’ve used these places in my own writing career and found that they’ve been successful, so I hope they are for you too.

Freelance Writing Job Boards

Some writers suggest staying away from the job boards. I just suggest remaining cautious. There are a few problems with these, and there will be people looking for big projects without spending a lot.

I love ProBoards Job Board and BloggingPro Job Board. Both of these links open in new windows if you want to check them out right now.

There are a few other boards out there, and if you’re a member of the Freelance Writers Den you have access to that job board. I’ve not tested all the boards and some I haven’t heard of, but there are a few tips to determine whether a posting is worth your time.

First thing is to check if a rate per article/blog post is stated. I don’t bother with anything below $25, and then I’ll ignore many of those below $50 depending on the amount of work I currently have. You see, anything less than $25 just isn’t worth the time it takes to craft the pieces. Remember that is my personal minimum based on the amount I need to make. It could be very different for you, but don’t accept the low-ball offers.

From there, look at the amount of words expected, the topic and any sample posts shared. Then read the application instructions in full.

Guru, Elance, PeoplePerHour

These are three similar types of sites that I look at now and then. But they’re bidding sites, aren’t they? Well, sort of but there are a few protections in place for the writers.

It’s still really important to look at the maximum price someone is offering for a project to determine if it is worth your time.

When you are going through the project details, ask questions if you can and get to know as much as possible. This will help you craft your bids. Don’t go for a low amount! It’s not a race to the bottom, although some people think it is. You’ll be surprised on some of these sites. People expect quality and some job posters are willing to pay extra for that.

Pitch to Magazines and Businesses

Make your pitches straight to the businesses and magazines that you want to write for. There are some major benefits to this, such as getting your asking rate!

Businesses need people to craft their content, and will usually pay more to those coming to them. It has cut out a lot of the marketing and searching for the right person. Magazines like people with initiative and will usually pay on a per word basis, helping to keep the rate for you higher.

You will need to work out which magazines and businesses are worth your time, and think about your pitches. It takes time to look into each one in detail and craft the perfect introduction letter. I highly recommend the Writer’s Market for all your pitching needs. It includes a list of all the magazines (international, national, trade and even online) for people to pitch to.

When it comes to searching for businesses, start with companies in your area that have blogs that haven’t been updated for a while. You could even start with companies you’ve worked with or bought from in the past. Then branch out. Focusing on businesses with a dying blog is often much easier than trying to convince a company to set up a blog.

I hope that helps you. There are plenty of places to find freelance writing opportunities for a good price. Take your time and put the effort in. You will get there.

Do you know other places for freelance writing opportunities? Share your thoughts, experiences or ideas in the comments below.