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While researching for my novel this morning I came across a book that seems spot-on relevant to the conversation we had yesterday. It's about why America's politics are so far to the right. Here's the link and description in case you're curious:

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0307947904

> Why is America living in an age of profound economic inequality? Why, despite the desperate need to address climate change, have even modest environmental efforts been defeated again and again? Why have protections for employees been decimated? Why do hedge-fund billionaires pay a far lower tax rate than middle-class workers?
The conventional answer is that a popular uprising against “big government” led to the ascendancy of a broad-based conservative movement. But as Jane Mayer shows in this powerful, meticulously reported history, a network of exceedingly wealthy people with extreme libertarian views bankrolled a systematic, step-by-step plan to fundamentally alter the American political system.
The network has brought together some of the richest people on the planet. Their core beliefs—that taxes are a form of tyranny; that government oversight of business is an assault on freedom—are sincerely held. But these beliefs also advance their personal and corporate interests: Many of their companies have run afoul of federal pollution, worker safety, securities, and tax laws.
The chief figures in the network are Charles and David Koch, whose father made his fortune in part by building oil refineries in Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Germany. The patriarch later was a founding member of the John Birch Society, whose politics were so radical it believed Dwight Eisenhower was a communist. The brothers were schooled in a political philosophy that asserted the only role of government is to provide security and to enforce property rights.
When libertarian ideas proved decidedly unpopular with voters, the Koch brothers and their allies chose another path. If they pooled their vast resources, they could fund an interlocking array of organizations that could work in tandem to influence and ultimately control academic institutions, think tanks, the courts, statehouses, Congress, and, they hoped, the presidency. Richard Mellon Scaife, the mercurial heir to banking and oil fortunes, had the brilliant insight that most of their political activities could be written off as tax-deductible “philanthropy.”
These organizations were given innocuous names such as Americans for Prosperity. Funding sources were hidden whenever possible. This process reached its apotheosis with the allegedly populist Tea Party movement, abetted mightily by the Citizens United decision—a case conceived of by legal advocates funded by the network.
The political operatives the network employs are disciplined, smart, and at times ruthless. Mayer documents instances in which people affiliated with these groups hired private detectives to impugn whistle-blowers, journalists, and even government investigators. And their efforts have been remarkably successful. Libertarian views on taxes and regulation, once far outside the mainstream and still rejected by most Americans, are ascendant in the majority of state governments, the Supreme Court, and Congress. Meaningful environmental, labor, finance, and tax reforms have been stymied.
Jane Mayer spent five years conducting hundreds of interviews-including with several sources within the network-and scoured public records, private papers, and court proceedings in reporting this book. In a taut and utterly convincing narrative, she traces the byzantine trail of the billions of dollars spent by the network and provides vivid portraits of the colorful figures behind the new American oligarchy.
Dark Money is a book that must be read by anyone who cares about the future of American democracy.

The surprising thing about this whole freelance writing world is that you have to find your special niche.

I have very similar credentials as you, but couldn't find work as a "Jill of All Trades." Instead, I had to narrow it down.

The other thing: just start applying.

You won't learn what you want, what you can handle, or what you really need until you get into the game. I started on oDesk and currently pay all of my bills from there. Sure, my expenses are low, but that's quite an achievement since I've been doing this less than a year.

Also, either get a domain name or start a free blog on Wordpress or Blogger. Add a portfolio, About page, and more relevant information. Even if this isn't big right away, you want people to have a place to find YOU.

Currently, I tend to work as a social media manager and blogger with a few odd jobs in between (and I mean odd). To prepare myself, I read Web Copy That Sells - major eye-opener for me, The Social Media Bible - incredible asset, and quite a few others. There are tons of wonderful resources, and many great places to work.

Really, the very first place I went to get experience as an online writer was HubPages. I was too nervous to write a hub at first, so I read and answered questions, posted comments on other peoples' articles, and just scoped out the scene.

Then, I made the jump into writing, and realized there was absolutely nothing to be scared of. It's a natural segue for people like us, and is a doable, worthy job.

You might want to start there. It's very simple, but even those 10-15 minutes you've been allotting can be used to create a deeper, stronger profile. It's perfect for those of us on the cusp of entering the freelance workforce, and there are many writers on there offering advice and expertise.

Check it out!

I'm sure other people have better advice, as I only went "full time" this year, but, here's some stuff I've used:

I e-borrowed this book for free https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Inc-Ultimate-Successful-Freelance/dp/0811871614 through the Libby app with my library card. It's written for freelance artists, but the info is relevant for writers too.

My two biggest clients I got through Upwork.com. I watched a LOT of YouTube videos learning the ins and outs of how Upwork works before writing my first proposal, so I wouldn't get blindsided or look like a newb who didn't know how to work the platform. I also went ahead and paid for the membership, so I can see what other people are bidding and make sure I'm within range. I factor the cost of membership, Upwork's cuts, and taxes into my pricing.

Did a lot of reading on Self-Employment tax: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes and how to pay quarterly estimated taxes (US). Also registered as a business with my city, and I file monthly sales taxes with them (they always come out to zero since we only have to pay on in-state sales, and none of my clients are in my state...yet).

I set up my bank account to "auto save" 35% of any large payments that come in, so I'm ready for any tax surprises and to pay an accountant next year.

I started writing the kind of things I want to get hired for on medium.com; it acts as a functional and presentable portfolio, and I make some pennies off of it. I also created a website and use the blog on it to cross-post content, but I get less activity through that; it's more of a way of looking professional to people who inquire. I used WordPress and only paid for the $50/yr site since I didn't think paying for the most expensive option would be worth it just yet.

Make a portfolio, determine what your absolute bare minimum pricing has to be, pitch a little higher than that if your portfolio is any good, and good luck!

As a fellow newbie to the freelance world, reach out if you wanna knock ideas back and forth.

And I'm also watching this thread for myself.

I know that when I went in for my internship at an alternative publication, my editor told me to buy The Art and Craft of Feature Writing, by William Blundell. I'm still working on reading it, but it's been rather helpful and has some great tips about organization, leads, wordcraft, etc, as well as giving ideas new energy or looking at done to death topics from new perspectives.
Hope that helps!

Yes, you can make a good living at freelancing. I've done it for almost 30-years now. But, you will be working your ass off. Go into it with the knowledge that writing is only part of it. You need to learn how to network with other writers and editors. You need to learn how to manage your finances--see https://www.amazon.com/Money-Book-Freelancers-Part-Timers-Self-Employed/dp/0307453669 for an excellent intro. You need to learn how to pitch and to pitch all the time. I believe in pitching for the best paying markets for your story. It's OK to go cheap when you're just starting, but also strive for better paying markets. Last, but never least, don't quit your day job. If humanly possible get/keep health insurance. Good luck.

You have lots of calling card work, and they like you and are fielding work your way, so you're way ahead of any beginner!
First thing I'd do is make your existing clients aware you're looking for more work. They may have contacts and refer you. Also ask them for testimonials, if you haven't already.

If your aim is to pitch feature-type journalism to bigger paid outlets, have a look at this - I found it very helpful and practical https://www.amazon.co.uk/Contacts-Problem-Freelance-Professional-Practice/dp/1408123568/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485713094&sr=8-1&keywords=freelance+journalism

If your goal is more about making a living from a spread of different writing activities, you might want to look at content writing for sites in the travel and lifestyle niches. This is popular and hard to get into, but if you add basic SEO skills your mix, you'll be way ahead of many feature writers. Long form meaty content is becoming more prized by search engines, so you're in a good place.

"Yes" to your first two questions.

I've personally never had an editor commission me to cover a topic or subject I didn't pitch, though that's just my experience. I've had an editor ask if I wanted to review any upcoming games, but their budget was too low, so I declined.

If you're not familiar with games writing or the pitching process, Nathan Meunier's books on the niche are a great resource.

For pitches specifically, this video is very helpful IMO.

Hope this helps.

And, please send some job resources, thank you.

I found this book a month ago by one of the lecturers from The Great Courses, I love it:

https://www.amazon.com/Building-Great-Sentences-Write-Courses/dp/0452298601/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498888041&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=brooks+langdom

Watch Your Words will help you better understand punctuation, sentence structure, and AP Style. You'll write more clearly: http://www.amazon.com/Watch-Your-Words-Littlefield-Language-Skills/dp/1442214651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343953589&sr=8-1&keywords=watch+your+words

Oh, and, of course, an AP Stylebook's helpful!

I'd also suggest picking up a copy of Writer's Market 2017. It's a great guide to different markets, publications within those markets (including trade journals!), and what each outlet looks for from freelancers.

I'm also a huge fan of The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing, which offers tips for crafting pitches, finding the appropriate outlets, and contacting the right person at each place. It's really approachable, and the author offers some quality "real world" expertise.

*definitely learning on his time?

Or are you being defiant by learning on his time against his wishes?

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If you want to learn how to write things people will actually want to read (as opposed to just doing it because someone pays you), I'd suggest reading a book or two about how to write well.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser is a classic for non-fiction writers. It has lots of helpful guidelines about how to communicate effectively, even if you have no aspirations of being a magazine writer or book author.

However, there are probably some books about copywriting or some other areas closer to what you're doing.

Along those lines, look for other websites that have the kind of writing you or your boss are aiming for. Try to learn what they do well and what they do poorly, and emulate the good sites in your writing.

I'd recommend against those online sites where people work for $5 an article.

If you've already got a few clients then you have a portfolio, right? That means you can get more clients.

I recommend The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. I also liked John Carlton's Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets, and his smaller guide on freelancing, but they're ridiculously overpriced. I borrowed them and took extensive notes (which you're welcome to, let me know if you'd like to see them.) Both of those are about commercial copywriting - I'm not sure what you want to do.

Just pick a method, or make your own plan, and then go for it. Once you know what you're going do, quit reading and get to work. If that doesn't work, pick another strategy, rinse, and repeat.

I've been a professional journalist for 20 years, half of it as a freelancer. I've found few books helpful; I've learned a lot more from personal mentoring and participation in a private e-mail list for journalists.

The exception is The Art and Craft of Feature Writing: Based on The Wall Street Journal Guide -- which helped me learn the difference between a topic and a story. One of my bosses (and mentors) handed it to me shortly after I moved from Writer to Editor, and I've been grateful ever since.

I started with books. Lots and lots of books. Here are a few of my favorites (not affiliate links)

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

How to Write a Good Advertisement

The Copywriters Handbook

CA$HVERTISING

Mine is still free through August 24 (tomorrow). Thanks a bunch!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074JJ9X18

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Contacts-Problem-Freelance-Professional-Practice/dp/1408123568/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484791983&sr=8-1&keywords=no+contacts+no+problem

This is a remarkable book for pitching as a first timer. I used it to secure my first few assignments.


(that is not an affiliate link and I am not related to the writer in any way)

Pitch, pitch and pitch.

gekogekogeko just posted some excellent examples of the art

Other than that I have only seen one book that I consider worth reading: William E. Blundell - The Art and Craft of Feature Writing: Based on the Wall Street Journal Guide.

Combine the two and have patience.

Have you tried [Writer's Market] (https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Market-2018-Trusted-Published/dp/1440352631)? It's pretty much the bible for freelance magazine writers just getting started.

The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook is a good summary of the UK market.

Elements of Style, my friend.

You can go with this writing bible. A lot of professional writers use this as their main stop for finding work.

I think the product description written in broken English says it all. And I'm not even a native speaker... https://www.amazon.com/How-Create-Great-Three-Hours/dp/1521169330