Freelance Writer Resume—Example & Writing Guide for 2024

Freelance Writer Resume—Example & Writing Guide for 2024

Your friends work from anywhere they want, and you’re stuck in the office? Change that. This freelance writer's resume will get you where you can work on your terms.

Marta Bongilaj, CPRW
Marta Bongilaj, CPRW
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert

Your vein strikes under a shower, and you can’t live a day without writing in your diary. You can’t miss a copywriting update, and your last money goes on fine liners.

Well, you’re a flesh-and-blood writer, not just a random guy who enjoys sitting by a desk and leaving work promptly at 4 PM. You’d instead prepare copywriting masterpieces on a paradise island. So, what stops you? Create a freelance writer's resume that takes you wherever your artistic soul can go.

In this guide:

  • A freelance writer's resume sample better than most.
  • How to make the perfect freelance writer job description for resumes.
  • How to write a resume for freelance writers that stands out.
  • Expert tips and freelance writing resume examples to boost your chances of landing a freelance writer job.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

Create your resume now

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWfreelance writer resume sample

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your resume now

Need a resume for similar positions? Check our dedicated guides:

Freelance Writer Resume Sample 

Deanna M. Ouellette

Freelance Writer

804-277-3373

deannam@email.com

linkedin.com/in/deannam

Summary

Dedicated freelance writer with 3+ years of experience creating spotless copy for blogs, websites, and landing pages. During self-employment, rewrote HP website content, helping to increase their monthly organic traffic by 40%. At ScribbleTalk, created a blog from scratch, growing website organic traffic by 30% monthly. Looking to join VerbVilla as a freelance writer to apply creative skills and vast web writing knowledge.

Work Experience

Freelance Writer

Self-employed

October 2022–Present

  • Collaborated with renowned brands like HP, JBL, and Uber Technologies.
  • Rewrote HP website content, helping to increase their monthly organic traffic by 40%.
  • Reviewed content specifications to meet deadlines and quality requirements. Was offered a 15% bigger payout from a client due to exceptional standard adherence.
  • Delivered all work on time and completed 20% of projects 1 week before a scheduled date.

Key achievement:

  • Helped create a dedicated content strategy for a new JBL Pulse product, recording 800+ more unique website visitors monthly, with 500+ new buyers.

Content Writer

ScribbleTalk, Remote

September 2020–October 2022

  • Prepared informative, engaging content for various assets such as blogs, websites, landing pages, and social media.
  • Created ScribbleTalk blog from scratch, growing website organic traffic by 30% monthly.
  • Crafted entertaining social media content for ScribbleTalk’s Facebook and Instagram, building a 10,000+ follower base during 5 months.
  • Ran regular keyword research and analytics for the brand. Identified and covered 20+ new keywords monthly.

Key achievement:

  • Suggested and implemented website content reorganization, leading to a 20% higher conversion rate after 1 month.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in General English

University of Pennsylvania, PA

September 2016–June 2020

GPA: 3.72

  • Initiated writer’s group for students, leading writing workshops occasionally.
  • Wrote 5 articles about schooling and gained publications in 2 widely-read newspapers.

Skills

  • Excellent writing
  • SEO principles
  • Research
  • WordPress
  • Asana
  • Trello
  • SEranking
  • Google Search Console
  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Time management
  • Outside-the-box thinking

Languages

  • English—Native
  • French—Advanced

Certificates

  • Adobe Digital Publishing by Adobe Systems, 2023
  • Content Marketing by HubSpot Academy, 2022

Interests

  • Blogging: running own blog about content marketing strategies and best writing practices
  • Reading: studying books about various types of digital writing: content writing, copywriting, technical, UX, blogging, and email marketing.

Freelance writers prepare various content for different channels: website content, blog posts, press releases, emails, grant proposals, or newsletters. A freelance writer’s resume should prove you can manage diverse content types that bring quantifiable results.

Let’s break down the freelance writing resume structure to help you make an equally good resume sample. Here’s what to do:

1. Set the Best Freelance Writer Resume Format

Writers tend to fall into two camps: they either prepare a plan for writing in advance or go with the flow, writing by the seat of their pants. While creative tasks don’t necessarily require a strict plan, documents do.

To start with your freelance writer resume, prepare a solid resume format that makes your writing seamless and flowing:

  • Include these resume sections: Header, Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, and Additional.

As a writer, you likely love to scribble and doodle when possible. But, this time, keep your piece neat and easy to read.

In the end, consider saving your resume in PDF or DOC. PDF works best as it keeps everything in line and prevents a crossover between what you’ve worked out and what a recruiter will see.

2. Make Your Freelance Writing Resume Summary a Captivating Intro

As a writer, you likely were born with an innate ability to convince with words. Not your case? Chances are, you’ve learned it through schooling, coursing, or self-learning.

Us, writers, are magicians, too. We have that unique flair to clothe things into words that make them anything we wish. So, why not use your talent to craft a resume that sparks interest from the very first lines?

Begin with an encouraging resume summary that draws. Here’s how:

    1. Start with an adjective (dedicated, reliable, passionate).
    2. Call out your job title (freelance writer).
    3. Summarize years of experience (3+, 4+...).
    4. Charm them with 2–3 achievements (rewrote HP website content, helping to increase their monthly organic traffic by 40%).
    5. Say how you’ll contribute (toapply creative skills and vast web writing knowledge).

Read through these examples:

Freelance Writer Resume Summary—Example

Good Example

Summary

Dedicated freelance writer with 3+ years of experience creating spotless copy for blogs, websites, and landing pages. During self-employment, rewrote HP website content, helping to increase their monthly organic traffic by 40%. At ScribbleTalk, created a blog from scratch, growing website organic traffic by 30% monthly. Looking to join VerbVilla as a freelance writer to apply creative skills and vast web writing knowledge.

Bad Example

Summary

Intelligent writer who loves to catch freelance gigs. Skilled in preparing engaging blog posts, website content, and emails that make people click. Worked for TextStorm, preparing creative copy for their blog and social media channels. Crafted Twitter posts that content marketing leaders shared. Would gladly join COPYCRAZE to provide top-notch texts for various audiences.

So, what’s the diff? Can you spot it with the unaided eye?

The first is a striking example of hitting a hiring manager from the word go. This sample provides concrete accomplishments that speak for your candidature. No waffle, just the proverbial meat of the matter.

The other one? It doesn’t really prove you’re a great writer. It’s amazing if people read your emails and share your social media posts. But how does it translate into performance? Did an email CTR increase thanks to your involvement? Did your social media post reach a wide audience thanks to valuable shares?

Now, variant two. You’re a beginning writer, learning to play with words and lightly engage your readers. In such a case, use a resume objective and discuss achievements from previous projects.

Freelance Writer Resume Objective—Example

Good Example

Objective

Passionate writer, skilled in creating conversion-focused website content. While doing a Bachelor’s in English at Siena Heights University, opened a writer’s group to develop writing skills with other students. Co-created the University’s blog, attracting 2000+ unique users during the first month after deployment. Finished Copywriting Mastery Course receiving the highest notes. Looking to join JotCompose to utilize creative writing skills and web writing knowledge.

Bad Example

Objective

A novice writer who enjoys captivating stories. Read 10+ blogs monthly and love sharing copywriting novelties on social media. Writes own blog and shares text graphics on Tumblr. Would like to join iCraftly to learn more about successful writing strategies and work remotely.

The first example shows a jobseeker is motivated in their job search and oriented toward contributing to the company they want to join. Despite limited experience, they exposed achievements that speak for their candidature.

The bad one? It is too self-oriented. Whether writing a resume summary or objective, think about the company you want to join rather than your goals and motivations. Focus more on how the firm can benefit from your employment and which of your skills might be of value to them.

3. List the Perfect Freelance Writer Job Descriptions

Copywriting rule #27: don’t use weasel words. When writing headlines, subheads, or body copy, don’t you dare to write vague phrases. There’s no place for maybes.

The same rule applies to resume writing. With limited space (and the recruiter’s time), you shouldn’t mince words. Give them concrete examples of your writing expertise, and make your words bright like you did all Udemy copywriting courses.

The next thing to prove your writing familiarity through? The work experience section with killer job descriptions and dynamic phrases.

Seeing the freelance writer job description for the first time? No worries. The below samples will help to wrap your head around it.

But first, catch a few tips on how to put freelance work on a resume:

  1. Study the job ad carefully, like the most renowned idiom dictionary.
  2. Spot demanded freelance writer skills and duties as quickly as you would behold a glaring grammar error.
  3. Think of situations where you’ve used those skills. Put them into words; you know how to do it.
  4. Create resume bullets with key highlights. Pick the best achievements and add exact numbers for evidence.

And the promised examples:

Freelance Writer Job Description for a Resume

Good Example

Experience

Freelance Writer

Self-employed

October 2022–Present

  • Collaborated with renowned brands like HP, JBL, and Uber Technologies.
  • Rewrote HP website content, helping to increase their monthly organic traffic by 40%.
  • Reviewed content specifications to meet deadlines and quality requirements. Was offered a 15% bigger payout from a client due to exceptional standard adherence.
  • Delivered all work on time and completed 20% of projects 1 week before a scheduled date.

Key achievement:

  • Helped create a dedicated content strategy for a new JBL Pulse product, recording 800+ more unique website visitors monthly, with 500+ new buyers.
Bad Example

Experience

Freelance Copywriter

Verbalverse, December 2022–Now

  • Created a range of content formats, perfecting writing skills.
  • Prepared website content for various clients and received positive feedback about the outcomes.
  • Followed briefs and specifications, keeping the highest level of accuracy and correctness.
  • Delivered all projects on time and got a raise after the first 6 months.

So you see the difference. Even if you don’t have quantifiable achievements on your record, try to make them as precise as possible. Furthermore, you can always show off any successes from previous gigs or projects if you're a fledging writer. 

4. Catalogue Your Most Astonishing Freelance Writer Skills

Freelance writer job adverts are pretty straightforward. They often state that the ideal candidate should be well-versed in creating unique content that invitingly interests the reader.

So basically, they look for a modern-age Hemingway, wearing a funny cap and loose pants and engaging fellas with fun stories.

Do you have that ease? Show them. List skills that help you thrive in this role and prove you have the toolkit to work out any type of content they want to design.

Skills for a Freelance Writer Resume

  • Excellent writing
  • Impeccable grammar
  • SEO principles
  • Computer knowledge
  • Client outreach
  • Research
  • WordPress
  • Asana
  • Trello
  • SEranking
  • Google Search Console
  • Storytelling
  • Proofreading
  • Bookkeeping
  • Organization
  • Communication
  • Receptiveness
  • Teamwork
  • Time management
  • Outside-the-box thinking

Word limits? Any. Use as many unique skills as possible, but make sure you don’t make up a tale. Be real unless they want another Jean de La Fontaine. 

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWcreate your resume now

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

4. Turn Your Education Into an Interesting Read

Whether reading a book, a newspaper, or a blog article, you can always come upon a paragraph or two that bore you to death. Repeatable sentences, treading-water descriptions, or simply dull contents make you want to pray to a Writing God for a better future.

In your resume, no single line should be ill-conceived. Make every resume section appealing so a recruiter doesn’t have to jump over bland phrases. This applies to the education section, too.

Freelance Writer Education—Example

Good Example

Education

Bachelor of Arts in General English

University of Pennsylvania, PA

September 2016–June 2020

GPA: 3.72

  • Initiated writer’s group for students, leading writing workshops occasionally.
  • Wrote 5 articles about schooling and gained publications in 2 widely-read newspapers.

See? You can expand on your education, adding some highlights to it. Just as if you tweaked a concise copy to make it more convincing.

5. Conclude Your Freelance Writer Resume With Added Sections

You might feel you’ve already exhausted the subject, describing your work experience, skills, and education history. What else could help you get that dreamy freelance writer job under the palm trees?

Yet, your friend said added sections could take your resume to the next level and help you finish it with grace. Like a captivating P.S. that makes you want to leave everything and reply to the message you received. So, stretch a point and apply a few interesting facts about yourself.

Think of one or two of these bonus sections:

Now, without further ado, see these examples:

Freelance Writer Resume—Extra Sections

Good Example

Languages

  • English—Native
  • French—Advanced

Certificates

  • Adobe Digital Publishing by Adobe Systems, 2023
  • Content Marketing by HubSpot Academy, 2022

Interests

  • Blogging: running own blog about content marketing strategies and best writing practices
  • Reading: studying books about various types of digital writing: content writing, copywriting, technical, UX, blogging, and email marketing.

Whoa! You’re there, having an appealing, on-point resume. Concise, relevant, and accurate. So, what’s next? Pack your luggage and expect to live a life of leisure in a freelance mode!

Expert Hint: If you’re not knackered yet, consider writing a tailored freelance writer cover letter. Dedicate a minute or two and learn how to write the best cover letter that helps you win the job you want. It pays off!

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOWcreate your cover letter now

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

For a freelance writer resume that takes you to the Balearic Islands or wherever else you crave:

  • Follow the freelance writer's resume template that does that one job up for grabs.
  • Accentuate your freelance writer achievements. Weave themin your resume summary, work experience, education, and added sections.
  • Disclose your most fabulous freelance writer skills. Don’t build tension; tell them straight away. Psst, just make sure they overlap with the job posting requirements.
  • Write up a freelance writer's cover letter. Don’t cut corners; make it another reason to hire you.

Questions or doubts about writing a freelance writer resume? Not sure how to approach your freelance writer resume sections? Drop a comment. We’ll answer promptly!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Marta Bongilaj, CPRW

Marta Bongilaj is a career expert and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. She's a member of the National Career Development Association and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. She has a vast marketing background, which helps her give relevant advice on bringing out candidates’ strongest points and making their resumes a compelling read. In her articles, she underlines the importance of showcasing the most prominent skills, experiences, and qualifications in a resume to stand out in increasingly competitive job markets. Marta provides on-point tips on how to promote one’s candidature efficaciously at every career stage. Holding a philology degree, she believes that concise, persuasive language lies at the core of a successful resume. If you seek advice on marketing yourself to employers, no matter your recruitment stage, you’ve come to the right place.

Was it interesting?Here are similar articles