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Want to make a great income as a freelance writer? You can. I'm fond of saying that anyone who can write an email message can write for pay, and that's accurate.

Unfortunately, many new writers get in their own way. They want to make the process of writing for money more complicated than it is. It's very simple: as a writer for hire, you sell your writing services to people and businesses who need those services.

Let's look at the process involved, and then we'll discuss how you can put the process into action, even if you've never been paid a cent for your writing.

1. Decide what you'll write

The first step is to decide what you'll write. Most new writers have had this experience: you read something, and suddenly you realize "I could write that!" or "I could write that BETTER!"

This inspiration is a signal that yes indeed, you could write that, and be paid for it too. You may be inspired by anything - an advertisement, an article, a book, a movie...

Now write something similar. Yes, you need to write, to sell what you write. So go ahead and write your own version of the ad, or the article or book, or whatever it is. Use the same structure and format as the material that's inspired you, but feel free to be as creative as you like, using your own ideas and words.

2. Decide who you'll write it for

Go back to the material which first inspired you. Where was it published? Study the publication to see whether they use freelance writers. Many magazines do, book publishers do of course, and so do many Web sites.

3. Get in touch with the people who can hire you

At this stage, you may want to contact other writers on Web forums, or get a mentor so you can find out how to approach these markets.

Or you can just approach the publication directly; they may ignore you because they're busy, but on the other hand, some kind person at the publication may tell you where their writers' guidelines are, or may even send them to you.

My preference is to approach markets directly, because you'll learn more when you do.

4. Writing for money is experiential - you learn by writing and by selling

Read through the three steps above again. You now know enough to launch your freelance writing career.

Every freelance writer follows those three steps - he (or she) decides what to write, decides who to write it for, and approaches markets. However the professional freelancer is different from amateur writers in only one way - he or she performs the above process every single day, because he knows that writing for money is experiential. You can only learn how to do this by doing it.

And the more often you do it, the more you write and the more you earn.

Initially you'll be awkward. This is understandable. Whenever you learn anything new, you're clumsy. As you keep writing and approaching markets however, you'll become more confident. Each sale you make will increase your confidence and your abilities.

If you want to become a writer for hire, you now have a complete process to follow. Write out the steps, and follow them. You'll learn something new each day, and before you know it, you'll be freelancing for profit as a full time career.