I frequently receive emails from new freelance writers looking for advice on how to start their business and find their first few clients. And the other day, someone asked a question that caught me off-guard.

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Here’s what she asked:

As a more experienced writer, do you think now a bad time to try to start freelancing? Will it be harder to find freelance writing clients given what’s happening with the coronavirus?

That person’s question surprised me, and I spent a lot of time thinking about it. The short answer is no, I actually think there has never been a better time to start freelance writing.

Why Now is the Ideal Time For Freelancing

Ultimately, I realized that if one person is asking this question, then many of you are probably wondering the same thing. So I wanted to write an entire blog post addressing this point.

So here are four reasons why I believe that now is the best time to start your freelance writing business:

1. Most of us are going to be stuck at home for a while

Depending on where you live, there’s a good chance you’re preparing to spend the next month staying at home. In my own state, schools are canceled for the rest of the year and I haven’t left my house for the past month.

I have to be honest, I spent the first seven days at home freaking out and watching a lot of CNN. But once I had time to accept what’s going on, I realized that as scary as this situation is, it’s also an opportunity.

Right now, most of us have a lot of extra time on our hands. So if there’s been something you’ve wanted to try -- like freelance writing -- guess what? Now you have the time to try it.

2. You can start making money immediately

Right now, many people find themselves unable to work due to the stay-at-home orders many countries are enacting. And many people are uncertain about what the future holds for their job or business.

If you’re considering ways to earn extra money on the side, I would encourage you to give freelance writing a chance. It takes time to start earning an income with most businesses and side hustles, but as a freelance writer, you can earn money within the next 30 days.

If you’re not sure how to get started, you can check out my course, Zero to $1K as a Freelance Writer. This course will give you a step-by-step guide for finding clients and earning your first $1,000 as a freelance writer.

3. There is a huge need for content right now

Right now, many businesses are grinding to a halt due to the coronavirus. But guess what hasn’t stopped? The need for online content.

Over the past two weeks, my inbox has been flooded with emails from clients, news outlets, and people that work in PR. Many of my clients have seen their traffic go through the roof due to coronavirus stories.

If you have the ability to write about news, finance, and healthcare, then I promise you there will be tons of demand for your services. But even if you don’t have experience with any of those topics, sites and businesses will still be looking for other types of content.

4. Freelancing is actually safer than your 9-5 job

It always makes me laugh when people talk about how “risky” freelancing is. I would argue that in many ways, freelancing is actually safer than a 9-5 job.

I know that having a full-time job feels more secure because you’re guaranteed a certain income every month. But if you lose that job, you’ve lost your entire source of income. Whereas I have roughly 15 clients right now, so if I lose one, it isn’t the end of the world.

But my favorite thing about freelance writing is that the amount of money I earn depends on my own effort. This can feel very nerve-wracking when you’re just getting started.

But eventually, it feels incredibly freeing when you realize there is really no limit to the amount of money you can earn.

Final Thoughts

It’s a scary time in our world, and we’re all feeling the ongoing fear and stress over what will happen with COVID-19.

But I think that’s why it’s more important than ever to look for new opportunities and ways to use this time to move ourselves forward.

And I want to help you do this.

Over the next week, I’ll be publishing a new blog post every day. Each blog post will have tips about how you can start and grow your freelancing business even in the midst of COVID-19.

So stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog post on how freelance writers can deal with uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic.