We all know we’re spoiled. With all the resources at our disposal today to gain success as freelance writers–offering every piece of information we could possibly need to get it right, and even more–it’s amazing that we still struggle.

We gobble ebooks and courses and systems free and paid, hoping to find that special piece of information that will make some serious rain so we can live our dream.

What if we didn’t have those things, or couldn’t access them? How would we go about building our business without them?

Better yet, what if we discovered we didn’t even need them?

So I gathered the stories and tips from freelancers of many backgrounds who successfully made a go of it without a system, and asked them for tips and encouragement for you.

Thursday Bram: From High School To Freelance Writing

I actually didn’t really realize that I was freelancing when I started: I was drafted into writing for a magazine my mother published when I was still in high school. I started expanding my client list from there, but by the time I started reading about freelancing, I was pretty far beyond most of the books I could find.

If you plant yourself in front of the computer every day, spend time on both looking for clients and on actually writing, you’re going to be successful eventually. Sure, there are some resources that can speed up that process a little bit, but you can get a lot of the entry-level information by buying a more experienced freelancer a cup of coffee.

An unread ebook isn’t going to help your ability to write very much, after all. The key, once again, is to spend time on it. When you find a new resource, schedule time to actually go through it and get all the information you need.

 Jasmine Henry: Experience Isn’t “The Determining Factor” Of Your Success

I think the biggest thing that new freelancers should know is that  experience isn’t necessarily the determining factor of the success of  your career, determination is what’s important plus passion and  talent. Talent isn’t even vital because with determination and  passion, you can strive to become better at what you do.

Read up. When you don’t have experience it’s important to get out there and find someone who does. Read, follow fellow freelancers and  editors, and learn every day. It’s also a fantastic  networking opportunity and could even score you a gig or two!

The worst that could happen. Get out there. If you think there’s a client that you can cater to,  go out there and submit a proposal to them! If you’re talented and  persistent you won’t be overlooked and even then, if you lack talent,  go out there and find a good editor who can pinpoint exactly what your  skills are lacking. And besides, the worst that could happen is that you get rejected. It’s not the end of the world, honestly.

I stopped being so hard on myself. It might take a month or even  two for you to score your first job but once you do, from then on,  scoring your second, third and fourth jobs will be a breeze. So don’t  feel down if you get more “nays’ than “yays,” just go back to the  drawing board and edit, edit some more and alter your strategy,  chances are, you probably aren’t as rubbish as you think.

L. Michelle Baker: Surviving The Dot-Com Bust To Own Two Businesses

$9K A Year

In 2000, I was working as an accountant with a small regional firm in northern Virginia, and I decided that I could not spend my life in a bank boardroom. So I headed to graduate school for a degree in English, without a clue what I would do with it when I was finished.

I won a doctoral scholarship that covered my tuition, but my teaching assistantship paid only $9K a year, so I became an accounting consultant for one of the firm’s clients. That client was a dot-com that went under in 2001. My husband and I had just married and bought a home for his two children and ourselves, and based on what I thought was my own burgeoning success, I had encouraged him to quit his factory job and start an internet business, effectively making me the sole supporter of our family.

“They Don’t Teach You That In Graduate School.”

An internet search led me to Elance, a website for freelancers. I tried working there as a writer, but the pay was low, and the work drained my mental energy from the academic projects I was trying to complete.

But I’m a fast typist, having worked my way through undergrad as a legal secretary, so Elance transcription projects caught my eye. I started transcribing in 2005 and quickly built up an enthusiastic client base. Today, I run a small firm with an account manager and several subcontractors. Together, we produce 250 – 500 pages of text a month.

In 2011, I put my PhD to work on a second business, Corporate Writing Pro. I teach subject matter experts, primarily scientists, how to act like writers, and I show managers how to behave like writing instructors so that an entire organization can communicate collaboratively and clearly.

But as any entrepreneur will tell you, being good at what you do is only 25% of the equation. You also have to know things like how to set up a website, how to attract clients, and how to position yourself as a thought leader. They don’t teach you that in graduate school.

Earning My MBA While Earning My PhD

When my business launched I had never taken a class in marketing or finance or website development. But I had transcribed thousands of pages of courses from internet entrepreneurs who had. From them I learned so much that I kind of feel like the whole time I was earning my PhD, I was also earning an MBA. And I was doing it while I was making money as a transcriptionist.

If there’s any advice I can give to other writers and editors out there it would be there’s always a way to learn, and there’s usually a way to learn for free. We have two things to offer: money and time. I’ve never had money, and I know how short we all are on time, but if you want it, you have to put in the investment.

Robert Baker: From Chemist To Technical Writer

I have a degree in Chemistry, two years of working as a lab chemist, and two patents. However, after two years, I decided that while I loved the theoretical end of science in general, I hated the lab work. But I have always loved to write, so I applied for and landed a job with an advertising agency in Philadelphia as a technical copywriter for several chemical accounts.

After many years of working for advertising agencies in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York, I discovered my unique niche. There are many good writers who a terrified of any form of technology. There are also many good technical people who cannot tell you in English what it is that they do. I am able to bridge that gap by being able to read and understand highly technical material and translate it into compelling English that someone without a technical background can read and understand. Very few writers can do this.

Over a number of years, I served on the boards of the Business Marketing Association Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey Chapters. These contacts proved invaluable when I decided to open my own business as a freelance copywriter. My first assignments came from them, and most of my subsequent assignments came from referrals by them.  Today, most of my business still comes from networking and from referrals by current clients, which is why I would counsel new and aspiring writers to network, network, and network some more.

Lisa Frederick: “Companies are happy to hire freelancers”

While my main focus (and passion) is writing, I also offer media relations, graphic design, branding, and marketing services. The whole package. I have a background in Advertising, a Master’s in English Lit, and I worked as the Deputy Director of Communications for a national nonprofit for 5 years before I went out on my own a few years ago.

I guess in the grand scheme of things I am still “starting” the freelance thing since it has only been a few years. Business is good though! I think in this economy, companies are happy to hire freelancers because 1) there is no overhead to pay for and 2) they don’t have to commit to long-term employment. Some tips:

Start small to build your portfolio. I volunteer with the Taproot Foundation, which matches professionals with nonprofits. The volunteers then provide pro bono services to the nonprofits (I am currently writing copy for a brochure for a nonprofit in DC). It is a great way to build your portfolio and gain experience.

Network, network, network. I have handed my business card to people in my neighborhood, friends of friends, moms of kids in my kids’ classes at school. You never know who will need a writer.

No job is too small. From tiny paragraphs to full articles and complete newsletters, it is wise to accept just about any job when you are getting started.

Linsey B. Knerl: “Never Stop Looking For Work”

I got my start blogging back in 2007. I’ve written for Investopedia.com, TomsGuide.com, PCMag, and Grit Magazine. I didn’t follow a guide or book, and had no money or resources for classes.  Here are my tips for getting work and earning a full-time living in a very competitive industry:

Never stop looking for work. I apply for jobs daily, even though my workload is almost overwhelming at times. Companies fold, work dries up, and there is always the opportunity to get better pay for what you do.

Don’t overlook blogging.  Sure, you can start your own blog–I recommend it–but blogging for others is still the best. I got my official “start” by blogging for a mid-sized blog, and a few of my articles became syndicated to larger news media sites. This helped me get a byline in large publications like Forbes and Christian Science Monitor without having to write for them directly. These clips will get your into doors you couldn’t otherwise.

Attend conferences. Blog conferences are full of social media types, and it’s very hard to make an impression there. I would attend the niche conference for the markets you write for and introduce yourself. There usually aren’t very many freelance writers at these events, so you really have a good chance at making a quality connection at these events.

A good editor friend is gold in this industry! The world of writing is so chaotic; editors bounce from here to there. If you find one that you work well with, don’t lose track of them! Keep in touch so they know where to find you when they want to work with a quality freelancer at their next gig. It’s much easier to learn a new format with the same editor than work for a new editor at the same publication or site.

Make some industry friends. I have conference calls weekly with other writers who I can share leads with and get insider info on who may be hiring. The time is helpful to boost morale, too!

Bamidele Onibalusi: “Know Your Worth”

My first experience with freelance writing is that people get paid around $3 to $5 per article. When I met a client willing to pay me $100 per article, I was surprised. At first, I slowed down my work pace just to be sure the client knew what he was doing. After getting a few more quality requests, I gained confidence. Here’s what proved really helpful to me:

Almost every client I have today came in contact with me through my blog. That alone set me apart from other freelance writers. The fact that they came to me meant they already see me as an expert and are ready to pay a premium for my services.

Market the heck out of yourself. I wrote 270 guest posts for numerous blogs around me in 8 months and that alone helped boost my credibility while leading clients to me. There is a huge amount of quality clients out there looking for your service, but you have to prove to them that you know your stuff. When they start seeing your name pop up everywhere, they have no choice but to trust you and they will be happy to give you priority over other freelance writers.

Don’t undercharge. This means you should know your worth and ignore jobs that don’t pay. You may be hesitant at first, but if you follow my first two tips, you will be able to get more quality jobs than you can handle on the long run.

Brie W. Reynolds: “Writing Gigs Come From Two Places”

I’ve been freelancing writing full-time for a year and half, but I’ve been a part-time freelancer for four. During this time, I’ve found that my writing gigs come from two places: networking connections and searching online job boards.

Networking connections. My very first freelance writing gig came from a college friend’s girlfriend: her start-up company needed a writer and there I was. And my landlord recently mentioned that she’s looking for a blogger for her company so I struck up a conversation with her about possibly writing for her blog.

Job boards. I’ve found FlexJobs listings to be a higher quality than some of the other boards out there because they are pre-screened and they include short- and long-term writing opportunities. FlexJobs also lists freelance jobs in many other job categories. It’s important to use niche job boards that cater to freelance jobs rather than the large, seemingly anonymous job boards that include all varieties of work. You’ll spend much less time searching, and much more time landing gigs.

Offer to work for companies you love. For the purpose of full disclosure: After using FlexJobs to search for jobs, I liked their philosophy so much that I applied to write on a freelance basis for them too! Now I provide blog and other content for the company.

Next Thursday: How Freelance Writers Succeed Without The Internet

Photo credit: Evelina, courtesy Flickr, CC 2.0.