AI has arrived.
Sure, it’s been around for a while. AI writing tools like Jasper, Grammarly, and Content at Scale are becoming more and more popular at a wildly fast pace.
But what’s the tool that completely changed the game? ChatGPT. When it dropped in late 2022, everyone was talking about AI.
A lot of people are scared about AI for freelance writers. People worry it will replace writers and take their livelihoods, even a few years into ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and all the rest.
I get it.
But here’s the deal: AI is here, and it’s not going anywhere. So you have two options:
- Stick your head in the sand and hope it goes away.
- Look for ways to leverage this opportunity.
So, instead of ignoring AI writing tools, let’s embrace them, use them to our advantage, and maximize our productivity.
Here’s how to start.
AI Will Change the Way We Write and Edit
AI writing assistants have been around for a while. One of my favorites is Grammarly.
Grammarly is a tool that helps you write. It “combines rules, patterns, and artificial intelligence techniques like machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing” to spot errors while removing complexity and improving flow.
Is it perfect? No. But I find it super helpful, and so do a lot of other people.
That’s the ground floor of AI.
Then, you have more complex tools like Content at Scale or Jasper. With these, you can ask the AI to write for you, developing headlines, outlines, and other ideas. You’ll get a rough draft you can edit and make your own.
ChatGPT is very similar, with a few differences:
- It’s free (but the $20 a month plan is highly recommended).
- It’s incredibly easy to use.
- The learning curve is zero.
Ask it to create (almost) anything, and you’ll get something back in seconds.
The first time I used it, I was blown away. It wasn’t perfect. The writing was formal and elementary. But the output wasn’t nearly as bad as expected. And over the last few years? It’s gotten better and better.
So, after I got over my initial shock and fear, I realized it was an incredible writing assistant that could help freelance writers become more productive.
But first…
Will AI Writing Assistants Replace Writers?
The short answer is no, I don’t think so.
Well, right now, at least. It’s still clunky and often wrong (though very confidently wrong sometimes). I shared some of my thoughts on the future of freelance writing here.
For brands that want writers with deep expertise on a topic or niche, it’s got a long way to go. This is another reason it’s a good idea to niche into an area of expertise.
Let’s get to the good stuff with that out of the way.
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How Freelance Writers Can Benefit from AI Tools
The first thing to realize is writing assistants aren’t the enemy. On the contrary, they are valuable tools to help us get over the blank page and generate ideas.
Once you embrace it, you’ll find countless AI writing tools that will change the game for your business and workflow. Here are some examples.
Beat the Blank Page
I asked ChatGPT to create an outline for this post:
As you’re reading, you can see I didn’t use everything suggested. But I liked some of the headers and decided to include them.
A lot of people get paralyzed by the blank page. And because of that, they never start. I’ve seen many budding freelancers give up because the fear of writing anything down was too much to overcome.
For this, AI tools can be your best friend.
I’ve asked it to generate outlines, intros, Tweets, sample LOIs, and more. Not to rip, copy, and paste, but to help me get started. I want to get over looking at a blank page and feeling stuck.
Sometimes, just seeing something on the page is all you need to start.
AI Can Help Freelance Writers Get Headline Ideas
When we were brainstorming for ideas about how to write about AI tools, ChatGPT helped:
You might recognize the headline of this post tucked away in there — with a few tweaks.
I’m usually not great at headlines. And yet, headlines are some of the most important things you write. No one is clicking if you aren’t catching eyeballs on that headline.
So ChatGPT has helped me stop overthinking my headlines to death. Instead, I ask it to generate some. I see what it creates, and then I tweak it.
I’ve gotten some awesome ideas in seconds, but I’m not sure I would have come up with them alone.
Here’s another example from Jasper Chat that we prepared to help a new freelancer get ideas for writing samples:
They aren’t perfect, but you can easily tweak any of these headlines or continue the chat to have virtually unlimited ideas for samples or posts.
AI Helps Us to Write Better Content
This is where freelancers can get the most out of AI tools.
For most of us, we can create content quickly. So while ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini can spit out 1,000 words much faster than I can, it will be 1,000 ok words.
I think many brands that got super excited about these tools in 2023 suddenly realized that just copying and pasting AI content wouldn’t work for them long-term, so writers (and editors) are needed. So are people who are good at prompting these tools to create better results.
I still have to edit and add more context, personality, and so on to make it more than a mediocre post.
No one (good at least) can take what these tools spit out and slap them on a blog. Google is checking for AI content. Auto-generated content is a big no-no from Google now:
If you want to create content that passes Google and the ever-growing list of AI content detection tools, you have to do more.
That’s the rub with many AI writing assistants. It’s so easy anyone can do it. As a result, we’re about to see a tidal wave of generic, boring content.
That means there’s a massive opportunity for freelance writers.
Be better.
Write better stuff. Be more engaging. Make people stop and read what you have to say.
Where you stand out is your experience, your creativity, and your empathy.
Those are your superpowers — learn to use them.
AI for Freelance Writers: It Helps Work More Efficiently
Freelance writing is a service business, and that means time = money.
As a soloprenuer, you can create only so much content in a day before your brain turns to mush. So, time is a finite resource you need to protect.
So, lean on AI to help.
When I’m stuck, I ask it to generate ideas. And almost every time, it gets me on the right track, and my brain fires up again.
But, of course, ChatGPT isn’t the only tool writers can start using. Here are a few others we’ve been relying on at LRA to help boost productivity, get more organized, and get more done in less time.
Grammarly
I can't think of a good reason why anyone shouldn't at least have the free version of Grammarly installed. It's SO incredibly helpful. And if you upgrade? It's even more useful. Here's a free month of Grammarly premium on us.
*Free plans and paid plans.
Full disclosure: Liz is a Grammarly Ambassador (aka Grambassador). So, it shows you how much she loves this tool. Install the Chrome plugin, and stop worrying about making stupid spelling and grammar mistakes ever again.
Check out my full Grammarly review here.
Content at Scale
Simply put, this is the only AI writing tool I can recommend for long-form content. It's not perfect, but it's as close to magic as I've seen from an AI tool. Highly recommended.
Sean has been playing around with this AI writing tool for more long-form content, and he’s been pretty impressed. For him, it’s the only tool he recommends if you want to create long-form content. It still has some limitations, and it’s on the pricey side but it can get you going.
Canva
Did you know Canva now has all sorts of AI tools? You don’t have to spend hours searching for images to go with your posts — especially if you need a photo of something unusual. Instead, use Text to Image and tell it what you’d like to see.
Perplexity
If you have to gather a lot of research or data for your writing, you know how long it can take to find the info you need. Perplexity is my go-to research tool now. It works just like a chatbot, ask it to pull up data, and you’ll get a summary of what you need with links to real direct sources so you can read further. It’s saved me so much time trying to find research.
Otter AI
Another massive timesaving tool for me is Otter AI. It’s a fantastic tool for transcription. If I’m on a call with an SME, I turn on Otter to ensure the call is recorded and transcribed in real time. If a client sends me a pre-recorded video to quote from, I use it to get the transcription automatically. And I’ve started using it on walks to take voice notes when ideas pop up.
Freelance Writing Isn’t Going Away, But It’s Time to Evolve
AI writing tools make it possible to build your content machine more efficiently and effectively. Use these tools to blast through fears of the blank page, spark ideas, and help you outline posts.
The more you play around with AI assistants and learn how to use them, the better off you’ll be in the long run. These tools aren’t going anywhere, and AI will improve by leaps and bounds in the coming years, so turn this moment into an opportunity to get ahead of the curve and do more with it.
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This post was updated as of October 2024 for accuracy.
Sean Ogle
Sean Ogle is the Founder of Location Rebel where he has spent the last 12+ years teaching people how to build online businesses that give them the freedom to do more of the things they like to do in life. When he's not in the coffee shops of Portland, or the beaches of Bali, he's probably sneaking into some other high-class establishment where he most certainly doesn't belong.Join over 40,000 people who have taken our 6 part freelance writing course. Sign up below and let’s do this together.
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