Freelance Writing for Military Spouses: Getting First Clients

Bottom Line Up Front

Freelance writing offers military spouses $30,000-$100,000+ annually with nothing but a laptop and internet connection. You can land your first paying client in 2-4 weeks with no formal training. Rates range from $0.10-$1.00+ per word depending on niche and experience. The career is perfectly portable—clients don't know or care where you're stationed. Your military spouse experience is actually a competitive advantage in niches like military life, transition resources, government contracting, and family/parenting.

The Military Spouse Career Challenge

Writing is one of the most PCS-proof careers in existence:

Why Writing Works for Military Spouses:

Zero location requirements
No state licensure
No startup costs (you have a laptop)
Flexible hours around family and deployments
Skills transfer across industries
Your unique perspective is valuable

The Real Challenge: Getting those first clients. That's what this guide focuses on—not writing theory, but the practical steps to getting paid.

Types of Freelance Writing

Content Writing (Blog Posts, Articles)

What: Educational or informational articles for websites
Clients: Businesses, publications, agencies
Rates: $0.10-$0.50/word; $100-$500/post
Best For: Generalists, topic experts, research lovers
Demand: Very high

Copywriting (Sales-Focused)

What: Writing that drives action (sales pages, ads, emails)
Clients: Businesses, marketers, agencies
Rates: $0.25-$2.00/word; $500-$5,000/project
Best For: Persuasive writers, marketing-minded
Demand: High (and higher paying)

Technical Writing

What: Documentation, manuals, guides, procedures
Clients: Tech companies, government contractors, SaaS
Rates: $50-$150/hour; $75-$150/hour contract
Best For: Detail-oriented, process-minded writers
Demand: High, especially government/contractor

Grant Writing

What: Funding proposals for nonprofits and institutions
Clients: Nonprofits, universities, research organizations
Rates: $50-$100/hour or 5-10% of funded grants
Best For: Persuasive writers, nonprofit experience
Demand: Moderate but specialized

Ghostwriting

What: Writing credited to someone else (books, articles, speeches)
Clients: Executives, thought leaders, busy professionals
Rates: $0.50-$2.00/word; $10,000-$100,000/book
Best For: Adaptable writers who don't need bylines
Demand: Moderate but lucrative

Finding Your First Clients: Proven Methods

Method 1: Freelance Platforms (Fastest)

Upwork

Largest freelance marketplace
Apply to posted jobs
Build profile and reviews
Start competitive, raise rates with reviews
Timeline to first client: 1-3 weeks

Contently, ClearVoice, Skyword

Content marketing platforms
Create profile showcasing work
Matched with clients by platform
Higher quality clients and rates
Timeline: 2-6 weeks (approval process)

Freelance Platform Strategy:

Create compelling profile highlighting unique perspective
Apply to 5-10 relevant jobs daily
Send personalized proposals (not templates)
Accept lower rates initially to build reviews
Raise rates every 3-5 completed projects

Method 2: Cold Pitching (Higher Rates)

Find Potential Clients:

Businesses in your niche with blogs (check last update)
Startups and small businesses
Marketing agencies
Local businesses going digital

Craft Your Pitch:

Short (under 150 words)
Lead with value for them
Specific improvement suggestion
Link to relevant sample
Clear call to action

Sample Cold Pitch:

Subject: Quick thought on your blog

Hi [Name],

I noticed your company's blog hasn't been updated since [date].
With [specific industry trend], fresh content could help you
[specific benefit like "attract property sellers" or "build trust
with enterprise clients"].

I'm a freelance writer specializing in [niche]. I've written for
[1-2 relevant companies or publications].

Here's a relevant sample: [link]

Would you be open to a 15-minute call to discuss your content needs?

[Your name]

Volume Required: Send 10-20 pitches per week Timeline to first client: 2-4 weeks

Method 3: Content Agencies (Consistent Work)

What They Are: Agencies that hire freelancers to fulfill client content needs.

Examples:

Crowd Content
Verblio
Scripted
Compose.ly
Writer Access

Pros:

Consistent work flow
No pitching required
Payment guaranteed

Cons:

Lower rates (agencies take cut)
Less creative control
Can be competitive

How to Apply:

Create account on each platform
Complete application/sample writing tests
Get accepted to pool
Claim assignments

Timeline: 1-4 weeks to start receiving work

Method 4: Military-Specific Opportunities

Military Publications:

Military Spouse Magazine
Military.com
We Are The Mighty
Military Times
Task & Purpose
The War Horse

Government Contractor Writing:

Technical writing for defense contractors
Proposal writing
Security clearance a plus

Military Spouse Perspective:

Companies marketing to military families
Transition and resource organizations
Military family blogs and sites

Your Advantage: You understand military life in a way civilian writers can't fake. Leverage this in pitches to relevant publications and companies.

Building Your Portfolio (Before You Have Clients)

Create Samples

Option 1: Spec Pieces

Write sample articles in your target niche
Publish on Medium or LinkedIn
Create PDF versions for pitches

Option 2: Guest Posts

Pitch guest posts to industry blogs
No payment, but real bylines
Link to these in future pitches

Option 3: Volunteer Writing

Military spouse organizations
FRG newsletters
Base publications
Non-profits you care about

Option 4: Self-Publish

Create simple portfolio website (Contently, Clippings.me, personal site)
Showcase 3-5 best pieces
Include brief bio and contact info

What Makes a Good Sample

Relevant to target niche
Clean, error-free writing
Engaging headline and opening
Proper formatting (subheads, bullets)
Clear point of view or value

Setting Your Rates

Rate Structures

Per Word:

Industry standard for articles/blog posts
Beginner: $0.05-$0.15/word
Intermediate: $0.15-$0.30/word
Advanced: $0.30-$1.00+/word

Per Project:

Common for copywriting, specific deliverables
Blog post (1,000 words): $100-$500
Website copy (5 pages): $500-$2,500
Sales page: $1,000-$5,000

Retainer:

Monthly fee for ongoing work
4 blog posts/month: $800-$2,000
Full content management: $2,000-$10,000+

Pricing Strategy for New Writers

Starting Out: Set rates low enough to get hired, high enough to take yourself seriously.

Suggested start: $0.10-$0.15/word or $75-$150 per blog post
After 5-10 clients: Raise to $0.20-$0.30/word

Raise Rates:

Every 3-6 months
With each new niche specialty
When demand exceeds capacity
When you've upgraded your portfolio

What NOT to Do

Don't work for content mills paying $5-$15 per article
Don't accept "exposure" as payment
Don't undervalue because you're "just a military spouse"
Don't feel guilty about professional rates

Niches That Pay Well

High-Paying Writing Niches

Niche	Rate Range	Why It Pays
Finance/FinTech	$0.30-$1.00/word	Complex, regulated, high ROI
Healthcare/Medical	$0.25-$0.75/word	Expertise required
Legal	$0.25-$0.75/word	Specialized knowledge
SaaS/Technology	$0.20-$0.60/word	Tech companies have budget
Cybersecurity	$0.30-$0.80/word	Niche expertise
Real Estate	$0.15-$0.40/word	Consistent demand
HR/Management	$0.15-$0.40/word	B2B budgets

Military Spouse Advantage Niches

Military transition resources - You live it
Military family life - Authentic perspective
Government contracting - Familiar environment
Relocation services - PCS expert
Education (especially homeschooling) - Many spouses homeschool
Mental health/resilience - Military family challenges

Resources Specifically for Military Spouses

Training Programs

Contently's Freelance Writing Course (Free)

Platform's own training
Apply knowledge on their platform

IVMF Onward to Opportunity

Free for military spouses
Some programs include writing/communications
Resources: ivmf.syracuse.edu

Skillshare/Udemy Courses

Writing fundamentals: $0-$50
Copywriting specific: $0-$200
Often on sale

Communities

Military Spouse Writers (Facebook)

Active community
Job leads shared
Mentorship and support

Freelance Writers Den

Paid membership (~$25/month)
Job board and training
Active forums

Peak Freelance

Slack community
Job leads
Peer support

Military Publications That Pay

Publication	Pays	Topics
Military Spouse Magazine	Yes	Military family life
Military.com	Yes	Military news, resources
Task & Purpose	Yes	Military news, opinion
The War Horse	Yes	Long-form military stories
Blue Star Families	Sometimes	Family resources

Managing a Writing Business During PCS

Before PCS

Notify clients about timeline
Complete pending projects
Set "limited availability" dates
Save all files locally (don't rely on cloud during move)

During PCS

Check email once daily (manage expectations)
Use auto-responder with timeline
Handle urgent items only
Accept that productivity drops—it's temporary

After PCS

Resume work within 1-2 weeks
Reconnect with clients
Update any address/payment info
Use move as content (if relevant to niche)

During Deployment

Many military spouse writers find deployments actually increase productivity:

Fewer household management demands
More focused work time
Solo parenting creates motivation for income

Success Stories

Sarah, Army Spouse - Tech Writer "I started writing blog posts on Upwork for $50 each. After six months and dozens of clients, I had enough samples to pitch tech companies directly. Now I specialize in SaaS documentation at $75/hour. I've worked through three PCS moves and two deployments. My biggest client has no idea I moved from Texas to Germany—they just know their documentation gets delivered on time."

Marcus, Navy Spouse - Military Content "I pitched Military.com an article about spouse employment challenges. They paid $200. That byline opened doors to Blue Star Families, Military Spouse Magazine, and eventually corporate clients who wanted authentic military family content. Now I make $65K writing about something I know better than any civilian writer could."

Amanda, Air Force Spouse - Copywriter "I was an English major who couldn't teach because of licensing. I took a $200 copywriting course, created three spec sales pages, and started pitching small businesses. First year was rough—maybe $15K. But I learned, improved my samples, raised my rates. Year three I hit $85K. A sales page I wrote last week paid $3,500 for two days of work."

Common Obstacles and Solutions

"I'm not a good enough writer"

Reality: Good enough beats perfect. Most content writing requires clarity, not literary genius. If you can write a clear email, you can write content. Start simple, improve with practice.

"I don't have expertise in anything"

Solution: You have expertise in military spouse life, which is valuable. You can also develop expertise—many successful writers learned their niche after starting. Pick something you're curious about and learn as you write.

"I can't find clients"

Solution: Increase volume. Send more pitches, apply to more jobs, expand your platforms. Most writers give up before they've tried enough. 100 applications with 5% response rate = 5 clients.

"Clients want to pay too little"

Solution: Some clients are not worth having. Learn to say no to low rates. Raise rates gradually. Target better-funded clients (SaaS companies, agencies, publications). Your first clients help you get better clients.

"I don't have time with kids"

Solution: Many successful freelance writers started during nap times and after bedtimes. Even 10 hours/week can launch a writing career. Freelancing offers flexibility traditional jobs don't.

90-Day Action Plan

Days 1-30: Foundation

Week 1: Choose 2-3 niches to pursue. Create writing samples (3-5 pieces).
Week 2: Set up profiles on Upwork + one other platform. Create simple portfolio site.
Week 3: Apply to 5 jobs per day on Upwork. Send 3 cold pitches per day.
Week 4: Continue applications. Apply to content agencies. Land first client (hopefully!).

Days 31-60: First Clients

Week 5-6: Deliver excellent work to first client(s). Ask for testimonial.
Week 7-8: Continue pitching while working. Expand to second niche if first is slow.

Days 61-90: Growth

Week 9-10: Analyze what's working. Double down on best client sources.
Week 11-12: Raise rates slightly for new clients. Build toward consistent income.

Realistic Targets:

End of Month 1: 1-3 clients, $200-$1,000 income
End of Month 2: 3-5 clients, $500-$2,000 income
End of Month 3: 4-8 clients, $1,000-$3,000 income

Resources

Platforms:

Upwork: upwork.com
Contently: contently.com
Skyword: skyword.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com (cold pitch and networking)

Training:

Copyblogger: copyblogger.com (free training)
Ed Gandia's High-Income Business Writing: b2blauncher.com
AWAI Copywriting Programs: awai.com

Tools:

Grammarly: grammarly.com (free tier excellent)
Hemingway Editor: hemingwayapp.com (free)
Google Docs (free, collaborate with clients)

Communities:

Peak Freelance: peakfreelance.com
r/freelanceWriters: reddit.com/r/freelancewriters
Military Spouse Writers (Facebook)

This Website:

Freelancing Guide
Remote Work Resources
militarytransitiontoolkit.com

Every article you write, every client you serve, every skill you develop travels with you to the next duty station. Freelance writing builds equity in your reputation rather than someone else's company. Your laptop is your office, your expertise is your product, and your income is finally yours to keep.