Has 2025 been a challenging year for you, too? You’re certainly not the only one. It’s a global trend that has impacted so many freelance writers. Many have seen long-term contracts end and found themselves competing for work in a hyper-competitive market, where hundreds of writers apply for the same freelance jobs. If this sounds familiar, read on. Let’s look at how you can respond proactively to this new freelance writing landscape and thrive in 2026!
The Rise of Generative AI, the Growing Rebound Against it, and the Freelance Writers’ Next Move
The continued rise of generative AI has transformed how teams produce content in 2025. Many companies have chosen to do more work in-house instead of working with freelancers. Other issues, such as changes in SEO and companies cutting back on investment, have also led to a decline in freelance opportunities.
The good news is that there has been a pushback against AI-generated content, particularly in the latter half of the year. Some companies have begun to explicitly state that they do not want you to use them. They want to steer clear of what’s known as “AI slop,” referring to low-quality content generated by AI.
As a result, they’re turning back to humans (yay!) to do the work. But while this may be helpful in the short term, generative AI will only improve further in the long term. Global generative AI investment reached $49.2 billion in the first half of 2025, surpassing the $44.2 billion total for 2024. So, for the good of your long-term career, let’s look at how you can respond proactively and get on the front foot in 2026.
The New You in 2026: 5 Ways Freelance Writers Can Reposition Themselves and Thrive
The freelance writers who thrive take the proverbial bull by the horns, unafraid, and step above and beyond the herd.
You already have the experience and know-how. You can write an article or web copy with your eyes closed. But you’re still branding yourself as a “copywriter” or “content writer.” Frankly, you’re selling yourself short and leaving money on the table. So, how about we stop doing that, like now, please? Let’s look at five options for you to really take your career by the reins and step into your true authority as an awesome independent business partner.
1. Freelance Writers as Content Strategists
You’ve already designed content campaigns and concepts. But you’re not taking advantage of this experience! Instead of just offering execution – the writing itself – market yourself as the strategy expert. Content strategist employees earn an average of $83,000 annually in the US, with higher earners on over $130,000.
2. Executive Ghostwriters
You’ve interviewed subject matter experts time and again, only to turn their insights into thought leadership articles. So, leverage that experience. Rebrand yourself as an executive ghostwriter.
Ghostwriters typically interview executives, founders, or investors on a given topic. They use the conversation to form a thought leadership article or to write social media posts. Companies have so much knowledge stored in the heads of their subject matter experts. But these people are usually too busy to write an article themselves. That’s where you can come in!
Use LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and other platforms to identify executives at companies in your niche and contact them directly. The kind of ghostwriting service you provide is up to you. Some of the most popular are thought leadership, LinkedIn social posts, and books. The highest-earning LinkedIn ghostwriters command fees of $500 to $700 per hour. And over a third of book ghostwriters report earnings of over $100,000 annually.
3. Freelance Writers as SEO and GEO Content Specialists
You have years of experience strategically implementing keywords and performing SEO duties. You understand search intent and what actually ranks. SEO specialists audit site performance and create optimization roadmaps.
To make yourself extra appealing and future-proof your business, you can market yourself as a specialist in generative engine optimization (GEO). SEO and GEO content specialists can command significant fees. GEO is a relatively new area in marketing, but there is already an increasing demand for it.
The average salary for an SEO content writer in the US is $73,000. But freelance SEO content writers can typically charge more than their employee counterparts. And from LinkedIn Learning to Udemy and Coursera, there are so many platforms to learn SEO and GEO writing skills!
4. Brand Voice Consultants
Brands invest substantial resources in creating their style guides, branding, and tone of voice. This is typically the foundational step before they create any content. If you naturally adapt tone and style for different clients, you already know how to do it. Brand voice consultants codify their vision into style guides, communication guidelines, team training, and more, and it’s an in-demand role!
Companies with consistent branding can see up to 33% revenue growth. And 65% of brands claim that tone of voice is as important as, or more important than, their visual identity. Brand voice development requires a specialist skill set. Brand voice consultants can work with companies directly or with branding agencies.
5. Freelancers as Niche Copywriters
A surefire path to mediocrity is saying that you will write anything for anyone. While it may seem counterintuitive to niche down, it really is the road to prosperity. Start by examining your portfolio for patterns. Which topics energize you? Which industries do you understand? Many writers fear limiting their client pool or getting bored. But specialists command higher rates and face less competition. And you can explore increasingly sophisticated aspects of your topic, not repeat yourself.
Better be a go-to authority in one area than a master of none. And you can combine different niches, and it really is up to you how narrow you want to go. For instance, you can specialize in a specific audience type, such as B2B or B2C. You might also choose an industry, but you could go further, into a specific vertical within that industry. And you can also niche down in what type of copywriting you focus on. Some examples are brand, SEO, technical, or direct response copywriting. Examples of niche approaches are “B2B private equity conversion copywriter” or “Direct response ecommerce copywriter” rather than merely “Freelance writer.”
A 30-Day Repositioning Plan for Freelance Writers
Week 1: Pick your specialization – Refine your skillset and tighten your knowledge.
Week 2: Revamp your online presence – Rewrite your website, LinkedIn, email signature, and any branding materials.
Week 3: Build a new portfolio – Compile portfolio pieces that demonstrate your expertise. If you don’t have any, create them or perform this service for free for current clients.
Week 4: Start pitching – Launch your new client outreach plan. Charge specialist rates. The right clients are out there, and they’re looking for specialists like you.
Why 2026 is the Year Freelance Writers Stop Underselling Themselves
You already have the skills. You’ve been using them all along and possibly undervaluing yourself. 2026 is your opportunity to truly recognize the tremendous value that you provide companies. So please, stop being “just a writer.” You’re not. You’re so much more than that.
About the Author
Timothy Woods is an executive ghostwriter and the founder of Woods Copywriting, and is based in Dublin, Ireland.