Freelance writing is, more or less, professional writing done by freelancers. To be freelance is to work on different jobs or for short periods of time, without being a permanent employee. The word 'freelance' itself comes from the Middle Ages, to describe the knights who would defend whichever king paid them, rather than being loyal to just one king. These knights were referred to as 'free lanced'. If you are a freelance writer, you do not belong to one publication or organization, and instead submit your writing to whomever pays you for it. Freelance writing can be both creative and technical, but either way it is a short-term commitment. For creative writing pieces, a freelance writer usually writes first, and then seeks a publication to house it. For technical or specialized projects, a freelance writer will generally be sought out first. Types of Freelance Writing There are many types of freelance writing gigs: Newspaper article Grant writing for a nonprofit organization Program proposal Website blog Training manual Book review Interview published in a magazine Translation of a story written in a foreign language