There are several things that can make freelance writing jobs attractive. The client might be amazing to work with. The gig might pay more than most. Or maybe it offers a dream byline.
I’d imagine we all want great clients and decent pay. So let’s focus on that last one—bylines.
Do you know what bylines are in writing? How much do you care about them? Should you care about them? Let’s dive in.
What is a Byline?
A byline is a line of text, often appearing at the start of an article, that credits the author by name. Bylines tell the reader who wrote the article or other published piece they're about to read.
Bylines can be formatted in different ways. All that's required is the author's name. They can even include additional information. But this…
by: Jennifer Mattern
That’s a perfectly acceptable byline.
So is this:
by: Jennifer Mattern, Professional Title
Or even this:
by: Jennifer Mattern, my@email.com
It’s not uncommon for a byline to also include the publication date, like this:
March 19, 2025, by Jennifer Mattern
or
By: Jennifer Mattern, Published: March 19, 2025
A byline can even include multiple authors. Or, for example, if you write medical content it wouldn’t be unheard of for a byline to include the author as well as an editor or fact-checker with medical credentials.
This is what a byline looks like at RollingStone.com.
Here's a very different byline example, this time from NerdWallet. This showcases a more complex byline that includes headshots, but also multiple credited contributors: the author and the article's editor.
Bylines vs Author Bios
Sometimes people, including writers, confuse bylines and author bios.
These are not the same thing.
A byline is simply credit. It tells the reader who wrote the article or other content they’re reading. In digital publications, the author's name might link to a bio page featuring a feed of all articles they've contributed.
This is what a byline looks like here at All Freelance Writing (the highlighted portion):
An author bio on the other hand generally appears at the end of an article or blog post. They're more common in digital publications like blogs but can also be included with print articles. Online articles can feature longer author bios because they don't have the same issue of limited space.
Author bios include more information about the author, ideally showcasing any credentials that might lend authority or credibility to the article.
The author bio will often include a headshot of the writer (which also sometimes accompanies a byline) and may include a link to a separate author page depending on the publication.
This is what an author bio looks like here at All Freelance Writing:
While author bios tend to appear at the end of blog posts and other online articles, that's not always the case. Take Smashing Magazine articles for example. Their bylines appear above their article titles, with brief author bios high in the sidebar to the right of the article content (in desktop view).
Here's an example of one of their bylines above a title:
And here's the author bio in the sidebar on that same article's page:
Are bylines and author bios similar? Only so far as they credit the author.
Bylines are brief and they're often at the beginning of the article. Author bios offer additional context regarding the author's background and why they're qualified to write the article you just finished reading.
Similar. But they're not the same.
Author bios are also sometimes, though not always, more self-promotional, especially in blogging (even more so in guest posting).
With some freelance writing projects, you'll receive both an author bio and a byline. With others, especially in print publications, you'll often only receive a byline.
Pros & Cons of Bylines for Freelance Writers
Bylines are always a good thing when you work as a freelance writer. Right?
Well, not so fast. As with most things, there are pros and cons to bylines. It's important to understand them before deciding what types of freelance gigs you want to take on.
Benefits of Bylines for Freelance Writers
Bylines offer several key benefits to you as a freelance writer:
- Credited writing samples to include in your freelance writing portfolio
- A reputation boost if your bylines appear in reputable publications
- Credibility within a freelance writing specialty when you earn bylines within that specialty
- New clients might find you after reading your bylined work
- The satisfaction that can come with writing for a publication you personally love
These things are great, but they're not the only side of the story.
Potential Downsides of Freelance Writing Bylines
There can be downsides to freelance article bylines too. For example:
- You can't count on having final approval over an article's copy, and you might not want your name associated with a piece after an editor's revisions.
- If you write about controversial topics, bylined work can make it easier for trolls to follow you around and attack your professional work. (And speaking from experience, it can also make it easier for other online stalkers to find you.)
- There's always a risk bylined work you later don't want to associate with harms your search engine visibility for your professional site (making it tougher for prospects to find you).
- If you aren't sure of a specialty yet, bylines (either too broad or too narrow) could make it more difficult later to brand yourself as a specialist, or change your specialty.
- Bylined work will sometimes pay less than ghostwritten work (you can charge a premium for freelance ghostwriting projects).
None of these are to say you should never seek bylines. Far from it! Just keep both the pros and cons in mind when making that decision on a project-by-project basis.
How Important are Author Bylines for Freelance Writers?
While bylines aren't essential in all freelance writing projects, and might not matter at all for certain types of freelance writers, their value can vary depending on the type of writing you do. Let's look at a few examples.
Bylines in Journalism
If bylines are important anywhere, it's in journalism. That could mean bylines in newspapers, magazines, or digital publications. Legitimate news outlets often won't even allow you to ghost write articles because their credibility relies, in part, on the credibility journalists bring to the table.
That's not to say no journalistic pieces can be ghostwritten. But if you want to build a reputation as a freelance reporter, bylines are going to be an important part of that.
Blogging Bylines (& Bylines in Other Digital Publishing)
With online articles, you'll find a bigger mix of freelance writing jobs with both bylined work and ghostwriting being viable options. For publication-style blogs, you can seek out bylined posts to help you build credibility in your specialty area. But there are plenty of ghostwriting opportunities too.
For example, one of my most common freelance writing projects in recent years has been ghostwriting company blog posts for owners (or posts published under the company's brand rather than an individual author).
These kinds of ghostwriting gigs are often the highest-paying blogging jobs.
If you're willing to give up bylines, you can make $500, $1000, and even more per post. These gigs are also generally ongoing rather than one-off pieces.
Bylines for Other Freelance Writing Projects
Similar to freelance blogging, other project types sometimes feature bylines and sometimes don't.
Reports are a good example of this.
Whether or not you receive a byline often depends on the audience. Reports for more of a consumer audience, in my experience, are more likely to offer a byline. Many B2B reports and white papers, on the other hand, are designed to be branded rather than assigned to a particular author.
This isn't always the case of course. So consider a byline part of your negotiation. If you won't get one, consider charging more, and ask up front if the client will grant permission for you to include the report in your portfolio.
Other types of writing will rarely, if ever, feature a byline.
For example, press releases don't include bylines. Neither does most web copywriting. You won't necessarily tack on an extra fee for ghostwriting in these cases because the projects don't traditionally carry a byline. But price that fact into your rates in comparison with other bylined work you might take on.
TIP:
Don't obsess over bylines in your freelance writing career. They're nice to have, but unless you're a freelance journalist, most aren't essential.
Get enough bylines that you can cement your reputation and build a portfolio.
Pursue those dream clients you really want a byline from.
But don't neglect some of the best-paying projects out there just because you won't get a byline in the process.
How to Get More (and Better) Bylines as a Freelance Writer
If bylines are a priority for you, you'll want to focus on one key marketing tool:
Direct pitches / queries
I know, I know. You're probably used to me talking about query-free freelancing here--using a mix of PR and inbound marketing to attract clients rather than having to seek them out and spend time dealing with the query-rejection-acceptance cycle.
But that doesn't mean I'm completely anti-query. There are times it makes more sense.
This is one of them.
If you're actively seeking bylines, chances are good you have some publications in mind. Search their websites for submission guidelines and follow their pitching instructions. You might even find calls for submissions that lay out what they're looking for in upcoming months.
Remember, publications aren't the only places you can get freelance writing bylines.
Consider pitching businesses too.
For example, look for companies that run their own niche blogs. See if their staff have bylines (versus publishing under one generic company handle). If they do, and if you have expertise that could add value, email them to see if they'd be open to bylined freelance contributions.
Don't immediately walk away from business blogs if they do have a generic handle rather than bylines.
They might not realize this practice could hurt their search engine optimization (SEO) efforts by making it more difficult for Google to analyze the authority of their authors (and therefore their site).
Ask them to consider accepting a freelance contribution with a byline and author bio that makes your subject matter expertise clear. Even if they're not interested in updating their archives, they might be willing to consider publishing some bylined posts as a test moving forward.
Not sure where to start earning article bylines?
Keep an eye on active listings on the All Freelance Writing Job Board. Even better, browse the database of writers' markets to find digital and print publications that accept freelance pitches.
Remember, even if a gig is advertised at ghostwritten, it never hurts to ask if the client would consider bylined work. After all, if you're already a specialist, your byline brings added credibility to them as much as their publication might bring added credibility to you.
