Because the majority of freelancers are in the business of creation, it is often very possible to put your craft to use and to create something you can sell or even give away for donations.  Whether it’s a book you’ve written, software you’ve coded or art you’ve created, the web provides the perfect vehicle for distributing your  work.

What Kinds of Things Can You Make
Most freelancers know what they would like to make, the task is more about finding time to do it and finding ways to sell it.  Here are some things that freelancers can produce:

1. Books – Obviously suited to writers, books can nonetheless be written by any type of freelancer on a subject pertinent to them.  A web designer could write a book on CSS, a photographer could put together a coffee table photography book, and a writer a book on whatever they’re passionate about. Best of all with services like Lulu.com, the physicality of producing a book is much easier and you don’t need to produce a huge print run only to wind up selling a dozen books.
   
2. Plugins and Tools – The market for useful tools and widgets is insatiable.  Whether it’s a plugin for Wordpress, a tool to convert files or some widget that people can embed on their websites, developers in particular are perfectly positioned to make things that make people’s lives easier.
   
3. Software – From Open Source to Web Apps to Full-blown programs, software can be extremely monetizable.  The catch of course is the amount of effort can also be overpowering.  Building software is not for the faint of heart, but if you tackle problems that aren’t enormous and find an issue you are passionate about solving, then selling software can provide a lucrative income.
   
4. Art – Photographers, illustrators and even designers can produce art to sell through one of the many web print sites. 
   
5. Merchandise and Apparel – Thanks to sites like CafePress, making T-shirts, mugs, calendars and the like has never been easier.  Whether you are a copy writer who comes up with killer one-liners for Tshirts or an illustrator/designer who creates catchy designs, merchandise and apparel can be both fun and profitable.

 

There are of course plenty of other things you can make and sell, from figurines to stickers, icons to music.  Think over everything you are capable of making and find something that there is a market for.

Donationware
Although selling is the most obvious way to make money out of your craft, giving something away and asking for donations is also a perfectly legitimate idea.  The great thing about donations is that your work can spread much faster and though you may not make as much per person, you will probably hit more people.

And thanks to the magic of PayPal, asking for donations is a matter of cutting and pasting some HTML to channel those dollars into your account.

Using a Third Party or Not
There are many websites around that exist to help you sell your goods and choose whether to use them or not can be critical.  On the one hand a third-party website will inevitably take a percentage of your profits, but on the other, a third-party site can provide the exposure you need to get your work out there.

Generally the choice boils down to your own savvy-ness when it comes to marketing your wares.  If you are capable of bringing traffic and buyers, then go it alone.  If you need hand-holding, or even just to get your work launched, then try a third-party site.

Tips for Selling
Here are some tips for selling

1. Solve a Problem
   Your chances of selling something are much higher if you are solving someone’s problem.  For example if you write software to do something people are itching to do, you’ll naturally have a hit on your hands.  Write software to something only you and two other people are interested in and it better be a labour of love.
   
2. Look for the Right Price Point
   Pricing your work can be hard and there are numerous considerations including:
1. Competition.  You may price lower to undercut a competing product.
2. Value. Sometimes pricing higher gives a product more value in the buyer’s eyes (think Porsche or Rolex).
3. Margins.  Think about how much you need to make for your effort to be worthwhile.
3. Release Early, Release Often
   While this is particularly true in software, you can apply this philosophy in any craft.  If you save up everything into one big product or release, you may find you’ve got it wrong, your competition has already been there and done that or people just aren’t interested.  Get smaller products out there faster and test the waters.  If you’re writing a book, try writing a guide first before compiling your epic masterpiece.  If you are making a plugin, try solving a small problem before tackling a killer one.  And of course if you are making software, don’t wait until you have perfected the ultimate program, get something out there for users to buy, use and test.
4. Build a Blog or Brand around the Product
   Whatever you are selling, you will surely benefit from marketing and promotion work.  These days a great way to do this is to build a blog around your product.  If you are an artist, start a blog where you talk about your work, teach others some of your techniques and link up to other artists.  When it comes time to selling your own work, you’ll find you already have a customer base. 

Don’t be Shy about Asking for Donations
If you are going after donations, don’t be shy about asking.  Make it clear that you’ve put time and effort in and you’re asking people to put in what value they feel they’ve gotten.  If you try to be coy, people will assume you don’t really want or need it.