
Before you start advertising your services as a writer, you may want to contact the lowerclassmen in your university first.
Offer to sell your previously written class essays to whomever is taking the same class and would be interested in making his research and essay life easier.
The professors tend to give the same essay and research topics over the semesters so your previously written papers can serve as true "model papers" for these students. As you sell the paper to the students, inform them that you are also available to write original research papers and essays for them.
That is, if they like your work in the sample paper. I had a few friends who developed an immediate client base as academic writers by using this technique.
It is almost foolproof. If they like your sample paper, there is a 100% chance that they will hire you to write original papers for them in other classes.
With any luck, you will also gain a client base through word of mouth so you will not have to ever work for a writing company. You will start out and generate income repeatedly without the middleman.