As a freelance writer you will be taking on a variety of jobs on a regular basis. This can become confusing if you are not organized. It is very important to know the job requirements of each project before starting. To go along with this, you must also keep these requirements in mind as you move through the project. If you don’t you may end up with a completed job that is far from what the client is looking for.
What type of job requirements will you face as a freelance writer? This depends on two factors: the type of project and the client. For instance, the requirements for an SEO article are going to be much different than a feature article. For an SEO article your client may tell you to use a specific keyword a specific number of times. But with a feature article you will not be dealing with these details but instead others such as overall length, number of sources, interviews, sidebar content, etc.
As noted above, the client you are working with will determine the requirements for the project. You will find out soon enough that every client has their own way of doing things. I have clients who believe that SEO articles should be 500 words with a density of three percent. But on the other side I also deal with clients who feel that 300 words and once percent density is best for search engines. As you can see, it is important to get used to dealing with a variety of clients.
Before starting any job you should be 100 percent aware of the requirements. Since each client is unique you should never base one project on another. Instead, know exactly what the client wants and use these requirements to guide you through the project from start to finish.Â
No matter what career path you choose it is easy to reach a point in which you stop trying to improve yourself. This is not a trap you want to fall into as a freelance writer. You should work hard to improve yourself and your career day in and day out. By doing this you will find out soon enough that your career is moving in the right direction in terms of new clients, income, and much more.
There are many ways you can continue to improve your freelance writing career even if you feel you have reached the pinnacle. Just a few examples are listed below:
1. Improve your communication skills. Believe it or not, this is one area that many freelance writers ignore because they feel they don’t have to communicate with others. This is far from the case. By improving your communication skills you will find it easier to land new jobs, keep clients happy, etc.
2. Improve your writing skills. This goes without saying, but it is something many freelance writers take for granted. When I look back at my work from three years ago I often wonder what I was thinking at the time. This is not to say that my work was bad, but through the years I have improved quite a bit. It is important to improve your writing skills as often as possible. Remember, practice makes perfect; or it at least gets you moving in the right direction.
Keep in mind that the freelance writing industry is always changing. What works now may not work next year. For this reason it is important to be willing to improve and change as time goes by. You never want to get stuck in a rut.
The most successful freelance writers are those who are always improving in one way or the next. As noted above, you can improve in many ways including your communication and writing skills. No matter what, work hard everyday with the goal of learning something new and improving your standing as a freelance writer.Â
It doesn’t take a genius to know that you cannot work nonstop, day in and day out. But guess what? Many freelance writers try doing so nonetheless. I was one of them many years ago, and I still look back and wonder what I was thinking. Simply put, you need to take breaks from time to time in order to rest your mind and body.
The million dollar question is: when to take breaks and how long should they last? There are two ways of looking at this.
First off, you need to take breaks intermittently throughout the day. For instance, I usually work four hours in the morning and then break for lunch. This gives me the chance to step away from my computer while also grabbing a bite to eat. When I get back to work I feel much better which in turn improves my productivity.
Secondly, there are times when you may need to take longer break such as a long weekend. There is nothing wrong with taking a vacation from time to time. Although I don’t take many vacations I have learned that stealing a day here and there is a great idea. Again, this gives your mind and body a chance to rest.
Early in my career I felt that taking breaks was a bad thing because it would slow down my progress. But soon enough I realized that this was an important part of being a successful freelance writer. Taking the proper breaks allows me to maintain my energy while increasing productivity. Are you taking enough breaks?Â
Are you looking for an innovative and exciting way to market your business? No matter what industry you are in, or who you are trying to reach, you can find new customers and spread the word through the use of stickers.
There are quite a few benefits of buying stickers through a site such as FrontierLabel.com. For one, you can get your hands on a marketing tool that is often times overlooked. To go along with this, saving money on marketing is something that most people are interested in. And with low cost stickers this is more than possible.
In addition to custom stickers you can also buy labels for your business. While you may not think this is worth the money, labels can be used on everything from envelopes to storage boxes and much more.
No matter what product or service you are trying to market, consider using stickers to spread the word. This is a low cost yet effective way of marketing your business. By adding this strategy to others you are sure to achieve the results you have been chasing. Once you add stickers to your marketing plan it is safe to say that you will never go back.
There is something about a new year that gets a lot of people excited. In my opinion, a new year signifies a “fresh start†in many ways. For instance, if your freelance writing career did not go as expected last year you can change things this time around. That being said, a fresh start can go bad in a hurry if you do not know what to expect in 2009.
What are you expecting from your freelance writing career in 2009? This is more or less a question that should be based around your goals, as well as your current situation. Over the past few weeks this is a question I have been reviewing with every member of my freelance writing course. In my opinion it is very important for every freelance writer, no matter their situation, to know which direction they want to move. Some members have told me they are expecting to move from part to full-time. Others are expecting to break past income records. And some simply want to get their freelance writing career up and running within the first few months of the year.
When answering the above question keep in mind that you can set any goal imaginable. You don’t have to set goals based on what others are doing or saying. For instance, my goals are going to be much different than a writer who is going full-time for the first time in the new year. Does this mean that my goals are “better†or that I am expecting more from myself? Of course not. Every freelance writer is their own individual, and you should set goals based on your situation and not anybody else’s.
Now is the time to have your goals in place and to know what you are expecting over the next 12 months. If you wait any longer the month of January will be gone, and you will look back and wonder where all the time went. Instead of procrastinating, set goals and realistic expectations for 2009. And remember, if you need help or want to run something by me get in touch via email.
Although I am not working a lot today, I wanted to add a quick post wishing all of my readers a Happy New Year. This past year it was a pleasure interacting with many of you on a regular basis. I am sure that 2009 is going to be just as fun and educational for all of us.
With the new year upon us it is time to get off to a good start. Do you have your goals set for 2009? If so, there is no time to waste on getting started. If not, take the time to set both short and long term goals so you have some direction as the months go by.
Once again, Happy New Year and I hope all of you have a successful and healthy 2009!
