If you are thinking of becoming a freelance writer because you can earn “quick money†you may want to reconsider. Yes, there is money to be made and plenty of it once you become established. But at the same time, it is important to note that nothing is going to come easy. Even if you catch a few breaks along the way you will still have to do some work in order to cash in. More and more people are deciding to jump into the freelance writing industry because they feel that it is simple to get started, and easy to make a lot of money. While I agree that anybody can get involved if they have the right skills, you should never believe that making money is going to be simple.
There are many reasons to become a freelance writer and money is just one of them. But in my opinion this should not be the only factor that pushes you into this career. In other words, there is nothing wrong with wanting to make money but be sure that becoming a freelance writer will do more for you. For instance, I truly enjoy writing. Even if I was not earning a lot of money I would still stick to this career path because I have a lot of fun day in and day out. To go along with this, as a freelance writer I get to meet a lot of new people and this is something that I also enjoy. Yes, money is important but there are other reasons why I have stuck with my career as a freelance writer for so long.
Remember, there is no such thing as quick money. This holds true no matter what career you choose. If you want quick money you will have to take your chance with a lottery ticket.
Money can motivate you and hopefully turn you into a determined freelance writer. But don’t let this be the only reason for joining the industry. Instead, make sure you have more than one reason for becoming a writer. This will help to ensure a long lasting, enjoyable career.
As a freelance writer there is a good chance that you have your own blog. And while having a blog is good enough for some, others want to take their site to the next level. One of the best ways of doing this is by opting for a custom logo design. In other words, ditch the basic logo you are using on your blog and get something that is unique and will set you apart from the crowd. After all, there are millions of blogs out there; it is easy to get lost.
LogoBang.com is one of many companies that offer custom logo design services. That being said, they are anything but normal. There are many reasons to get in touch with LogoBang.com if you need a logo or other design work. For one, they offer great customer service and this alone is reason enough to give them a try. Of course, there are other benefits as well including an affordable pricing structure (starting at $95), satisfaction guarantee, years of design experience and much more.
It is often times difficult to decide which logo design service to use. Some are better than others, and you need to make sure you spend your money wisely. Fortunately, if you get in touch with LogoBang.com you will not be disappointed.
There is no denying that working as a freelance writer is more or less a “solitary position.†In other words, you are not going to be around others for the better part of the day; unless you have family at home, of course. But even then, you will not be conversing with co-workers, bosses, etc. Through my freelance writing course I have heard from many writers who do not like to speak with clients on the phone. In fact, some members have gone so far as to say that they do not answer if a client calls. Instead, they let voicemail handle it and then email the client back. In my opinion, this is a huge mistake.
If a client is calling they are doing so for a reason. They want to speak with you in real time, and you need to be open to doing so. There is nothing wrong with missing a call for a legitimate reason. But if you are ignoring clients you are making a big mistake. Soon enough they may feel that you are trying to avoid them, or simply not interested in doing business with them. The end result is losing a client that you probably want to keep. Now do you see how detrimental it can be to avoid calls from clients?
There is a bigger issue at hand. Why don’t you want to answer the phone when clients call? Are you afraid of saying the wrong thing? Are you so shy that this is a major problem? Once you know why you are ignoring calls you can begin to work towards finding a solution. And a solution is something you need in order to fix this problem and better your career.
You need to answer the phone when your freelance writing clients call. This is a great chance to not only form a better relationship, but to also break up the monotony of the day. Get past what is holding you back so you feel comfortable answering the next time a client buzzes you!
Competition within the freelance writing industry can be fierce. There are thousands of freelance writers out there applying for the same jobs as you. For this reason, you need to do something to set yourself apart. In other words, you need to give clients a reason to choose your services over those of another freelance writer. You may not land every job by doing so, but you will definitely increase your chance of success.
Why should a client choose you? You and you alone need to decide what you are going to offer, and how this will give you a better chance of success. Some freelance writers attempt to beat the competition by offering low prices. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you are comfortable working at a lower than average rate. Of course, this usually gets tiresome sooner rather than later because nobody wants to work for less than what they are worth.
I want clients to choose me because of my freelance writing experience and related expertise. The best way I can show this is by providing potential clients with samples, while also showing them some of the names and companies I have worked with in the past. Simply put, if you show clients that you have the background experience and skills you are bettering your chance of landing the gig. This holds true even if your rates are higher than others who apply for the position. Remember, not every client is interested in saving money. Many of them know they have to spend more to receive higher quality work.
If you are not giving clients a reason to choose you there is a chance that your freelance writing career will begin to sputter. No matter what, make sure you develop a unique selling feature that puts you above your competition.  Â
When I decided to become a freelance writer I was worried that I did not know enough to get started. To go along with this, I thought I would never pick up the right knowledge along the way. But of course, this changed soon enough and I found out that there were plenty of resources offering top notch information. Simply put, there are many ways to learn about the freelance writing industry. Even if you feel overwhelmed I can tell you from firsthand experience that things will get better. Soon enough your knowledge base will grow and you will know where to turn for the proper information.
One of the best ways to learn about the industry is through related websites and blogs. As I have said before, this is why I started my blog. I know how difficult it can be to collect the right information, and this blog is a way for me to give back to others. Of course, there are thousands of other useful sites and blogs that you will run into along the way.
Do you have a freelance writing mentor that can more or less guide you? When I started out I had somebody to help in this capacity, and it really helped to get me moving in the right direction. If you know somebody who is already working as a freelance writer, ask them to mentor you. For those of you who don’t know anybody, I would be more than happy to have you in my freelance writing course.
Some people never get started as a freelance writer because they are afraid of the unknown. There is a lot to learn about the freelance writing industry; there is no denying this. But remember, there are many sources for gathering accurate, reliable information. All you need is the willingness to learn!Â
As a freelance writer not having enough work is a tough spot to be in. For many, this is a regular occurrence because they find it difficult to locate and land new clients. There is no denying that every freelance writer has to deal with this situation from time to time. Fortunately, you don’t have to let it linger if you know what you are doing. Having a good grip on the industry, as well as your career, will allow you to minimize the time you spend without enough work on your plate.
If you are having a hard time finding work you need to own up to this. Many freelance writers are stubborn and will not admit that they need help. Does this sound like you? If so, break out of this mold and realize that admitting what you are up against is the first step in making things better.
Now that you know what you are facing it is time to devise a game plan. It is one thing to know that you are struggling to find work, but another entirely to do something about it. Simply put, if you are not willing to devise a plan and then follow it you are never going to make it as a freelance writer.
Through my experience, all it takes is one break to get the ball rolling down hill. For instance, if you are going through a drought and haven’t landed a new client in a long time you need to work harder than ever to change this. Once this happens you will regain your confidence, and hopefully use this to your advantage as you move forward. One client can lead to another and so on.
There is nothing wrong with admitting that you have hit a rough patch. Once you face this situation and devise a plan you are closer than ever before to getting back on track.
I talk a lot about how much money you can earn as a freelance writer. The reason for this is simple: this is what most aspiring writers want to know. That being said, you need to ask yourself whether or not you are having fun as a freelance writer. Even if you can earn a lot of money, if you are not having fun you will burnout sooner rather than later.
Simply put, I would not be a freelance writer if I was not having fun. I left my job in the “sales world†because it was becoming boring, and I was tired of dealing with the politics of an office setting. This was not fun for me, so I decided to venture into the freelance writing industry so I could once again feel good about myself and the direction of my career.
What makes freelance writing so much fun? The answer to this question is not going to be the same across the board. For instance, I enjoy freelance writing because I have always been interested in this field. On the other hand, I know freelance writers who have no formal training but fell into writing for one reason or the next. And while they were apprehensive at first, they are now having more fun than ever before. When it comes down to it, you and only you can decide if you enjoy freelance writing.
Just like any career, freelance writing is fun for some people and not so exciting for others. Before you decide to jump into this career full-time you will want to decide how you feel. Will you have fun no matter how much money you are making? If so, there is a good chance that this career is right for you. But if you are only after the money, this is not the best field. It takes time, determination, and some luck to succeed in the long run. If you are having fun, waiting for the money to come is much easier.
While this may sound silly, some freelance writers don’t get their work done because they spend a lot of time browsing the internet, checking email, searching for new jobs, etc. Sure, I want you to read my blog, and I hope you visit everyday, but not if it means you are forgetting to do your work. This is not something that affects every freelance writer, but some struggle greatly in this area.
Believe it or not, this is an issue that I faced during my first year as a freelance writer. Instead of concentrating on the work I had I spent a lot of time searching online job boards and checking my many email accounts. The end result was getting behind the eight ball with the projects I did have, and basically wasting many hours of solid work time every week.
You should definitely set aside time each day for miscellaneous activities such as those discussed above. I take care of these tasks first thing in the morning, during lunch, and after I complete my work for the day. This way I can take my time without having to worry or feel bad that I am not doing my work.
Don’t dismiss this post as a waste of time. It sounds stupid, I know, but you want to make sure that when you are working you are working. And working means completing projects not checking email and browsing the internet.
After the start of a new year many people set the goal of bettering their career. For this reason, more people than ever before have been asking questions and inquiring about openings in my freelance writing course. If you are interested in taking your freelance writing career to the next level my course is a good start. And fortunately, I have two spots to offer at this time.
Many of you have asked whether or not my course is just for beginners. I will say this: roughly 75 percent of my students are new or semi-new to the freelance writing industry. That being said, the other 25 percent are established and simply looking for help in bettering their career. In other words, you can benefit no matter if 2009 is your first year in the freelance writing game or your 10th year.
If you are interested in one of these two openings you should contact me as soon as possible. As always, I don’t expect the openings to last for more than a day or so.
Are you ready to increase your freelance writing income, land new clients, and have a better overall career? If so, my course should be able to lend you some direction. I am looking forward to filling these spots, and working with two more of you in the coming months!
What steps do you take before accepting a freelance writing job? If you don’t know, the tips below should help you formulate a plan for the next time:
1. Negotiate the best deal. Okay, this may sound a bit like buying a car but it is true. Before you accept a job you need to negotiate the best possible deal in terms of details and pay. If you don’t do this you are making a big mistake. No, this does not mean you should gouge clients but you definitely need to have a firm grasp on what you are asking for as well as what you want to receive.
2. Agree on payment terms. This includes how much you will receive, when the client is going to pay, and how they are going to send the money. For instance, you may agree to write a sales letter for $500 upfront via PayPal. Once you agree on the payment terms most of the other details will begin to fall into place.
3. Agree on the details of the project. While payment is important, you also want to agree on the project details. Staying with the above example, a sales letter can be written in many different ways. How long does the client want it to be? What format are you going to use? What angle does the client want you to take? Make sure you and the client are on the same page as far as the project details are concerned.
4. Know who you are going to communicate with, and how to best get in touch with them. Many freelance writers forget this step, but it is very important. Sometimes you will be contacted by one person, but find out soon enough that you are dealing with somebody else when it comes to completing the project. You want to have the names and contact information for everybody you will be communicating with.
Before you accept your next freelance writing job make sure you consider the above points.Â
