I receive many emails asking one basic question: how can I become a better writer? If you work as a freelance writer it is often times simple to overlook the fact that you are good at what you do. There are many people out there who would love to write for a living, but just don’t have the skills to do so.
Here are three tips that I always give people who want to become a better writer:
1. Practice, practice, practice. If you want to become a better writer you have to sit down and work on your skills. This is not something that is going to come over night. But as you write more and more, day in and day out, you will find that things are getting better for you. Soon enough you may be able to sell yourself as a freelance writer and begin to get paid for your work.
2. Emulate others. What are other writers doing that works for them? Don’t be afraid to read the work of other writers to see what you like, don’t like, etc. You may be surprised at how much you can learn by simply reading what others have written.
3. Ask for help, advice from others. There is nothing wrong with asking others for help. Those who send me an email asking how they can become a better writer are taking the necessary steps in moving forward. You never know when you are going to pick up that one tip that helps you move your career to the next level.
If you want to become a better writer you should practice, read the work of others, and ask for help when needed. These tips may not turn you into the greatest writer in the world, but they are sure to help on some level.
Starting a freelance writing career means starting a business. For this reason, you need to be ready to invest from day one. If you are not serious about your business how can you expect clients to get on board and pay you for your work? Over the years I have found that the right mindset is important to overall success as a freelance writer.
There are two things you need to invest in your freelance writing career:
1. Time. If you are not willing to work long and hard you are probably going to fail as a freelance writer. In the beginning it will take a lot of your time to get up and running. Remember, you are in charge of everything from administrative tasks to marketing. And on top of everything, you never want to neglect your actual writing work. In the early days of my career I was putting in 10 to 12 hours at a time. While this may be a bit much, the more time you invest the more chance you have of succeeding.
2. Money. Although you do not have to invest much money to start a freelance writing career, there are some expenses that you are sure to face. For instance, many new writers are forced to purchase a computer, printer, and office supplies. Yes, these expenses can add up. The good thing is that you are not spending money just to do so. Instead, you are buying items that will help you better your career. This is anything but a waste of money.
No matter if you are a new freelance writer or have been around the block a few times, investing both time and money in your career is very important.
In the past, I have talked about holding yourself back from reaching goals. This is more common that it should be, in my opinion. It is a shame, but many aspiring freelance writers are not succeeding because of what they are doing; not what is going on around them.
Here are three common ways freelance writers stop themselves from achieving success and reaching career related goals:
1. Talk but no action. There are many people who want to become freelance writers, but most of them never do anything about it. Instead, they spend all their time talking about how great it would be. It is important to plan, but to succeed in the long run you have to eventually decide to take action.
2. You are finding too many excuses not to move forward. It is easy to find a reason not to do something. It is too much of a risk to become a freelance writer. I don’t have the space at home to become a freelance writer. It costs too much money to become a freelance writer. And the list goes on and on. If you want to find an excuse you will be able to do so in no time at all.
3. Don’t find the time. There is no denying that some people have to start their freelance writing career while working another job. Even if this is not the case, some are dealing with other priorities such as raising a child. No matter who you are, you will have to find the time to chase your freelance writing dream. If you neglect to do so you can be rest assured that success will escape you time after time.
Don’t let any or all of the above reasons stop you from becoming a freelance writer.Â
There are many benefits of being a work at home freelancer. One that I do not talk about nearly enough is how much money it can save you. For many, saving money is a way of life. Even if you have a lot, saving is still something that can be fun. Fortunately, as a freelancer of any kind you will get to see what this is all about.
How do freelancers save money? Well, here are three ways:
1. Food. When I worked in an office I would stop for coffee and lunch everyday of the week. While I was only spending $7 or so, over the course of a month this would add up to roughly $140. I may not have noticed at the time that this was a lot of money, but looking back it is hard to imagine I was doing this. Now, anytime I want a snack all I have to do is head to the kitchen.
2. Gas. This one is obvious, right? With gas prices remaining high it goes without saying that you will be able to save a lot of money in this department. Another example from my past: I used to fill up once per week when working as a sales manager. Now, I fill up just about once per month. Again, this is a savings of more than $100.
3. Time is money. This may not be a direct way of saving, but it is something to consider nonetheless. How much time do you waste everyday at your office job? This can include anything from mingling with co-workers to sitting in traffic. It is probably quite a bit. Time is money. The better you manage your time the more money you can earn.
As you can see, being a freelancer can save you money in many ways.
When it comes to starting any kind of business it is important to have a plan in mind. In other words, you need a business plan. Believe it or not, some freelance writers, especially those who are new to the industry, do not think this applies to them – they are wrong. In my opinion, every freelance writer needs a solid business plan to guide them as their career moves forward.
I don’t want this post to be overshadowed by what goes into creating a freelance writing business plan or how to get started. Instead, I simply want all freelance writers to realize that this is a very important part of their career. One of the best moves I ever made was creating a business plan before my first day as a writer. In fact, I still look at this plan from time to time to see if I am making the progress I expected, etc.
Don’t let anybody tell you that creating a business plan is a waste of your time. You do not need hundreds of pages full of content, graphs, and other like information. Instead, start with a basic plan that will help you begin your career. Just like most businesses, your plan will change over time to suit your situation and goals.
A freelance writing business plan is very important. If you are thinking about becoming a writer, make sure this is in your to-do list. Those who are already working as a freelancer but don’t have a business plan should create one today.Â
How will you know when it is time to become a freelance writer? The answer is simple: you won’t. When I decided to get started I didn’t really know if it was the right decision. I knew that I wanted to be a freelance writer, but that was only a start. There is some level of risk involved – you have to realize that going in. If you are thinking about becoming a freelance writer it is time to decide for or against this.
Here are three common situations that may push you into a freelance writing career right now:
1. You don’t have a job. It is unfortunate but unemployment numbers are quite high. If you do not have a job and are interested in freelance writing, nothing should be holding you back. It is better to give this a try now when you have the time than to look back later on and wonder what could have been.
2. You have a job but it makes you miserable. There is nothing worse than continuing to work a job that does not suit your needs. You spend at least eight hours per day at work. Do you really want to be miserable the entire time? You do not want to leave your job if you need it to survive. But you definitely want to consider how you can begin to do your own thing so you can escape soon enough.
3. You just want to do it! You don’t need a great reason or a dire situation to become a freelance writer. Instead, if you feel that this is the career for you and know that you can make it, that may be reason enough to go for the gusto.
So, what do you think? Is now the time for you to become a freelance writer? If you are facing one of the three situations above, there may be no better time than now.Â
I strongly believe in finding a career that is both profitable and fun. In other words, you should strive to earn a good living with a smile on your face. Is this what freelance writing brings to your life? If so, you may have found your calling.
Money is important, but it is not everything. Working as a freelance writer will begin to get old soon enough if you are not having a good time. There are a lot of jobs out there that pay very well, but not all of them are going to be enjoyable. It should be your goal to find something that will keep you excited and motivated, while also paying you what you deserve.
The reasons why freelance writing is fun for me may be different than the way you look at things. I love this career because writing gets my blood flowing. It is something I have enjoyed for many years, and I do not ever see that changing. Along with this, it is an interesting career path that helps me learn a lot while connecting with many other like minded professionals. When you put all of this together it is easy to see why I find freelance writing to be so much fun.
If you are a freelance writer who does not have fun with their career, it may be time to make a change. Only you know how you feel and if changing careers could better your life. Be objective. Is freelance writing still fun for you?
One of the quickest ways to “kill†your day as a freelance writer is to get distracted. There is nothing worse than getting off track when you are trying to get something done. Fortunately, there are things you can do to avoid distractions. There is no way of totally doing this, but anything that helps your situation is better than nothing at all.
1. Get your own space. When you have a dedicated workspace there is less chance that you will be distracted by anybody else who lives in your home. Even if you work in a closet it is better than being at a kitchen table or anywhere else that is out in the open.
2. Tell those around you that you are working. Sometimes all you have to do is let your family know that you are working in order to get the time needed to complete the tasks at hand. Soon enough they will get a feel for when you are working and when you can be bothered.
3. Have a schedule and follow it no matter what happens. There are going to be times when distractions come into play. The best thing you can do is set a schedule, follow it, and try to avoid anything that is going to hold you back. This is not always simple to do, but if you know your schedule it is at least possible.
Distractions are a pet peeve of mine. When I am working I like to stay involved until the job is finished. The tips above have helped me over the years. Can they do anything for you?Â
As a freelance writer it is often times entirely too easy to settle into a groove. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be if you begin to avoid change at all costs. There are sure to be times when a change here and there is a good thing. It is your job as a freelance writer to decide when these times are, and then deal with them accordingly.
If you need a little push, consider these changes that I and many others have made over the years:
1. Change your hours. Have you been sleeping in too late? Working into the evening when you shouldn’t be? If you want to change your career this is one of the easiest ways of doing so. I have found that a change to my working schedule is a great way to increase energy and productivity.
2. Change your rates. Obviously, this is something you have to be very careful about. Changing your rates is not something that you do on a whim; this needs to be a calculated decision. Although this type of change can be difficult to make, it is one that can greatly increase your freelance writing income and in some cases help you attract more clients.
3. Change your marketing approach. I strongly suggest that you consider this point if you are not finding enough work or have hit a rut. Sometimes adding a new component to your marketing strategy can give your career a huge boost.Â
Are you the type of freelance writer who thinks that all change is bad? If so, consider the above information. Hopefully you will begin to see that some changes can work in your favor.
Some people say that they want to achieve freelance writing success. But guess what? Not all of them mean it. It is easy to say that you are searching for this, but when it comes to making it happen you are playing in an entirely different arena. In other words, there is a big difference between saying and doing.
If you are totally serious about achieving freelance writing success you will do whatever it takes to reach all your goals. This may mean working extra hours, making extra phone calls, or spending more time at your desk. Of course, there is a fine line between doing what you can to achieve success and going overboard. You need to know where to draw the line between just enough and too much.
One thing I like to tell people is that once you get a taste of success there is no going back. For instance, aspiring freelance writers who have never had a paying client often times get frustrated. But once they land that first job and receive a payment everything changes. At this point they realize that they can earn money as a freelance writer if they put their mind to it. Sometimes all it takes is one break or one development to help you become more serious about your career.
If you are serious and devoted there is nothing standing in your way. Those who quit before they reach success never wanted to make it to the top in the first place. Only you know how serious you are. Hopefully you are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve freelance writing success as soon as possible. Once you reach some of your short term goals there is nothing stopping you as the future unfolds.Â
