As a freelance writer, it is safe to say that you work from home. Sure, I know a few freelancers who have “outside†offices but this is not very common. One thing I have found to be true over the years is that you must keep your home office organized if you are going to achieve long term success. If you are worried about this you are not alone. Just like most people I have a difficult staying organized. Fortunately, there are some tips that have helped me in this area over the years.
1. Give yourself space. With a big enough office you will always have room to store anything and everything that has to do with your career. It is much better to put things away than to leave them out in the open. Do you have a closet in your home office? How about filing cabinets or other furniture with drawers? No matter what it may be, try to put away items that you will not be using on a regular basis.
2. Don’t be a pack rat. This is a problem that I have suffered from for many years. Simply put, I hate throwing anything away. In the back of my mind, I always think that I will need to use the item again in the future. Of course, this is very rarely the case. Take it from me – don’t become a pack rat.
3. If you take it out, put it away. How many times have you taken out a file, worked on it, and set it on your desk instead of back in your filing cabinet? This happens to me time and time again. While I am getting better at putting things away, this is still an issue that plagues me.
These three tips should help you keep your home office better organized.
One of the main goals of this blog is to help other freelance writers solve their problems. While I don’t know everything (far from it) I have faced many situations in the past. So, when you have a problem there is a good chance that I have dealt with it myself.
Of course, I cannot read minds. Most of the time my blog posts are based around a personal experience, or a question/comment that is sent by a reader. If you are facing any problems, I would love to hear about them. This can be anything from a small issue on how to get started to something more advanced concerning a client.
Feel free to leave a comment or email me direct. Either way, let me know what type of issue you are facing and the steps you have taken thus far to deal with it. From there, hopefully I will be able to help. Along with this, I may even be able to turn your problem into a blog post so that we can all learn from it.
I hope to hear from many of you in the near future!
How much writing experience do you have? No matter who you are, there is a very good chance that you have had to write content at some point in the past. This includes anything from an essay for a college course to a sales letter for your job and everything in between. While this may not be exactly the same as the writing you will do as a freelancer, there are some similarities. After all, writing is writing no matter if you are keeping it for yourself or selling it off to a client.
The point of this post is to let you know that you don’t have to be experienced to become a freelance writer. I receive so many emails from aspiring writers who feel that they have no chance of success because they have never freelanced in the past. This is silly if you think about it. Did I have freelance writing experience when I first started? Of course not. Remember, everybody has to start somewhere. Everybody has to take on their first freelance writing gig at some point in time.
Don’t let your lack of formal freelance writing experience hold you back from making this your career. As noted above, you probably have some level of writing experience – even if it is only basic. This is all you need in order to make the transition to the freelance industry.
It is a shame that so many aspiring freelance writers are stopped in their tracks because they feel they are not experienced enough. Don’t let what you have (or haven’t) done in the past stop you from reaching your goals in the future. Chances are that you have enough experience and skills to try your hand at freelance writing.
Do you take regular phone calls from your clients? Do you enjoy this? Do you despise it? Every so often I feel like I should touch on this topic. The reason for this is simple: I am always getting questions about how to best communicate with clients. Along with this, you may be surprised at how many freelance writers hate using the telephone.
Personally, I believe that you should be open to taking phone calls no matter what. This may be a big change for you, but in the long run it is one that will help immensely. Simply put, some clients are more interested in speaking on the phone than using email. Is there anything wrong with this? Not in my book!
So, what is the problem? To start, some freelance writers are terrified at the thought of speaking on the phone with clients. They never liked doing this in past careers, and will continue to avoid it at all costs. It is essential to realize that some clients will only want to communicate via phone. If you don’t agree to this you are going to find it very difficult to keep them onboard.
The other issue is that phone calls to take up a lot of time. I totally agree that this is something to be worried about. The last thing you want is to spend so much time on the phone that you are not getting your work done. To avoid problems in this area, you can do a couple things:
1. Set aside certain times of the day to contact clients and/or return their phone calls. This way you are working on your own schedule.
2. Let your clients know when you are best available via telephone. While this does not always work, it will help cut back on the number of calls you receive when trying to write.
To become a successful freelance writer you need to be willing to speak with clients on the phone. This may not come up very often, but when it does make sure you are ready!
As a freelance writer you are going to run into bad clients from time to time. This happens to me every so often, and you should expect the same at some point. While this is part of the freelance writing industry, it is never fun. That being said, you can learn a lot from a bad client. You might as well take something positive away from this experience.
Here are two things a bad client can teach you:
1. How not to treat people. Is your client in the habit of talking down on you? Does he call at all hours of the day with demands that you have to meet without delay? By sitting back and watching how your client acts you can get a good idea of what you should avoid when dealing with others, no matter who they may be.
2. What to look for in future clients. It goes without saying that you want to avoid bad clients at all costs. Once you work with a few of these you should be able to better avoid them in the future. Do all of your bad clients start out by making demands that are unrealistic? If so, the moment that you recognize this happening you should either put a stop to it or walk away. This way you don’t get too deep, as you did in the past, and find yourself in a worse position.
There is nothing worse than getting involved with a bad client. Unfortunately, this happens even when you are guarding against it. Do yourself a favor and learn from these experiences. This will make you a better freelance writer in the long run.
As a freelance writer you will work one day after the next. While this is just like any other job, you really need to make sure that you know what you are doing. This means planning your next day before it ever arrives. In other words, know what you need to do from the moment you sit down at your computer in the morning.
Here are three things you can do to successfully plan your next day as a freelance writer:
1. Have a to-do list. No matter what is on the agenda, I have a to-do list sitting right next to me at all times. This helps to keep me on track, and to ensure that I don’t miss anything that needs done.
2. Know your priorities. A to-do list is great, but you also need to know what is most important. Which projects needs to be completed and sent off to the client first? Which ones can wait until the end of the day?
3. Think about more than the work you have to do for clients. Do you have any of your own projects that need worked on? Is there anything you can do to market your services? While client work may be most important to you, don’t forget to leave time for other tasks.
I always plan my next day before it arrives. Sure, things can change along the way but for the most part I know what needs to get done. If you want to stay better organized and work in a more efficient manner, follow the three tips above.
Are you the type of person who likes to work on the weekends? Although this may not sound like fun, if you choose to work on the right projects it can lead to a very good time. Personally, I use the weekends to work on my own projects. This is not always the case, but it is something I try to stick to for the most part.
When you say your “own projects†what do you mean? For me, this means my blog, new websites I am developing, books, etc. This includes pretty much anything that I am doing for myself, as opposed to a client.
The reason that I prefer to work on my own projects during this time is that I don’t have to be 100 percent on top of my game. I can take breaks when need be, while also working at my own pace. With client work I like to be able to sit down, focus on the task at hand, and complete the project. On top of this, there is no room for error. This is not to say that I want to make mistakes on my projects, but I know there is always time to go back and sure things up.
If you have any time on the weekend for work, think about focusing on your own projects. This is a great way to stay involved while still being productive. Soon enough you may find that your projects are earning just as much as those you are completing for clients.
There are two features of my freelance writing course that are important: 1. I only take on 20 students at a time. 2. To get involved it costs $100/month. While these two details have worked out well over the past couple of years, I want to change things up just a bit.
Due to an increased demand in 2010, I am going to open up five more spots each month – bringing the total to 25. This will give more of you the chance to join and learn without having to wait.
Another thing I am doing is lowering the cost from $100/month to $75/month. But there is a catch. This is going to be for one month only. Those who are already part of the course will also receive the discount – no need to worry! So, if you are interested in joining, now is definitely the time to do so. Not only do you have a very good chance of snagging an empty spot, but you can do so at a discounted rate for the first month.
To get started, send me an email right away. Although there are five open spots, with a long waiting list they will go fast.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a personal email. I am looking forward to working with more of you guys and gals in the months to come!
Are you interested in starting a freelance writing career? Many people answer yes, but for whatever reason they never take the leap. Instead, they blame this on not being fully prepared. Although there is a lot that goes into becoming a freelance writer, you have to realize a few things:
1. You will never know everything. If you are waiting to learn it all before getting started you will find yourself treading water, day after day. I have been a freelance writer for more than four years, but still don’t know everything about the industry. Just like any career, everyday is a learning experience.
2. There is nothing wrong with learning as you go. When I started my freelance writing career I knew a little bit, but was convinced that learning as I moved forward was the way to go. Once you have basic knowledge of the industry and what you want to accomplish, the other details can be picked up as you move forward.
3. Sometimes you have to trust that you are doing the right thing. There is no way of knowing for sure that freelance writing is the right career for you. But if you continually put this off you will never know for sure if you can make it. It can be stressful to start a new career – no matter what it may be. That being said, there is a point when you have to trust yourself and take the leap.
Every month I speak with aspiring freelance writers who want to get started but are lagging behind because they are not fully prepared. Hopefully the above three details will open your eyes and make you realize that you can get started even if you are not as prepared as you think you should be.
Are you getting ready to take on your first day as a freelance writer? If so, know that this is a very big step in your career. Even though you are sure to be excited, don’t be surprised if you are a bit nervous as well. After all, you are starting a new career.
Here are three tips for first day freelance writers:
1. Don’t rush. While you are in a hurry to make money, keep in mind that it takes time to catch on. There is no reason to get ahead of yourself when you are first starting out as a freelance writer. Your first day can be used to get your feet wet, to start your marketing plan, and to plan out the week to come.
2. Be willing to accept a variety of projects. Once you are more experienced you can be selective with the types of freelance writing jobs that you take on. But during your first day (and so on) as a freelance writer you want to keep an open mind. Any work is good work at this point – as long as you are comfortable with it, of course.
3. Don’t get frustrated. Entirely too many new freelance writers get frustrated and worked up during their first full day on the job. You are going to be facing many changes. Don’t worry if you face a problem because there is always a solution waiting for you down the line. It is important to keep a positive attitude, and to continue moving forward no matter what it takes.
If you are getting set for your first day as a freelance writer the above three tips should help.
